Catechesis XVI
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On the Holy Spirit (1) "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."l (1) Spiritual grace is surely needed to discourse about the Holy Spirit; I do not mean, to speak in keeping with His dignity, for that is impossible, but to run our course without danger, when we adduce the words of Sacred Scripture. For that is a truly awesome statement in the Gospels, where
Christ has said plainly: "But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come."2 A man must often fear to say, either from ignorance or assumed reverence, what is improper about the Holy Spirit, and thereby come under this condemnation.
Jesus Christ, the Judge of living and dead, has declared that such a man has no pardon; what hope is there for a man guilty of the offence?
(2) Therefore we must rely on the grace of Jesus Christ to grant us the faculty of speaking without defect, and to grant you the gift of hearing with understanding; for there is need of understanding, not only for those who speak, but also for those who hear; else they may hear one thing and wrongly conceive another in mind. Let us assert of the Holy Spirit, therefore, only what is written; let us not busy ourselves about what is not written. The Holy Spirit has authored the Scrip1 1 Cor. 12.1, 4.
2 Matt. 12.32.
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tures; He has spoken of Himself all that He wished, or all that we could grasp; let us confine ourselves to what He has said, for it is reckless to do otherwise.
(3) There is One Holy Spirit, the Advocate. As there is One God, the Father, and there is no second Father, and as there is one Only-begotten Son and Word of God, and He has no brother, so there is one only Holy Spirit, and there is no second Spirit equal in honor to Him. The Holy Spirit is a mighty Power, a being divine and unsearchable. He is living and rational, the Sanctifier of all things made by God through Christ. He enlightens the souls of the just; He inspired the prophets; he inspired the Apostles in the New Testament. Let them be abhorred who dare to divide the operation of the Holy Spirit. There is One God, the Father, Lord of the Old and the New Testament, and One Lord Jesus Christ, who was prophesied in the Old, and came in the New Testament, and One Holy Spirit, who heralded Christ through the Prophets, and when Christ came, descended and showed him forth.s (4) Let no one, therefore, separate the Old from the New
Testament, and say that the Spirit in the Old is one and in the New another; to do so is to offend the Holy Spirit Himself, who is honored with Father and Son, and on the occasion of holy Baptism is included with them in the Holy
Trinity. For the Only-begotten Son of God said in express terms to the Apostles: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."4 Our hope is in Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. We do not proclaim three gods; let the Marcionists be put to silence; but with Holy Spirit, through 3 In the opening chapters there is a sound statement of Christian doc· trine very carefully phrased in the light of current heresies. After the third chapter in one manuscript there is an interpolation of about forty lines. Part of this has been identified as a passage from a catechetical oration of Gregory of Nyssa; the rest is of unknown origin.
4 Matt. 28.19.
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one Son, we preach one God. The faith is indivisible, the worship inseparable. We do not divide the Holy Trinity, like some, nor do we confuse the Persons, like Sabellius.5 In true piety we know one Father, who sent His Son to be our
Savior; we know one Son, who promised to send the Advocate from the Father; we know the Holy Spirit, who spoke in the prophets, and on Pentecost descended upon the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues here in Jerusalem, in the Upper
Church of the Apostles. The most honored privileges are ours.
Here Christ descended from heaven; here the Holy Spirit descended from heaven. It is particularly fitting that as we speak of Christ and Golgotha here on Golgotha, so also we should speak of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Church; but since He who descended there shares the glory of Him who was crucified here, therefore we speak here also of Him who descended there, for their worship is indivisible.
(5) We wish, then, to speak of the Holy Spirit; not indeed to describe His essence in exact detail, for that would be impossible, but to note the various errors of certain men concerning Him, and so save us from ever being carried away through ignorance; to cut off the paths of error, and so thereby travel the one royal highway. If by way of caution we repeat any statement of these heresies, may this be turned upon the heads of the heretics; and let us be guiltless, both us who speak, and you who hear.
