ACC ~ John 3 v34
GOD SPOKE THE WORD
AUGUSTINE: What has the Son heard from the Father? Could it be that the Son has heard the Word of the Father? No, the Son is the Word of the FatherâŚ. When you conceive a word to speak it, you intend to speak something, and the very conception of that something is already a word in your heart waiting to be expressed. [As, in fact, you have in your heart the word that you speak], so God gave out his Word, that is, he begat the Son. You beget the Word in your heart according to time. God begat outside of time the Son by whom he created all times. While, therefore, the Son is the Word of God and the Son did not speak his own word to us but the word of the Father, he still also wanted to speak himself to us as well when he was speaking the word of the Father. This is what John said, as was appropriate and necessary. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 14.7. [1]
[1] NPNF 1 7:96*.
CHRIST HAS THE SPIRIT WITHOUT MEASURE
AMMONIUS: As the fount of the Spirit, [Christ] imparts him. He is speaking of the working of the Spirit, which people receive in some measure. For the Son himself has the full working of the Spirit in its entirety. Truly, the Son has the entire Spirit in essence and not in some measure, as a created being might have. Therefore, he himself imparts the Spirit, and by their petitions the saints make Christ supply the Spirit. FRAGMENTS ON JOHN 105. [1]
[1] JKGK 224.
THE SPIRIT IS OF INFINITE MEASURE IN CHRIST
CHRYSOSTOM: But why does he say, âGod gives not the Spirit by measureâ? He wants to demonstrate that we all have received the operation of the Spirit by measure (for in this place, by âSpiritâ he means the operation of the Spirit, for this is what is divided). And yet, Christ has all its operation without measure and complete. Now if his operations are without measure, his essence is even more so. Do you not see that the Spirit is infinite? How then can he who has received all the operation of the Spirit, who knows the things of God, who says, âWe speak what we have heard, and testify what we have seenâ [1] âhow can anyone suspect anything he says? He says nothing that is not âof Godâ or that is not of âthe Spirit.â And, for a while, he utters nothing concerning God the Word but makes all his doctrine credible by reference to the Father and the Spirit. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 30.2. [2]
[1] Jn 3:11.
[2] NPNF 1 14:104-5**.
THE SPIRIT MEASURED OUT IN US
AUGUSTINE: What does this mean when he says, âFor not by measure does God give the Spiritâ? We find that God does give the Spirit by measure. Listen to the apostle when he says, âAccording to the measure of the gift of Christ.â [1] To people he gives by measure; to the only Son he does not give by measure. How does he give to people by measure? âTo one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit.â [2] ⌠This person has one gift, that person another; and what that person has, this one does not: there is a measure, a certain division of giftsâŚ. But Christ, who gives, receives not by measure. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 14.10. [3]
[1] Eph 4:7.
[2] 1 Cor 12:8.
[3] NPNF 1 7:98**.
Jn