Prologue #

¹ Even in the first book of ancient history, it’s clear that the sevenfold grace of the Spirit was evident in the judges of the Jews, and that the mysteries of the heavenly sacraments were revealed by the Spirit, whose eternity Moses acknowledged. Moreover, from the very start of the world, and even before its beginning, Moses recognized the Spirit as eternal, united with God. If you look closely, you’ll see the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit from the beginning. The Bible states: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” referring to the Father. It also says: “The Spirit was hovering over the waters,” indicating the Spirit. This symbolizes baptism, purifying creation from the start. Additionally, the Son is mentioned as the one who separated light from darkness, showing that the Father is the one who speaks and the Son is the one who acts.

² However, to ensure that you don’t think there was any presumption in the command of the one who spoke, or inferiority in the one who carried it out, the Father acknowledges the Son as equal to Himself in the execution of the work, saying: “Let Us make man in Our image and likeness.” This shared image, action, and likeness can only signify the oneness of the same Majesty.

³ To further understand the equality of the Father and the Son, consider that just as the Father speaks and the Son creates, the Father also works and the Son speaks. The Father works, as it is written: “My Father works until now.” It is said to the Son: “Say the word and he shall be healed.” And the Son says to the Father: “I desire that where I am, they also may be with Me.” The Father fulfills what the Son requests.

⁴ Abraham, too, was aware of the Holy Spirit; he saw Three and worshipped One, for there is one God, one Lord, and one Spirit. Therefore, there is a unity of honor because there is a unity of power.

⁵ Why should I mention each one individually? Samson, born by divine promise, had the Spirit with him, as we read: “The Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp.” Foreshadowing a future mystery, he sought a wife from the foreigners, which, as it is written, his parents did not understand was from the Lord. He was rightly considered stronger than others because the Spirit of the Lord guided him. With this guidance, he alone drove away the foreign people and, at another time, was impervious to a lion’s bite, tearing it apart with his hands. If only he had been as diligent in preserving grace as he was in defeating the beast!

⁶ And perhaps this was not just an incredible act of bravery, but also a profound mystery of wisdom and a prophetic sign. It seems purposeful that, on his way to his wedding, he encountered a roaring lion, which he tore apart with his hands. Later, when he was about to celebrate his marriage, he found a swarm of bees in the lion’s carcass and took honey from it, which he shared with his father and mother. The Gentiles who believed received honey, transforming from a once savage people to the people of Christ.

⁷ The riddle he posed to his companions is also filled with mystery: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” This mystery persisted for three days, during which its answer was sought in vain. It could only be revealed through the faith of the Church, on the seventh day, after the time of the Law was fulfilled, following the Passion of the Lord. This mirrors how the apostles did not understand because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

⁸ They answered, “What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?” He replied, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.” Oh, divine mystery! Oh, clear sacrament! We have escaped from the destroyer and overcome the strong one. The food of life is now where there once was the hunger of a miserable death. Dangers have turned into safety, bitterness into sweetness. Grace has emerged from offense, power from weakness, and life from death.

⁹ Some believe that the marriage could not have been established unless the lion of the tribe of Judah had been slain. In his body, representing the Church, bees were found storing up the honey of wisdom. After the Lord’s Passion, the apostles believed more fully. Samson, a Jew, killed this lion, but found honey within it, symbolizing the heritage to be redeemed so that the remnant might be saved according to the election of grace.

¹⁰ It is said that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men. For he could not fail to achieve victory, having seen the mysteries. Thus, those who solve and answer the riddle receive the garments, symbolizing the reward of wisdom and the badge of communion.

¹¹ Here, new mysteries arise: his wife is taken away, and in response, foxes set fire to the sheaves of the outsiders. Often, clever tricks deceive those who challenge divine mysteries. That’s why the Song of Songs says, “Catch the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, so our vineyards can thrive.” It mentions “little” foxes because larger ones couldn’t destroy the vineyards—though even the devil is powerless against the strong.

¹² To summarize briefly (as a full analysis will be reserved for later), he remained undefeated as long as he retained the Spirit’s grace, much like how the people chosen by the Lord, including that Nazarite under the Law, were protected. Samson, in particular, was invincible—capable of defeating a thousand men with just the jawbone of a donkey. So abundant was his divine grace that, even when thirsty, he found water in the jawbone, which can be seen as either a miracle or a symbol. This mirrors the humility of the Gentile people, suggesting that through enduring hardships—symbolized by the biblical teaching to “turn the other cheek”—we overcome anger and, through the sacrament of baptism, triumph over death to reach the resurrection’s rest.

¹³ Is this the same Samson who broke ropes twisted with thongs and snapped new cords like they were mere threads? Is this the Samson who felt no constraints from being bound with his own hair, as long as he had the Spirit’s grace? After the Spirit of God left him, he was drastically different from the Samson who once returned in triumph with the spoils of his enemies. Now, having fallen from his former glory, he was brought low by a woman who flattered and deceived him, resulting in his hair being cut and his strength lost.

