De spiritu sancto

Homily of Chrysostom on the Holy Spirit Yesterday, O lovers of Christ, the visitation of the holy and venerable Spirit was celebrated by us, honored not by human conceptions but attested by the paternal power. For the Word of God is constituted not by what we reason or utter, but by what we are illumined, and piety is established, and truth is proclaimed. The Word of God alone, the teaching and lamp of the Holy Spirit alone, is the piety and proclamation of the knowledge of God and the illumination of divine teaching. It is necessary to dwell on the exposition of the holy and venerable Spirit and to say something clearer concerning the holy and glorious power. Again, to use the same terms, the Holy Spirit, from what the divine words teach—or rather from what it itself proclaims about itself and utters through the prophets and brings its own ray through the apostles—is indivisible in nature, since it proceeds from the indivisible and undivided nature.

Its name is Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of the Father, Spirit of the Son, Spirit of Christ. And thus Scripture calls it, or rather it calls itself, both Spirit of God and Spirit from God. And lest we, upon hearing "Spirit of God," should think that it is called Spirit of God by way of appropriation, Scripture introduces the Holy Spirit and adds to "God" the phrase "from God." For "of God" and "from God" are different. "Of God" are heaven and earth, as things made by him. But nothing is said to be "from God" except that which is from his essence. Therefore it is called Holy Spirit. This is the proper and primary appellation, which has a more expressive meaning and sets forth the nature of the Holy Spirit: Holy Spirit, Spirit of God. Who calls it Spirit of God? Hear the Savior: "If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God." Spirit of God. Therefore, as I said earlier, lest someone hearing "Spirit of God" should think that a relationship is signified and not a communion of nature, Paul says: "But to you was not given the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God." Again it is called Spirit of the Father, as the Savior says to the apostles: "Do not be anxious how or what you will say; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of our Father speaking in you," just as he said "Spirit of God." And Scripture added "from God"; so again it is said "Spirit of the Father." And lest you think this is said by way of appropriation, the Savior confirms: "When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father." There "from God," here "from the Father." Which he added to himself.

I came forth from the Father, but this belongs to the Holy Spirit: that which proceeds from the Father. Therefore it is Spirit of God and Spirit of God the Father, and it proceeds from the Father. What does "proceeds" mean? It did not say: "is begotten." For what is not written must not be thought. The Son is begotten from the Father, the Spirit proceeds from the Father. You ask me for the difference in any case: How was this one begotten? How did that one proceed? What then? Because you learned that he was begotten, you also learned the manner. Therefore, since you hear the Son proclaimed, you also grasped the manner of begetting. These are names honored by faith and preserved by pious reasoning. What is the force of "proceeds"? So that the Scripture may pass over the name of begetting, lest it call it Son, it says Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the Father. It introduces it as proceeding, like water springing from the earth, according to what is said about paradise: "A river proceeds from Eden." It proceeds and wells up. The Father is called a spring of living water, according to the prophet Jeremiah who says: "The heaven was amazed at this and the earth shuddered even more, because my people did two evil things: they abandoned me, a spring of living water." Defining the Father as a spring of living water, the divine word introduced him, with the living water proceeding from the spring of life. That which proceeds from the Father. What proceeds? The Holy Spirit. How? As water from a spring. Whence is it that the Holy Spirit is called water? The Savior says: "He who believes in me, as Scripture said, rivers of living water will flow from his belly.

And the evangelist, interpreting this water, adds: "He said this concerning the Spirit, which those who believe in him were about to receive." If, then, the evangelist John, clarifying the matter, said that the Holy Spirit is the living water, and the Father says, "They have abandoned me, a spring of living water." The Father is the spring of the Spirit. For this reason it proceeds from the Father. It is therefore said—for I repeat—Spirit of God and Spirit from God, Spirit of the Father and Spirit from the Father. Isaiah testifies, from the person of Christ, "Spirit of the Lord": "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because of which he anointed me." And Paul: "The Lord is the Spirit." Now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. If where the Spirit arrives there is freedom, is it itself a slave? If those whom the Holy Spirit visits are released from the yoke of slavery and granted the status of freedom, how is it itself a slave? How does it grant what it does not have? How, being itself a slave, does it free? Have you not heard Paul saying, "For the law of the Spirit of life freed me in Christ Jesus"? Does the Spirit free slaves while not possessing freedom in its nature? For if it were created and enslaved, it would not free.

Let the heretics not deceive you with their sophistry. I do not call it a slave nor a creature; that is a recent heresy. They risk introducing three principles: uncreated, created, and another which I do not know how to name. Spirit of God, spirit from God, spirit of the Father, spirit that proceeds from the Father, spirit of the Lord, spirit of the Son. The apostle says: "Because you are sons, God sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying: 'Abba, Father.'" Behold the spirit of the Son. Elsewhere again Paul says "spirit of Christ": "But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of Christ dwells in you." I beg you, pay attention to this holy interweaving, how Paul introduced, like a holy and living chain of threefold power, joining the undivided nature, and indicating one power through different names: "But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit." Behold spirit. "If indeed the spirit of Christ dwells in you." Behold spirit of God. "But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ." And yet he ought to have said: "But if anyone does not have the spirit of God." But he said: "Spirit of Christ." He said spirit of God, and added the spirit of Christ. "But if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, this one is not his." But he said this in order to show that if there is spirit, there is also Christ. And it is equivalent for Christ to be present and for the spirit to be present. And it is equivalent to say spirit of God and spirit of Christ. Therefore, there is the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, as one might say spirit of the Son, since the Savior says: "I am the truth." The spirit of truth is spoken of, which is the spirit of the Son, as Paul says.

