5. Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit.— Altogether too narrow and parochial a vie^' has often been taken as to the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit. A literalism which proceeds on the assumption that we have exh.austive infor- mation as to these events, and that all things actually occurred as they are described, has found itself again and again in sore straits when it has
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come to explaining precisely what happened. Thus, on the strength of an editorial note in the Fourth tJospel ( Jn 7*") — oCiru yap fiv irKcC/ta— coupled with some of our Lord's utterances reporteil in the same tJospel (e.g. 10'), it has yielded hut a grudg- ing aelcnowledgment of the Spirit's presence and power in the world prior to this event, lint we slioiild gladly see in every gracious movement of thought and every outHowering of beauty, virtue, and goodness whensoever and wheresoever dis- played, whether before the Incarnation or subse- quent thereto, the working and manifestation of the .same Spirit of love and liglit ami power. That is quite compatible with giving full weight to Pentecost as ushering in a special manifestation of tilod's Spirit and an era which was to be peculiarly characterized by the activities and energies of that Spirit in revealing and deepening what is Christ's (iK ToO ^|tioO \riix\peTai kt\., Jn 16'*).
Among the Fathers, when they proceeded to explain the coming of the Holy Spirit as a new thing and in special connexion with Pentecost, there was a strong disposition to lay stress on the miraculous gifts and give them the chief place, an exegesis which later found too wide a vogue. 'Vi-sibi'lia ilia dona, qua? initio nascentis ecclesife excel lenter viguerunt'— so runs even Beza's note. Moreover, they too often limited the Spirit's dower to the apostles and their successors, a line of interpretation which at once Afretit in flat opposi- tion to the plain sense of Scripture and helped the development of a sacerdotal and sacramental view of ' Orders.' We meet with similar limitations still: 'The Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost' (T. B. Strong, A Manual of Theology-, London, 1903, p. 3-25). But the whole assembly of believers, if anything is clear, shared in the enduement of power which Pentecost witnessed, as they waited 'all together in one place.' (For ample quotations in support, see J. C. Hare, Mission of the Comforter*, London, 1877, Note H.)
Too much, indeed, may be made of such expres- sions as 'coming,' or 'descent,' of the Holy Spirit, as characterizing this day. It helps the perilous parcelling out of time and distinction of ' dispensations '—the dispensations of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit— which has found favour with many. This has little to commend it, is artificial, and can only be taken as generally signifying the progressive development of religion among men. Nor was Pentecost ' the birthday of the Christian Church,' as it is often called. ' Birth- day ' is an awkward term to use in such a con- nexion, and can be accepted only as a rough mode of indicating the beginning of the Christian com- munity. But there was a church of a sort already existing (see Ac 1). The movement, in truth, did not lend itself easily to dates, and refused to be subjected to the precision and exactitude which mark the inauguration of merely human societies and institutions. This holy gift was bestowed on a church already in existence. ' Pentecost was a day of power, a" day on which the Spirit of God manifested himself through the disciples as a power for the conversion of others ' ( A. C. McGiliert, A History of Christianity in the Apostolic Age, Edinburgh, 1897, p. 50).
6. Significance of Pentecost to the primitive Church. — The after course of events makes it clear that Pentecost was a turning-point of great sig- nificance in the career of the little community. The chief sign was power to give clear and bold testimony to the truth about Jesus Christ — a rich gift of prophetic grace. ' As they waited and prayed, and pondered the sayings of the Master, and searched the OT Scriptures, the Truth flashed upon them— the Truth that was the Spirit's teach-
ing therein, blending with the words and memory of the Master. Suddenly the darkness of their souls was illumined by the inshining of this light from heaven, their hearts were filled with joy, and in the new exultant confidence that came to them, they were "clothed with power from on high " ' (W. L. Walker, The Hpirit and the Incar- nation, Kdinburgh, 1899, p. 67). Looking back from his then standpoint, the historian could not adequately account for the actually existing and widespread Church, save through some Divine enthusiasm kindled in men's hearts by God in- dwelling and working in them with power and love. What could symbolize that ' Breath of God ' more fittingly than the wind ? What could more appropriately suggest the penetrative purifying power and grace than tongues ' like as of fire ' (liaei 7ri//)6s)? The miracle of Pentecost was that the little community should be transformed by the enduementof energy, illumination, and power, which is sim]ily spoken of in the words: 'And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.' That was a work of grace which was repeatedly experi- enced in the Apostolic Church (.'\c 4^'), and has been witnessed since again and again. It is the mysterious outburstof a Power which never wholly leaves the world, however lifeless it may at tiiiies appear. As A. B. Bruce remarks, the Christian ' believes in the Holy Ghost, and in His incessant struggle for the birth of a better world. He sees in the great crises of history His action as a mighty wind ; in quiet times he traces His blessed presence and influence as a still, noiseless, yet vital air, the breath of human souls ' [Apologetics, Edinburgh, 1892, p. 69).