The Gift of the Holy Spirit Today (Chapter 7)
4 Refer back to Chapter 5 for our earlier elaboration of this matter.
5 Literally, “the Holy Spirit whom God gave to the ones obeying him” (to pneuma to hagion ho edōken ho theos tois peitharchousin autō). F.D. Bruner errs in saying that “the obedience spoken of in Acts 5:32 rather than being a condition is the result of the gift of the Holy Spirit” (op. cit., p. 172). There is no suggestion here of obedience as a result; it is rather that God gives to those obeying. E. Schweizer is correct in writing that “obedience must . . . precede the reception of the Spirit according to [Acts] 5:32” (article on πνευμα, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. VI, p. 412). Also see John Rea, The Layman’s Commentary on the Holy Spirit (Plainfield, NJ: Logos, rev. ed., 1974), pp. 74-78, entitled “Acts 5:32—Obedience and the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
6 The expression, “the obedience of faith,” is used by Paul in Romans 1:5—“through whom [Christ] we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith [eishupakoēn pisteōs] for the sake of his name among all the nations.” Also see Romans 16:26 for the same expression. In Arndt and Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (under hupakoē) the translation of eis hupakoēn pisteōs is suggested as “with a view to (promoting) obedience which springs from faith.” Obedience which springs from faith is an excellent way of describing the obedience which is the context for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
7 The RSV has “commandment,” in the singular; however, the Greek word enteilamenos is plural.
8 Though the Holy Spirit Himself has not yet been given, He is already present as the medium for Jesus’ words. This prior presence of the Holy Spirit illustrates a point earlier made, namely, that the gift of the Holy Spirit by no means rules out the previous presence and activity of the Holy Spirit among people of faith.
9 According to the Gospel of Luke (the “first book” referred to in Acts 1:1). the words are “to stay [kathisate—also “to sit”; in KJV “to tarry”] in the city” (chapter 24:49).
10 At the moment of the Lord’s command to the centurion, Cornelius is not yet a believer. However, he does become a believer, at which moment the Holy Spirit is poured out (10:43-44). Hence his obedience is caught up in faith. To such a one the Spirit is given.
11 Here I should like to make reference to a nineteenth-century book by Andrew Murray, The Spirit of Christ (New York: Randolph & Co., 1888), the section subtitled, “The Spirit Given to the Obedient,” pp. 69-77. Murray writes: “The obedient must and may look for the fulness of the Spirit” (italics: Murray). He speaks of this as “the promise of the conscious, active indwelling of the Spirit,” and adds: “A living obedience is indispensable to the full experience of the indwelling. … Let each of us even now say to our Lord that we do love Him and keep His commandments. In however much feebleness and failure it be, still let us speak it out to Him.” Murray, a Dutch Reformed pastor in South Africa, is one of the predecessors of the present spiritual renewal. On the contemporary scene John Rea puts it well in saying: “Christian obedience is a product of the inner heart, not of outward duty. It springs from gratitude for grace already received (Rom. 12:1-8) not from desire to gain merit” (Layman’s Commentary on the Holy Spirit, p. 77). It is this obedience—which is not a work—that is context for the gift of the Spirit to be received.
12 This does not mean that one must be without sin to receive the Holy Spirit. If such were the case, no one would be a recipient: for all continue to sin. Hence, views of certain “Holiness’ churches that call for “complete sanctification” or total “heart purification” as necessary for the reception of the Holy Spirit are asking for the impossible. What is important is not the attainment of perfection, but ever seeking—regardless of many a failure—to walk in the way of obedience.
13 It was not mentioned before that the centurion is described as a God-fearing man: “a devout man who feared God with all his household” (Acts 10:2) and a man who “does what is right” (Acts 10:35). Thus, against a broad background of devoutness of life and righteous concerns, Cornelius’s obedience to the command of the Lord stands forth vividly.
14 This has been noted in three cases: the original disciples in Jerusalem, Saul of Tarsus and the Caesareans. As far as the Samaritans are concerned, the situation is less clear. However, it may be that one of the reasons for the delay of several days in the gift of the Holy Spirit to them was the need for more time after the beginning of faith for obedience to develop. The Samaritans had long been caught up in idolatrous adulation of Simon the magician—“they all gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is that power of God which is called Great’” (Acts 8:10)—and were “amazed” by his magical practices (8:11). Hence, though the Samaritans had entered the way of faith, they may have needed more time for commitment—and obedience—to Christ to replace their deep-seated idolatry of Simon.
In the case of the Ephesians, we read nothing directly about obedience. However, the atmosphere is that of readiness to do what John the Baptist had commanded, and thereafter to follow Paul’s injunctions. (See Acts 19:4-6.)
15 See again Acts 2:38; 8:12-17; 19:5-6.
16 That this was Jesus’ own baptism in the Spirit is apparent in many ways: (1) Although the imagery of the dove differs, e.g., from the wind and fire of Pentecost, the picture is clearly of a coming from without of the Spirit; (2) Jesus is said immediately thereafter to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1)—thus a parallel to the disciples being “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4); (3) the Holy Spirit came at the Jordan to inaugurate Jesus’ ministry even as at Pentecost to initiate the disciples’; (4) the Spirit that came is the Spirit of power: Jesus is said thereafter to move “in the power [dunamis] of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14); likewise the disciples were promised to receive power (dunamis) (Acts 1:8) when the Holy Spirit should come upon them; (5) in the parallel passage in John’s Gospel the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus is tied in with Jesus’ baptism of others in the Holy Spirit— “I myself [John the Baptist] did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’” (John 1:33).
17 The water baptism in Jesus’ case, unlike that of others, was not “for the forgiveness of sins” (cf. Acts 2:38). According to the Gospel of Matthew, when John the Baptist is described as remonstrating against baptizing Jesus (“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”) Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (3:14-15). Though Jesus was not a sinner needing baptism and forgiveness, baptism did represent identification with God’s righteous purpose signified therein. Thus—and of relevance to our concerns—Jesus’ water baptism, which fulfilled God’s righteousness before the Spirit was given, illustrates for persons thereafter that faith-righteousness which precedes the gift of the Holy Spirit.
18 In the parallel Matthean account (7:11) instead of “the Holy Spirit” the expression is “good things” (agatha). Of all “good things” the gift of the Holy Spirit cannot be excelled. So the Expositor’s Greek Testament (New York: George H. Doran Co., n.d.). Vol. One: “The Holy Spirit is mentioned here [in Luke’s Gospel] as the summum bonum, and the supreme object of desire for all true disciples” (Commentary on Luke 11:13). E.G.T. notes also: “In some forms of the Lord’s Prayer (Marcion, Greg. Nys.) a petition for the gift of the Holy Spirit took the place of the first or second petition.” Since Luke 11 begins with the Lord’s Prayer, and is the background for all that follows about prayer, climaxing with prayer for the gift of the Spirit, it is at least conceivable that the whole passage (11:1-13) is an elaboration of the petition for the Holy Spirit and what is involved therein.
19 The Greek word is anaideian, literally “shamelessness,” hence a persistence or importunity that is almost indecent!
20 Here the writer would like to testify personally how true this is. After some three days of continuing prayer specifically for the gift of the Holy Spirit, God marvelously granted the request. It seemed many times that God (like the man in bed at midnight) would never answer, but, because of the deep desire, importunate praying continued, and at last when the answer came, it was all the more a thing of wonder and praise.
Category: Pneuma Review, Spirit, Winter 2004
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