God sent forth the spirit of his Son. Therefore, there is both a spirit of the Son and a spirit of the one who raised Jesus Christ. And listen to Paul himself: "But if the spirit of the one who raised Jesus Christ dwells in you." These names belong to the holy and undefiled power, to the holy and worshipful spirit. There are also other names that pertain not to the nature but to the activity. The matter is deep and requires attentive, secure, and faithful hearing. Again, the spirit is called the spirit of life, because the Savior says, "I am the truth and the life." And it is called the spirit of life, just as Paul says, "For the law of the spirit of life." These names belong to that very authority, that very nature. But there are other names that are not ascribed to the Holy Spirit, but to its power and activity, such as its gifts. I will explain and clarify the meaning, and I will adduce the testimony. When the Holy Spirit bestows sanctification through the prayers of the saints, either to me or to another Christian, and I receive a gift so that my body and soul are holy, the gift given to me is called the spirit of holiness, that is, a charism. If the Holy Spirit gives a gift to someone who lacks wisdom, who lacks knowledge, but gives him only faith—such as many who have the charisms of believing the scriptures, though they do not know the scriptures, yet they believe the scriptures—that gift is called the spirit of faith. If someone receives power and a gift from the Holy Spirit to believe in the promise of the good things given in the future age, he has received the spirit of promise.

If someone receives the gift of wisdom, the gift is called the spirit of wisdom. And everywhere the gifts of the Spirit are called spirit. And pay close attention, as we clarify the theories in part by way of a type. Let us come, then, to the proofs. When someone has the gift of love, it is said that he has the spirit of love. When someone receives the gift of martyrdom, he is said to have the spirit of power, that is, a gift. Since the Holy Spirit is the one who gives, the gift is also called by the same name as the charism. For this reason Paul says: "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption." And again: "For he did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but a spirit of power and love and self-control." Here he calls the charism "spirit," as when he says: "But you were sealed with the spirit of the holy promise." Where is "spirit of promise" written? Paul says: "Having the same spirit of faith and of promise," that is, the charism of the Spirit. See, then, spirit of faith, spirit of promise. If someone is meek, humble in heart, he has received a gift of meekness. And it is a gift of God. And Paul says this: "But if a person is overtaken in some transgression, you spiritual ones correct such a one in a spirit of meekness," that is, in the charism of the gift of meekness. "Watching yourself," he says, "lest you also be tempted." Behold, spirit of meekness. To another is given sanctification of soul and body, and it is called a spirit of holiness, as he says:

Paul, slave of Jesus Christ, called apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets, according to the spirit of holiness. He said this as an inversion. The meaning is this: Paul, having become an apostle according to the spirit of holiness. For many thought, following the first phrase, that it was of the defined Son of God according to the spirit of holiness. But it is not so. Rather: Paul, ordained apostle according to the spirit of holiness. And when was he ordained? From the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since other apostles were before the passion, this one after the resurrection. Therefore: according to the spirit of holiness. And I say another thing: When we all begin at the hour of mystagogy to say, "Our Father who art in heaven," we received a gift, a spirit of adoption, that is, the grace of the Holy Spirit. It is called spirit of zeal, as Paul says: "Since you also are zealots of spirits," that is, you have zeal for spiritual gifts. Since you are zealots of spirits, that is, of the gifts. And still I show you a path to excess. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I am nothing; that is, love is greater than every gift.

But let us return to the matter at hand. Isaiah comes again. For the same spirit speaks through all. Just as Paul said spirit of life, spirit of love, spirit of power, spirit of discipline, spirit of promise, spirit of faith, spirit of meekness, spirit of adoption, so also the blessed Isaiah: A rod, he says, will come forth from the root of Jesse, that is, the royal rod of the savior. For he calls the rod a royal emblem, as David says: The rod of uprightness is the rod of your kingdom. A rod will come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will rise up from it, and the spirit of God will rest upon it. Here is the name of the nature of the spirit itself, then the gifts: Spirit of wisdom and understanding, spirit of counsel and might, spirit of knowledge, spirit of piety, spirit of fear of God. As if unfolding scripture, either you, the faithful one, or another Christian, if there is a hidden and unclear meaning, but the holy spirit gives, so that the hidden depths of meanings are revealed, that is, a gift revealing the depths. Hence the apostle, wishing the disciples of piety to understand the things of the scriptures, says: I pray to God that he may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge, enlightening the eyes of your mind. Did you see a spirit of revelation? But let us return to the matter at hand. Where it is necessary to learn the depths, it is called a spirit of revelation; where it is necessary to have love, it is called a spirit of love; where it is necessary for the teacher to speak clearly, it is called a spirit of wisdom; where it is necessary for the hearer to understand intelligently, it is called a spirit of understanding.

