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135 THE CROSS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PAUL: IMPLICATIONS FOR BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT Fr. Michael Duggan* The reflections offered in this paper arise out of a pastoral concern. Simply stated, it is apparent that many people who receive baptism in the Holy Spirit witness to marked initial changes in their lives and experience power for service yet they do not exhibit on-going personal growth over a long-term. At the baptism in the Holy Spirit, they manifest the spiritual gifts and they have a genuine enthusiasm for ministry which is often effective. However, they seem to reach a plateau in their relationship with Jesus Christ and tend to reflect only a rather vague and general awareness of submission to the plan of God for their lives. Unfortunately in some cases, in their zeal, even leaders have become tired, over burdened and “burned out” and manifest confusion in their own lives due to a loss of intimate daily contact with the original grace of the baptism. What accounts for a lack of continual growth of life in the Holy Spirit? Certainly there is likely to be a variety of contributing factors such as inconsistency in good quality personal prayer, personal isolation and lack of authentic brotherhood, and a preoccupation with ministry to the detriment of one’s own spiritual life. However, at the center of the issue is the need for an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the very nature of baptism in the Holy Spirit itself. More specifically the intimate relationship between the cross and the Holy Spirit in the grace of the baptism must be grasped with personal conviction. This article will explore the essential role of the cross in baptism in the Holy Spirit. A study of selected texts of Paul on the relationship between the cross and the Holy Spirit and on the nature of baptism itself will provide insight into some of the central profound dimensions of the grace that God is pouring forth upon the Church in our day. Reflection on the opening chapters of the First Letter to the Corinthians will point out the nature of the relationship between the cross and the Holy Spirit in the revelation of God’s plan for salvation. A consideration of baptism in the Letter to the Romans will indicate how the work of the cross provides the foundation for a life in the Holy Spirit. 1 136 The Wisdom of God in Mystery: Corinthians 1 – 3 Paul wrote I Corinthians to address the divisions which were fracturing the community. Members were splitting themselves into factions according to their preference for the message of one teacher over another. The fragmentation into the parties of “Paul,” “Apollos” and “Cephas”l (I Cor. 1:1 lf.; 3:4) indicated that there was confusion over the central message of the gospel. Contrary to their own estimations, Paul laments that they were not yet “mature” (cf. I Cor. 2:6; 3:1; 14:20). Indeed, their confusion over basic issues was evidenced in their apparent tolerance of sexual disorder in the lives of individuals (I Cor. 5:1 – 13; 6:9 – 20) and in acts of public litigation between members of the community (I Cor. 6:1 – 8) as well as in their discrimination against the needy in their gathering for the common meal and the eucharist (I Cor. 1 1:17 – 33). Their lack of unity stemmed from a false conception of the Christian life itself. The Corinthians were strongly influenced by a form of Gnosticism2 with a resulting concentration on false abstract intellection to the detriment of love for one another. Their spiritual orientation and preoccupations can be inferred from evidence within the letter itself. The “knowledge” so cherished by the Corinthians set them free from the qualms that others experienced as matters of conscience. Those who revelled in such gnosis as the basis for attending pagan table feasts (I Cor. 8:7 – 13) or eating the food of idolatry (I Cor. 10:23 – 11:1) to the scandal of their Christian brothers were undermining the unity of the body (I Cor. 12:12 – 13). Such people claimed for themselves a spiritual wisdom (sophia) that gave them a superior knowledge of Christ as exalted in the realms of the divine. Through such gifted insights, they were to be considered free from authority and yet capable of evaluating others. They now considered themselves to have passed beyond the terrestial and the mundane and to have been initiated into the realm of the divine in which they gloried in a fulness – privileged (cf. I Cor. 4:7 8). All things were now considered to be made manifest and available to them (cf. I Cor. 