What is the significance of the phrase ‘in the name of’? In view of our knowledge that the terms it translates in both the Greek εἰς τὸ ὄνομα and the Hebrew-Aramaic (לְשׁוֹם) לְשֵׁם were well known formulae, it is surely a mistake not to acknowledge the a priori likelihood that the common use is intended in our passage.
The basic meaning of the Hebrew לְשֵׁם is ‘with respect to’; it can denote both the basis and purpose of that which is named. For example, in Mt. 10:41, to receive a prophet ‘in the name of a prophet’ (εἰς ὄνομα προφήτου) is to welcome him because he is a prophet; while in the more famous Mt. 18:20, the two or three who meet ‘in my name’ (εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα) do so in the interests of the cause of Jesus.
(i) Heathen slaves on their entry into a Jewish house were compelled to receive a baptism לְשֵׁם שִׁפחוּת, ‘in the name of slavery’, i.e. to become slaves; similarly on their being set free they were to be immersed לְשֵׁם שִׁחְרוּר, ‘in the name of freedom’. Baptism thus sets a man in that relationship which one has in view in the performance of it
To this end baptism was a fitting conclusion to the gospel proclamation; for baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus connoted not alone a cleansing from sin but an expression of dissociation from the rejectors of the Messiah and a means of association with the Messiah and His people. In that historical context a more appropriate expression and means of turning to God could hardly be devised.
(i) As has been mentioned, baptism in Acts is always administered ‘in the name of Jesus Christ’ or ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus’ (2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5). In our discussion on the meaning of εἰς τὸ ὄνομα, it was pointed out that in the last resort there is not much difference between Heitmüller’s view, that ‘in the name of’ signified ‘dedication to … with the use of the name’, and that of Strack-Billerbeck, that it meant, ‘with respect to, for the benefit of, for the sake of’, though the latter was preferred as being consonant with the Semitic background of the command to baptize and as having greater elasticity of application. The same applies to its use in Acts, especially as it generally appears in passages with a Semitic background. From
Acts 22:16 it would seem that the name of Jesus was invoked by the baptismal candidate; it is also likely that the name was called over the candidate by the baptizer. Leenhardt not unreasonably concluded from this that we have to do with a rite which draws its whole meaning from the person of Christ and the relationship established with Him. The believer was baptized ‘for the sake of’ the Lord Jesus and made over to Him.
Baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus, whatever else it came to imply, was in the earliest time a baptism ‘for the sake of’ the Lord Jesus and therefore in submission to Him as Lord and King.
(iii) The name of the Lord Jesus is called over the baptized. He therefore dedicates himself to the Lord and is appropriated for Him;
Source:Baptism in the New Testament
ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι at 1 Βασ... 25:5; 3 Βασ... 20(21):8; ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι at 1 Βασ... 25:9. The common LXX formula ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι is unusual in classical Greek, → 244; it is an attempt to render the Heb. בְּשֵׁם literally and exactly. It is in a way like the instrumental use of the preposition ἐν, which is attested in secular Greek from the classical period. But it is to be regarded as real translation Greek, corresponding more to Semitic linguistic sense.
“To call by name” in
Ex. 31:2 is rendered ἀνακέκλημαι ἐξ ὀνόματος, cf.
Ex. 35:30; Nu. 1:17. “By their name” is ἐξ ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν (בִּשְׁמֹתָם) in Nu. 3:17, cf. 32:42: ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ (== בִּשְׁמוֹ). The acc. occurs in Is. 43:1: ἐκάλεσά σε τὸ ὄνομά σου, cf. 45:3.
>>>Most keenly debated is the use of בִּשֵׁם in the sense of “in the name” or “on the commission.” We believed it possible to find instances of this in a secular sense (→ 259), and for בְּשֵׁם יהוה, too, it may be accepted in connection with דִּבֶּר and נִבָּא. One of the most important of the relevant passages here is the promise of Yahweh to Moses in Dt. 18:18 f.: “I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them (דִּבֶּר) all that I shall command him.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto his (my) words which he shall speak in my name (בִּשְׁמִי), I will require it of him.” Here the rendering “on my commission” seems to be demanded by the context, and is the most natural interpretation. The matter is more complicated when the same formula is used, not of the message of the prophets of Yahweh, but of the utterances, indeed, the lying speeches, of false prophets. Thus we read on in Dt. 18:20: “But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, shall die.” Again, we read in
Jer. 14:14: “The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not” (cf. 14:15; 23:25;
29:9). In these verses בִּשְׁמִי certainly cannot denote a genuine commissioning of these prophets by Yahweh, for this is expressly repudiated (
Jer. 14:14; 29:9; Dt. 18:20). It thus seems that “naming my name” is the only possibility. Nevertheless, it might be that בִּשְׁמִי is, as it were, in quotation marks (“ostensibly in my name and on my commission”), and if this is found a little too bold, and “with appeal to my name” is preferred, even this goes rather beyond mere invocation and approximates to an interpretation in which the name is an alternative for Yahweh Himself. In
Ex. 5:22 f. (cf. v. 1), where Moses negotiates with Pharaoh in Yahweh’s name for the liberation of the Israelites, בְּשִׁמְךָ, referring to Yahweh, again means “on thy commission.”