The spirit of wisdom is given to those who teach, the spirit of understanding to the hearers. I proclaim, but you know how to understand, not to teach; what is said is a gift of wisdom because of teaching. And God, wishing to show that just as he sends a word of wisdom to the teacher, so also he sends a gift of understanding to the learner, that he may comprehend the things of God, says: The mouth that proclaims has the grace of wisdom, the heart that learns has the grace of understanding. Wisdom is the weapon of the mouth; understanding is the weapon of the heart. For this reason David says: My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart, understanding. Another did not receive the grace of teaching, but received the grace of giving opinion and good and admirable counsel. Sometimes the teacher does not know how to give counsel. For he did not receive it. For one does not receive everything, lest anyone think the grace is a matter of nature. He receives the grace of teaching; and so that he may not be puffed up, in the counsel of affairs he is found to be weak. And another, unable to teach, counsels well. And the one who lends to others is found borrowing elsewhere. Whence this? Now I will present a proof, that the one who received the grace of teaching is in need of another's opinion. Moses received a spirit of wisdom, of legislation, of teaching; he took it upon himself to judge every day. Jethro, his father-in-law, comes, counseling him and saying: You cannot suffice for so great a people alone, so as to judge. But you will be utterly worn down if you do this. But what? Appoint, he says, decarchs and pentacontarchs and hecatontarchs and chiliarchs, so that matters exceeding the decarch may be referred to the pentacontarch.

But matters that exceed the centurion he should refer to the chiliarch, and matters that exceed the chiliarch he should refer to you, and matters that exceed you you should refer to God. If, he says, a difficult word arises, they will refer it to you; but if something is difficult for you, you will refer it to God. And the lawgiver, being wise, accepted the opinion of a layman. And that opinion became law and a type of things to come. Since Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was a priest of the idols, but after this he condemned the error and learned the truth and became a type of the church of the Gentiles, because the understanding of the Gentiles surpasses the wisdom of the law, not by being Gentile, but by repenting. For when was the opinion of Jethro accepted? Not while he was a priest, but after he came to know God. For when he saw the works of God and Moses related to him the wonders in Egypt, he says: Now I have known (see repentance) that the Lord your God is great beyond all gods. From the time, then, that he knew the truth, he received the gift of good judgment.

But let us return to the matter at hand. The teacher received a spirit of wisdom, the learner a spirit of understanding, that he might comprehend. For this reason Isaiah ascribes wisdom to the speaker, understanding to the hearer, and says: a wise architect and an intelligent listener. A spirit of counsel is given to the one who offers advice, a spirit of strength to the one who receives the advice. The advisor receives a grace to say something beneficial. The one who receives the advice receives a grace to accomplish what is advantageous. A spirit of fear of God. Each of these gifts was given according to the need at hand. Indeed, when the tabernacle was being constructed under Moses in the desert, there was no need there for a gift of teaching, but for a gift of architecture: how to weave the linen, the hyacinth, the scarlet, the purple. God gave a gift of architecture, weaving, tapestry-making, gold-working, stone-working, embroidery. And why did he give these arts? Because God was making the tabernacle on earth. And the tabernacle was an image of heaven and earth. In six days God made heaven and earth. The tabernacle was constructed as a type of heaven and earth, and there was need of a gift of the Holy Spirit suited to the task. For it was not a time for teaching, but for weaving and the other arts. And God says: Behold, I have called by name Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and filled him with divine spirit, a spirit of wisdom and knowledge and perception. Wisdom to instruct the workers to work in such a way or to do this thing. Knowledge, that he might fit things together; perception, that he might understand what power the things said by God have.

Elsewhere God promises to give a grace of philanthropy and says: "I will pour out upon the house of David a spirit of grace and compassion," that is, a gift of philanthropy. Again, he bestows a charism of humility. Whence this? The three youths in the furnace, because as righteous they trampled the flame, but as humble they called themselves sinners; on account of their surpassing righteousness they trampled the flame and made the furnace dew. They were not puffed up, nor did they say, "Oh, how righteousness is with us! We have conquered nature; we have surpassed law." But they acted as righteous and spoke as sinners. Consider: they trampled the flame and danced as saints, and they confessed as sinners: "We have sinned, we have transgressed, we have done wrong. All that you have brought upon us you have done in true judgment, because we transgressed by departing from you and did not heed your commandments, that it might be well with us." Since, then, being righteous they humbled themselves, they received a spirit of humiliation, a charism of humility. Because of this, seeing the grace, they say that there is for them at this time no prophet, no offering, no incense, no place to offer sacrifice and find mercy. Since, then, we have no city, no temple, no altar, no incense, humility will suffice for us instead of all. Therefore they say: "But may we be accepted with a contrite soul and a spirit of humiliation." Another, when full of grace, having received the complete gift, says: "He received a spirit of fullness." Whence this? Jeremiah says: "The way of the daughter of my people is not toward a holy, nor toward a pure spirit of fullness.