(6) For the heretics, impious always, have sharpened their tongues against the Holy Spirit, and have recklessly uttered abominations, as Irenaeus has recounted in his books against the heretics.6 Some have even said that they themselves were the Holy Spirit; the first of these was Simon the magician, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles; for when he was cast
5 The reference in "some" is mainly to the Arians, who reduced the Son to a creature, and who held the Holy Spirit was inferior even to the Son.
6 In his work Adversus haereses St. Irenaeus details the peculiar doctrines of the Gnostics and others on the Holy Spirit (1.2.5f.). For Simon in the next sentence see Acts 8.9ff.
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out he did not hesitate to teach such heresy. The so-called Gnostics, impious men, uttered other falsehoods against the Holy Spirit, and the wicked Valentinians still others. The accursed Mani had the audacity to say that he was the Advocate sent by Christ. Others again have asserted that there is one Spirit in the Prophets, and another in the New Testament; so diverse is their error, or rather their blasphemy.
Abhor such men, therefore, and shun the blasphemers of the Holy Spirit, for whom there is no pardon. For what fellowship have you with men without hope, you, who are about to be baptized even now in the Holy Spirit? If he who attaches himself to the thief and runs with him is liable to punishment, what hope will he have who offends against the Holy
Spirit?
(7)' Let the Marcionists also be detested, who have stripped from the New Testament the words of the Old. For the abominable Marcion, who first asserted three gods,7 knowing that testimonies of the Prophets concerning Christ are inserted in the New Testament, cut out these Old Testament testimonies, to leave the King without witness. The Gnostics also, mentioned above, are to be abhorred; their name signifies knowledge, though their ignorance is profound. They have rashly spoken about the Holy Spirit fables such as I do not dare to repeat.
(8) Abominate the Cataphrygians also and Montanus, their ringleader in evil. and his two prophetesses, Maximilla and Priscilla. This man, who was out of his mind and truly mad
(for otherwise he would not have said such things), dared to say that he himself was the Holy Spirit. He was a miserable creature, sunk in all impurity and wantonness; I can only hint at his corruption, out of respect for the women here present. When he had seized upon Pepusa, a tiny village in Phrygia and falsely named it Jerusalem, on the pretext of 7 Of the three gods of Mardon one was good, the father of Christ, another bad, the devil who rules the nations, and a third in between, the creator of the world, the God of the Jews.
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their so-called mysteries, he cut the throats of wretched little children and chopped them into pieces for their unholy banquets; because of this, until rather recent times, in the periods of persecution, we were suspected of these crimes; for these Montanists are also called, falsely, it is true, by the common name of Christians; Montanus, I repeat, went so far as to call himself the Holy Spirit, though he was a monster of impiety and cruelty, and subject to inexorable condemnation.
(9) Not otherwise was the nefarious Mani, a veritable garbage bin of all heresy; reaching the lowest depths of perdition, he collected the worst features of all the heresies, and developed and preached a more novel error. He did not hesitate to assert that he was the Advocate whom Christ had promised to send. Now the Savior, in promising Him, said to the Apostles: "But wait here in the city" of Jerusalem
"until you are clothed with power from on high."8 What follows? Did the Apostles, dead two hundred years, wait for Mani, "until they should be clothed with power"?9 Will anyone dare to assert that they were not filled with the Holy
Spirit from Pentecost on? For it is written: "Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit."lo This happened many years before Mani, once the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost.
(10) Why was Simon Magus condemned? Was it not because he came to the Apostles and said: "Give me this power, so that on whomever I shall lay my hands he may receive the Holy
Spirit"?l1 He did not say, "Give me also the participation in the Holy Spirit," but "Give me this power," with a view to selling to others what could not be sold-something he himself did not possess. He offered money to men without pos8 Luke 24.49.
9 Mani appeared A.D. 277 (Cat. 6.20); so according to Cyril's reckoning the death of the last Apostle would be roughly A. D. 77.