Thus the formula בְּשֵׁם יהוה, controlled by the various possible meanings of the preposition בְּ and the שֵׁם concept, is capable of various senses. It often signifies mention or utterance of the name Yahweh, then action on His commission or with appeal to His name, and finally it is used in parallelism with Yahweh, either as an alternative or for a hypostatised שֵׁם (
Ps. 54:1).
>>The most general meaning of ἐν (τῷ) ὀνόματι is “with invocation of” (→ 276). He who says or does something in the name of someone appeals to this one, claims his authority. This gives us various nuances acc. to context. It may mean “with calling upon” or “with proclamation of the name” (→ 278), or “on the commission” (→ 273; 278), or “in fulfilment of the will” (→ 273; 276), or “in obedience” (→ 278). But ἐν ὀνόματι can also mean “in the sphere of power” (→ 272; 274), “in the power” (→ 277), “in the presence” (→ 277).
1 Pt. 4:14 is difficult: εἰ ὀνειδίζεσθε ἐν ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ (→ 240). Perhaps הַמָּשִׁיחַ לְמַעַן שֵׁם lies behind it.
Mk. 9:41 and
Jn. 14:26 are ultimately to be understood in this way too.
Source:Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Sonoma, name
βαπτίζεσθαι ἐν τῷ ὀν. Ἰ. Χ. be baptized or have oneself baptized while naming the name of Jesus Christ Ac 2:38 v.l.; 10:48. At a baptism ἐν ὀν. χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ AcPl Ha 3, 32. αἰτεῖν τὸν πατέρα ἐν τῷ ὀν. μου (=Ἰησοῦ) ask the Father, using my name J 15:16; cp. 14:13, 14; 16:24, 26. W. the latter pass. belongs vs. 23 (ὁ πατὴρ) δώσει ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀν. μου (the Father) will give you, when you mention my name. τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ πέμψει ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ ὀν. μου the Spirit, whom the Father will send when my name is used 14:26. To thank God ἐν ὀν. Ἰησοῦ Χρ. while naming the name of Jesus Christ
Eph 5:20. ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀν. Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ that when the name of Jesus is mentioned every knee should bow Phil 2:10. χαίρετε, υἱοί, ἐν ὀν. κυρίου greetings, my sons, as we call on the Lord’s name 1:1. ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀν. κυρίου whoever comes, naming the Lord’s name (in order thereby to give evidence of being a Christian)
BDAG
Epi,in
⑰ marker in idiom of authorization, w. dat.: the formula ἐ. τῷ ὀνοματί τινος, in the name of someone, used w. many verbs (Just., D. 39, 6 w. γίνεσθαι, otherw. ἐ. ὀνόματος, e.g. A I, 61, 13; w. διὰ τοῦ ὀ. and in oaths κατὰ τοῦ ὀ. A II, 6, 6, D. 30, 3; 85, 2.—Ath. 23, 1 ἐ. ὀνόματι εἰδώλων.—ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι LXX; JosAs 9:1), focuses on the authorizing function of the one named in the gen. (cp. WHeitmüller [‘Im Namen Jesu’ 1903, 13ff], ‘in connection with, or by the use of, i.e. naming, or calling out, or calling upon the name’ [88]): βαπτίζειν Ac 2:38. δέχεσθαί τινα Mt 18:5;
Mk 9:37;
Lk 9:48. διδάσκειν Ac 4:18; 5:28. δύναμιν ποιεῖν
Mk 9:39. ἐκβάλλειν δαιμόνια
Lk 9:49 v.l. ἔρχεσθαι Mt 24:5;
Mk 13:6;
Lk 21:8. κηρύσσειν 24:47. λαλεῖν Ac 4:17; 5:40. Semantically divergent from the preceding, but formulaically analogous, is καλεῖν τινα ἐ. τῷ ὀν. τινος name someone after someone (2 Esdr 17:63)
Lk 1:59.—ὄνομα 1dγג.—M-M.
BDAG
Linear Mode