They do not have, he says, the spirit that fills them. Thus the apostles had a spirit of fullness, as it is written: Then Paul, he says, filled with the Holy Spirit, when he refutes Elymas the magician. Do you see the charisms? I now recapitulate the names of the ineffable nature: spirit of God, spirit from God, spirit of the Lord, spirit of the Father, spirit of the Son, spirit of Christ, spirit of the one who raised Christ, spirit of life, spirit of truth. Then the charisms: spirit of power, spirit of love, spirit of temperance, spirit of promise, spirit of faith, spirit of revelation, spirit of adoption. When someone receives a charism of judging, he received a spirit of judgment, as Isaiah says: And the Lord will purify them with a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. He calls the punitive and purifying power a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. David, however, asks for a spirit of rectitude, that which leads to uprightness. And again he asks for a charism that governs the passions and makes the soul not serve the passions. For since David's heart was perverted, and he came from temperance to the wickedness of passions and pleasure, and since he did not justly judge that the man should be put to death and became a slave of desire and turned to adultery, he asks for a spirit of rectitude, saying: Renew in my inward parts and do not cast me away, he says, from your face; give me back the joy of your salvation and strengthen me with a governing spirit, that is, with a charism that governs the passions and controls the pleasures.

These things have been said by us concerning the divine authority of the Holy Spirit and the difference according to the activities. But the heretics, not understanding that when it says "spirit of holiness" or "of promise," it mentions the gifts, they themselves refer it to the nature, saying that God gave, and the Holy Spirit bestowed. "Do you see," they say, "that it is a gift of God?" I read the passages about gifts and referred them to the nature, whereas it was necessary to understand which names indicate the nature and which names interpret the grace. They adulterated the truth, they confused everything, they overturned themselves, they ran aground from the truth. Their senseless heart was darkened; they claim to be wise, they became foolish. Therefore they add: "Since you speak about the Spirit and teach from the Scriptures, and you wish to have the Scriptures as witnesses, we, moved by the Scriptures themselves, say what the Savior said about the Holy Spirit. What then does he say? 'When the Paraclete comes,' he says, 'the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, that one will lead you to all the truth; for he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears, he will announce to you; because he will take from me and announce to you.' Do you see," he says, "how he does not speak from himself, but takes from him? Can the authority of the Spirit not be shown? Did not the Scripture," he says, "show it subject to the authority of the Son and borrowing from him and supplying to others?" Pay close attention. When something of what is said appears difficult to you, do not immediately leap at the wording, but wait for the end of the thought. Have you not seen in the preparations of buildings how everything is confused?

unquenchable, stones, wood. And to your sight everything is confused, but to the craftsman everything is fitted together. And he knows the time when this confused thing will be fitted to that, and that to this. And the scattered things, receiving their proper harmony, produce the beauty of the building. So when you see the speaker moving from this to that, and from that to another, understand that he is preparing the materials. For when I have set forth the materials, then I show the harmony. One nature of Son and Spirit, one power, one truth, one life, one wisdom. But from the time when the Savior deigned to take our form, he is filled with the Holy Spirit, not as inferior to the Holy Spirit, but because the flesh was obliged to receive the visitation of the Spirit in human fashion; not that the God Word was unable to sanctify the form which he assumed. For if you go into this argument, the Son too is superfluous. For the Father was sufficient to sanctify the form. For does the Father take the Son as though lacking strength? For does the Son take the Spirit as though lacking strength? But since there is one nature, it acts in all things in all ways: the Father works some things and is received into the whole nature, the Son works others and passes through the whole nature, and the Spirit works others and is taken up into the whole nature. So when the nature is considered in itself, it is equal and uniform, full of lordly authority, wonderful, neither deficient nor imperfect, neither advancing nor diminishing, neither being reduced nor receiving additions.

When the Word of God takes up the flesh from us, he makes it according to the human pattern, as one of the prophets or as one of the apostles, receiving the Holy Spirit. I said this in anticipation, not because the divinity of the Son is insufficient, but so that the complete knowledge of the Trinity might be shown in this formation. The Lord’s flesh was therefore deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit, and thereafter the Savior wished to appropriate the formation he assumed to the Holy Spirit, so that whatever Christ does in the flesh might be ascribed to the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, as in a holy temple, the human one. For he is man for our sake, but God for his own sake; God for his own sake, but man for the sake of philanthropy. He cast out demons and wished to ascribe the expulsion of demons to the Holy Spirit, and he says: “If I cast out demons in the Holy Spirit.” And he did not say: “In the Word of God,” but he ascribes it to the Holy Spirit, as a holy man deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, when he entered the temple, he takes the prophet Isaiah and reads. He reads the things written about himself. And having opened the book, he says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Does this then suit the Word of God? Does God say: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”? Is it not indisputable that the person of the man is speaking? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because of which he anointed me.” Through the Holy Spirit, he says, I was anointed. For this reason Peter says: “Jesus from Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and power.

