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. 

The Spirit of God: Old Testament references

Today Christians in the Western traditions celebrate Pentecost, when God poured his Spirit on the disciples in Jerusalem, visibly seen as tongues of flame. John the Baptist had prophesied that after him comes someone who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The earliest Christians were all Jewish by faith, covenant, culture, and family. While this Pentecost started a larger understanding of the Spirit of God, I wanted to see what the earliest Christians would have understood from the Old Testament about the Holy Spirit. 

By far the most common reference I found to the Spirit of God in the Old Testament involves the spirit wisdom. This reaches as far back as providing Joseph wisdom for providing for Egypt through the long famine (Genesis 41:38). The God's spirit of wisdom and understanding -- at times also a spirit of knowledge -- was referenced for workmanship and craftsmanship, leadership, and justice. God's spirit is referenced for might and protection against enemies in battle. It also leads to righteousness, aids in grace, and guides prayer. The Spirit brings peace and restoration, creation and renewal, and especially renewal of heart and the human spirit. The spirit of God is a spirit of blessing. 

The appearance of fire in connection with the spirit at this Pentecost is not entirely new. Some Old Testament passages speak of the Spirit of God in connection with fire. Sometimes the fire is connected with justice or purification, and sometimes with inner light to search the soul (Isaiah 4:4, Proverbs 20:27)

The Spirit of the Lord was said to have spoken through the prophets, and through them brought good news to the poor. This includes the well-known prophecy where the Spirit of the Lord causes one to speak good news to the meek, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives and release to the prisoners. 

In the prophet Isaiah's description of the Spirit of God, he calls it the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and that the one with the spirit of the Lord has joy in the presence of the Lord. 

Thomas A Kempis 1.13 (part 1) - The root of temptation lies within us

So long as we live in the world, being without trouble and temptation is impossible. So it is written in Job, Troubled is the life of man on earth. So each of us should be concerned about his own temptations and be vigilant in prayer, so that the devil finds no place deceive; who never sleeps, but circles around seeking his prey. No one is so holy and perfect that he never has temptations, and to be fully free of them is not possible. 

However, there are temptations that are very useful, even though they afflict us seriously; for through them we are humbled, purified, and instructed. All the saints passed and progressed through many trials and temptations. Those who did not endure were held back by them and failed. There is no station in life so sacred, no place so secret, that there are no temptations and adversities.

There is no man completely free from temptations, no matter how long he has lived, because the cause of temptation is within us. We are born with disordered desires. As soon as one trial or temptation fades, another takes its place, and there is always something that we need to endure patiently. This is because we have lost the good of happiness. Many seek to flee from temptations and fall more seriously into them. We cannot win the fight by running away, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies.

The one who resists the outward part of the temptations but does not pull up the root, that one will find that temptations return more quickly and rage more fiercely. By small steps, through patience and endurance, with God's help you will conquer better than with your own hardness and self-willed persistence. Often accept council and consolation in temptation, and with someone who is tempted do not act harshly, but comfort and strengthen him as you would have done to yourself. 

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.13 (first part, it's a long chapter to translate in one sitting). 

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art

Thomas A Kempis 1.15 - Works of charity / love

There is no worldly good, there is no person, for which we should do anything that is evil. To serve those in need, a good work must sometimes be postponed or be changed for a better one. In this, a good work is not destroyed, but transformed into something better. If a work does not come from the heart, the external work does not benefit anyone, but if anything is done from the heart, however small and disregarded it might be, it brings forth good fruit. God considers more from what an action comes, rather than how much he does. 

He does much who loves much. He does much who does a good thing. He does well who serves to the community rather than his own interest. Often something looks like generosity which is more worldly, because worldly inclinations, self-will, hope of repayment, and feelings of the will are rarely absent.

He who has true and perfect love does not seek his own in any matter, but desires only God's glory in everything that is done. He envies none, because he desires no selfish joy, nor does he want to rejoice in himself, but in God above all he wishes to find his blessing. He attributes good to none but God alone, from whom all things come, and in whom finally all the Holy Ones rest in joyful satisfaction. Oh, he who has a spark of true charity would sense that all earthly things are empty.

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.15. 

