Matthew 28:19

[Dave]

Check out that site I posted Paul, some really sound investigation into the ending of Matthew on there:

Considering the evidence of the manuscripts, the versions and now the early writings, you should by now have come to conclusion that in the early centuries some copies of Matthew did not contain the modern Triune wording. Regardless of the opinions or positions taken by our commentators, we must at the very least admit that fact.

In legal practice where copies of an original lost document vary, the "Internal Evidence" is used to resolve the discrepancy. That is, a comparison of the undisputed text with text in question, in order to determine which of the variant wordings is more likely to be the original. With both variants in mind, we will now turn to the scriptures themselves for our internal evidence.

Internal Evidence

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. "(1 Thessalonians 5:21) In this verse, the Greek word translated as "prove" is dokimazo, and it means, "to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy. "

In our efforts to determine which reading of Matthew 28:19 is original, we will submit both renderings to ten "tests". In doing so, we will be able to recognize the genuine, and expose the spurious.

1. The Test of Context

When examining the context, we find that today's Trinitarian wording lacks logical syntax, that is, the true understanding of the verse is obscured by a failure of the varying concepts to harmonize. If however, we read as follows, the whole context fits together and the progression of the instructions is comprehensible:

All power is given unto me. .. go therefore. .. make disciples in my name, teaching them. .. whatsoever I have commanded. .. I am with you. .. (Matthew 28:18-20)