Cyril
of Jerusalem
Lecture 17, Part A
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom….” — 1 Corinthians 12:8
Summary: On the eve of their Baptism, St. Cyril sets before his Catechumens, that great gift they are about to receive: namely, the undivided Holy Spirit of God: for though He has many names and titles, He is yet only one Person. This Spirit sanctifies the Virgin Birth. He descends on Jesus at His Baptism, sanctifying the waters, as He descends, sanctifying us. Thus, Jesus ascends into heaven with the promise of the Spirit on His lips.
Preview: 1. “In the preceding Lecture … we set before you
… some small portion of the testimonies concerning the Holy Ghost [mostly from the
Old Testament]; and on the present occasion, we will … proceed to treat … of those
which remain out of the New Testament: … so now again we must say but a small part
of what remains.” For “our weakness is overwhelmed
by the multitude of things written.”[i] So we will “merely call to mind what comes from
the divine Scriptures….” “Which things also we speak, not in words which
man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.”[ii] 2. “Therefore
though our discourses concerning the Holy Ghost are divided, yet He Himself is undivided,
being one and the same.” “… so now also though
the Lectures concerning the Holy Spirit are divided, yet we preach faith undivided
towards Him. For it is one and the Self-same
Spirit who divides His gifts to every man
severally as He will,[iii] Himself
the while remaining undivided. For the Comforter
is not different from the Holy Ghost, but one and the self-same, called by various
names; who lives and subsists, and speaks, and works; and of all rational natures
made by God through Christ, both of Angels and of men, He is the Sanctifier.” 3. “Therefore
the Catholic Church guarding you beforehand has delivered to you in the profession
of the faith, that you “believe in one Holy Ghost the Comforter, who spoke by
the Prophets;”[iv]
that you might know, that though His names be many, the Holy Spirit is but one….” 4. “He
is called the Spirit … For to one is given
by the Spirit the word of wisdom.[v] He is called the Spirit of Truth, as the Savior
says, When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come.[vi] He is called also the Comforter, as He said, For if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you.[vii]” Which are all the same person. “But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost; [viii]
and that the Comforter is the same as the Spirit of Truth, is declared, when it
is said, And I will give you another Comforter,
that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth;[ix] and
again, But when the Comforter has come whom
I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth.[x] And He is called the Spirit of God, according
as it is written, And I saw the Spirit of
God descending;[xi] and
again, For as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God.[xii] He is called also the Spirit of the Father, as
the Savior says, For it is not you that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you;[xiii]
and again Paul says, For this cause I bow
my knees unto the Father... that He would
grant you to be strengthened by His Spirit.[xiv] He is also called the Spirit of the Lord, according
to that which Peter spoke, Why is it that
you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?[xv] He is called also the Spirit of God and Christ,
as Paul writes, But you are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. But if any man
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.[xvi] He is called also the Spirit of the Son of God,
as it is said, And because you are sons, God
has sent forth the Spirit of His Son.[xvii] He is called also the Spirit of Christ, as it
is written, Searching what or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify;[xviii]
and again, Through your prayer, and the supply
of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.[xix]” 5. “Thus
He is called the Spirit of Holiness, as it is written, According to the Spirit of Holiness.[xx] He is also called the Spirit of adoption, as Paul
says, For you received not the spirit of bondage
again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father.[xxi] He is also called the Spirit of revelation, as
it is written, May give you the Spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.[xxii] He is also called the Spirit of promise, as the
same Paul says, In whom you also after that
you believed, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.[xxiii] He is also called the Spirit of grace, as when
he says again, And has done despite to the
Spirit of grace.[xxiv] And … that in the Psalms He is called at one time
the good Spirit,[xxv] and
at another the princely Spirit;[xxvi]
and in Esaias He was styled the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, of counsel, and might, of knowledge, and of godliness,
and of the fear of God.[xxvii] By all which Scriptures … it is established, that
though the titles of the Holy Ghost be different, He is one and the same; living
and subsisting, and always present together with the Father and the Son; not uttered
or breathed from the mouth and lips of the Father or the Son, nor dispersed into
the air, but having a real substance, Himself speaking, and working, and dispensing,
and sanctifying; even as the Economy of salvation which is to usward from the Father
and the Son and the Holy Ghost, is inseparable and harmonious and one, as we have
also said before.” 6. “This is the Holy Ghost, who came upon the Holy
Virgin Mary; for … the power of the Highest
overshadowed her, and the Holy Ghost came upon her,[xxviii]
and sanctified her, that she might be able to receive Him, by whom all things were made.[xxix] But I have no need of many words to teach you
that generation was without defilement or taint, for you have learned it.[xxx] It is Gabriel who says to her … The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power
of the Highest shall overshadow you; therefore also that Holy Thing which shall
be born of you shall be called the Son of God.[xxxi]” 7. “This
Holy Spirit wrought in Elisabeth … And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost,[xxxii]
and prophesied … And whence is this to me,
that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?[xxxiii]
… Filled with this Holy Spirit, Zacharias also … prophesied….[xxxiv] By this Holy Ghost also it was revealed to just
Symeon, that he should not see death, till
he had seen the Lord’s Christ….[xxxv]” 8. “John
also, who had been filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb , was for this
cause sanctified, that he might baptize the Lord; not giving the Spirit himself,
but preaching glad tidings of Him who gives the Spirit. For he says, I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that comes after
me… He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.[xxxvi]” 9. “This
Holy Ghost came down when the Lord was baptized … as John says, But He which sent me to baptize with water, the
same said to me, Upon whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining
upon Him, the same is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.[xxxvii] … the heavens
were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and lighting upon
Him:[xxxviii]” 10. “Of
this dove, the dove of Noe, according to some, was in part a figure[xxxix]…. The spiritual dove … came down at the season of
His baptism, that He might show that it is He who by the wood of the Cross saves
them who believe, He who at eventide should grant salvation through His death.” 11. Perhaps
these things have a better explanation: “but now again we must hear the words of
the Savior Himself concerning the Holy Ghost.”