10 Acts 8.17.
11 Ibid. 19.
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sessions, and that too after seeing men bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the Apostles. He did not realize that they who trod underfoot the wealth offered for the sustenance of the poor would surely never sell him the power of the Holy Spirit for a price. But what do they say to Simon? "Thy money go to destruction with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money."12 For in hoping to sell the grace of the Spirit you are another Judas. If Simon, who wished to purchase this power for a price, merits perdition, how monstrous is the impiety of Mani, who asserted that he was the Holy Spirit?
Let us loathe those worthy of hatred; let us shun those from whom God turns away. Let us confidently say to God regarding all heretics: "Did I not hate, a Lord, those who hated you: and did I not pine away because of your enemies?"13
For there is an enmity that is laudable, as it is written: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed."14 Friendship with the serpent produces enmity with God, and death.
(II)' Enough about these outcasts. Let us return to the Sacred Scriptures and "drink water from our own cisterns and running water from our own wells."15 Let us drink of the living water, "springing up unto life everlasting."16 The Savior "said this of the Spirit whom they who believed in him were to receive."17 Consider what He says: "He who believes in me," and not simply this, but "as the Scripture says"-He has referred you back to the Old Testament- "from within him there shall flow rivers of living water";18 not visible rivers merely watering the earth with its thorns and trees, but enlightening souls. Elsewhere He says: "But the 12 Ibid. 20.
13 Ps. 138.21.
14 Gen. 3.15.
IS Cf. Provo 5.15.
16 John 4.14.
17 John 7.39.
18 Ibid. 38.
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water I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting";19 a new kind of water, living and springing up, springing up for those who are worthy.
(12) Why has He called the grace of the Spirit water? Because all things depend on water; water produces herbs and living things; water of the showers comes down from heaven, and coming down in one form, has manifold effects; one fountain waters the whole of Paradise; one and the same rain comes down on all the world, yet it becomes white in the lily, red in the rose, purple in the violets and hyacinths, different and many-colored in manifold species; thus it is one in the palm tree and other in the vine, and all in all things, though it is uniform, and does not vary in itself. For the rain does not change, coming down now as one thing and now as another, but it adapts itself to the things receiving it and becomes what is suitable to each. Similarly the Holy
Spirit, being One and of One Nature and indivisible, imparts to each man His grace "according as he wi11."20 The dry tree when watered brings forth shoots; so too the soul in sin, once it is made worthy through penance of the grace of the Holy Spirit, flowers into justice. Though the Spirit is One in nature, yet by the will of God and in the name of the Son,
He brings about many virtuous effects. For He employs the tongue of one man for wisdom, He illumines the soul of another by prophecy, to another He grants the power of driving out devils, to another the gift of interpreting the Sacred Scriptures; He strengthens the self-control of one man, teaches another the nature of almsgiving, and still another to fast and mortify himself, another to despise the things of the body; he prepares another man for martyrdom, acting differently in different men, though He Himself is not diverse, as it is written: "Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given
19 John 4.14.
20 1 Cor. 12.11.
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to everyone for profit. To one through the Spirit is given the utterance of wisdom; and to another the utterance of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; to another the gift of healing, in the one Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the distinguishing of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But all these things are the work of one and the same Spirit, who divides to everyone according as he will."21
(13) There are many statements of spirit in general in the Sacred Scriptures, and a man could easily become confused from ignorance, if he did not know to what sort of spirit the particular text refers; therefore, we must be sure of the nature of the Holy Spirit according to Scripture. For example
Aaron is called Christ (anointed), and David also, and Saul and others are called Christs, yet there is only one True Christ; similarly since the name of spirit has been given to many things, we must determine what in particular is called the Holy Spirit. Many things are called spirits; our soul is called spirit; this wind which is blowing is called spirit; great valor is called spirit; impure action is called spirit; and a hostile devil is called spirit. Take care, therefore, when you hear such things, not to mistake one for another because of the similarity of name. Scripture says of the soul: "When his spirit departs he returns to the earth";22 and again of the soul:
"Who forms the spirit of man within him."23 It says in the Psalms of the angels: "'Vho make your angels spirits";24 it says of the wind: "With a vehement spirit thou shalt break in pieces the ships of Tharsis";25 and: "As the trees of the woods are moved with the spirit";26 and: "Fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of storm."27 Our Lord says of His blessed teaching: "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life,"28 that is,
25 Ps.47.8 (Douay).
26 Isa.7.2 (Douay).
27 Cf. Ps. 148.8.
28 John 6.64.
21 Ibid. 7-11.
22 Ps. 145.4.
23 Zam. 12.1.
24 Ps. 103.4.
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they are spiritual. The Holy Spirit is not an utterance of the tongue; He is living, granting wise speech, speaking and discoursing Himself.
