The Spirit and the Word Part 1

The Spirit and the Word.

by Zachary Taylor Sweeney.

INTRODUCTION

Christianity is differentiated from all the other religions by the fact that it offers its followers a spiritual dynamic in living up to its precepts. That dynamic is the Holy Spirit, that sets the word of G.o.d on fire, warms the church from coldness to enthusiasm, and strengthens the Christian with a power not his own in the great battle between the flesh and the spirit.

Christianity is unique in making this offer. No other religion has any equivalent for it. The Holy Spirit is not obtained from the deductions of logic, the conclusions of philosophy nor from the investigations of science. All these are as silent as the grave regarding his presence and potency.

It is solely and distinctly a matter of divine revelation. It is not my purpose, therefore, to view this subject in the light of philosophic induction, logical deduction nor scientific investigation, but solely in the light of G.o.d's revelation. I shall gather the teaching of G.o.d's word around several important phases of the nature, mission and work of the Spirit. I do not speculate upon what G.o.d may do through his Spirit; I put no limit upon the power of the Spirit. He may work in a thousand ways, for aught I know. I am treating solely of that work of the Spirit which G.o.d has made plain in his revealed word.

For the sake of simplifying the treatment of the subject, I shall use the words "Spirit" and "Holy Spirit" instead of other terms used in the Scriptures. The Old Testament has eighty-eight distinct references to the Holy Spirit. In these references there are eighteen names applied.

The New Testament refers to the Spirit two hundred and sixty-four times and uses thirty-nine names. Five names are common to both Testaments, which leaves fifty-two different appellatives for the Spirit. Seventeen appellatives express his relation to G.o.d, five his relation to the Son, five indicate his divine nature, seven describe his own character, while seventeen are used to indicate his relation to man. He is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of G.o.d, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of his Son, of the Lord, of Truth, of Grace, of Holiness, of Glory, and of Adoption. He is called the Comforter, but this term never denotes his relation to man in general. It always describes a special relation to the apostles and their work.

I wish my readers to bring to the perusal of this work the same spirit of earnestness that I shall put into the task of producing it. We read in the language of Jesus that "every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven"

(Matt. 12:31). "And every one who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven" (Luke 12:10).

Whatever else these terrible warnings may teach, they undoubtedly teach that the greatest care should be taken by those who venture to discuss this subject or investigate such discussion. Let both writer and reader therefore cast aside any flippancy of spirit, also any preconceptions or prejudices, and say like young Samuel of old: "Speak, Lord; thy servant heareth."

The subject may be made plain or simple according to the manner we may treat it. If we view it in the light of psychological manifestation in our own hearts, or in the lives of those around us, which are ascribed to the Spirit, we shall find ourselves wandering in a maze of mystery.

If we follow the word of G.o.d, which is the only source of knowledge, we shall find ourselves walking in a light that shall grow brighter as we proceed. It is impossible in a book the size of this to treat all the many pa.s.sages that refer to the Holy Spirit, but we shall give those that have important bearing upon the subject.

I

THE SPIRIT AND THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament does not give the same prominence to the Holy Spirit as does the New Testament. This is doubtless true because the Old Testament deals largely with material things, while the New Testament is primarily and essentially dealing with the spiritual nature and actions of man. It is, however, referred to in more than half of the books of the Old Testament, while in sixteen of them there is no specific mention of the Spirit. It is, however, mentioned specifically eighty-eight times in the Old Testament. It is generally spoken of as the Spirit of G.o.d.

The New Testament refers to these pa.s.sages in such a way as to identify the Holy Spirit of the New with the Spirit of G.o.d of the Old. In Luke 4:18 Jesus says:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind.

To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

This is directly connected with the "Spirit of the Lord Jehovah" in Isa.

61: 1, 2.

In the second chapter of Acts we have a direct connection with Joel 2.

These are two of many such connections that bind together and identify the Spirit of the Lord of the Old Testament with the Holy Spirit of the New. In both Testaments we find G.o.d working by his Spirit. The Old Testament gives three lines of work performed by the Spirit:

1. HIS RELATION TO THE MATERIAL UNIVERSE.

(1) In Gen. 1:2 we are told: "And the Spirit of G.o.d moved on the face of the waters." The word "moved" carries the sense of "hovered" or "brooded." The previous condition of the world was "waste and void," or a "formless waste." In some way the Spirit of G.o.d fashioned this formless waste into the multiplicity of contrasts that followed. It bound together those elements that were h.o.m.ogeneous, and separated the heterogeneous and so prepared the way for the dividing the light from the darkness that followed. The mode of the operation we do not know, but the fact of the operation is clearly revealed.

