12/08/2026
Peter’s Baptism in Acts 2 and the Command of Jesus in Matthew 28:19
When we study baptism in the book of Acts, we must first understand to whom Peter was speaking and the context of his message.
Peter’s first sermon in Acts 2 was preached primarily to Jews and Jewish proselytes. These people already knew the God of Israel—the Father. They were not rejecting the Father as God. At Pentecost, they had also witnessed the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Ghost.
Their great problem was Jesus Christ.
They had rejected Jesus as the Messiah and had participated in His crucifixion. Therefore, Peter's message repeatedly emphasized Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah.
Acts 2:36 KJV “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Then Peter says:
Acts 2:38 KJV “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Peter was emphasizing the very Person they had rejected: Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Lord.
This is consistent with what happened during Jesus' earthly ministry. When Jesus identified God as His Father, the Jews understood the significance of His statement.
John 5:18 KJV “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”
So the central issue Peter was addressing was not whether they believed in the Father. They needed to understand who Jesus was. The One they had crucified was actually God's Christ and Lord.
But there is an important question:
Could Peter Teach Something Jesus Christ Had Not Taught Him?
Peter personally received the Lord's command concerning baptism.
Matthew 28:16–20 KJV “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Peter could not contradict the command of Christ and establish his own baptismal doctrine.
Therefore, if we interpret Acts 2:38 as meaning that Peter replaced Matthew 28:19 with a different baptismal command, we create a serious problem: Peter would be contradicting the very Christ whom he was preaching.
But Acts does not say that Peter rejected Matthew 28:19.
Rather, Acts repeatedly emphasizes that baptism was associated with the name of Jesus Christ:
Acts 2:38 — “in the name of Jesus Christ”
Acts 8:16 — “in the name of the Lord Jesus”
Acts 10:48 — “in the name of the Lord”
Acts 19:5 — “in the name of the Lord Jesus”
The phrase “in the name of Jesus Christ” can therefore emphasize the authority, identity, Lordship, and Messiahship of Jesus, especially in the context of Acts where the central issue was the Jews' rejection of Jesus.
Therefore, Ask the Question Correctly
“Peter baptized only in Jesus' name, therefore Matthew 28:19 was not followed.”
“If Peter was using Acts 2:38 as a replacement baptismal formula, does that mean Peter was contradicting the command of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19—a command Peter himself personally received?”
“Or is Peter emphasizing the name and authority of Jesus Christ because the Jews already knew the Father but specifically needed to recognize that the Jesus whom they had rejected and crucified was actually the Christ and Lord?”
Acts does not explicitly record the exact words spoken over the person during each baptism. Therefore, we should not claim more than Scripture actually says. What Scripture clearly shows is that Jesus commanded baptism in Matthew 28:19, while Acts repeatedly emphasizes baptism in the name of Jesus Christ/Lord Jesus.