(14) Do you wish to learn of His speaking and discoursing?
Philip by the revelation of an angel went down into the way leading to Gaza, when the eunuch was approaching, "and the Spirit said to Philip: 'Go near and keep close to this carriage.' "29 Note how the Spirit speaks to one who listens.
Ezechiel says: "The spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he told me to say: 'Thus says the Lord' ";30 and again: "The Holy Spirit said" to the Apostles at Antioch: "'Set apart for me Saul and Barnabas unto the work to which I have called them.' "31 You see the Spirit living, setting apart, calling and sending with authority. And Paul: "Except that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me, saying that imprisonment and persecution are awaiting me."32 This is the good Sanctifier of the Church, her Helper and Teacher, the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, of whom our Savior said: "He will teach you all things," and He did not say merely "He will teach," but also:
"and he will bring to your mind whatever I have said to you";33 for the teaching of Christ and that of the Holy Spirit are the same, not different. The Spirit testified to Paul beforehand of the future, to confirm him in heart by that foreknowledge. All this has special reference to the text: "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit,"34 and so you must not consider these words a mere utterance of the lips, but sound doctrine.
(15) Sin, as I said before, is called spirit, but in another and contrary sense, as when it is said: "For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray."35 The name "spirit" is applied
29 Acts 8.29.
30 Ezech. 11.5.
31 Acts 13.2.
32 Acts 20.23.
33 John 14.26.
34 John 6.64.
35 Osee 4.12.
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to the unclean SpIrIt, the devil, but with the addition, "the unclean": for the epithet is attached in each case, to signify its particular nature. When Scripture refers to the soul of a man as a "spirit," it is with the addition "of man"; if to the wind, it says, "spirit of storm"; if to sin, "spirit of harlotry," if to the devil, "an unclean spirit"; in this way we know to what particular thing the term refers, and need not think that it means the Holy Spirit. God forbid! For this word spirit is common to many things; everything that does not have a solid body is generally called spirit. Since the devils do not have such bodies they are called spirits; but there is a great difference. When the unclean devil comes upon a man's soulmay the Lord deliver from him every soul of those who hear me, and of those who are not present-it is like a wolf upon a sheep, greedy for blood, ready to devour. His advent is fierce; there is a sense of oppression; the mind is darkened; his attack is unjust, a seizure of another's possession. He forcibly uses another's body and another's bodily member as his own. He casts down him who stands upright-for he is kin to him who fell from heaven-; he perverts the tongue, he twists the lips; foam comes instead of words; the man is blinded; his eye is open, yet through it the soul sees nothing, and wretched man quivers and trembles at the point of death.
The devils are truly enemies of men in abusing them so foully and pitilessly.
(16), Not such is the Holy Spirit; God forbid! His actions on the contrary, effect what is good and salutary. First of all,
His coming is gentle, the perception of Him fragrant, His yoke light; rays of light and knowledge shine forth before His coming. He comes with the heart of a true guardian; He comes to save, to cure, to admonish, to strengthen, to console, to enlighten the mind, first of the man who receives Him, then through him the minds of others also. As a man previously in darkness and suddenly seeing the sun gets the faculty of sight and sees clearly what he did not see before, so the man
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deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit is enlightened in soul, and sees beyond human sight what he did not know. Though his body is upon the earth his soul beholds the heavens as in a mirror. He sees, like Isaia, "the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne" ;36 he sees, like Ezechiel, "him who is above the cherubim";37 he sees, like Daniel, "thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads";38 and little man sees the beginning and the end of the world, the times in between, the successions of kings; in short, things he had not learned, for the True Enlightener is at hand. The man is confined within walls; yet his power of knowledge ranges far and wide, and he perceives even the actions of others.
