• WTien lieyschla? (-VT* Theolnpy, Eng. tr. ii. p. 279) writes, 'The notion of the Holy Spirit as a third Divine pereon- ftlity ... is one of the most disastrous importations into tile Holy Scriptures,' he assumes that this idea has been imported, and that his own construction of the Lord's words (■ just a pictorial personification ') is convincing and even nercHsan.'. A^rainst these assumptions must be set (1) the pl.iin and natural inten>retation of Christ's words, and (2) the judpTnent of the Christian Society, in which, according lo Christ's promise, the Spirit dwells.
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fjifOa, oo^d^fLV 5^ tjs 7rf7riffrei'\'ajuc»'). Hut tlicv also foretell the new relation wliicli uiiilir the gospel was to subsist between the human spirit and the Spirit of Hod. To be baptized ' into the Name . . . of the Holy Ghost' is to be placed in a position of lifelong dependence upon the Divine Spirit, and consecration to the service which lie inspires.
(A) I'Voia the moment of the I'entecostal descent the presence of the Paraclete entered as a fact into the daily life of the Christian society, (a) The apostles realized at once that the promise of Christ had Ijeen fullilled, and that a new dispensation had begun (Ac 2^-^'-). As the years went on, they were able to interpret from tlieir own experience the details of Christ's teaching (cf. Ac 5'-, 1 .In 5" with Jn 15=«; Ac 9»' with .In 14'«; 1 P 4», Ja 4» with Jn 14'^- "). They realized that as apostles they were specially endowed with the Spirit of God ; to practise a deception upon them m their ajxistolic character was to attempt to deceive the Iloly Spirit, and therefore to lie to God (Ac 5^-*- ") ; when tney and other ollicers of the Church took counsel on matters of discipline, the Holy Spirit shared their deliberations and their judgment (Ac 15") ; to them, as apostles, belonged the ower of imparting the Holy Spirit to the baptized ly the laying on of their hands (Ac 8'"- 19', cf. He 6^) ; individually, they were conscious of receiving direct communications from the Holy Spirit (Ac 11'- 13- IG*-'). But they recognized also that the gift belonged to the wtiole (Church and to every member of it (Ac 2^ lO""" 11">- '" 13" 15»- '). This fact was evidenced, not merely by miraculous manifestations (Ac 10^'* 19'), but by the new life of the Christian brotherhood. Miracles might have cliielly attracted attention in the tirst days, liut even then the practical wisdom and joyful Bpirit of the common Christian life were seen to be fruits of the Spirit of Christ (Ac 6' 13»-') ; and tlie maturere.\perienceof the Apo.stolic Church realized that the Holy Spirit is the source of Christian holiness (1 P P), the inspirer of prayer (J ude -"), the means of an abiding union between Christ and Christians (1 Jn 3-'' 4'^), the pledge of future glory in the presence of God (1 P 4").
(/3) It is, however, to the Epistles of St. Paul that we must turn for the fullest treatment which the doctrine of the Spirit receives within the limits of the NT. Not that St. Paul sets himself to con- struct a |>hilosophy of religion in which the relation of the Holy Spirit to God, to the Church, and to the human soul receives scientilic treatment. He treats the whole subject incidentally and in con- ne.\ion with his argument, or with the practical interests of the communities he is addressing. But he treats it with an insight, a freshness, and a precision due partly to his unique experience, partly to the intensity of his interest in the gospel and its workings upon human nature. There is a manifest progress in the apostle's handling of this subject which corresponds to the progress in his own life and work. In the earliest group of Kpistlcs (1 and2Th) he scarcely exceeds tlie usual teaching of the lirst generation. He connects the gift of the Holy Spirit with spiritual power (1 Th 1') and joy (v."), with moral purity (1 Th 4") and religious ccnsecration (2 Th 2"); he oilers practical guidance in reference to the miraculous ;^ap/{T/iaTa, warning believers against indiscriminately accepting all propl\etic utterances on the one hand, and <lespis- ing them all upon the other, and thus (|ueiiching the heavenly lire (1 Th f)"" , cf. 2 Th 2-). One interesting verse shows that he recognized in linman nature an element corresponding to the Divine S|iirit, and titted to bo the sphere of His opi'rations (I Th "i^ i/fjiwf t6 wtvua.). The next group of letters (Bo, 1, 2 Co, Gal) carries us into
the heart of his teaching on this subject, and we lind ourselves in the midst of what is largely A. new revelation. In these E^pistles, St. Paul, s arting with his conception of the human spirit (Ko 1", 1 Co 2", Gal 6"), sometimes places the Spirit of God in sharp contrast with the spirit oi man, whilst in other places he exhibits the two in close correspondence and co-operation. Instances of the former point of view will be found in Ko 8"' '•'', 1 Co I.e., Gal 4°. In such passages the distinct per.sonalit}' of the Divine Spirit comes strongly into view ; tlie Spirit of God bears witness with the sjiirits of men (Ko 8-'), lieljis our intirmity, and makes entreaty for us with sighs too deep for words (vTTipivrvyxo-vft ani^ay/jLoU dXa\7/Toi5, Ko 8^), calling from the depth of our hearts upon the Father (Gal 4", cf. Ko 8") ; while at the same time He abides within the life of God, searching the depths of the Divine Nature and counsels, even as the human spirit is prii-y to the inmost thoughts of ni.'in (1 Co 2"). The .Spirit of God is, from St. Paul's point of view, uncreated and divine, for it is internal to the Essence of God. Where the Spirit dwells and works, God dwells and works (1 Co 3" G'", 2 Co 3") ; it is by the Spirit that God is immanent in men. Yet the identilication is not so comjilete as to exclude a true distinction between the Spirit and other Persons in God. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Him that raised up Christ from the dead (Ko 8"), i.e. the Father ; He is also the Spirit of Christ (Ko 8'), not merely because He anointed the Messiah, but on account of His personal relation to the Son of God (Gal 4") ; He is the Spirit of the Son. Lastly, the three Persons are named in the same sentence as distinct hypo- stases (2 Co 13"). In a few passages the Spirit of Christ in St. Paul appears to mean either our Lord's human spirit (Ko I'' Kara. Tri-fC/ui iyiuawris : see Sanday-lleadlara, ad loc, and Westcott on He 9'''), or His pre-existent nature (2 Co 3" 6 5i itrpiot t6 Trvevfjui iarLv), or His risen life (1 Co 15" A Jcrxaroj 'A5d^ [^7^1'CTo] e/s irviv^a ^ijioirotovv) ; in other con- texts the Holy Spirit is identilied with Christ, because it is through the Spirit that the ascended Lord dwells in the Church and operates in believers (Ko S'- '"). But the ambiguity rarely occurs; in the great majority of cases the distinctness of the Persons is clearly seen, and the reader can dis- criminate between the spiritual nature of Christ, and the Spirit who anointed Him and is one with Him in the unity of God.