3:21 – 22). Having been brought beyond what is earthbound, the very idea of the resurrection of the body seemed like a step backward to focus on what had been left behind (cf. I Cor. 15:12f.). At the center of the Corinthian Gnosticism was a portrait of Christ considered exclusively in terms of his exaltation. There was no place whatsoever for the cross. This misrepresentation was the theological source for the severe divisions in the community. Upon mentioning his awareness of the factions, 2 Paul immediately against The cross is the doctrinal factionalism in the weight 137 for Paul’s treatment of the theological establishes the cross at the center of attention (I Cor. 1:13, 17). “The word of the cross” must be proclaimed the madness and folly of the presumptious “wisdom” of the deluded Gnostics. principle Church which is set forth in I Cor. 1:10 -4:21. The portions of material which bear particular for our purposes are 1:18 – 2:16 and 3:18 – 23.3 Here Paul takes to himself the vocabulary as “folly” the pretentions of any “wisdom” the cross as its central focus. It is precisely evaluated as being absurd in the minds of men that reveals the of God (I Cor. 1:18 – 25). Furthermore, the authentic wisdom God’s plan ship The bridge wisdom.” with each of his opponents and denounces that does not have the cross which is work of the Spirit of God is to point to the cross as the center of of salvation and as the source of his power being communicated to his people in the gospel. The intimate relation- between the proclamation of the cross in I Cor. 1:18 – 25 and the catechesis on the Spirit in I Cor. 2:6 – 16 must be recognized. between them is clearly fashioned in 2:4 when Paul testifies that his proclamation of Christ crucified (2:2) was confirmed in demonstration “of the Spirit and of power” rather than in “wordy Furthermore, other the theme of divine “wisdom” evaluated as “folly” (moria) in the eyes of word of the cross (1:18), the gifts of the to the mind shaped by the world (2:4). It is the work of the Spirit to reveal what this world cannot on its own terms, namely that the power of God for salvation is to be found in the crucifixion of the Lord of glory incomprehensible precisely grasp (en mysterio) glorification” (2:7). “wisdom” throughout activities opposed the two sections share (sophia) being the world. Like the Spirit are On the one hand, it has a to the wisdom” and it is it to be mere On “wisdom” designates communication through (2:8 – 10; 2:2; 1 :23 – 24). A synthesis of Paul’s instruction can be derived from his assertion that “We impart a hidden wisdom of God in mystery which God decreed before all ages for our There are two sides to Paul’s use of the term his exposition.4 distinctly perjorative connotation when it refers of the Gnostics. This is “worldly to the gospel and Paul estimates foolishness (1:20f; 2:5, 13; 3:19). Again, the world calls “wisdom” the skill of the debator who is only interested in words in themselves without regard for the exposition of truth. the other hand, when Paul takes this term to himself, plan revelation effected by the Holy Spirit. God’s for salvation and its 3 138 The Semitic background of the term indicated that “wisdom” (Hebrew: hokmah) belongs to the practical order of living. In its most fundamental usage, it refers to the skill of living well and of handling relationships correctly (cf. Prov. 1 : 1 – 7). The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom (Prov. 9:10). The tradition developed to teach that wisdom is ultimately a gift from God which will be experienced as an eschatological blessing (Isaiah 33:6). The Messiah to be expected will be recognized through the spirit of wisdom which will be upon him (Isaiah 11:2). While his opponents were drawing upon the conceptions of the Hellenistic mystery cults and conceived of wisdom in their “mystical” sense, Paul derived his understanding from the background of Hellenistic Judaism and understood wisdom in eschatological terms.5 His sources were the later sapiential tradition and Jewish apocalyptic. The Book of Proverbs (1 :20 – 33) typifies wisdom as hidden but seeking a dwelling among men who are prone to ignore her summons. Building upon the conception of wisdom’s presence at creation (Prov. 8:22ff.), Sirach 24 describes her as pre-existent yet seeking a dwelling place in the world (24:3 – 7) and finally finding one in Israel – (24:8 12). Wisdom is identified with Torah (24:23ff.; 19:20). Further- more, something that is pertinent to our discussion is the mention that wisdom “reveals her hidden things” (apokalypsei ran krypta autes) to the person whom