(17) Peter was not at hand when Ananias and Sapphira sold their possessions, but he was present by the Spirit. "Why," he says, "has Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Spirit?"39 There was no accuser; there was no witness; how did he know what had happened? "While it yet remained, did it not remain thine; and after it was sold, was not the money at thy disposal? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart?"40 Peter, an unlettered man, by the grace of the Spirit came to know what not even the wise men of the Greeks knew. You have the like in the case of Eliseus.
When he had freely healed the leprosy of Naaman, Giezi accepted the reward, taking for himself the reward of another's success. Giezi took the money from Naaman and put it in a dark place. But the darkness is not dark to the saints. When he returned Eliseus questioned him; and just as Peter, when he said: "Tell me, did you sell the land for so much,"41 so Eliseus asks: "Whence comest thou, Giezi?42 Not in ignorance do I ask, 'Whence comest thou?' You have come from darkness
36 Isa.6.1.
37 Cf. Ezech. 10.1.
38 Dan. 7.10.
39 Acts 5.3.
40 Ibid. 4.
41 Ibid. 8.
42 4 Kings 5.25.
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and into darkness you will go. You have sold the cure of the leper, and you will inherit the leprosy yourself. I have fulfilled," he says, "the command of Him who said to me: 'Freely you have received, freely give.'43 But you have sold the grace; receive also the wages of the sale." But what does Eliseus say to him? "Did not my heart go forth with yoU?44 I was here shut up in the body, but the spirit given to me by God saw even things far away, and showed me what was happening elsewhere." Consider how He removes ignorance and instills knowledge. You see how the Holy Spirit enlightens souls.
(18) Isaia lived almost a thousand years ago, and saw Sion as a hut. The city was still standing, beautified with public squares and clothed in honor; yet he says: "Sion shall be plowed like a field";45 foretelling what has been fulfilled in our day. Observe the exactness of the prophecy; for he said:
"Daughter Sion shall be left like a hut in a vineyard, like a shed in a melon patch."46 Now the place is full of melon patches. Do you see how the Holy Spirit enlightens the saints?
Therefore do not be distracted by a common term, but hold fast to what is exactly true.
(19) Whenever a goodly thought on chastity or virginity occurs to you as you sit here, it is due to His teaching. Has it not often happened that a maiden, on the very threshold of the bridal chamber, has fled away, through the inspiration of His teaching on virginity?47 Or that a man distinguished at court has scorned wealth and honor, on being taught by the Holy Spirit? Is it not true that often a young man on beholding beauty has closed his eyes and fled the sight, and thus escaped defilement? How did this come to pass, you ask? The Holy Spirit taught the young man's soul. Covetous desires
43 Matt. 10.8.
44 Cf. 4 Kings 5.26.
45 Mich. 3.12. A slip on the part of Cyril, who assigns this text to Isaia.
46 Isa. 1.8.
47 Some have thought that Cyril has in mind St. Thecla, whose fame was great in Jerusalem, though undoubtedly there were other examples in the lives of the saints ..
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abound in the world; yet Christians live in poverty. Why?
Because of the prompting of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Good Spirit is truly worthy of honor, and it is fitting that we are baptized into Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A man still encumbered with the body wrestles with many cruel demons; often the demon, unconquerable by iron bonds, is conquered by the man through prayer, by virtue of the Holy
Spirit within him.48 The simple breathing of the exorcist becomes as fire to the invisible foe. We have from God, therefore, a strong Ally and Protector, a mighty Teacher and Champion in our behalf. Let us not fear the demons nor the devil, for our Defender is mightier; let us but open up the doors to Him; for He goes about seeking those worthy, seeking to whom He may impart His gifts.