Here we must pay attention, I beg you. For all these things are preparation so that he will receive from what is mine. For we have not been carried from one thing to another, but, as I said earlier, I am making the materials ready, so that you may fit together the union. He was deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit; he was baptized in the Jordan, and John says: "I saw the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descending like a dove and remaining upon him." Do you see how he receives the Holy Spirit according to the human pattern? No one is so impious as to think that the divinity received the Spirit. John the Baptist says: "He stands in your midst, whom you do not know, and I did not know him; but the one who sent me to baptize in water told me: 'Upon whomever you see the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, that one is my son.'" The Holy Spirit came down so that the saying of Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me." The flesh was baptized, and immediately after being baptized he came up from the water and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. He was led, and the flesh had the Holy Spirit as a guide. Why was he led? So that he might give you a pattern: that just as my flesh is not led by desires but is led by the Spirit, so also you ought to be. For this reason Paul also says: "But if you are led by the Spirit of God, you are no longer in the flesh," and "Those who are led by the Spirit of God are not under the law." The flesh of Christ is led; let us also be led. For this reason indeed he takes everything upon himself, so that he may leave us a pattern. He was led by the Spirit to be tempted and he conquered the devil—not the divinity. For it would have been an insult to the divinity to say, "I conquered.

God is never defeated, nor does he conquer, but he always prevails. If he were to accept victory, he would also be subject to defeat. He who always prevails is the Almighty, and he is neither rebelled against by those he rules nor does he overcome the toil of those he governs. If, then, the Lord's flesh, the Lord's creation, the strange man, the heavenly one, the new shoot, the one that blossomed from the strange womb, receives the Holy Spirit, you have the testimonies that the Spirit came from heaven, that the Spirit led him up to overcome the devil. The image of Adam, which was led astray in the beginning, so that he might now conquer—the strange man entered, attended by the power of the Spirit. For this reason, just as it was said: "He was led up by the Spirit in the wilderness to be tempted," so, when he returned as victor, it says: "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit from the wilderness." Therefore, the flesh had the Holy Spirit, not a portion of gifts, as we do—one receiving wisdom, another knowledge—but it possessed all the gifts. In truth, I am anxious and tremble, lest the weakness of my tongue dull the magnitude of what is proclaimed. So the Lord's body and the holy flesh, having received the energy of the Holy Spirit, did not receive, as in the case of the apostles and prophets, one gift or another. For a man cannot contain everything. Hence Paul says: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Do all have gifts of healing?" For among us, the gifts are divided. But in the flesh of Christ, all the gifts, all the graces were present according to the substance of the flesh. And pay attention.

He first filled his own temple with every grace. He had the gift of healing diseases, casting out demons, raising the dead, prophesying, and performing the works of truth. He was capable of all things and possessed the fullness of the gifts, from which the Lord’s flesh was filled with all the gifts. It was absolutely necessary that we receive in part, as from a reservoir, from the Lord’s body; it is from him that both apostles and prophets are supplied. John testified that in him was the whole fullness of the divinity, and Paul: “In whom the whole fullness of the divinity dwelt bodily.” He did not simply say, “In whom the divinity dwelt,” but “the fullness of the divinity,” that is, the entire gift of the divinity. And so that no one might think that it dwelt in the divine Word, he says: “In whom the whole fullness of the divinity dwelt bodily.” In his flesh was the whole fullness of wisdom, understanding, power, signs, and every activity. Henceforth, we all borrow from the fullness. John the Baptist testifies: “I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize told me: ‘Upon whomever you see the Spirit descending and remaining’”—he did not say “granting him a single gift,” but “remaining entire”—“this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Then, wishing to show that the Savior did not receive grace as a man, John says: “God does not give the Spirit by measure; the Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hand.” From where, then, do we receive? We all received from his fullness. He is the fullness; we are from the fullness. How?

From the time he filled the Lord’s flesh, he drew from it as from a spring and lent the gift to men. Pay attention, I beg you. He says then: “When the Paraclete comes, the spirit of truth, he will lead you to the whole truth, because he will take from mine.” Pay attention to the precision. He did not say: “From me,” but “from mine.” “From me”—from whom? He will give you from mine, but he will take. He takes, not borrowing. But since he filled the spring as the source of gifts, he draws from the reservoir and provides to all from his own. And how is this, that taking from one’s own is taking? Listen. God filled Moses with spirit, and Moses says: “I cannot bear the burden of this people alone; appoint another for yourself.” God says to him: “Choose seventy elders, and I will take from the spirit that is in you, and I will give it upon them.” He did not say: “I will take yours,” but “from the spirit that is in you,” “from mine I will take.” God says: “In those days I will pour out from my spirit upon every flesh, and they will prophesy.” If God, taking from Moses, borrowed, then the spirit, taking from the Son, borrowed. For Moses was a type of Christ. For just as from Moses seventy came to be, so from Christ the world received the Holy Spirit. “He will take from mine”—from what was supplied to me alone, the Lord’s man, he will take that which gave, which came and remained in me, which anointed me, which sanctified me, which led me into the desert, which brought me back victorious. He will take from mine and announce to you.

