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==Protestant commentaries in support of infant baptism: Matthew 28:19-20==  

==Protestant commentaries in support of infant baptism: Matthew 28:19-20==  

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/matthew/28.htm '''Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> Henry Alford (7 October 1810 - 12 January 1871) was an English churchman, theologian, textual critic, scholar, poet, hymnodist, and writer. His chief fame rests on his monumental edition of the New Testament in Greek (4 vols.), which occupied him from 1841 to 1861.{{quotation|'''βαπτίζοντες'''] Both these present participles are the conditioning components of the imperative aor. preceding. The μαθητεύειν consists of two parts—the ''initiatory'', admissory ''rite'', and the ''subsequent teaching''. It is much to be regretted that the rendering of μαθ. ''‘teach,’'' has in our Bibles clouded the meaning of these important words. It will be observed that in our Lord’s words, as in the Church, the process of ordinary discipleship is ''from baptism to instruction''—i.e. is, ''admission in infancy to the covenant'', and ''growing up into'' τηρεῖς πάντα κ.τ.λ.—the ''exception'' being, what circumstances rendered so frequent in the early Church, ''instruction before baptism'', in the case of ''adults''. On this we may also remark, that baptism as known to the Jews included, just as it does in the Acts (ch. 16:15, 33) ''whole households—wives and children''. (<small>''italics in original''</small>)}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/matthew/28.htm '''Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> Henry Alford (7 October 1810–12 January 1871) was an English churchman, theologian, textual critic, scholar, poet, hymnodist, and writer. His chief fame rests on his monumental edition of the New Testament in Greek (4 vols.), which occupied him from 1841 to 1861.{{quotation|'''βαπτίζοντες'''] Both these present participles are the conditioning components of the imperative aor. preceding. The μαθητεύειν consists of two parts—the ''initiatory'', admissory ''rite'', and the ''subsequent teaching''. It is much to be regretted that the rendering of μαθ. ''‘teach,’'' has in our Bibles clouded the meaning of these important words. It will be observed that in our Lord’s words, as in the Church, the process of ordinary discipleship is ''from baptism to instruction''—i.e. is, ''admission in infancy to the covenant'', and ''growing up into'' τηρεῖς πάντα κ.τ.λ.—the ''exception'' being, what circumstances rendered so frequent in the early Church, ''instruction before baptism'', in the case of ''adults''. On this we may also remark, that baptism as known to the Jews included, just as it does in the Acts (ch. 16:15, 33) ''whole households—wives and children''. (<small>''italics in original''</small>)}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/matthew/28.htm '''Benson Commentary''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> Joseph Benson (Jan. 25, 1748-Feb. 16, 1821.) was one of the most eminent of the early Methodist ministers in England. He devoted himself closely to philosophy and theology, studying constantly and zealously. He became a Methodist circuit rider in 1771. As one of post-Wesley Methodism's most popular preachers, he sometimes addressed crowds of over twenty thousand. He was an able writer, and author of a multi-volume commentary on the Bible.{{quotation|'''Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach''' — Greek, '''μαθητευσατε, disciple''', or '''make disciples of''', or, as Dr. Doddridge renders it, '''proselyte all nations'''. This includes the whole design of Christ’s commission. Baptizing and teaching are the two great branches of that general design: and these were to be determined by the circumstances of things; which made it necessary, in baptizing adult Jews or heathen, to teach them before they were baptized; in disciplining their children, to baptize them before they were taught, as the Jewish children in all ages were first circumcised, and after taught to do all God had commanded them. It must be observed, that the word rendered '''teaching''', in the next verse, (namely, '''διδασκοντες''',) though in our translation confounded with the word used in this verse, yet is a word of a very different sense: and properly implies '''instructing''', which the word used in this verse does not necessarily imply, but, as has been observed, merely to '''proselyte''', or '''make disciples'''. The argument, therefore, that some draw from this verse, as if our Lord enjoined all to be taught before they were to be baptized, is without foundation. Our Lord’s words, taken together, in both verses, distinctly enjoin three things, and that in the following order, '''μαθητευειν''', '''βαρτιζειν''', '''διδασκειν''', that is, to '''proselyte''' men to Christ, to '''baptize''', and to '''teach''' them. It is true, however, that adult persons, before they can be made Christ’s disciples, or be proselyted, must be instructed and brought to '''believe''' the great essential truths of Christianity, and even to '''profess''' their faith in them. But the case is different with infants, who may be admitted to baptism, as the children of the Jews were to the rite of circumcision, and be instructed afterward. And, as Dr. Doddridge justly observes, if Christ had sent out these missionaries to propagate Judaism in the world, he might have used the same, or similar language: “Go and proselyte all nations, circumcising them in the name of the God of Israel, and teaching them to observe all that Moses commanded.” The whole tenor of the succeeding books of the New Testament shows, that Christ designed, by this commission, that the gospel should be preached to all mankind without exception; not only to the Jews, but to the idolatrous Gentiles: but the prejudices of the apostles led them, at first, to mistake the sense of it, and to imagine that it referred only to their going to preach the gospel to the Jews among all nations, or to those who should be willing to become Jews. (<small>''boldface emphasis in original''</small>}}  