(20) He is called Comforter, because He comforts and encourages us, and "helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings,"49 that is, clearly, to God. Often a man for Christ's sake has been treated with contumely and unjustly dishonored; martyrdom is at hand, tortures on every side, fire, swords, wild beasts, and the abyss; but the Holy Spirit gently whispers to him:
"Wait for the Lord,"50 for your present sufferings are slight, while your rewards will be great; endure for a little while and you will be with the angels forever. "The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in US."51 He portrays for the man the kingdom of heaven, and even gives him a glimpse of the Paradise of pleasure; and the martyrs, who must present their bodily countenances to their judges, are in spirit already in Paradise, and despise what appear to be hardships.
48 The wrestling with demons refers to the various activities of the exorcists.
49 Rom. 8.26.
50 Ps.26.14.
51 Rom. 8.18.
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(21) You must know too that the Holy Spirit empowers the martyrs to bear witness. The Savior says to His disciples:
"When they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be anxious how or wherewith you shall defend yourselves, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you ought to say."52 A man cannot testify as a martyr for Christ's sake except through the Holy
Spirit. For if "no man can say 'Jesus is Lord,' except in the Holy Spirit,"53 shall any man give his life for Jesus' sake except through the Holy Spirit?
(22)' The Holy Spirit is indeed mighty, all-powerful in gifts, and wonderful. Consider how many of you sit here now, how many souls we are here present. He adapts Himself to each, and being present in our midst, He sees the dispositions of each, He sees our reasoning and our conscience, what we say, what we think, what we believe. This may seem a strong assertion, but actually it is quite weak. For just consider, enlightened in mind by Him, how many Christians there are in this whole diocese, how many in the whole province of Palestine. Again let your mind range from this province to the whole Roman Empire; then fix your gaze on the whole world; there are races of Persians, nations of Indians, Goths,
Sarmatians, Moors, Libyans, Aethiopians and others whose names are unknown to us; for the names of many nations have not even reached us. Consider each nation's bishops, priests, deacons, solitaries, virgins, all the laity; contemplate their mighty Protector, the Dispenser of their gifts, how throughout the whole world He bestows on one chastity, on another perpetual virginity, inspires one to almsgiving, another to poverty, and grants to another the power of driving out evil spirits. As the light with one casting of its rays brightens everything, so too the Holy Spirit enlightens those who have eyes. For if any man because of blindness is not deemed
52 Luke 12.11, 12.
53 1 Cor. 12.3.
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worthy of His grace, let him not blame the Spirit but his own disbelief.
(23) You have seen His power, exercised throughout the world. Tarry no longer on the earth, but mount on high.
Ascend now in thought to the first heaven, and contemplate the countless myriads of angels. Rise still higher in thought, if you can; contemplate the Archangels too, behold the Spirits54 also, the Virtues, the Principalities, the Powers, the Dominations. Set over all these by God as their Ruler, their
Teacher and their Sanctifier is the Paraclete. Among men Elia has need of Him, as also Eliseus and Isaia; among angels
Michael and Gabriel have need of Him. No created being is equal in honor to Him. Not all the classes of angels, not all their hosts together have equality with the Holy Spirit. The all-perfect power of the Paraclete overshadows them all. While they are sent to minister, He searches even the deep things of God, according to the Apostle: "For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man save the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, the things of God no man knows but the Spirit of God."55
(24) He heralded Christ in the Prophets; He wrought in the Apostles; and to this day He seals souls in Baptism. The Father gives to the Son, and the Son shares with the Holy
Spirit. Not I but Jesus says: "All things have been delivered to me by my Father";56 and of the Holy Spirit He says: "When he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will teach you all the truth," and what follows; "He will glorify me, because he will receive of what is mine and declare it to yoU."57 The Father, through the Son, with the Holy Spirit, bestows all gifts. The gifts of the Father are not different from the gifts of the Son
54 Cyril seems to count the Spirits as a distinct angelic order, though elsewhere the traditional nine choirs are named (Myst. 5.6).
55 1 Cor. 2.10, 11.