And to show that he was not referring to the Holy Spirit but to the gifts, he adds after saying, "He will take from mine," immediately: "All that the Father has is mine. I received them from the Holy Spirit. For this reason I said, 'He will take from mine.'" Since God sanctified the flesh with the Holy Spirit and the Father sent the gift of the Spirit into the flesh of Christ, and the grace, having come, placed all the gifts in Christ, he says: "He will take from mine and announce to you." What then is the meaning of "He will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears, he will make known to you"? It has been said before this that the Holy Spirit is one thing and the gift another, just as a king is one thing and the king's gift another. When someone has to deal with many and diverse barbarian nations, he is at a loss as to where to begin the war. If he occupies himself with war against these, another horn rises up. If he divides himself into two parts, the strength is split. We are in the midst of Arians, who deny the glory of Christ, and Macedonians, who insult the divine glory of the Spirit. If I speak of the Son as an agreed matter, the Arian immediately fights against the Macedonian; for concerning the Son you have convinced me, but are you speaking to me about the Spirit?

But since today the subject is the Holy Spirit—for often, by the grace given from Christ, we have prevailed concerning the Son, and you are witnesses of what has been said, that it was not sophistry of art but proofs from the Scriptures—I would have wished even now to construct the argument concerning the Son. For it always has its power shining forth within itself. But for the sake of the heretics' conviction, those who are lame concerning the Spirit, I for the moment remain silent. It is impossible for one who is lame concerning the Spirit to walk straight concerning the Son. To this day you cannot persuade any Macedonian to subscribe to the homoousion of Nicaea, even though they always say, "We adhere to that faith," because the matter concerning the Spirit was not clarified. For there was neither contest nor war. Nevertheless, for their conviction I say: it is written, "He will not speak from himself." Tell the Macedonian: This is written also concerning the Son. Rather, he himself says concerning himself: "I do not speak from myself." Pay attention, I beg you. I adduce the testimony from what is agreed by you. For against the Arian there is need of struggle concerning "I do not speak from myself" and concerning the Spirit. But against you, who have professed to be pious, there is no need of struggle. Exercising concerning Christ, you say he is equal to God, like the Father in all respects. As to one who confesses the glory, I have introduced the question. You say concerning the Spirit: "He will not speak from himself." The Savior says concerning himself: "I do not speak from myself, but whatever I have heard from my Father, that I speak." Behold, even the Son does not speak from himself; for the time being, there is equality of honor. I say these things to you. The Arian is at a loss concerning both that and this.

What those who are shipwrecked suffer, that do those who are unbelieving suffer, as Paul says: "Who have been shipwrecked concerning the faith." The Arians, having been shipwrecked, lost both the glory of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit; the Macedonians strive to ascend, but they have lost half the cargo, as Paul says: "But if someone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that one is not his." Pay attention, then, lest we seem to enter the contest combatively and to make the demonstration insultingly. I do not speak from myself. Interpret for me what "I do not speak from myself" is. How did the Savior speak? For whatever solution the Macedonian might draw concerning the Son, that same one he devises also for the Holy Spirit. The two stand equally balanced: neither the Spirit from itself nor the Son from itself. But the Son has need of the Father; the Spirit also has need of the Father; for the time being, equal honor. Pay attention, then. I know I have given myself over to the depth, as the power of Christ, which investigates all things, has seen. I tremble more than I speak, lest the vessel run into an infinite abyss and there be no wind. For grant that the vessel is ready, the helmsman, the sailors, the ropes, the anchors, all prepared, and nowhere is there a wind of air. Does not the equipment lie idle, the energy of the wind not being present? So it is customary. Even if there is breadth of speech, even if depth of thought, even if phrasing, even if concept, and the Holy Spirit, supplying, is not present, all lies idle.

Why then did he say about himself, as also about the Spirit, "I do not speak from myself"? We have refuted the opponent in a contest-like manner. Now let us fully assure both ourselves and them, if indeed they are persuaded. We would not at all impose necessity upon them, but let us say, if they should be persuaded. And do not be surprised that I, a human being, say this. God says to Ezekiel: "Go to the house of Israel and say to them, 'If they should hear, if they should believe.'" We say these things: "If they should hear, if they should believe, if they should agree." But if, when these things are said, they do not agree, we are innocent. Thus Paul taught, and after teaching he says: "I testify to all that I am clean from the blood of all of you. For I did not shrink from announcing to you the way of God." And now I say: Why did the Savior say, "I do not speak from myself," and about the Spirit, "He will not speak from himself"? I beseech your love; let us attend to the meaning here. Christ being one, many false Christs came forth, as the Savior said: "Many will come in my name, false Christs and false prophets." So, Christ being one and having been announced through the prophets that he is coming, before his coming some deceivers appeared saying, "We are he." Theudas says, "I am he," Judas the Galilean says, "I am he," and they led many astray. The Savior, having come, says: "All who came before me were thieves and robbers.