“Unless a man be born of water and
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”[xl] “How much
more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.”[xli] “But the
hour comes and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit
and in truth; for the Father also seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit; and
they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”[xlii] “But if
I by the Spirit of God cast out devils;”[xliii]
“Therefore I say unto you, All manner of sin
and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
shall not be forgiven.”[xliv] “And
whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but
whosoever shall speak a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him,
neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”[xlv] “And I will
pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may be with you
forever, the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him
not, neither knows Him; but you know Him, for He abides with you, and shall be in
you.”[xlvi] “These things
have I spoken unto you being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all things that I said to you.”[xlvii] “But when
the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit
of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me.[xlviii] “For if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. .... And when He has come,
He will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment:”[xlix] “I have
yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He the Spirit of Truth has come,
He will declare unto you all the truth; for He shall not speak from Himself; but
whatsoever He shall hear that shall He speak, and He shall announce unto you the
things to come. He shall glorify Me, for
He shall take of Mine, and shall announce it unto you. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore
said I, That He shall take of Mine, and shall announce it unto you.”[l] “I have read to you now the utterances of the
Only-begotten Himself, that you may not give heed to men’s words. 12. “The
fellowship of this Holy Spirit He bestowed on the Apostles … And when He had said this, He breathed on them,
and says unto them, Receive the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins you remit, they are
remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained.”[li] “but tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be clothed with power from on high.”[lii] Receive
it in part now; then, you shall wear it in its fullness. “For he who receives, often possesses the gift
but in part; but he who is clothed, is completely enfolded by his robe.”[liii]
“Fear not, He says, the
weapons and darts of the devil; for you shall bear with you the power of the Holy
Ghost.”[liv]
“But remember what was lately said, that
the Holy Ghost is not divided, but only the grace which is given by Him.” 13. “Jesus
therefore went up into heaven, and fulfilled the promise…. I will pray
the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter.[lv] … and when
the day of Pentecost was fully come,[lvi] …
they were sitting, and the Comforter came down from heaven, the Guardian and Sanctifier
of the Church, the Ruler of souls, the Pilot of the tempest-tossed, who leads the
wanderers to the light, and presides over the combatants, and crowns the victors.”
[i]
Roughly 250 verses reference the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.
[ii]
This suggests that the Holy Spirit teaches us nearly all things by comparing and
contrasting various places in the Bible and worship with each other. 1 Corinthians 2:13
[iii]
1 Corinthians 12:11
[iv]
Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:1; 2:1-4; 2 Peter 1:21
[v]
1 Corinthians 12:8
[vi]
John 16:13
[vii]
John 16:7
[viii]
John 14:26
[ix]
John 14:16-17
[x]
John 15:26
[xiii]
Matthew 10:20
[xiv]
Ephesians 3:14-16
[xv]
Acts 5:9
[xvi]
Romans 8:9
[xvii]
Galatians 4:6
[xviii]
1 Peter 1:11
[xix]
Philippians 1:19
[xxi]
Romans 8:15
[xxiii]
Ephesians 1:13
[xxv]
Psalm 143:10
[xxvi] We were unable to trace this reference.
[xxx]
The immaculate conception of Jesus Christ….
[xxxi]
Luke 1:35
[xxxiv]
Luke 1:67
[xxxvii]
John 1:33
[xxxviii]
Matthew 3:16
[xxxix]
The dove of Noah is said, by some, to be a type of the Holy Spirit concerning Christ. This typology is too vague for many of us to understand.
[xl]
John 3:5
[xli]
Luke 11:13
[xlii]
John 4:23
[xliii]
Matthew 12:28
[xliv]
Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:28-29
[xlv]
Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10
[xlvi]
John 14:16-17
[xlvii]
John 14:25-26
[xlviii]
John 15:26
[xlix]
John 16:7-8
[l]
John 16:12-15
[li]
John 20:22-23
[lii]
Luke 24:49
[liii]
We were about to delete these two sentences as unworthy of a summary, when we
realized that here, St. Cyril explains how the Holy Spirit begins to tug at our
hearts before Baptism, that Baptism is truly a process, at the completion of
which we are fully clothed. In a very
real sense, this Baptism continues throughout the remainder of earthly life.
[liv]
Ephesians 6:16-17
[lvi]
Acts 2:1-47
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