she instructs (Sir. 4:18). Jewish apocalyptic6 tradition provides further resources for Paul’s reflection. Daniel is portrayed as the man of wisdom, particularly in the LXX (Dan. 1: 4, 20). Referring to the dream of the king, Daniel invites his companions to seek out God’s mercy with regard to “this mystery” (peri tou mystëriou toutou) (Dan. 2:18f.). He speaks of God communicating wisdom (sophia) by revealing things that are deep and obscure (anakalypton ta bathea kai skoteina) (Dan. 2:21ff.). To the king, he fearlessly declares “… there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (esti theos … anakalypton mysteria) (Dan. 2:28). Thus wisdom is understood to be concealed in mystery which only God can reveal to man. The mysteries refer to God’s plan of salvation in history for people. Later apocalyptic continued to develop the understanding of mystery as the benefits of salvation God would bestow upon the elect: “When the mysteries of the righteous are revealed, sinners shall be judged” (Eth. Enoch 38:3). Further evidence that Jewish apocalyptic provides the background for Paul’s instruction in I Cor. 2:6ff. is the appellation of God as “the Lord of glory and the Lord of wisdom, and every secret thing is in thy power from generation to generation” (Eth. Enoch 63:2ff.). 4 139 Paul’s Gnostic opponents considered wisdom in a pseudo- mystical and world-denying sense. Only a select few who were endowed with wisdom by being initiated into the mystery could have “mystical” perception of the divine spheres. By contrast, Paul interprets wisdom as an eschatological reality since it is, in fact, the eternal plan of God hidden in previous ages but now revealed in the time of fulfillment. This is the wisdom that is revealed through the Holy Spirit to all Christians (note the emphatic position of hemin in I Cor. 2: 10). In contrast to his opponents, the eschatological tension is still not completely removed for Paul. While God has made known his eternal purpose in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the full personal experience of its glory still lies in the future for us. What God “has prepared for those who love him” has been revealed (I Cor. 2:9 cf. Rom. 8:28) but its full outworking remains in the future. Revelation cannot be adequately understood exclusively in conceptual terms. It is more than the matter of insight and apprehension. It is God’s communication of himself which inaugurates the new and final aeon. Certainly it is the disclosure of what was previously hidden, but it consists in much more than intellectual content; it is divine life. Furthermore, the ‘ event in which this revelation bursts upon the world is the cross of Jesus Christ. This is “the power of God for those who are being saved” (I Cor. 1:18 cf. 1:24). In the event of the cross, God confronts the arrogance of the human mind and exposes its resistance to his ways. The cross cannot be logically deduced as the fulfillment of God’s wisdom. It must be proclaimed (keryssein). This preaching is itself an extension of the work of salvation to make the power of the cross available to those who would believe (I Cor. 1:22). Faith itself is the only adequate response to the revelation of God in the cross of Jesus Christ. This faith as a response to God’s merciful election ( 1:24) is a submission of one’s whole life to the communication of divine life. It includes a submission to God’s judgment on the mind of man as being bent on folly that only pretends to be wise ( 1:22 cf 3:18 – 20). It is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the wisdom in the mystery of the cross. While the two terms are not precise equivalents, in later pauline literature, the concept of mystery identifies what is at the heart of wisdom in I Corinthians. The mystery of God’s eternal plan which was foretold in the writings of the prophets and is now made known to the world (Rom. 16:25 – 26).8 The revelation of the mystery is what consititutes the distinction between the former ages and the present age. The 5 140 mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:26 – 27); in him are found “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:2). The mystery of Christ is the grace which is at the heart of the Church and which provides for the incorporation of the Gentiles and for the unity of the body (Eph. 3:3 – 6). It is through “a spirit of revelation” that the individual comes into vital contact with this dynamic reality of Christ (Eph. 1 : 17ff.). Our discussion of the pauline material up to this point bears significant implications for understanding baptism in the Holy Spirit. First of all, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to point to the cross of Jesus Christ. As soon as a person would be distracted from the cross by other concerns he loses contact with the kerygma of salvation. Secondly, the cross is revealed by the Spirit to be the center of God’s gracious and powerful communication of himself to mankind. The cross is the heart of God’s wisdom. In this sense, it cannot be conceived in terms of a historical reminiscence it must be experienced in terms of power in the present. God’s wisdom is not primarily conceptual in the mode of worldly wisdom. God’s wisdom is effective divine reality that changes man. Thirdly, the Spirit reveals the magnitude of the mystery of Christ. This mystery is active, always communicating life in salvation to the person who yields to it in faith. This is the fullness of God’s glorious action which he ordained for man in the eternal counsel of his will. God’s plan now is made active and effective in the life of man. In fact, baptism in the Holy Spirit can be described as the personal and interior revelation of Jesus Christ as Lord.9 Finally, the mind of the individual is transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. What his unredeemed mind could not grasp and really opposed, namely the cross, is now appreciated as the source of life and truth. The new evaluation of Jesus’ death no longer as folly and weakness but rather as wisdom and power is the fruit of a personal participation in the substance of the revelation communicated through the Holy Spirit. More than a matter of a change of mind, this is a personal conviction based on what has taken place to transform one’s life at its innermost depths. To appreciate the efficacy of the cross in the process, further, we will consider its role in baptism according to Paul. Our Old Self Was Crucified: Romans 6 – 8 Paul’s instruction one is set free from second Adam” (cf. on baptism (Rom. 6:1 – 14) indicates how sin and participates in the life of Christ, “the Rom. 5:12- 21). By his death on the cross, 6 141 Christ reconciled sinners to God (Rom. 5:6 – 11). The only way one can appropriate the new life is by a death of the old man. It is this event which is the foundation of baptism. Paul stresses this side of baptism in Romans 6 even to the point of not making immediate reference to the role of the Spirit. Nevertheless, the provision of the cross outlined in Romans 6 is the pre- supposition for Paul’s exposition of life in the Spirit set forth in Romans 8. Taking up his defense against the charge of libertinism, Paul begins by declaring the Christian to be dead to sin (6:2). Sin is here conceived of in its singular and profound sense as the power dominating and enslaving man which sets him in opposition to God (cf. Rom. 7:13 – 24). This sin is a condition of man that gives rise to individual acts of sin. Man is powerless to deal with sin. It is the disruption in the very nature of man that affects his whole personality but is especially evident in its provocation of the flesh in its attempts to relate to the Law (cf. Rom. 7:5). Sin is destroyed by the event of the death of the old man. It is in this event that the Christian is conformed to Christ as a whole new life is made available to him. It is to be noted that there is a parallelism between 6:2 “we have died to sin” and 6:10 “he (i.e. Christ) died to sin once for all (ephapax)”. This provides the substance for Paul’s statement that “we have died with Christ” (6:8). The death to sin is more specifically to be located in the fact that “our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed and we might no longer be enslaved to sin” (Rom. 6:6). The terminology is provided in view of Christ being understood to be the “new man” (Eph. 2:15; 4:24; cf. Col. 3:9f.). Each person shares in the life of the old man, Adam. This life must be put to death in order for him to participate in the radical newness (kainotes) of life that God offers (Rom. 6:4). The point here is that there are not two types of life set side by side. There are rather two aeons of existence being distinguished. In the former era, the old Adam life was all that was available to man and he lived in captivity to sin, the law and dearth. 