56 Matt. 11.17.
57 John 16.13, 14.
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or those of the Holy Spirit. For there is one Salvation, one Power, one Faith. There is One God, the Father; One Lord,
His Only-begotten Son; One Holy Spirit, the Advocate. It is enough for us to know this much; inquire not curiously into His nature and substance. For if it had been written, we would have spoken about it; what is not written let us not essay. It is enough for salvation for us to know that there is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(25), This Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in the time of Moses.
(May the length of my discourse, dear brethren, not prove tedious to you. But may He of whom we discourse impart strength to everyone, to us who speak and to you who listen.) To repeat, this Spirit descended upon the seventy elders in Moses' day; my object is to prove that He knows all things and works as He will. The seventy elders were chosen: "The Lord then came down in the cloud, and taking some of the spirit that was on Moses, he bestowed it on the seventy elders";58 not that the Spirit was divided, but His grace was divided according to the vessels and the capacity of the recipients. Now there were sixty-eight present, and they prophesied; Eldad and Medad were not present. To make it clear that it was not Moses who bestowed the gift, but the Spirit who wrought, Eldad and Medad, who had been called but had not yet presented themselves, also prophesied.
(26) Josue, the son of Nun and successor of Moses, was amazed, and coming to Moses said to him: Have you heard that Eldad and Medad are prophesying? They were called and did not come forward; "Moses, my lord, stop them."59
I cannot forbid them, he said, for the grace is from heaven.
So far am I from forbidding them that I consider it a favor.
But I think you have not spoken thus in envy. Be not overzealous on my account, because they have prophesied, and you do not yet prophesy. Await the proper time. "Would
58 Num. 11.25.
59 Ibid. 28.
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that all the people of the Lord might prophesy, whenever the Lord shall give them his spirit."sO He spoke the words "whenever the Lord shall give," prophetically. For He has not given it as yet; so you do not have it yet. Did not Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob and Joseph have His spirit? Did not the men of old have it? It is clear that the words, "whenever the Lord shall give," means "give to all"; now the grace is partial, then it shall be granted profusely. He intimated what was to come to pass among us on the day of Pentecost; for He Himself came down among us. He had come down before upon many, it is true; for it is written: "Now Josue, the son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him."s1 Note the same ceremonial everywhere, both in the Old and the New Testament. In Moses' day the Spirit was given by the imposition of hands; and Peter imparted the Spirit by the imposition of hands. Upon you also, who are to be baptized, the grace will come. In what manner I do not say, for I do not anticipate the proper time.62
(27) The Spirit came upon all the just and the Prophets; I mean Enos, Henoch, Noe, and the rest; upon Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob. That Joseph had in him the Spirit of God even Pharaoh himself understood. You have often heard of the wondrous works wrought by the Spirit in the days of Moses.
That most courageous man Job had this Spirit, and all the saints, though we do not recount all their names. The Spirit was sent in the building of the tabernacle, and filled with wisdom the wise men about Beseleel.
(28) In the power of this Spirit, as we have it in the Book of Judges, Othoniel judged, Gideon grew strong, and Jephte was victorious; Deborah, a woman, waged war; and Samson, while he acted justly and did not vex Him, performed deeds beyond man's powers. We learn clearly in the Book of Kings
60 Cf. ibid. 29.
61 Deut. 34.9.
62 The latter part of this chapter seems to refer to Confirmation, and the matter treated in Myst. 3.
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of Samuel and David, how by the Holy Spirit they prophesied and were leaders of the prophets. Samuel in fact was called the Seer. David says plainly: "The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me";63 and in the Psalms: "and your holy spirit take not from me";64 and again: "May your good spirit guide me on level ground."65 As we read in Paralipomenon, Azaria in the time of King Asa, and J ahaziel in the time of King
Josaphat, were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and again another Azaria (Zacharia), who was stoned. Esdras says: "And thou gavest them thy good spirit to teach them."66 Though we say nothing, it is quite clear that those inspired and wonderworking men, Elia-who was taken up-and Eliseus, were filled with the Holy Spirit.