(2) "By his Spirit the heavens are garnished" (Job 26:13). The expression could be better translated, "The heavens are made fair," or beautiful. That is, he set the constellations in their order. He gives one ill.u.s.tration when he says: "His hand hath pierced the swift serpent." Reference is here made to the beautiful constellation of "Serpens," or Draco, of graceful and striking appearance.

(3) G.o.d's Spirit made me man; 'twas the Almighty's breath that gave me life. This higher life that was given to man by an inbreathing of the Spirit distinguishes man (_h.o.m.o_) from all other animal species.

2. THE RELATION OF THE SPIRIT TO CREATED MAN.

(1) Gen. 6:3. G.o.d tells Noah: "My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years." Here the work of the Spirit pa.s.ses from the form of omnipotence to one of pleading or striving. The Spirit no more impresses his will upon the material universe, but expresses (rolls it out) to a rational creature. By the preaching of the faithful Noah the Spirit plead with the antediluvians to do right and escape the destruction that was coming upon a corrupt and wicked world. From this time onward the Spirit comes on men in various ways, qualifying them with supernatural power for the performance of special duties. (See Num. 11:25; Judg.

3:10; 1 Sam. 18:10; 10:11.)

(2) But we find no case of the Spirit falling on man to cleanse him from sin, or to confer upon him a special blessing. Later on in the prophets the Spirit becomes a revealing and inspiring Spirit. (See Isa. 61:1; Ezek. 2:2; Zech. 7:12; 4:6.) As a result of this revealing power, we have the great facts of the New Testament set forth in detail. The life, nature, character and mission of the world's Redeemer stand forth in beauty and symmetry.

3. THE RELATION OF THE SPIRIT TO THE INDIVIDUAL MAN.

The idea of holiness is not usually a.s.sociated with the Spirit in the Old Testament. The term "Holy Spirit" occurs but three times in it.

David prays (Ps. 51:11): "Take not thy holy Spirit from me." Isaiah says (63:10): "They rebelled and grieved his holy Spirit;" and again (63:11) he asks: "Where is he that put his holy Spirit in the midst of them?" It is, however, called "good Spirit" twice (Neh. 9:20; Ps. 143:10).

It is mainly in reference to Messianic days that we find this ethical and personal relation to the Spirit of G.o.d.

These three relations of the Spirit are in perfect harmony with G.o.d's law of progressive development in the world. We find him at first working upon a chaotic material universe; second, upon society, and, third, upon the individual character.

The work of the Spirit upon the material universe makes it a fit dwelling-place for man. His work upon society makes man fit to dwell in the universe, and his work upon the individual character makes man fit for a righteous and holy fellowship with similar characters.

II

THE SPIRIT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT

There are two hundred and sixty-four references to the Spirit in the New Testament. But in many of them there is no allusion to the Holy Spirit.

In many places the expressions "the Spirit," and "the Holy Spirit,"

should be rendered "Spirit" and "holy Spirit," or frequently "a holy Spirit." The pa.s.sages in this chapter are arranged in two columns: Column I contains the pa.s.sages in which the definite article is to be found in the Greek. These should always be translated "the Holy Spirit."

Column 2 contains the pa.s.sages where the definite article is not found and which may be often--but not always--translated "a holy Spirit." The use of the article is often governed by other parts of speech. Where the Spirit sustains a universal relation to mankind, the word is italicized.

MATTHEW

3:16. He saw the Spirit of G.o.d 1:18. She was found with child of descending as a dove, and coming the Holy Spirit.

upon him.

1:20. That which is conceived in 4: 1. Then was Jesus led up of the her is of the Holy Spirit.

Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 3:11. He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit, and in fire.

10:20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your 12:28. If I by the Spirit of G.o.d Father that speaketh in you. cast out demons.

12:18. I will put my Spirit upon 22:43. How then doth David in the him. Spirit call him Lord.

12:31. The blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

12:32. Whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him.

28:19. Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.