Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. What the Bible says in the Old and New Testaments

Holy Spirit in Orthodoxy

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The Church teaches that a person must honor the entire Holy Trinity at once, since all of these are hypostases of the one God. For simplicity of perception, priests suggest that the Father is the mind, his Son is the word, and the Holy Spirit is the soul. Together they form a single whole, as in ordinary life, where the mind, word and soul are inseparable from each other.

According to a number of interpreters of the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit should also be understood as God’s power in direct action, for which there are no obstacles. To better understand this idea, it is worth considering the meaning of the phrase “the sun entered the house.” It does not mean that the luminary itself was in the room, but only speaks of the sun’s rays that penetrated the room, illuminating everything around. At the same time, the Sun itself remained in the sky. In the same way, God, thanks to the Holy Spirit, is able to be in many places at the same time.

Awareness of this is an important factor strengthening the faith of Orthodox Christians. They remember that the Lord is omnipresent, he is simultaneously in different places, not leaving his followers without help and support.

The Teaching of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Part 1: Apostles Mark and Matthew

The range of meanings of pneuma in the word usage of the holy evangelists Matthew and Mark is small and it is almost always clear from the context in what meaning it is used here. In addition to indicating the Person of the Holy Spirit, the word is also used to mean the human spirit
(Matt 26:41, Mk 2:8, etc.) and
the unclean spirit
(Matt 8:16, Mt 12:43, Mk 1:23, etc.).

The very first mention of the Holy Spirit is found in the first chapter of the first book of the New Testament, as soon as the conception of Jesus by the Blessed Virgin Mary is spoken of: he is pregnant with the Holy Spirit

(Matthew 1:18) and parallel:
for that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit
(Matthew 1:20).

In the Orthodox tradition, it was not customary to interpret this verse in relation to the very image of the conception of the God-man and the participation of the Spirit in it: “Neither Gabriel nor Matthew could say anything more than that what is born is of the Spirit; but how and in what way it was born from the Spirit, no one explained this, because it was impossible”[1] - writes Chrysostom. Eight centuries later, Euthymius Zigaben repeats the same thing, summing up all patristic interpretations.

One can only pay attention to the use of the preposition ek (“from, from”) implying, among other things: movement from top to bottom

(1),
source
(2),
origin
(4),
means of accomplishment
(18). When reading ek pneumatos agiou here, it is appropriate to keep in mind all the listed shades of meaning implied by this preposition.

It would also be worth noting that for the characters themselves, as well as for the readers of the Hebrew original of the Gospel of Matthew[2] (where the word “Spirit,” as we have already said, was a feminine noun), as well as the Greek translation (where it was neuter kind), the angelic message about conception from the Spirit sounded more neutral than for Latin authors, as well as modern Russian or European readers, in whose language “Spirit” is a masculine word, and whose psychological perception is determined by this before any theoretical reflections[3] . Conception from ruah-pneuma emphasized the heavenly purity and supermundane incomprehensibility of the event.

The following reference to the Spirit contains the prophecy of John the Baptist about the coming Messiah: He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire

(Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16).

According to the interpretation of bl. Jerome, “The Holy Spirit Himself is fire, since at His descent He arose in the form of fire above each of the believers”[4]. Chrysostom explains: “by expression and fire

expresses even more the power and powerful action of grace”[5]. All these interpretations have one thing in common: the Holy Fathers did not consider the fire mentioned here as something independent from the hypostasis of the Holy Spirit. Fire is a manifestation or designation of the grace of the same Spirit. The understanding of the Fathers is also confirmed by the biblical context: this turn of phrase of the Baptist may represent a typical poetic device of the Old Testament prophets, when the use of parallel repetition of different words implying the same concepts is intended to enhance the emotional impact of the saying.

At ap. Mark in the same phrase we find a contrast: I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit

(Mark 1:8), designed to emphasize the fundamental difference between the Forerunner and the Coming One, as well as designating the coming of the Messiah as the onset of a new era promised by the prophets of the Old Testament - the era of the Holy Spirit.

