ACC ~ John 16 v15

THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT INFERIOR

AUGUSTINE: For the Holy Spirit is not inferior to the Son, as certain heretics have imagined, as if the Son received from the Father and the Holy Spirit received from the Son in reference to some kind of gradation of natures. … He himself immediately solves this difficulty and explains his own words: “All things that the Father has are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine and shall show it to you.” TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 100.4. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:386**.

THE SPIRIT NOT A THING OR POSSESSION

DIDYMUS THE BLIND: As if he said, Although the Spirit of truth proceeds from the Father, yet all things that the Father has are mine, and even the Spirit of the Father is mine and receives of mine. But beware, when you hear this, that you do not think it is a thing or possession that the Father and the Son have. That which the Father has according to his substance, that is, his eternity, immutability, goodness, the Son has also. Away with the cavils of logicians who say, Therefore the Father is the Son. If he had indeed said, “All that God has are mine,” impiety might have taken occasion to raise its head. But when he said, “All things that the Father has are mine,” by using the name of the Father, he declares himself the Son, and being the Son, he does not usurp the paternity, though by the grace of adoption he is the Father of many saints. ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 38. [1]

[1] PL 23:135-36.

RECIPROCAL SHARING

GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS: All things that the Father has are the Son’s. And … all that belongs to the Son is the Father’s. Nothing then is peculiar [to any person] because all things are in common. For their being itself is common and equal, even though the Son receives it from the Father. ON THE SON, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 4(30).11. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 7:313*.

ARE RECEIVING AND PROCEEDING THE SAME?

HILARY OF POITIERS: Our Lord therefore has not left it uncertain whether the Paraclete is from the Father or from the Son. … For he is sent by the Son and proceeds from the Father; both these he receives from the Son. You ask whether to receive from the Son and to proceed from the Father are the same thing. … Certainly, to receive from the Son must be thought one and the same thing with receiving from the Father. For when he says, “All things that the Father has are mine, therefore I said that he shall receive of mine” … he shows here that these things are received from him because all things the Father has are the Son’s, but also that they are received from the Father. … This unity has no diversity, nor does it matter from whom the thing is received, since that which is given by the Father is counted also as given by the Son. ON THE TRINITY 8.20. [1]

[1] NPNF 2 9:143**.