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[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/matthew/28.htm '''Benson Commentary''' (Mt 28:19)] {{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)] {{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] {{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)] {{quotation|...the earthly element does not become a sacrament until God quickens it by his word....

Accordingly, it is said in Mark, He that shall believe and be baptized shall be saved. By these words Christ not only excludes from the hope of salvation hypocrites who, though destitute of faith, are puffed up only by the outward sign; but by a sacred bond he connects baptism with doctrine, so that the latter is nothing more than an appendage of the former. But as Christ enjoins them to teach before baptizing, and desires that none but believers shah be admitted to baptism, it would appear that baptism is not properly administered unless when it is preceded by faith. On this pretense, the Anabaptists have stormed greatly against infant baptism. But the reply is not difficult, if we attend to the reason of the command. Christ orders them to convey to all nations the message of eternal salvation, and confirms it by adding the seal of baptism. Now it was proper that faith in the word should be placed before baptism, since the Gentiles were altogether alienated from God, and had nothing in common with the chosen people; for otherwise it would have been a false figure, which offered forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit to unbelievers, who were not yet members of Christ. But we know that by faith those who were formerly despised are united to the people of God.

Accordingly, it is said in Mark, He that shall believe and be baptized shall be saved. By these words Christ not only excludes from the hope of salvation hypocrites who, though destitute of faith, are puffed up only by the outward sign; but by a sacred bond he connects baptism with doctrine, so that the latter is nothing more than an appendage of the former. But as Christ enjoins them to teach before baptizing, and desires that none but believers shah be admitted to baptism, it would appear that baptism is not properly administered unless when it is preceded by faith. On this pretense, the Anabaptists have stormed greatly against infant baptism. But the reply is not difficult, if we attend to the reason of the command. Christ orders them to convey to all nations the message of eternal salvation, and confirms it by adding the seal of baptism. Now it was proper that faith in the word should be placed before baptism, since the Gentiles were altogether alienated from God, and had nothing in common with the chosen people; for otherwise it would have been a false figure, which offered forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit to unbelievers, who were not yet members of Christ. But we know that by faith those who were formerly despised are united to the people of God.

It is now asked, on what condition does God adopt as children those who formerly were aliens? It cannot, indeed, be denied that, when he has once received them into his favor, he continues to bestow it on their children and their children's children. By the coming of Christ God manifested himself as a Father equally to the Gentiles and to the Jews; and, therefore, that promise, which was formerly given to the Jews, must now be in force towards the Gentiles,<br>I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee, (Genesis 17:7.)}}