10 Now, with the crucifixion of Christ and his resurrection from the dead, the era of salvation has dawned. The eschatological reign of God has begun and man can live free from sin by submission to the cross of Christ. It is the cross that ushers in the new age (as we saw from I Cor. 1:18ff.). Likewise, here it is seen that an individual moves from the old to the new life by consenting to the event of the cross in his own life. ‘ 7 142 The passive voice of the verbs relating to baptism is note- worthy (“we were baptized … “, “we were buried”, “we were crucified”) since they reflect the fact that the action is to be ascribed to God (by the use of theological passives). In addition to this point, it can be acknowledged that there is no real unity with Christ without conformity to the movement of his death and resurrection. (In the Greek text, of course, the preposition “with” (sun-) is prefixed to the verbs.) Finally, the once-for-all character of the event of baptism is enforced throughout by the use of aorist passives.” I Paul’s words in Galatians 2:19 – 20 are related to his witness of his conversion in Gal. 1:15f. through his use of the title Son of God. Referring to God, Paul states, “He… revealed his Son in me (en emoi)”. He describes his conversion in terms of revelation (cf. Gal. 1:12). His articulation of the event is entirely in conformity with what we stated above regarding the revelation of the mystery.’2 At this point we can come to a deeper appreciation of what is involved in the appropriation of God’s revelation. What is required is nothing less than the death of the self life. Consistent with the understanding of the mystery as “Christ in you” (Col. 1:26ff.), Paul declares “Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20) precisely because the cross has had its effect and “I no longer live” (Gal. 2:20). This is the structure of “faith in the Son of God”. There is a consent to the work of the cross applied by God to put to death the ego and its demands for independent satisfaction and fulfillment and a corresponding openness to the communication of the life of God in the Holy Spirit. The passive voice of the verb (“I have been crucified”) in Rom. 6:6 (aorist tense) and Gal. 2:20 (perfect tense) gives way to the active in a further development of the theme in Gal. 5:24: “Those who are of Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” The tense of the verb in this phrase is aorist indicating a completed action in the past, but this time the emphasis is placed on the consent of the believer to the application of the cross to his life. The context indicated that the work of the cross is the foundation for a life in the Spirit that exhibits genuine fruit (cf. Gal. 5:22f.). The cross has the divine power (I Cor. 1:24f.) to accomplish precisely what the Law could not, namely to put the flesh to death. Although the Law was spiritual (Rom. 7:14), man attempted to respond to its demands through his flesh. The flesh attempted to use the Law not to submit to God but rather to achieve a self-righteous independence from God even in the action of obeying its 8 143 precepts (cf. Rom. 10:3 – 4). The fulfillment of God’s commands can be accomplished only through the Spirit which is over and against the flesh (Gal. 5:17 cf. Rom. 8:1 – 11). In order for the Spirit to reign in a person’s life, the flesh must be put to death by the power of the cross. The crucifixion of the flesh is an essential component of the working of God in the grace of baptism. Paul concludes his instruction to the Galatians reinforcing the point that the cross is the key to the “new creation” (Gal. 6:14 – 15). In contrast to his opponents who would “boast” in their own fleshy adherence to the Law (cf. Gal. 6:4, 13; cf. Rom. 4:2), Paul will boast only in the cross by which he is set free from the lure of the world through the death of his flesh life (cf. I Cor. 1:31; Jer. The person who has crucified his flesh in submission to the divine inworking of the cross through faith has been set free from the present aeon of wickedness (Gal. 1:4) and is no longer under the dominion of the elemental spirits of the world (Gal. 4:9), but rather, lives in the new aeon of life in the Spirit as a son of God (Gal. 4:4 – 6). This is the person who is a new creation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). While the cross puts the flesh to death once and for all in the event of baptism which is appropriated by faith, its application must be on-going in the life of the believer. The relationship between the indicative and the imperative remains in force in this case. The Christian who has died to sin in baptism in order to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:2 – 4) must henceforth “consider (himself) dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11). This means that at every occasion when he is tempted by the desires of the flesh, he must claim the work of the cross in his life in order to remain free from the power of sin and stand united