We find the third mention of the Spirit in the description of the Epiphany: and [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and descending on Him

(Matthew 3:16), and in St.
Mark: And as he came up out of the water, [John] immediately saw the heavens opened and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him
(Mark 1:10)

The comparison of the Spirit of God to a dove goes back to Genesis 1:2, where we find the participle merahefet “quiveringly soaring” (“ flying

” Synodal translation), which means hatching eggs.
In rabbinic literature, based on this passage, the Spirit of God was sometimes compared to a dove[6], the teachers of the Law likened the Spirit of God, hovering over the waters at the creation of the world, to a bird flapping its wings over its chicks. In one late targum on Song 2:12, the words the voice of the turtledove is heard in our country
are interpreted as “the voice of the Spirit of salvation”[7].

According to Chrysostom, “The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove to turn his voice to Jesus”[8], and this is the general patristic interpretation (Jerome, Ephraim the Syrian, Euthymius Zigaben): The Spirit descends on Jesus to distinguish Him from John and from others who are being baptized , and indicate that the Fatherly voice refers specifically to Him; according to the thought of the Fathers, the Spirit here acts as a witness of the Divine Sonship of Jesus.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil

(Matthew 4:1).
In the Synodal Translation, the same construction in the same sentence is translated differently for some reason, which is why the opposition upo tou pneumatos - upo tou diabolos is lost. At ap. Mark: Immediately after this the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness
(Mark 1:12).

This is already the fourth mention of the Spirit in the Gospel narrative and, like the previous three, it is also associated with Christ. In this place, the Holy Spirit moves Jesus, that is, Jesus is described in a sense as dependent on the Spirit, if not to say: subordinate, as some Western researchers write[9]. It is obvious that in the minds of the evangelists, the active action of the Spirit in the economy of the Son was associated with an understanding of the high significance of the Spirit of God Himself. St. also understood this. Ephraim the Syrian: “it was written so that none of the unbelievers would have an excuse to say that the Spirit is later and lower than the Son”[10]. This and other references to the Spirit in the evangelists Matthew and Mark leave no room for subordination or the idea of ​​​​the depreciation of the Spirit in comparison with Christ. It is also important to note the clear difference in the Gospel between the Holy Spirit, who leads Jesus into the wilderness, and the angels, who came and served Him only after He had passed through temptation (Matthew 4:11).

When they lead you to betray you, do not worry in advance what to say to you, and do not think about it; but whatever is given to you in that hour, then speak, for it is not you who will speak, but the Holy Spirit.

(Mark 13:11);
ap. Matthew clarifies: for it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father who will speak in you
(Matthew 10:20)

This is the first and only promise of the Spirit to believers among the Synoptics. The spirit that rested on the Lord in Baptism spreads to His disciples. In the Old Testament, such words were applied only to prophets, therefore, according to Chrysostom, thereby those who believe in Christ are elevated by the Lord to prophetic dignity[11].

Chapter 12 of the Gospel of Matthew contains a consistently developed theme of the Holy Spirit:

In verse 18, Jesus is in the synagogue, reading the prophecy of Isaiah 42:1: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen... I will put my Spirit on him

, applies it to Himself.

In verse 28, He explains the miracles He performed as being performed by the power of the Spirit resting on Him: if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then of course the Kingdom of God has come to you

(Matthew 12:28), and at the same time it is a reference to the above-mentioned prophecy, which Jesus witnessed as fulfilled on Him.

Finally, in verses 31-32, the Lord pronounces a strict sentence: all sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven to men;
if anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him;
But if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the next (Matthew 12:31-32).

Thus, a single line is built: Jesus is the Messiah, but in whom the Spirit of God rested—the miracles performed by Him are performed by the power of the Spirit—he who does not believe the miracles of Jesus and the Source who blasphemes them is equated to a blasphemer.

In this verse the Spirit is clearly placed above the Son. Chrysostom explains this in relation to the disbelieving Jews, for whom, if the Divinity hidden under the “shape of a servant” was not obvious, the acts of the Holy Spirit performed by Jesus were quite obvious[12]. Origen attributed blasphemy against the Son to unbelievers who commit it out of ignorance and therefore can receive forgiveness if they repent and believe, while by unforgivable blasphemy against the Spirit he understood it to apply to those “who were already worthy to become involved in the Holy Spirit and suddenly they depart from Him.” (Beginning 1.37), but such an understanding is alien to the Gospel context, especially if we pay attention to how in a parallel place the Evangelist Mark specifically explains (apparently, thereby conveying to us the interpretation of the Apostle Peter) these words: [ This He said] because they said: He has an unclean spirit

(Mark 3:30), and in the light of this, the interpretation of St. Chrysostom turns out to be more reliable. According to St. Photius, “sin is not forgiven to those who blaspheme the Spirit because they did not even retain for themselves that through which they would be worthy of forgiveness - after all, the forgiveness of sins is given by the Spirit, as the Savior testified (John 20:22-23)”[13].