It is now asked, on what condition does God adopt as children those who formerly were aliens? It cannot, indeed, be denied that, when he has once received them into his favor, he continues to bestow it on their children and their children's children. By the coming of Christ God manifested himself as a Father equally to the Gentiles and to the Jews; and, therefore, that promise, which was formerly given to the Jews, must now be in force towards the Gentiles,<br>I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee, (Genesis 17:7.)}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/matthew/28.htm '''Clarke's Commentary''' Mt 28:19] {{quotation|Go ye therefore - Because I have the authority aforesaid, and can send whomsoever I will to do whatsoever I:please: - teach, '''μαθητευσατε''', make disciples of all nations, bring them to an acquaintance with God who bought them, and then baptize them in the name of the Father. It is natural to suppose that adults were the first subjects of baptism; for as the Gospel was, in a peculiar manner, sent to the Gentiles, they must hear and receive it, before they could be expected to renounce their old prejudices and idolatries, and come into the bonds of the Christian covenant. But, certainly, no argument can be drawn from this concession against the baptism of children. When the Gentiles and Jews had received the faith and blessings of the Gospel, it is natural enough to suppose they should wish to get their children incorporated with the visible Church of Christ; especially if, as many pious and learned men have believed, baptism succeeded to circumcision, which I think has never yet been disproved. The apostles knew well that the Jews not only circumcised the children of proselytes, but also baptized them; and as they now received a commission to teach and proselyte all the nations, and baptize them in the name of the holy Trinity, they must necessarily understand that infants were included: nor could they, the custom of their country being considered, have understood our Lord differently, unless he had, in the most express terms, said that they were not to baptize children, which neither he nor his apostles ever did. And as to the objection, that the baptized were obliged to profess their faith, and that, therefore, only adults should be baptized, there is no weight at all in it; because what is spoken of such refers to those who, only at that period of life, heard the Gospel, and were not born of parents who had been Christians; therefore they could not have been baptized into the Christian faith, forasmuch as no such faith was at their infancy preached in the world. That the children and even infants, of proselytes, were baptized among the Jews, and reputed, in consequence, clean, and partakers of the blessings of the covenant, see proved at large by Wetstein, in his note on Matthew 3:16. - See the note on Matthew 3:6, and particularly on Mark 16:16 (note).}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/matthew/28.htm '''Clarke's Commentary''' (Mt 28:19)] {{quotation|Go ye therefore - Because I have the authority aforesaid, and can send whomsoever I will to do whatsoever I:please: - teach, '''μαθητευσατε''', make disciples of all nations, bring them to an acquaintance with God who bought them, and then baptize them in the name of the Father. It is natural to suppose that adults were the first subjects of baptism; for as the Gospel was, in a peculiar manner, sent to the Gentiles, they must hear and receive it, before they could be expected to renounce their old prejudices and idolatries, and come into the bonds of the Christian covenant. But, certainly, no argument can be drawn from this concession against the baptism of children. When the Gentiles and Jews had received the faith and blessings of the Gospel, it is natural enough to suppose they should wish to get their children incorporated with the visible Church of Christ; especially if, as many pious and learned men have believed, baptism succeeded to circumcision, which I think has never yet been disproved. The apostles knew well that the Jews not only circumcised the children of proselytes, but also baptized them; and as they now received a commission to teach and proselyte all the nations, and baptize them in the name of the holy Trinity, they must necessarily understand that infants were included: nor could they, the custom of their country being considered, have understood our Lord differently, unless he had, in the most express terms, said that they were not to baptize children, which neither he nor his apostles ever did. And as to the objection, that the baptized were obliged to profess their faith, and that, therefore, only adults should be baptized, there is no weight at all in it; because what is spoken of such refers to those who, only at that period of life, heard the Gospel, and were not born of parents who had been Christians; therefore they could not have been baptized into the Christian faith, forasmuch as no such faith was at their infancy preached in the world. That the children and even infants, of proselytes, were baptized among the Jews, and reputed, in consequence, clean, and partakers of the blessings of the covenant, see proved at large by Wetstein, in his note on Matthew 3:16. - See the note on Matthew 3:6, and particularly on Mark 16:16 (note).}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/homiletics/matthew/28.htm '''Pulpit Commentary Homiletics''' Mt 28] {{quotation|(3) Since Christian teaching is to follow baptism rather than to precede it, and since holy teaching cannot be begun too early, there is great propriety in the baptism of infants. Preliminary confession of faith is necessary for adults who have errors to renounce, but infants are happily not in this evil case. <br> (4) Hence because baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of God's covenant, baptism is called "the circumcision of Christ," i.e. of Christianity (see Colossians 2:11, 12). If baptism be not regarded as taking the place of circumcision, then the covenant has now no initiatory rite. The Lord's Supper is not initiatory, but of regular habitual observance, as the Passover formerly was.}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/homiletics/matthew/28.htm '''Pulpit Commentary Homiletics''' (Mt 28)] {{quotation|(3) Since Christian teaching is to follow baptism rather than to precede it, and since holy teaching cannot be begun too early, there is great propriety in the baptism of infants. Preliminary confession of faith is necessary for adults who have errors to renounce, but infants are happily not in this evil case. <br> (4) Hence because baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of God's covenant, baptism is called "the circumcision of Christ," i.e. of Christianity (see Colossians 2:11, 12). If baptism be not regarded as taking the place of circumcision, then the covenant has now no initiatory rite. The Lord's Supper is not initiatory, but of regular habitual observance, as the Passover formerly was.}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/lange/matthew/28.htm '''Lange Commentary on the Holy Scriptures''' Mt 28:19] {{quotation|

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/lange/matthew/28.htm '''Lange Commentary on the Holy Scriptures''' (Mt 28:19)] {{quotation|