Since then the first ones, being deceivers, having put on the name of Christ, were eager to persuade the people that they themselves were the Christ, not appearing together, but each by himself, one appearing at one time, another at another time, Christ says: "All who came before me were thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them. My sheep hear my voice and recognize my voice and follow me." So those false Christs came and did not teach from the law, nor from the prophets, but spoke from themselves and from their own opinion. The Savior, when he came, did not depart from the law, did not depart from the prophets, but said, as by way of example: "Isaiah spoke well," and again: "Is it not written in your law?" And when the devil approached him, he says to him: "It is written: 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.'" So Christ, having come in the flesh, did not speak from himself, but from the prophets. Since then those who came before Christ in the name of Christ did not speak, not from the law, not from the prophets, but spoke the things of deception from their own opinion. The Savior says: "I do not speak from myself as they do." For speaking from oneself is speaking outside the law. Thus then we too must speak. When you see heretics stirring up Aristotelian or Platonic arguments, say: "We do not speak from ourselves. Whatever we have heard from Christ, that we utter." And whence is this, that the one who speaks from himself is a false prophet, or that speaking from oneself characterizes a false prophet? The prophet Ezekiel says:

I live," says the Lord, "against the prophets who deceive my people; I did not send them; they spoke of themselves and utter from their own hearts." Since then the false prophets proclaimed of themselves, the Savior, stripping away the suspicion, says, "I do not speak from myself." Why is it that the Savior was suspected of being a deceiver? Let us first establish this. At the feast of Tabernacles, the crowds were seeking Jesus, saying, "Where is he?" And there was disagreement about him; some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, but he deceives the crowd." Do you see how he was suspected of being a deceiver? Again, after the holy death of the Savior, the high priests say to Pilate, "We know, Lord, that that deceiver said while still living, 'After three days I rise.'" These things have been said by me to show that he was considered a deceiver. Since then he was considered a deceiver, he says, "I do not speak from myself, but from the law, from the prophets, as many things as I heard from the Father." Not according to the divinity did I hear from the Father, but in the law, in the prophets. He speaks from the person of the flesh for the dissolution of the deception. "I do not speak from myself, but as many things as I heard from the Father. But you speak as many things as you heard from your father, the devil." And to show that the devil, when he speaks, produces falsehood in some, he says, "When he speaks falsehood, he speaks from his own things. I do not speak from myself, but from the prophets, from the law." For this is truth. Just as then the Savior, dissolving the suspicion and stripping away the evil suspicion, says, "I do not speak from myself, as the deceivers do," so also concerning the Spirit.

So then let us attend to this point, I beg you. On the one hand, with regard to the Savior's part, many false Christs and false prophets appear. And one would say, "I am," and another, "I am," just as it is written that many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Christ," and they will lead many astray; but do not be deceived. Just as the name of Christ was suspected among the deceivers, so many were going to pretend to have the Holy Spirit, which they did not have, and to speak. But there, the man appeared and said, "I am the Christ." Here, however, no one dared to say, "I am the Holy Spirit." For it did not come in a body, but visited invisibly. It came upon Peter, it came upon Paul, and it was acknowledged that they had the Spirit of the Lord. Simon arose and says, "I have the Spirit." By appearance no one knew who did not have or who had an unclean spirit or who had the Holy Spirit. For if it were a matter of appearance, he would not have deceived. For the refutation came from discernment. Montanus came saying, "I have the Holy Spirit"; Mani came saying, "I have the Holy Spirit." But it was not clear. So that they might not be deceived by the name, since the gift was going to come invisibly, he says: "When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, that one will remind you of my words, and will guide you to all the truth; for he will not speak from himself. If you see anyone saying, 'I have the Holy Spirit' and not speaking the gospel words, but his own, he speaks from himself, and the Holy Spirit is not in him.

For just as he says about himself, "I do not speak from myself," in order to dissolve the suspicion of error, or rather to separate error from truth, and to show who have the Holy Spirit and who do not, but pretend to have it, he says: "He will not speak from himself. You have heard from me what I handed down. When the invisible Spirit comes, it will speak my words. If you see anyone repeating the things of the Gospel, he truly has the Holy Spirit. For the Spirit comes to remind you of what I taught. If, therefore, anyone among those who claim to have the Spirit says something from himself, and not from the Gospels, do not believe him. Follow my teaching: 'He will not speak from himself.'" But instead of this, the visitation that occurs shows who has received the Holy Spirit and who has not: if someone repeats the things of Christ, he has the Holy Spirit. For no one can say "Lord Jesus" except in the Holy Spirit. Mani came—the truly mad one, who bears the name of his error fittingly—and says: "I am the Paraclete whom the Savior promised to the apostles; I am the Son of God." Where did you hear in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that the sun and the moon are creators? Where did Christ say that these draw up souls and lead them up? Where did you read this? From the fact that he does not speak what is written, but speaks from himself, it is clear that he does not have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not speak from itself, but whatever it hears, it will announce to you; that is, it will confirm what I have spoken. And see the wonderful thing: just as the Savior, when he came, became the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, so the Spirit is the fulfillment of the Gospel.

