Biblical Doctrine Concerning The Holy Spirit J. Brian Tucker, Ph.D. Moody Theological Seminary

2 Introduction The doctrine of Christology provides important backgrounds for the study of Pneumatology. Therefore, since God possesses personality and the Spirit is a Person of the Triunity, it follows that He has personality.

3 Person of the Holy Spirit Spirit’s relationship to the Son: Jn 14-16 (upper room discourse). John 14:1-14 – Jesus’ departure John 14:15-26 – personality of the Spirit. Spirit as Paraclete or Helper. Paraklētos – calling in, exhort, advocate. LXX – Job’s comforters called this NT – helper and intercessor

4 Paraclete in John Goes beyond mere intercession. Jn 16:18 – convince world of sin Jn 14:26 – teach all things Jn 14:17 – dwell in the disciples Jn 15:26 – bear witness of Jesus Jn 16:13 – glorify Jesus Jn 14:17 – guide in all truth In John = it is a reference to the Holy Spirit.

5 Spirit as Helper and Truth Combining the two and the disciples. Spirit continues the work of Christ on the earth. Parallels in procession and generation Parallels work of Christ with his disciples and the Spirit with the disciples. Parallels between Christ in the world and the Spirit in the world.

6 OT and NT Usage Braumann, NIDNTT 1.88-92 OT - minchamin. NT – paralkētos.

7 Personality: Attributes, Works Personality of Spirit confirmed by his attributes: He knows all things: 1 Cor 2:10-11. He can be grieved: Eph 4:30. He has will: 1 Cor 12:11.

8 Personality: Attributes, Works Personality of Spirit confirmed by his works: In creation: Gen 1:2. In teaching: Jn 16:13. In commanding: Acts 8:29. In restraint of sin: Isa 59:19.

9 Personality of the Holy Spirit Personality of Spirit confirmed by the scriptural usage of personal pronouns. Personality of Spirit confirmed by his position as the personal object of faith. The baptismal formula: Mt. 28:19 2 Cor 13:14: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

10 Personality of the Holy Spirit Leon Wood. Paraclete applied to persons. Allos = another of the same kind. John refers to Spirit as ‘he’.

11 Holy Spirit as Divine Teacher John 14-16. Abiding presence of God comes from the Spirit (14:15, 21, 23; 15:10). Spirit completes the teaching (14:26a; 16:1) and reinforces it (14:26b; 16:4). Spirit strengthens in times of trial. Spirit teaches during times of violent persecution (16:1, 4).

12 Holy Spirit as Divine Teacher Role of the Spirit: The Spirit of the Truth is sent to complete the teaching begun by the Father and the Son (14:26a; 16:1). The Spirit will also reinforce what has been taught, serving as Paraclete for the Church as Christ was Paraclete to the disciples (14:26b and 16:4).

13 Holy Spirit as Divine Teacher Oneness of the Spirit with the Father and Son: “Spirit of the Truth” is in apposition to “another Paraclete” (17a with 16a). The parallelism is continued into 14:16b, 20b, and 23b where the presence of Christ and the Father within the believer is emphasized.

14 Holy Spirit as Divine Teacher Spirit as proxy presence of the Son: He reveals truth only as is initiated by the Truth (16:13). The Spirit takes the truth from the Father through the Son, to the glory of the Son, who glorifies the Father when so glorified by the Spirit.

15 Evidence of Divine Personality Peculiar grammar: Holy Spirit and the accidence of grammar. Jn 16:13-14 masculine demonstrative pronoun used for pneuma, which is neuter. Eph 1:14, Jn 15:26 masculine relative pronoun use for pneuma. Jn 16:7-8 masculine personal pronoun used in place of neuter noun for Spirit. The departures from grammar may point to proof of Spirit’s personality.

16 Ramifications of Personality Ramifications in relation to the idea of personality. It is similar in some respects to human personality, but we err if we equate the two. As God, the Spirit possesses perfect personality.

17 Ramifications of Personality Ramifications in relation to other persons. He was able to relate to the apostles (Acts 15:28). He is related intimately to Christ. The baptismal formula of Matt 28:19 and Paul’s benediction in 2 Cor 13:14 can be explained fully only if the personhood and deity of the Holy Spirit is granted.

18 Procession of the Spirit “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. Definition and Discourse – Jn 15:26-27

19 Procession of the Spirit Berkhof’s definition: “That eternal and necessary act of the first and second persons in the Trinity whereby they, within the divine Being, become the ground of the personal subsistence of the Holy Spirit, and put the third person in possession of the whole divine essence, without any division, alienation or change” (97) Traditional definition:

20 Procession of the Spirit “Apart from Matt. 3:11 and Acts 2:33, the definitive texts are found almost exclusively in the Pauline and Johannine writings. The Spirit is “of God” (1 Corinthians 2:12) but also “of His Son” (Galatians 4:6) and “of Christ” (Romans 8:9 – Phil 1:19; cf. 1 Peter 1:11).” (BDT, 421) Texts used for support:

21 Relationships in Jn 15:26-27 Persecution (Jn 15:18-24) Spirit’s continued ministry (Jn 15:25-27) Context:

22 Relationships in Jn 15:26-27 Verb tenses used: Aorist – ‘when the Helper comes’ Future – ‘whom I will send’ Present – ‘who proceeds from the Father’ Future – ‘He will bear witness’ Christ’s and the procession of the Spirit:

23 Relationships in Jn 15:26-27 The relationship of the Spirit to the Father: The Spirit is sent from the Father as Christ was sent The Spirit is given by the Father (14:16) The Spirit is sent by the Father (14:26) Unique relationship with the Triunity:

24 Relationships in Jn 15:26-27 The relationship of the Spirit to the Son: The Spirit is sent by the Son (15:26; 16:7) The Spirit is asked for of the Father by the Son (14:16). Unique relationship with the Triunity:

25 Relationships in Jn 15:26-27 There is to be found in Scripture a parallel between the generation of the Son and the procession of the Spirit. The focus in John 15:26-27 is on authority. The Spirit is to provide the authoritative and authenticating witness in the continuing ministry of Christ through the apostolic deeds and testimony. Conclusions

26 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit Debate focused on wrong points. …eternally continuous action of the Father … Real issue is: eternal matters or temporal actions. Filioque Controversy

27 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit Psalm 104:30 “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the ground.” John 15:26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.” Major Passages

28 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit The historical background of the creeds indicate the early Church held this doctrine. Ps 104:30 teaches that the procession of the Spirit was a reality in OT days. Continuous tense of “proceeds” in Jn 15:26 indicates an ongoing eternal relationship. Ref. to the Spirit “of God” or “of Christ” imply the concept of eternal procession. Arguments ‘For’ Eternal Approach

29 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit Greek philosophical categories clouds exegesis. Ps 104:30 indicates a temporal setting of Spirit’s work in providence. Jn 15:26 and future tense, ‘I will send’ points to Pentecost. Phrases Spirit “of God” or “of Christ” should have ek ‘out of’ rather than genitive. Arguments ‘For’ Temporal Approach

30 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit The paucity of passages show that there is little biblical data to support the traditional procession doctrine and that imposition has been made upon the Scriptures by the use of extra-biblical categories to deal with heresies in the Church (primarily Arianism). Denial of eternal procession is not a denial of eternal relationships. Arguments ‘For’ Temporal Approach

31 Doctrine of the Procession of the Holy Spirit The issue of procession flows from the doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son. Passages: Ps 2:7; Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5; 5:5; Jn 5:26. Eternal Generation of the Son

32 Spirit and the World 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:7-11

33 Spirit and the World Spirit’s ministry is to convict. D.A. Carson on Jn 16:7-11 Meaning of convict? Nuance for hoti clauses? Conclusion: Ministry of Spirit for the church Spirit functions as abiding presence Conviction is a work of common grace Context

34 Spirit and the World Luke’s images of the Spirit give the ‘concreteness’ to the Being and personality of the Spirit: Lk 3:22 Acts 10:38 Lk 24:49 Acts 2:2-3 Luke-Acts

35 Spirit and the World Personal works and attributes ascribed to the Spirit: Acts 5:3 Acts 8:39 Acts 15:28; 16:7 Luke-Acts

36 Conclusions The Deity of the Spirit may be inferred from the emphases of the Upper Room Discourse. The intimate relationship between Spirit and Father, Spirit and Son demands more than an impersonal Spirit.

37 Conclusions The title “Paraclete” (which is ascribed to the Son and others in Scripture) is used of the Spirit and is a strong argument for His Personhood.

38 Conclusions While not conclusive, the antecedence of the Spirit in the Scriptures to the masculine gender is strong evidence of personality.

39 Conclusions As has been just illustrated in Luke-Acts concrete terminology is used of the Spirit which denotes personality.

40 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit ‘And from the Son’ added by Synod of Toledo (589) to the Constantinopolitan Creed (381). The Filioque Controversy

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42 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Eastern wing of the Church objected Great schism of 1054 Doctrine of procession simply refers to the sending of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The Filioque Controversy

43 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit The filioque controversy highlights the major development in Pneumatology during the Middle Ages. Augustine’s work on the Spirit continued to have influence. E.g. Aquinas. The Middle Ages

44 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit John Calvin. Calvin taught that there was a balance between the objective written Word of God found in the Bible and the inner witness of the Spirit which confirms that Word (see Institutes 7.4). Reformers generally followed Augustine with regard to the Spirit. The Reformation Period

45 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Faustus Socinus and Socinianism (Antitrinitarian). Renaissance humanism. The Post-Reformation Era

46 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Freidrich Schleiermacher – rejected orthodox view of the Trinity. Modern forms of liberalism tend to be forms of monarchianism. Modern Liberalism

47 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Karl Barth maintained a traditional view of the Trinity. Preferred language of modes of being rather than persons. Neo-Orthodox

48 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Paul Tillich – personal God is only symbolic. Thomas Altizer – Spirit as a third evolutionary stage in humankind’s thinking about God. Radical Theologies

49 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit A.B. Simpson Christian Missionary Alliance

50 History of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Within evangelical circles the twentieth century was the century of the Spirit. Rise of Modern Pentecostalism

51 The End