(c) 'I'he Spirit descended on the Second Adam to abide (Jn P-** ; contrast Gn & LXX). The illapse was not a momentary act, but a new departure in human life, the beginning of a permanent in- dwelling of the Spirit in man. The 'Gospel of the Hebrews ' has rightly seized upon this point : ' descendit fons omnis spiritus sancti et requievit super eum et dixit illi : Fill mi, in omnibus prophetis expectabam te ut venires et requies- cerem in te ; tu es enini requies niea.' But the Baptist's testimony reaches further. The Sjiirit became immanent in the Sacred Humanity, that it might be communicated through the Christ to mankind. Jesus was baptized with the Spirit, that He might baptize the world therewith (Jn 1^ ; cf. Mt 3", Mk V, Lk 3'«). The experience of the first generation of believers showed that this hope was realized ; Christians shared Christ's unction (1 Jn •2-'°), and the unction abode in tnem, as it abode in Christ (v.-''). This conviction was expressed in the early use of unction in connexion with Christian baptism (Tert. De bapt. 7 ; Cypr. Ep. 70; CjT. Hier. Cat. myst. ii.).
Two historical events mark the ext nsion
• Pearson points out that the two views are not necessarily inconsistent, referring to the double unction received by L>avid (1 S 1013, 2 S 24, 63).
HOL\ sriKlT
IIULY iSPmiT
407
of tlie Messianic untfion to the Cliurcli. (a) On the ni;4lit tliat folluwed the Itesurreetion Christ cominunicaled the Spirit to the apostles (Jii 20-'- ^f^tpOarjaei' Kai \^7fi avroU Ad/icre Tri'tO^ua ci^to*'). The act wliich accompanied the gift clearly looks hack to Gn 2' ; a new s]iirit was breatlied into liumanity by the risen Lord. He began with the a[>ostles, quickening them by communicating His own Spirit, that they might be prepared to carry on IHs work {KaOibs a.ir(aTa\Kiv ixe 6 naT-fip, KiyCi ir^/iTTu) li/ias). The gift 'answers to the power of the Resurrection' (Westcott, citing Godet) : it is primarily the quickening of the sniritual life of the apostles, but it is conferred witn special refer- ence to the work which lies before them. There is therefore no necessity to interpret XdjSfre as if it were \illitj/taB( (Theodore of Mopsuestia), and to refer it to the Pentecostal ellusion. The apostles received on Ea.ster night the lirst-fruits of the new life of the Spirit secured to the Church by the Lord's Kesurrection, and were thus consecrated and en- dowed for their great ministry. Their successors were, potentially at least, included in the gift, and the Western Church of the Middle Ages rightly saw- in the WiixAs AccipUe Hpiritum sanctum the promise of all niinisteriaJ power (Hooker, EccUs. Pol. V. Ixxvii. 5).
(/3) H the Kesurrection brought the quickening ])o\ver of the Spirit to the Eleven and to tliose who should succeed them in the ministry of the word, tlie Ascension was followed by the outpouring of the fulness of the Spirit on the Church (Ac 1°'* 2"'-). As at the baptism of the Christ and the con- secration of the apostles, the descent of the Spirit was accompanied by external signs. The dove did not reappear, nor was the breath of Christ felt, but the sound of a great gale ('^X"' Ciatrep (Pepajiiurii TTKo^s fiialas) fell upon tlie ear, and tongues of llame, darting hither and tliither and finally resting on tlie heads of all, appealed to the ej'e. The sym- bolism of the wind had been explained by our Lord (.Jn 3'- *) ; the fire would remind the apostles of the prediction of the Baptist (Mt 3" etc.). Every detail had its signilicance. The sound of the nishin<;' wind seemed to fill the house, for the new life was to permeate the whole world. The tongues of fire were self-distributing, and none was left without his portion, for the Spirit divideth to evcrj- man as it wills (1 Co 12"), and all believers are made to drink of the same Fountain (i/j. "). The gift was at once collective and individual ; it was for the whole body, and for each member.
Both from the promise of Christ and from the event, it is clear that the Pentecostal gift marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the Spirit's relations to mankind. The ' dispensation of the Sjiirit,' which began at the Pentecost after the Crucifixion, was so great an advance on all earlier manifestations that St. John does not hesitate to deny that there had been any gift of the .Spirit before it (Jn 7^ oBiru yap i/v TftO/M : see 'Westcott tal loc, and cf. Ac I'J-). The new manifestation dilt'ered from the old, not in degree only, but in kind ; before the Incam.ation the Spirit had no abiding place in man ; since Pente- cost the presence of tlie Spirit is immanent in the Church (Jn H'" ; cf. Cyril. Alex, on Jn 7** ti]v 6\oiix^PV '^^^ 6\6K\Trjpov KaToiKTjfnv iv dvOpuinots rod aylov TrvfvpiCiTo^ a-qixaivuif avriiv t'Trarojr»)(TuJ/t€i'). The coming of the Spirit corresponds to the coming of the Son, miitnti.t mutandis. The Son came to unite Himself to human nature, the Sjiirit came to inhabit it. The Son came to t-abernade amongst men, the .Spirit to dwell in them. But with each coming a divine mission began wliich marks a new departure in (iod's dealings with mankind.