Trinitarian Formula?

I was asked the following on Facebook, and thought I would share it today:

Hey, I have a question from those of us who have to preach on Trinity Sunday. What about the Trinitarian formula in Matthew 28? Original, later addition?

Here is my response:

I don’t think it is a later addition, although the manuscript evidence is less than clear. But at any rate, the formula seems to reflect a very early creedal practice associated with baptism which is older than what we call the doctrine of the Trinity. It is reflected in post-NT but pre-Trinitarian creeds. “We believe in one God…and in Jesus Christ…and in the Holy Spirit.”

In other words, I don’t think that the threefold formulas indicate anything about a purportedly shared nature of the three “bullet points” in the creedal affirmation.

It’s Trinity Sunday, so feel free to discuss and disagree if you are so inclined!