In the Gospel of Mark, the Lord testifies of the Holy Spirit as speaking by the prophets: for David himself said by the Holy Spirit: The Lord said to my Lord...

(Mark 12:36) The text says: en to pneumati to agio.
Due to the fact that the Russian preposition “in” does not convey all the meanings of the Greek “en”, in the Synodal Version the very important term en pneumati is translated in three different versions: by the Spirit
(Jude 1:20, etc.)
in the Spirit
(Rev 4:2 and etc.)
according to the Spirit
(Rom. 8:9), although this is the same expression used to generally designate the action of the Spirit (different, however, in different contexts). The emphasis on autos David leaves no doubt about the personal participation of the psalmist in the composition of Scripture, which is not destroyed by the influence of the Spirit.

Just as the Gospel of Matthew begins with a mention of the Spirit in the first chapter, so it ends with a mention in the last chapter, thereby giving integrity to the idea of ​​Him. The Savior's last commandment reads: go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit

(Matthew 28:19).

Many theologians have noted the special expressiveness of the Greek original: eis to onoma tu Patros kai tu Uiu kai tu Agiou Pneumatos. Each of the Three is preceded by a definite article, indicating a special subject, and all of them, being different, are joined by the conjunction (kai). Their very name, although three different ones, is placed in the singular and also with the definite article. This use of articles, uncharacteristic of the ancient Greek language, indicates simultaneously their difference, their equality, and their unity in a single Name, which, according to Christians, was the name God

(St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Gregory the Theologian). According to Zigaben, the name implies the ineffable name of God, “therefore those who baptize say only: in the name of..., without adding anything else”[14].

Russian translation peoples

does not reflect all the meanings of the Greek panta ta etne and the Latin omnes gentes - they mean not only “all nations”, but also “all pagans, all classes, all classes, all generations”, that is, ultimately, all humanity is called to entry into eternal life through confession of faith in the one name of the Three.

The theme of baptism is one of the main ones in the entire New Testament, so it is not surprising that this commandment, captured in the closing lines of the Gospel of Matthew, immediately became the focus of attention of the early Christians, as we will see below, in the chapter devoted to the pneumatology of the apostolic men. This refined baptismal formula served as the guarantee of the triadological dogmatic consciousness of the Church from the earliest times.

[1] St. John Chrysostom

. Interpretation of Saint Matthew the Evangelist. T.I. M., 1993.— P. 38.

[2] For more information about this, see: priest. Leonid Grilikhes

. Archeology of the text. Comparative analysis of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark in the light of Semitic reconstruction. M., 1999.

[3] In fact, it even defines them. Thus, this is precisely what determined the idea of ​​the betrothal of Mary to the Holy Spirit that arose in Serbian theology (see, for example: St. Nicholas of Serbia

.
Thoughts about good and evil. lane
from Serbian S. Lugansk . M., 2002. - P. 78), not found among the Greek-speaking Fathers of the Church.

[4] bl. Hieronymus of Stridonsky

.
Four books of commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew. lane
from lat. I.N. Golenishcheva-Kutuzova . M., 1996. - P. 29.

[5] St. John Chrysostom

. Decree. op. T.I. — P. 115.

[6] Cranfield C.J.

Commentary on the Gospel of Mark // Alpha and Omega No. 4 (18) 1998. - P. 44.

[7] Marshall I.H.

. Gospel of Luke. Commentary on the Greek text // Alpha and Omega No. 3 (25) 2000. - P. 36.

[8] St. John Chrysostom

. Decree. op. T.I. — P. 124.

[9] See eg: Ewert D

. The Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Scottdale, 1983. - R. 51.

[10 ]
St. Ephraim the Syrian
. Creations. T.VIII. S-TSL., 1995. - P. 59.

[11] St. John Chrysostom

. Quote op. T.I. — P. 367.

[12] St. John Chrysostom

. Decree. op. T.I. — P. 441.

[13] St. Photius of Constantinople

.
Amphilochia. Per.
from other Greek D. Afinogenova // Alpha and Omega No. 3 (17) 1998. - P. 61.

