ACC ~ John 14 v26

THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT

CHRYSOSTOM: The phrase “he remains with you” is what someone who himself is leaving would say. And so, to calm their grief, he says that as long as he remains with them the Spirit won’t come, which means they wouldn’t come to know the greater or more sublime things to come. He wanted them, in other words, to see his departure as a blessing. Notice how he often calls [the Spirit] Comforter, because of the troubles they had to deal with. And since they were still troubled, even after hearing all this, because of their sadness, the struggles and his departure, he calms them again by saying, “Peace I leave you.” … And because he brings up the subject of leaving again, which is enough in itself to trouble them, he again says, “Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 75.3. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:276**.

THE SPIRIT ROUSES US TO PLEAD

GREGORY THE GREAT: Many of you, dearly beloved, know that the Greek word Paraclete means in Latin “advocate” or “consoler.” He is called an advocate because he intervenes before the Father’s justice on behalf of the wrongdoings of sinners. He who is of one substance with the Father, and the Son is said to plead earnestly on behalf of sinners because he causes those whom he fills to do so. This is why Paul says, “For the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings.” [1] But one who pleads is of less importance than the one receiving the plea. How is the Spirit, then, who is not less important, said to plead? The Spirit pleads, rousing those he fills to plead. The same Spirit is called a consoler because when he prepares a hope of pardon for those grieving over their sins he is lifting up their hearts from sorrow and affliction. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 30. [2]

[1] Rom 8:26.

[2] CS 123:238*; PL 76:1221.

FORESHADOWING OF ASCENSION AND PENTECOST

GAUDENTIUS OF BRESCIA: He insists that we must believe that the Holy Spirit also shares in the same oneness [that the Son does], when he foretells that the fullness of his doctrine will be perfected in them by the same Paraclete. … He meant to forewarn the blessed apostles both of his own ascent into heaven after the passion he was to suffer and of the descent of the Holy Spirit on them from heaven. But the Holy Spirit was not only in heaven, nor was he only on the earth. And neither would the Son ascend to heaven in such a way that he left the earth behind, nor did the Father alone possess the throne of heaven where the Son was returning and from where the Holy Spirit is said to come. SERMON 14. [1]

[1] PL 20:944-45.

SPIRIT-BEARING SOULS BECOME SPIRITUAL THROUGH THE PARACLETE

BASIL THE GREAT: The Spirit is simple in being. His powers are many. They are entirely present everywhere and in everything. He is distributed but does not change. He is shared yet remains whole. Consider the analogy of the sunbeam: each person on whom its kindly light falls rejoices as if the sun existed for him alone, yet it illumines land and sea and is master of the atmosphere. In the same way, the Spirit is given to each one who receives him as if he were the possession of that person alone, yet he sends forth sufficient grace to fill the entire universe. Everything that partakes of his grace is filled with joy according to its capacity—the capacity of its nature, not of his power.

The Spirit does not take up his abode in someone’s life through a physical approach. How could a corporeal being approach the bodiless One? Instead, the Spirit comes to us when we withdraw ourselves from evil passions that have crept into the soul through its friendship with the flesh, alienating us from a close relationship with God. Only when a person has been cleansed from the shame of his evil and has returned to his natural beauty, and [only when] the original form of the royal image has been restored in him, is it possible for him to approach the Paraclete. Then, like the sun, he will show you in himself the image of the invisible, and with purified eyes you will see in this blessed image the unspeakable beauty of its prototype. Through him hearts are lifted up, the infirm are held by the hand, and those who progress are brought to perfection. He shines on those who are cleansed from every spot and makes them spiritual people through fellowship with himself. When a sunbeam falls on a transparent substance, the substance itself becomes brilliant and radiates light from itself. So too Spirit-bearing souls, illumined by him, finally become spiritual themselves, and their grace is sent forth to others. From this comes knowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of hidden things, distribution of wonderful gifts, heavenly citizenship, a place in the choir of angels, endless joy in the presence of God, becoming like God, and the highest of all desires, becoming God. [1] ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 9.22-23. [2]

[1] This last phrase should be understood in the context of the larger doctrine of thēosis that Basil is espousing here.

[2] OHS 43-44*.

THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE SON FROM THE FATHER

DIDYMUS THE BLIND: The Savior affirms that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father, in his, the Savior’s, name. This name is the Son. Here an agreement of nature and propriety, so to speak, of persons is shown. The Son can come in the Father’s name only, consistent with the proper relationship of the Son to the Father and the Father to the Son. No one else comes in the name of the Father, but in the name of God, of the Lord, of the Almighty, and the like. … As servants who come in the name of their Lord do so as being the servants of that Lord, so the Son who comes in the name of the Father bears that name as being the acknowledged only-begotten Son of the Father. That the Holy Spirit then is sent in the Son’s name, by the Father, shows that he is in unity with the Son: from this he is said also to be the Spirit of the Son and to make those sons [children] by adoption who are willing to receive him. The Holy Spirit who then comes in the name of the Son from the Father shall teach those who are established in the faith of Christ all things—all things that are spiritual, that is, both the understanding of truth and the sacrament of wisdom. But he will teach, not like those who have acquired an art or knowledge by study and industry but as being the very art, doctrine, knowledge itself. As being this himself, the Spirit of truth will impart the knowledge of divine things to the mind. ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 30-31. [1]

[1] PL 23:129-30**.

NAME OF FATHER, SON AND SPIRIT IS ONE

AMBROSE: For he who came in the name of the Son surely also came in the name of the Father, for the name of the Father and of the Son is one. Thus it comes about that the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one. ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 1.13.134. [1]

“SENDING” HELPS DISTINGUISH PERSONS IN THE TRINITY

GAUDENTIUS OF BRESCIA: Neither must the Holy Spirit be regarded as separated from the Father whose Spirit he is, nor should the Son be believed to be separated from him whose face he is, as well as his right hand, power and wisdom. … For the divinity of the ever adorable Trinity is one and the same everywhere and forever. But so that a clear faith and separate belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit might be given to those who believe, it is accordingly written that the Father sends both the Son and the Holy Spirit, since neither he who sends nor he who is sent can be believed to be God if there is a place where he is and a place where he is not. Let us believe in the Son speaking to us, since he is the Truth: “I am not alone,” he says, “because the Father is with me.” [2] And again, speaking of the Holy Spirit, he says, “But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils.” [3] … Accordingly, since nowhere is the divinity of the Trinity not present, it is part of the divine plan for the redemption of humankind that it is spoken of as both sending and being sent. For otherwise the human mind could not grasp that the Father is the Father, and the Son is the Son and the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit, unless it should learn their separateness by the naming of one as sent and one as sending. SERMON 14. [4]

[1] FC 44:84 ; CSEL 79:73.

[2] Jn 8:16, 19.

[3] Mt 12:28.

[4] PL 20:946-47.

DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS OF MEANING VIA THE SPIRIT

GREGORY THE GREAT: It is only right that Jesus promised, “He will teach you all things,” because unless the Spirit is present in the heart of a listener, the teacher’s utterance is useless. No one should attribute to his teacher what he understands from him, because unless there is an inner teacher, the one outside is exerting himself in vain. You all hear equally the single voice of the person speaking, and yet you each have a different perception of the meaning. The voice is not different—why do your hearts understand it differently? Is it not that through what the speaker’s voice counsels generally there is an inner master who teaches each one individually about its meaning? John says this about the anointing of the Spirit: “His anointing teaches you about everything.” [1] No one is instructed by a voice when his heart is not anointed by the Spirit. But why do I speak in this way about human teaching when our Creator himself does not speak for the instruction of any person unless he speaks to that person by the anointing of the Spirit? FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 30. [2]

[1] 1 Jn 2:27.

[2] CS 123:238-39**; PL 76:1221-22.

THE SON SPEAKS AND THE SPIRIT TEACHES

AUGUSTINE: So then the Son speaks, the Holy Spirit teaches. When the Son speaks, we take in the words; when the Holy Spirit teaches, we understand those words. … The whole Trinity indeed both speaks and teaches, but unless each person worked separately as well, the whole would be too much for human infirmity to take in. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 77.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:339**; CCL 36:520.

THE SECRETS OF GOD

GREGORY THE GREAT: We must ask why it is said of the Spirit, “He will remind you of everything,” when reminding is usually the action of someone of lesser importance. We sometimes use “remind” to mean “furnish with information,” and so we say that the invisible Spirit “reminds” us because he provides us with knowledge not as an inferior but as one who knows what is secret. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 30. [1]

[1] CS 123:239; PL 76:1222.

REMEMBERING BY THE GRACE OF THE SPIRIT

AUGUSTINE: The text says the Spirit will, “Suggest,” that is, “bring to your remembrance.” Every wholesome hint to remember that we receive is of the grace of the Spirit. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 77.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:339**; CCL 36:521.

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