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art

Thomas A Kempis 1.14 - Judging others is reckless

Judging others is reckless

Look out for what you are doing yourself, and watch out that you are not judging what others do. In judging others a man's efforts are blocked, often wrong, and generally sinful. Turn to yourself for judging and critiquing, and that effort always brings a good result. As things seem to our heart, so we judge them; we easily lose true judgment because of our own personal feeling. If God were always the pure object of our desire, we would not be so easily troubled by the resistance of our feelings. 

There is always some secret thought within us, or even joining it from without, that pulls us off course. Many secretly seek their own goals in things, without realizing it. They seem to have good peace of mind so long as things go the way they want. But because of different feelings and opinions, there often arise disagreements between friends, between countrymen, between religious and godly men.

An old custom is difficult to let go, and no one is easily led to see beyond themselves. If your own reason is your greatest resource or your own efforts, more so than the strength of being under Jesus Christ, you will rarely be an enlightened person, because God's will is for us to be wholly under him and to transcend all reason through a burning love. 

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.14. 

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art

(I haven't forgotten section 1.13, but it is particularly long and will need to wait for another day.)

Thomas A Kempis 1.12 - Adversity is a tool

The usefulness of adversity

It is good for us that we sometimes have sorrows and obstacles: often they are calling a man back to his heart, knowing that he is in exile, not placing his hope in any worldly thing. It is good that we sometimes endure people speaking against us, with bad and ill feelings toward us, even when we act well and with good intentions. That helps us to be humble, and protects us from glorying in the world's empty wins. Because that is when we seek what is better -- the inner witness of God -- when we are held in contempt, and given no credit for good.

Therefore it's necessary for a man to strengthen himself completely so that he has no need to seek after so many consolations. When a man of good will is troubled or tempted or afflicted with evil thoughts, then he understands God as greatly necessary to him, and he can witness that he can do nothing at all without Him. He mourns and prays over the miseries he suffers. He gets tired of life, even wishes for death to come so that he could go be with Christ. Through these trials he understands better: in this world there can be no security or fulness of peace.

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.11. 

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art

Thomas A Kempis 1.11 - Spiritual proficiency

Seeking peace of mind: enthusiasm for spiritual proficiency

So much peace is possible if we decide not to trouble ourselves with what other people said or did which is not our own care. How is it possible for someone to remain peaceful daily, who mixes himself into other peoples' concerns, who seeks things outside himself, who seldom or rarely collects himself internally? Blessed are the simple-hearted, for they shall have much peace.

Why were some of the Saints so perfect and so contemplative? Because they studied how to cut off all earthly desires, and so were able to hold fast with their whole heart to God, and freed themselves to focus. We are too self-absorbed with our own passions, too wrapped up in things that don't last. It's rare for us to entirely conquer even a single vice, and we pay no attention to our daily progress. So we remain cold or lukewarm. 

If we were watchful of ourselves rather than focused on other things, then we too could have divine wisdom, and experience something of heavenly contemplation. The biggest thing that gets in our way is that we are not free from our own passions and desires, nor do we try to enter into the perfect way of the Saints. When even a little adversity occurs, our hearts are divided and we are diverted to human comforts.

If we stand like strong men in battle, then we shall see the help of the Lord from Heaven. For those who strive and struggle, those who hope in his grace, he stands ready to help. He provides us occasions to strive so that we may conquer. If we track our progress in religion by outward observances and forms, our devotion will soon come to an end. But let's put the ax to the root of the problem, our desires that control us, and clearing those away we may possess a peaceful mind. 

If every year we conquered one vice, we would soon be perfect. But on the contrary, we often feel that we were better and purer in the beginning of our conversion than after many years have gone by. Our feeling and progress should increase daily, but now it seems great to keep some small part of that first feeling. If we used that first feeling to attack our vices, then afterwards we could do everything with ease and joy.

It is a hard thing to let go of something we're used to doing, harder still to go contrary to our own will. But if you do not overcome small and easy obstacles, how will you overcome more difficult ones? Resist your inclination from the first, and unlearn a bad custom, or it may lead you little by little into worse difficulties. If you were aware how much peace you would bring to yourself and how much happiness to others by tending to your inner good, I think that you would be more concerned for your spiritual progress. 

Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis, 1.11. 

Translation focused on contemporary English and preservation of rhetorical force and art