Rodman Williams: The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today: Effects, Part 2
38. Paul speaks of “his glorious body,” or “the body of his glory,” in Philippians 3:21.
39. Emil Brunner, writing about the Church, says: “The more powerfully life in the Spirit of God is present in it, the more urgent is its expectation of the Coming of Jesus Christ; so that the fullness of the possession of the Spirit and the urgency of expectation are always found together, as they were in the primitive community.” The Christian Doctrine of the Church, Faith, and the Consummation: Dogmatics. Vol. III (Philadelphia Westminster Press, 1960), p. 400.
40. E.g., “Brethren, I may say to you confidently” (Acts 2:29). The Greek word for confidently is parrēsia (meta parrēsias—”with confidence”), the same word that is often translated “boldly” (see below).
41. Specifically, Stephen is called “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5).
42. Barnabas, like Paul, was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Recall the earlier description in Acts 11:24: “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Hence, Barnabas’ boldness came out of the same fullness of God’s presence and power.
43. The author recalls, as one instance among many, the picture of a university professor recently filled with the Holy Spirit shortly thereafter witnessing boldly about Jesus on his own university campus to student and faculty alike—indeed, all who would hear. Ridicule, opposition—and finally expulsion from his professorship—resulted. But, like Paul, he continued to carry on. Another example: students at the author’s school are often found on the streets, in the parks, on the beaches, boldly and publicly testifying of the Lord. Opposition—when it occurs—only seems to make them all the more eager to witness!
44. As in the case of the disciples in Acts 4:29-31 who prayed for boldness and again (as at Pentecost) were “filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.”
45. The Greek word is anazōpurien—to “kindle up,” to “fan to a flame.” The gift is always there but it may be like embers that can be fanned to a flame.
46. Paul proceeds to say to Timothy: “Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8). These words suggest that Timothy, like many others who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, may have moments when boldness fails and shame about testifying sets in, but the gift is there only needing to bestirred up, fanned to aflame, and a fresh boldness and courage will again be manifest. It is important, accordingly, to emphasize that the fact of receiving the Holy Spirit is essential to a genuine boldness of witness, but there is nothing automatic about such witness. There can be a quenching of the Spirit (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:19—”Do not quench the Spirit”). But where there is a stirring up of the Spirit with an earnest desire to be courageous in the gospel, boldness for the Lord is sure to become again manifest.
47. The Greek for “full courage” is pasē parrēsia—literally “all boldness” (as in KJV).
48. The Greek word koinōnia denotes “participation,” “fellowship,” “sharing.” Because of the richness of meaning in the Greek word, a single translation often seems inadequate. Thus many today are simply making use of the Greek term.
49. For discussion of their receiving the Spirit, see Chapter 6 (in fall 2003 [6:4] issue of the Pneuma Review).
50. Imperfect tense for all three verbs (selling, sharing, have); thus they “were selling” and “were sharing” as anyone “was having” need. According to the Expositor’s Greek Testament, “the [imperfect] tense may express an action which is done often and continuously without being done universally or extending to a complete accomplishment” (commentary on Acts 2:45). Thus it would be a mistake to assume necessarily that all sold their property and shared. Rather the point is that selling and sharing were constantly going on in relation to any who had need.
51. It would be a mistake to see in this so-called Christian communism. No one is forced to give up anything; indeed, there is voluntary sharing as the Spirit leads and as there is need. There is no collective ownership of goods but a recognition through the Spirit that what each had was for the good of all.
52. The word in Greek is phōnēn in the singular (hence, not “voices” as in RSV, NASB).
53. The Greek word is homothumadon. “With one accord” is a better translation than “together” (as in RSV).
54. As in KJV. The Greek word is plēthous.
55. The literal Greek rendering for elegen, imperfect tense. See fn. 50, supra.
56. Barnabas—later described as “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:24)—is also mentioned as one who sold a piece of property, a field, and brought the money to the apostles (Acts 4:36-37).
57. There is no suggestion that ownership of goods is wrong, and thus does not belong in the Spirit-filled community. There is no particular virtue ascribed here to selling what one has and perhaps entering upon a life of poverty (as is the case frequently in monastic communities). The whole point is that under the impact of the fullness of the Spirit (5:31), there was such “great grace” upon them that they gladly shared everything and gave of anything that might help those in need.
58. Another evidence that there was no required selling of property and bringing the proceeds to the apostles is found in the account of Ananias and his wife Sapphira that follows. They sold a piece of property, kept back some of the proceeds, but pretended to be giving the whole amount (Acts 5:1-11). Peter speaks severely first to Ananias. “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” (5:3). Then Peter makes clear that the sin was neither in owning the property nor in selling and disposing as Ananias might choose—”While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?” (5:4). The sin—a huge one directed against the Holy Spirit who pervaded the community—was in the pretense of giving all. (Incidentally, this first recorded sin in the koinonia of the Holy Spirit brought sudden physical death to both Ananias and Sapphira [Acts 5:5, 10] even as the first sin in Eden brought spiritual death to Adam and Eve.)
Category: Spirit, Summer 2004
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