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/matthew/28.htm '''Benson Commentary''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> Joseph Benson (Jan. 25, 1748–Feb. 16, 1821.) was one of the most eminent of the early Methodist ministers in England. He devoted himself closely to philosophy and theology, studying constantly and zealously. He became a Methodist circuit rider in 1771. As one of post-Wesley Methodism's most popular preachers, he sometimes addressed crowds of over twenty thousand. He was an able writer, and author of a multi-volume commentary on the Bible.{{quotation|'''Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach''' — Greek, '''μαθητευσατε, disciple''', or '''make disciples of''', or, as Dr. Doddridge renders it, '''proselyte all nations'''. This includes the whole design of Christ’s commission. Baptizing and teaching are the two great branches of that general design: and these were to be determined by the circumstances of things; which made it necessary, in baptizing adult Jews or heathen, to teach them before they were baptized; in disciplining their children, to baptize them before they were taught, as the Jewish children in all ages were first circumcised, and after taught to do all God had commanded them. It must be observed, that the word rendered '''teaching''', in the next verse, (namely, '''διδασκοντες''',) though in our translation confounded with the word used in this verse, yet is a word of a very different sense: and properly implies '''instructing''', which the word used in this verse does not necessarily imply, but, as has been observed, merely to '''proselyte''', or '''make disciples'''. The argument, therefore, that some draw from this verse, as if our Lord enjoined all to be taught before they were to be baptized, is without foundation. Our Lord’s words, taken together, in both verses, distinctly enjoin three things, and that in the following order, '''μαθητευειν''', '''βαρτιζειν''', '''διδασκειν''', that is, to '''proselyte''' men to Christ, to '''baptize''', and to '''teach''' them. It is true, however, that adult persons, before they can be made Christ’s disciples, or be proselyted, must be instructed and brought to '''believe''' the great essential truths of Christianity, and even to '''profess''' their faith in them. But the case is different with infants, who may be admitted to baptism, as the children of the Jews were to the rite of circumcision, and be instructed afterward. And, as Dr. Doddridge justly observes, if Christ had sent out these missionaries to propagate Judaism in the world, he might have used the same, or similar language: “Go and proselyte all nations, circumcising them in the name of the God of Israel, and teaching them to observe all that Moses commanded.” The whole tenor of the succeeding books of the New Testament shows, that Christ designed, by this commission, that the gospel should be preached to all mankind without exception; not only to the Jews, but to the idolatrous Gentiles: but the prejudices of the apostles led them, at first, to mistake the sense of it, and to imagine that it referred only to their going to preach the gospel to the Jews among all nations, or to those who should be willing to become Jews. (<small>''boldface emphasis in original''</small>}}  

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/calvin/matthew/28.htm '''Calvin's Commentaries''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> John Calvin (1509–1564) was the foremost French Reformer, a theological writer who produced many sermons, biblical commentaries, letters, theological treatises, and other works. Calvin produced commentaries on most of the books of the Bible. By 1555 he had completed his work on the New Testament, finishing with the Acts and the Gospels (he did omit only the brief second and third Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation). {{quotation|...the earthly element does not become a sacrament until God quickens it by his word....

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/calvin/matthew/28.htm '''Calvin's Commentaries''' (Mt 28:19)] <br> John Calvin (1509–1564) was the foremost French Reformer, a theological writer who produced many sermons, biblical commentaries, letters, theological treatises, and other works. Calvin produced commentaries on most of the books of the Bible. By 1555 he had completed his work on the New Testament, finishing with the Acts and the Gospels (he did omit only the brief second and third Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation). {{quotation|...the earthly element does not become a sacrament until God quickens it by his word....