Christ came and confirmed the things from the father, those spoken in the law and by the prophets. For this reason Paul says: Christ is the fulfillment of the law. The Holy Spirit came and fulfilled the things of the gospel. Whatever is in the law, Christ fulfills; whatever is in the teaching of Christ, the Spirit fulfills, not as though the father were incomplete, but just as Christ appeared confirming the things of the father, so the Holy Spirit appeared confirming the things of the son. Whence this? The savior says to the disciples: I have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now; when the Holy Spirit comes, he will lead you into all the truth, because he will not speak from himself. For he fulfills my things. The son fulfills the things of the father and does not speak from himself; the Spirit fulfills the things of the son and does not speak from himself. But if you hear someone saying, "I will send you the Holy Spirit," do not understand it according to the divinity. For God is not sent. These are names signifying the activity, names hidden and shining: hidden in dignity, shining in contemplation. For example: everyone who sends sends to those places in which he is not present. Suppose I am the one speaking in this seat. I cannot say to someone: Come, I will send you here. This is not to send, but to sit together or to present. But if God is everywhere—for he says, "I fill the heaven and the earth"—where then does he who is everywhere send? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to Hades, you are present; if I take up my wings at dawn and encamp at the ends of the sea, even there your hand will guide me.

Where then does God send? But is he not himself everywhere, while the one sent is not everywhere? God sent his son into the world. Was he then not present in the world? And yet the world is from the son. For this reason, then, did he come into the world, as if before this he was not in the world? How then does John the Evangelist say: All things came to be through him; he was in the world, and the world came to be through him. How then was he sent into the world? Again, if the one sent was sent, and the sender remained above and the one sent below, how did he say, "He who sent me is with me"? I beg you, pay attention with certainty. Secure the argument. For the heretic can say: "He is with me by assistance," as I also say: "God is with me." He did not say simply, but what? "The Father who abides in me." If he was with him and abided in him, how did that one send, or how was this one sent? For if they came, both came and no one was sent. Again, but both remained. If the Father remained above, how does the Son say: "The Father is with me"? If the sender remained above, how does the one sent have the sender with him? For I, he said, am in the Father and the Father is with me. How then was the one who says "The Father is in me" sent? And how again did he send? When, then, he says: "I will send you the Holy Spirit," this means the gift of the Spirit. And so that you may learn that the gift is sent, but the Spirit is not sent, the Savior says to the apostles: "Remain in Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high and you receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

The power that is supplied is one thing, the spirit that supplies it is another. For one and the same spirit works all things, distributing to each individually as it wills. You, then, are unable to show the Holy Spirit being sent by the bare divinity. But if I show you the maker of heaven and earth being sent by the Holy Spirit, what will you do? Either deny Christ and erase the Scriptures, or, being a slave of the Scriptures, submit to the Scriptures. And where, he says, is this said? Listen to God speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the herald of piety: "Listen to me," he says, "Jacob and Israel, whom I call: I am God first, and I am after these things, and besides me there is no God." Pay attention. For here is the point at issue. So who is the one who said these things? The Father or the Son? See how in the form of a monarchy he proclaims the Trinity in a veiled way: "I am God first, and I am after these things, and besides me there is no God." Who is the one saying these things? The Creator. For he adds: "I with my hand laid the foundation of the earth." See how the Creator speaks: "And my spirit made the heaven firm. I gave orders to all the stars; I raised up a king with righteousness, and all my ways are straight." Having called himself the creator and maker of heaven and earth, he then says these things: "I did not speak these things to you in secret from the beginning, nor in a dark place," having said that I laid the foundation of the earth and made the heaven; when they came to be, I was there. "And now the Lord sent me and his spirit." You who made the heaven and the earth, who said to the stars—

The Lord sent me and his spirit, he begot according to the divinity, he sent according to the flesh. The maker of heaven says: The Lord sent me and his spirit. The heretic takes the sending of the spirit as an insult. The Father sent, not having moved, not having caused to move; the Son sent the spirit, not dividing, not being divided. For this reason the scripture: God, it says, poured out his spirit, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit. Divinity is not poured out, but the gift. For this reason, in order to show that what is poured out is not the Holy Spirit, but the grace of the divine spirit, David says to Christ: Grace was poured out upon your lips. Grace is poured out, not the one who bestows the grace. If, then, equality of honor is proclaimed, and what is from itself has been clarified, and what is from mine will receive, as from a reservoir has been interpreted, let the heretics have no place or insinuation of impiety. Honor the Holy Spirit which you received. I have said often that you received a counter-gift. Christ took from you your clay, he himself gave you his own Holy Spirit. He honored your clay, having seated it at the right hand of the Father; and you placed his spirit in the rank of a slave. These things the saving law dictates; prophets utter; apostles ordain; martyrs confess; the pious believe; the church agrees; ignorance fights; the faithful is fully assured; Christ is glorified. For to him is the glory and the honor and the adoration, together with the Father and the all-holy and life-giving spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.