to God through a sharing in the divine life (cf. Rom. 6:12 – 14). The point here is that one does not overcome temptation through an effort or decision of the flesh to adhere to the Law of God’s righteousness. Rather, obedience to God is provided in the submission of the specific areas of fleshly desires to the work of the cross. It is impossible for the flesh, even with its apparently noble intentions, to please God. (Rom. 8:8; cf. 7:18). In the practical order life in the Spirit is provided on the foundation of the crucifixion of the flesh. The power of God and the wisdom of God is manifest through the cross of Christ (cf. I Cor. 1:24). Only the cross has the power to destroy the antagonism between the self life of the flesh and the inworking of the Holy Spirit. The life in the flesh and the life in the Spirit belong to two distinct aeons: one is of the old and worldly age 9 144 while the other is of the new and divine age. The cross is the vehicle by which the age of the Spirit breaks into the heart of man to transform his entire existence. In conclusion we can reflect on the implication of Paul’s theology of the cross for a correct understanding of baptism in the Holy Spirit and for pastoral insight into how those who have received the grace of baptism can consistently grow in the life in the Holy Spirit. First of all, it must be appreciated that the event of the cross is essential to baptism in the Holy Spirit. The baptism itself demands and actualizes a death of the self-life. The penetration of the Holy Spirit to the heart of one’s being depends on the crucifixion of the flesh. Baptism is a putting to death of the old man. In light of this understanding, it is vital that people who are being prepared for the baptism in the Holy the nature of the work of the cross for their over Spirit appreciate own lives. It is the cross that exercises power and authority the flesh to put it to death. The brokeness of the old man with his attitudes and mind-sets is evidence of the strong inworking of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. A corollary to understanding baptism in the Holy Spirit as the personal revelation of the Lordship of Jesus is considering it to be the event of the destruction of the self-life by the power of the cross so that Christ would dwell within the person through faith. Secondly, it is the cross of Christ which provides the basis for an on-going growth in the life in the Holy Spirit. The activity of the Holy Spirit becomes more consistent and evident as the believer claims the cross to be applied to his flesh whenever he sees its influence in his personality. The fruit of the Holy Spirit becomes manifest as the drives and impulsiveness of the flesh are submitted to the cross in very specific ways. There is a need for the Christian who is born to newness of life in the Holy Spirit to “therefore put to death whatever is earthly” within him (Col. 3:5ff.). This accomplished not by force of will or by an enthusiasm for self-improvement, but rather by the divine work of the cross which God imparts to the one who calls out to him in the name of his son, Jesus. Continual daily repentance, under- stood as a practical handing over of the drives of the self life to the power of the cross and a turning to the grace that is ours in the Holy Spirit, will always bring us to experience more deeply the vast wealth of life that is ours through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. *Father Michael Duggan holds the Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He is a 10 145 diocesan priest who ministers as a pastoral leader and teacher in the Mother of God Community in Gaithersberg, MD. He is a regular contributor to the Word Among Us. This paper was originally presented at the 1984 meeting of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. personal by ‘The declaration “I am of Christ” (ego de Christou) in I Cor. 1:12 is a statment by Paul rejecting the appeals to human leaders made the Corinthians. This statement forms an inclusion with his word, “You are of Christ” (hymeis de Christou) in 3:23. 2Conzelman describes the Corinthians as “proto-Gnostics” arguing that we can only project back upon them indications we have from later more fully developed forms of Gnosticism. See Hans Conzelman, I Corinthians(Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975). Horsley argues that the Corinthians accepted a Hellenistic Jewish gnosis that had marked affinities with Wisdom and Philo. See R.A. Horsley, “Gnosis in Corinth”, New Testament Studies, 27 (1980), that I Cor. pp. 32 – 51. 