(29) Whoever scans all the books of the Prophets, both of the Twelve and of the others, will find many testimonies regarding the Holy Spirit. Michea, for example, speaking in the person of God, says: "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord";67 Joel cries: "Then afterward," God says, "I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind."68 Aggai says: "For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, and my spirit continues in your midst";69 and Zacharia in like manner: "But yet receive my words and my decrees, which I entrusted by my spirit to my servants the prophets."7o
(30) Isaia also, that lofty-voiced herald, says: "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of godliness; and he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord";71 signifying that the Spirit was indeed one and indivisible, but His operations diverse; and 63 2 Kings 23.2.
64 Ps.5013.
65 Ps. 142.10.
66 2 Esd. 9.20.
67 Mich. 3.8.
68 Joel 3.1.
69 Agg. 2.4, 5.
70 Zach. 1.6 (Sept.).
7I Isa. 11.2, 3 (Sept.).
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again: "Jacob my servant," and subsequently: "upon whom I have put my spirit";72 again: "I will pour out my spirit upon your offspring";73 and: "Now the Lord God has sent me, and his spirit";74 again: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me";75 and in the words against the Jews: "But they rebelled, and grieved his holy spirit";76 and: "Where is he who put his holy spirit in their midst?"77
You have also in Ezechiel-if you are not now weary of listening-what has already been quoted: "Then the spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and he told me to say: thus says the Lord."78 The phrase "fell upon me" must be rightly understood as meaning "lovingly"; as Jacob, upon finding Joseph,
"fell on his neck";79 and as in the Gospel that loving father, when he saw his son returning from his wandering, "was moved with compassion, and ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him."so Again in Ezechiel: "And he brought him into Chaldea, to them of the captivity, in vision, by the spirit of God."81 You have heard other texts also in our discourses on Baptism: "I will sprinkle clean water upon you," ... "I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you";82 and a little later: "I will put my spirit within you";83 and "The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he led me out in the spirit of the Lord."84
(31) The spirit filled with wisdom the soul of Daniel and made him, though a youth, a judge of elders. The chaste
Susanna was condemned as wanton; there was no one to 72 Cf. Isa. 44.1; 42.1.
73 Isa. 44.3.
74 Isa. 48.16.
75 Isa. 61.1.
76 Isa. 63.10 (Sept.).
77 Ibid. II.
78 Ezech. 11.5.
79 Gen. 46.29.
80 Luke 15.20.
81 Cf. Ezech. 11.24.
82 Ezech 36.25, 26.
83 Ibid. 27.
84 Ezech.37.1.
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defend her, for who was to deliver her from the rulers? She was being led away to death, and was already in the hands of the executioners. But her Helper stood by, the Advocate, the Spirit who sanctifies every rational nature. "Come hither to me," He says to Daniel; "young though you are, you must convict elders who have defiled themselves with the sign of youth." Scripture says: "The Lord raised up the holy spirit in a young boy."85 To sum up briefly, that chaste woman was saved by the sentence of Daniel. We present this story merely as a testimony, for this is not the proper time for exposition.
Even Nabuchodonosor recognized that the Holy Spirit was in Daniel, for he said to him: "Baltassar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy God is in yoU."86
One thing he said was true and one was false. That he had the spirit was true, but he was not the chief of magicians. He was no magician, but he was wise by the Holy Spirit. Before this Daniel had interpreted for Nabuchodonosor the vision of the statue, which the king had seen but did not understand.
Tell me, he said, the vision which I who saw do not understand. You see the power of the Holy Spirit; they who had seen the vision do not understand, while they who had not seen it understand and interpret it.
(32)' It would be easy to gather many texts from the Old Testament, and speak more in detail about the Holy Spirit; but time is short and we must show regard for moderation in our discourse. Therefore, being content for the present with these testimonies from the Old Testament, we will go on,
God willing, in the next lecture to the remaining texts from the New Testament. May the God of peace, through our Lord
Jesus Christ, by the charity of the Spirit, deem all of you worthy of spiritual and heavenly blessings. To whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
85 Cf. Dan. 13.45.
86 Dan. 4.6.