Baptizing them.—Or, more correctly according to the reading '''βαπτίσαντες:''' ''having baptized them''. But '''μαθητεύειν''' is not completed in baptism. Rather are there two acts, a missionary and an ecclesiastical,—the antecedent baptism, the subsequent instruction. [Meyer: “'''βαπτίζοντες''', etc., by which the '''μαθητεύειν''' is to be brought about, not what is to take place after the '''μαθητεύσατε''', which would require '''μαθητεύσαντες-βαπτίζετε'''.” Alford: “The μαθη τεύειν 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'' '''τηρεῖν πάντα, κ. τ. λ.'''” But this applies only to Christian churches already established. As the Jewish religion commenced with the promise of God, and the faith and circumcision of ''adult'' Abraham, who received circumcision as a sign and seal of the covenant already established (Rom. 4:11) for himself and for his seed, so the Christian Church was founded in the beginning, and is now propagated in all heathen countries by the preaching of the Gospel to, and by the baptism of, ''adults''. Infant baptism always presupposes the existence of a responsible ''parent'' church and the guaranty of Christian nurture which must develop and make available the blessings of the baptismal covenant. Hence the preponderance of adult over infant baptism in the first centuries of Christianity, and in all missionary stations to this day. But even in the case of adult converts, a ''full'' instruction in the Christian religion and development of Christian life, does not, as a rule, precede, but succeed baptism, which is an initiatory, not a consummatory rite, the sacramental sign and seal of regeneration, ''i. e.'', of the beginning of the new life, not of sanctification or growth and perfection in holiness.—P. S.] (<small>''italics and boldface emphasis in original''</small>)}}

Baptizing them.—Or, more correctly according to the reading '''βαπτίσαντες:''' ''having baptized them''. But '''μαθητεύειν''' is not completed in baptism. Rather are there two acts, a missionary and an ecclesiastical,—the antecedent baptism, the subsequent instruction. [Meyer: “'''βαπτίζοντες''', etc., by which the '''μαθητεύειν''' is to be brought about, not what is to take place after the '''μαθητεύσατε''', which would require '''μαθητεύσαντες-βαπτίζετε'''.” Alford: “The μαθη τεύειν 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'' '''τηρεῖν πάντα, κ. τ. λ.'''” But this applies only to Christian churches already established. As the Jewish religion commenced with the promise of God, and the faith and circumcision of ''adult'' Abraham, who received circumcision as a sign and seal of the covenant already established (Rom. 4:11) for himself and for his seed, so the Christian Church was founded in the beginning, and is now propagated in all heathen countries by the preaching of the Gospel to, and by the baptism of, ''adults''. Infant baptism always presupposes the existence of a responsible ''parent'' church and the guaranty of Christian nurture which must develop and make available the blessings of the baptismal covenant. Hence the preponderance of adult over infant baptism in the first centuries of Christianity, and in all missionary stations to this day. But even in the case of adult converts, a ''full'' instruction in the Christian religion and development of Christian life, does not, as a rule, precede, but succeed baptism, which is an initiatory, not a consummatory rite, the sacramental sign and seal of regeneration, ''i. e.'', of the beginning of the new life, not of sanctification or growth and perfection in holiness.—P. S.] (<small>''italics and boldface emphasis in original''</small>)}}

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhcw/matthew/28.htm '''Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible''' Mt 28:19] {{quotation|[3.] Their instructions for executing this commission.

[https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhcw/matthew/28.htm '''Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible''' (Mt 28:16, Verses 18-20)] {{quotation|[3.] Their instructions for executing this commission.

First, They must admit disciples by the sacred rite of baptism; "Go into all nations, preach the gospel to them, work miracles among them, and persuade them to come in themselves, and bring their children with them, into the church of Christ, and then admit them and theirs into the church, by washing them with water;" either dipping them in the water, or pouring or sprinkling water upon them, which seems the more proper, because the thing is most frequently expressed so, as Isa. 44:3, I will pour my Spirit on thy seed. And, Tit. 3:5, 6, Which he shed on us abundantly. And, Eze. 36:25, I will sprinkle clean water upon you. And, Isa. 52:15, So shall he sprinkle many nations; which seems a prophecy of this commission to baptize the nations.}}

First, They must admit disciples by the sacred rite of baptism; "Go into all nations, preach the gospel to them, work miracles among them, and persuade them to come in themselves, and bring their children with them, into the church of Christ, and then admit them and theirs into the church, by washing them with water;" either dipping them in the water, or pouring or sprinkling water upon them, which seems the more proper, because the thing is most frequently expressed so, as Isa. 44:3, I will pour my Spirit on thy seed. And, Tit. 3:5, 6, Which he shed on us abundantly. And, Eze. 36:25, I will sprinkle clean water upon you. And, Isa. 52:15, So shall he sprinkle many nations; which seems a prophecy of this commission to baptize the nations.}}