3Branick suggests originally 1:8 – 3 l, 2:6 -16 and 3:18 – 23 formed an independent unit exhibiting a homiletic that might have been found in the pattern synagogue environment. See V.P. Branick, “Source and Redaction Analysis of I Corinthians I – 3” Journal of Biblical Literature 101 ( 1982), pp. 251 – 269. 4See James D.G. Dunn, Jesus and the Spirit, (Philadelphia: West- minster Press, 1975) 219 ff. 5See U. Wilckens, “Sophia” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971), Vol. 7, 517-524. See also B.A. Pearson, The Pneumtaikos-Psychikos Terminology in I Corinthians, (Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1973) 27 – 43. 6See R.A. Brown, Semitic Background of the Term “mystery “in the New Testament, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968), 40 – 51. See also Gunther Bornkamm, “Mysterion”, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 4 ( 1967), 802 – 828. 7The quotation in I Cor. 2:9 represents a conflation of texts coming from the Old Testament (Is. 64:4; 52:15; Ps. 31 :20), apocalyptic (Asc. Is. 11:34: 2nd Century A.D.: “for you have seen what no other born of flesh has seen”) and possibly from rabbinical literature. See H. Conzelman, I Corinthians, pp. 63f. The phrase “for those who love him” reflects a wisdom theme found in Sirach her I :)0: “He (God) supplied (wisdom) to those who love him.” 8It is to be recognized that Rom. 16:25 – 27 is a later addition to the letter. 9For an excellent analysis of baptism in the Holy Spirit in the New Testament followed by an outline of its implications for the Church in our day see F. Martin, “Le Bapteme dans l’Esprit,” Nouvelle Revue Theologique 106 ( 1984) 23 – 58. So too, P. Hocken, “The Meaning and Purpose of Baptism in the Holy Spirit” which appears in this issue of Pneuma. 11 146 ‘°See E. Kasemann, Commentary on Romans, (Grand 158ff. See Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1980) also, S. Lyonnet, Exegesis Epistulae Ad Romanos, Rome, 1961, 2 1 ff. “See H.D. Betz, Galatians, (Hermeneia; also R. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979), 1 Z 1 ff. See Bultmann, New Testament, 2 vols. (London: SCM, 1952) 1:197. Theology of the 12See above pp. 137ff. ‘3See Robert Jewett, Paul’s Anthropological Terms, (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1971) 95ff. 12
Troy Day
Desiring to avoid what he sees as contemporary misunderstandings of “Spirit,” John A. Studebaker, Jr., Adjunct Professor at Cornerstone University and Spring Arbor University and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries in Michigan, raises the question of the Holy Spirit’s authority. Studebaker contends that among the proliferation of recent scholarship on pneumatology, the Spirit’s authority — not to be confused with the Spirit’s power — remains largely unarticulated. He states that this is detrimental to both systematic and practical theology and that evangelicals need to recognize the fundamental importance of a theology of the Spirit’s authority, even to the extent of giving it place within theological prolegomena. Studebaker’s inquiry leads to considerations of the Spirit’s role within the larger pattern of divine authority, various aspects of the Spirit’s authority (e.g., “executo- rial,” “veracious,” and “governing”) and their relationship to the authority of Christ, as well as their implications for hermeneutics, church structure and guidance, and Christian spiri- tuality. He proceeds by examining relevant pneumatological debates in the history of theol- ogy, assessing some tendencies in current systematic theology in light of select scriptures, and addressing the import of the Spirit’s authority for church practices. Studebaker’s most consistent argument is that the Spirit is a “person” that cannot be reduced to human sub- jectivity or to an inanimate force or process within the world. In fact, this is a primary reason that he goes to such lengths to demonstrate from scripture that the Spirit acts authoritatively, usually in contrast to fi gures like Jürgen Moltmann and Peter Hodgson, whom he curiously and with little elaboration labels “postmodern.” Decrying the overem- phasis on the Spirit’s immanence in their “panentheism,” Studebaker reasserts the Spirit’s transcendence — wishing to balance the two — by enlisting Colin Gunton, Paul Molnar, and T omas F. Torrance. While this engagement with the Spirit’s personhood is not prob- lematic in itself, it receives inordinate attention in a book devoted to the conceptual rela- tionship between “Spirit” and “authority.” Too frequently arguments return to the rather banal conclusion that the Spirit is a divine person who acts.