[14] Evfimy Zigaben

. Interpretation of the Gospel. St. Petersburg, 2000. - P. 377.

Help in getting rid of sins

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It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit plays a big role in the atonement of human sins. One of its goals is to convict the believer of a sinful act, and in advance, even before it is committed.

From early childhood, children raised in believing families know what sin is, what actions can lead to the violation of divine commandments. Moreover, according to the Holy Scriptures, all people are already born sinners. The Church teaches that one must devote one’s life to atonement for the original sin committed by Adam and Eve. This is where the Holy Spirit helps the believer.

It is also important to strictly observe the commandments throughout your life and lead a righteous lifestyle. Imbued with the idea of ​​the Holy Spirit, every person understands that only by freeing himself from envy and anger, vanity and pride, does he have a chance to go to heaven after death.

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and the Spirit of truth.

Jesus told His disciples:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; and you know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." John 14:15-18.

“I told you these things while I was with you. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I have told you.” John 14:25-26.

“When the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” John 15:26.

“But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; and if I go, I will send Him to you... I still have much to say to you; but now you cannot contain it. When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth: for He will not speak from Himself, but He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you the future. He will glorify Me, because He will take from Mine and proclaim it to you.” John 16:7,12-14.

The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, reminds us of God's Word in our daily circumstances. This is true consolation, isn't it? When busy days arrive, our attention can easily shift away from what is of eternal value. The Holy Spirit can remind us at the right time, for example, that we should not repay evil after evil or that we should cast all our worries on Him.

“For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you should say.” Luke 12:12.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed. He who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit thinks, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Moreover, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:26-28.

Read about why we need the Holy Spirit.

Descent of the Holy Spirit

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This is an important event for Orthodox believers, which is celebrated on 51 days after Easter. On Pentecost it is customary to pay homage to the Holy Spirit, who descended on the Apostles almost two months after the Resurrection of the Son of God.

On the occasion of this holiday, services are held in churches, and believers read prayers. It is believed that every year on this day divine grace descends on the Orthodox flock.

At the same time, the Descent of the Holy Spirit itself is not considered something unexpected. The Savior told his followers about him even before the crucifixion. Christ noted that the Holy Spirit would come to earth after his death to save people. Therefore, on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, about 100 believers gathered in the Zion Upper Room. Among them were the apostles and the Virgin Mary.

Despite the fact that everyone was waiting for the Descent of the Holy Spirit, it still happened unexpectedly for everyone present. Those gathered claimed that at first a noise arose above the upper room, as if from a strong wind. When this noise filled the entire room, flames appeared. The fire was very close, but it did not burn, but had amazing spiritual properties. Everyone who touched him experienced an unprecedented elation, a surge of joy and grace. They began to praise God. Some noticed that they had the ability to speak languages ​​that they did not know before.

The Holy Spirit is a seal.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesus 4:30.

“In Him you also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the earnest of our inheritance, for the redemption of His inheritance, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesus 1:13-14.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Because you did not receive the spirit of slavery to live in fear again, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” This very Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him, so that we may be glorified with Him.” Rom. 8:14-17.

Connection with God

The most important thing is to understand that, thanks to the Holy Spirit, a person can discover his own depths, understand himself, understand what he is really worth. The Holy Spirit teaches believers to have a trusting and exclusively sincere relationship with the Lord.

It is the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, when all those gathered in the Zion Upper Room felt divine grace, that is considered to be the beginning of the existence of the Christian Church.

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Bible verses about the promise of the Holy Spirit.

“And having gathered them together, He commanded them: Do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard from Me, for John baptized with water, and a few days after this you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts Ap. 1.4-5.

“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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." Matt. 28:19-20.

What functions does the Holy Spirit have? Read here.

Walk according to the Spirit.

“If we live by the spirit, then we must walk by the spirit.” Gal. 5:25.

From this we see that after we have received the Holy Spirit, we must continue on this path. Walking by the Spirit means being obedient to the Spirit.

“I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh, for the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh: they oppose each other, so that you do not do what you would like.” Gal. 5:16-17.

“Therefore, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if in the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live.” Rom. 8:12-13.

“Why, as the Holy Spirit saith, now, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the murmuring, in the day of temptation in the wilderness...” Heb. 3:7-8.

“Don’t quench the spirit!” 1 Thess. 5:19.