ACC ~ Romans 8 v15

OUR REAL FATHER. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: We have received the Spirit to enable us to know the one to whom we pray, our real Father, the one and only Father of all, that is, the one who like a Father educates us for salvation and does away with fear. STROMATA 3.11.78.5.

THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION. ORIGEN: It is certain that whoever will become a son of God by the Spirit of adoption will first become a servant of God by the spirit of slavery. For the beginning of service to God is to be filled with the spirit of fear when still a little child [= new convert], since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” … As long as we remain children in the inner man we hold the Spirit in fear, until we reach the point at which we can rightfully receive the Spirit of adoption as sons and become like the Son and Lord of all. For Paul says: “Everything is yours,”and God has given us everything together with Christ. This is why Paul says that, after we have died together with Christ and after his Spirit comes into us, we no longer receive the spirit of slavery in fear (that is, we do not return to the state of children, and we have completed the first stages of faith), but rather like perfect people we have received the Spirit of adoption, in whom we cry: “Abba! Father!” COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

DIODORE: In reality, the spirit of slavery and the spirit of sonship were one and the same Spirit, who was given to people according to what they deserved, whether it was good or evil. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

THE ASSURANCE THAT DARES TO SAY “ABBA, FATHER.” AMBROSIASTER: Paul says this because once we have received the Holy Spirit we are delivered from all fear of evil deeds, so that we might no longer act in such a way as to be afraid once more. Beforehand we were under fear, because once the law was given everyone was considered guilty. Paul called the law “the spirit of fear” because it made people afraid on account of their sins. But the law of faith, which is what is meant by “the Spirit of sonship,” is a law of assurance, because it has delivered us from fear by pardoning our sins and thus giving us assurance.

Set free by the grace of God from fear, we have received the Spirit of sonship so that, considering what we were and what we have become by the gift of God, we might govern our life with great care lest the name of God the Father be disgraced by us and we incur all the things we have escaped from. … We have received such grace that we can dare to say to God: “Abba! Father!” For this reason, Paul warns us not to let our trust degenerate into pride. For if our behavior does not correspond to our voice when we cry, “Abba! Father!” we insult God by calling him Father. Indeed, God in his goodness has indulged us with what is beyond our natural capacity. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

CHRYSOSTOM: Paul does not mention the spirit of freedom but passes immediately to the matter of sonship, which obviously includes freedom in it. That much is obvious. However, it is less clear what the spirit of slavery might be. What Paul says here is not only unclear, it is downright perplexing. For the Jews did not receive the Spirit. So what does he mean? It is the letter to which he gives this name, for it was also spiritual, which is why he calls the law, the water from the rock and the manna spiritual as well. … Paul uses the Hebrew word Abba to indicate that sonship given by the Spirit is true sonship. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 14.

THE SPIRIT OF SLAVERY TO FEAR AND TO LOVE. AUGUSTINE: The dispensations of the two Testaments are clearly different. The Old Testament is one of fear; the New Testament is one of love. But, you may ask, what is this spirit of slavery? If the spirit of our adoption as sons is the Holy Spirit, then the spirit of slavery to fear is the one which has the power of death. It is because of this fear that those who lived under the law and not under grace were condemned to slavery for their entire lives. Nor is it surprising that those who went after worldly goods received the spirit of slavery by divine providence … for this spirit of slavery has nobody in its power unless he has been handed over by the command of divine providence, since God’s righteousness gives every man his due. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 52.

AUGUSTINE: The fear of slaves, although it renders belief to the Master, contains no love of righteousness but only the fear of damnation. The cry of sons is “Abba, Father!”—two words, one of which belongs to the circumcision and the other to the uncircumcision. THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 56.

AUGUSTINE: Paul is speaking of the fear which was inspired in the Old Testament, lest the temporal be lost which God had promised to those who were not yet his sons under grace but still servants under the law. HOLY VIRGINITY 38.39.

SLAVES FEAR; SONS LOVE. PELAGIUS: The Jews received a spirit which constrained them into service by means of fear. For it is the nature of slaves to fear and of sons to love, as it is written: “The slave shall fear his master, and the son shall love his father.” Those who were not willing to work out of the desire of love are compelled by the constraint of fear, but let us perform all things willingly so that we may show that we are sons. He who calls to his father declares himself a son. He ought therefore to resemble his father in character, lest he incur a greater penalty for having assumed the name of his father in vain.PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: The text should be read like this: “You have not received the Spirit; instead you are again in fear of slavery.” … The slavery in question is slavery to the law. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: We have been enriched with God’s Spirit, for his Spirit has come to dwell in our hearts, and we have taken our place among the children of God and yet have not lost being what we are. For we are men according to nature, even though we cry: “Abba! Father!” LETTER 1.35.

THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP. NICETA OF REMESIANA: If he is the Spirit of adoption and makes men sons of God, how can he be considered a slave, since no slave can legitimately make another free? POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 4.

BEDE: Through the grace of baptism men can by receiving the Holy Spirit be changed from sons of the devil into sons of God. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL 1.12.

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