The Holy Spirit in the Four Gospels

I have found myself wondering how much we understand the Holy Spirit, and so beginning at Pentecost this year have started a study of that. This week I am looking at what we learn of the Holy Spirit from the Gospels. 

In Matthew, the Holy Spirit is shown first as the cause of Mary's conception of Jesus. Next we see the Holy Spirit in connection with John the Baptist. John says that one who will come after him who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, and then we see the Spirit of God descending on Jesus at his baptism. Then  Jesus states that he casts out demons by the Spirit of God. That in turn leads directly to the warning about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The application of the term blasphemy shows the Holy Spirit is regarded as divine. And at the end of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus instructs his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So we see a spirit that is a creative and cleansing power, poured out first on Jesus and then through him to the apostles and others. 

While in general Mark has fewer references to the Holy Spirit than Matthew, he does include some references that Matthew does not. He mentions that King David spoke by the Holy Spirit, touching on the wisdom and discernment so often associated with the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. And he mentions that when the apostles are put on trial for their faith, they should not premeditate their responses but say what the Holy Spirit would give them in the moment. Again, this is in keeping with the "spirit of wisdom" familiar from the Old Testament. 

In Luke, the first mention of the Holy Spirit comes from the angel Gabriel, who speaks of John the Baptist (not yet conceived) being filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. As with Matthew, Luke also mentions the Holy Spirit as the cause of Mary's conception of Jesus. We see Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, speak by the Holy Spirit; so do Zechariah and later, at the Temple, Simeon. Simeon had also received a promise revealed by the Holy Spirit that he would live to see the Messiah. Again, as with other gospels, we see the Holy Spirit at Jesus' baptism. Likewise we see the warning against blasphemy, and the encouragement that the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say when they were brought to trial. In Luke, again we see the Holy Spirit's connections to baptism and to creative power, along with connections to words of empowerment, prophecy, and wisdom. 

In John, we again see the connection to baptism, but from there the Gospel of John adds some references we have not seen in other places. We hear that the Holy Spirit was not yet given to the apostles during Jesus' ministry "because Jesus was not yet glorified." We see Jesus saying that the apostles would receive the Holy Spirit to teach them all things and to bring to their memories what he had taught them. Finally, we see Jesus breathing on them and saying to receive the Holy Spirit.