¹⁴ Was Samson’s hair truly so significant that as long as it remained, his strength was unbeatable, but once cut, he lost all his power? This isn’t the case; we shouldn’t believe that the hair itself held such power. Rather, the hair symbolizes religious devotion and faith. It represents the Nazarite’s perfect adherence to the Law, characterized by restraint and abstinence. Similarly, the woman who anointed the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair (a symbol of the Church) showed her devotion. This hair, metaphorically speaking, is likened to flocks of goats, growing on the head which is Christ. In another passage, it’s described as the head being fine gold, with locks like black pine trees, illustrating the depth of spiritual significance rather than physical strength.

¹⁵ In the Gospel, our Lord says, “Even the hairs of your head are all numbered,” to illustrate the meticulous care and attention God gives to spiritual virtues, not just physical attributes like hair. While this might also suggest that nothing is hidden from God’s divine Majesty, the focus is on the deeper spiritual meaning rather than a literal concern for our hair.

¹⁶ But what good does it do me if God knows the number of hairs on my head? What truly matters and benefits me is if the attentive observer of my good deeds rewards me with the gift of eternal life. In the end, even Samson acknowledged that his hair wasn’t mystical, stating that if he were shaved, he would lose his strength. Now, let’s move on from the mystery and examine the structure of the passage.

Chapter 1 #

¹ Earlier, we read that the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him. Later, it’s mentioned: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him.” He also said, “If I am shaved, my strength will leave me.” After he was shaved, the Scripture states: “The Lord had departed from him.”

² So, you see, the One who was with him has now left him. This same entity is the Lord, who is also the Spirit of the Lord. As the Apostle puts it, “The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Thus, we find the Holy Spirit referred to as the Lord. This is because the Holy Spirit and the Son are not one Person (unus) but one Substance (unum).

³ Here, the term “Power” is used to refer to the Spirit. Just as the Father is described as Power, so too is the Son and the Holy Spirit. We’ve read that Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God. Similarly, the Father is described as Power, as seen in the verse: “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power of God.” The Father is indeed named Power, at whose right hand the Son sits, as indicated in: “The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand.” Additionally, the Lord Himself referred to the Holy Spirit as Power when He said: “You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

Chapter 2 #

¹ The Spirit is indeed Power, as described: “The Spirit of Counsel and of Power.” Just as the Son is called the Angel of great counsel, the Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of Counsel. This shows that the Counsel of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is unified. This Counsel is not about uncertain matters, but rather about what has been foreknown and determined.

² You can understand that the Spirit is the key figure in God’s decisions from this point. When we discussed earlier that the Holy Spirit is in charge of baptism, and we see that baptism is part of God’s plan, as mentioned in the scripture where it says, “But the Pharisees rejected God’s plan for them because they had not been baptized by Him,” it becomes clear. Just as there is no baptism without the Spirit, so, too, the counsel of God is not without the Spirit.

³ To understand more fully that the Spirit is indeed Power, we should remember that He was promised when the Lord said, “I will pour out My Spirit on all people.” So, the One promised to us is in fact Power. This is confirmed by the Son of God in the Gospel when He said, “I will send you what My Father has promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

⁴ The Evangelist also demonstrates that the Spirit is Power. St. Luke describes how the Spirit came down with immense power, noting: “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind.”

⁵ To clarify that this isn’t about physical or sensory phenomena, understand that the Spirit descended in a way similar to how Christ will descend. As it is written: “They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

⁶ How could power and might not be one, given that everything—work, judgment, the temple, life-giving, sanctification, and the kingdom of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is unified?

Chapter 3 #

¹ Let them explain, then, where they believe there is a difference in the divine operation. Knowing the Father and the Son is life, as the Lord Himself declared: “This is eternal life, to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” In the same way, knowing the Holy Spirit is life. For the Lord said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He is with you and in you.”

² So, then, the world did not have eternal life because it had not received the Spirit; for where the Spirit is, there is eternal life, as the Spirit Himself brings eternal life. Therefore, I wonder why the Arians raise questions about the only true God. Just as it is eternal life to know the only true God, it is also eternal life to know Jesus Christ. Similarly, it is eternal life to know the Holy Spirit, whom the world does not see, just as it does not see the Father and does not know the Son. But anyone who is not of this world has eternal life, and the Spirit, who is the Light of eternal life, remains with them forever.

³ If the knowledge of the only true God provides the same benefit as knowing the Son and the Spirit, why do you separate the Son and the Spirit from the honor of the true God when you do not separate them from conferring this benefit? You must either believe that eternal life is the greatest gift of the only true Godhead and confess that the only true Godhead is of the Father, as well as of the Son and the Holy Spirit, or, if you claim that one who is not true God can also give eternal life, you will end up undermining the Father. This is because you do not consider His work to be the primary work of the only true Godhead, but rather comparable to the work of a creature.

Chapter 4 #

¹ And what wonder is it that the Spirit gives life, just as the Father and the Son do? Who can deny that giving life is the work of the Eternal Majesty? For it is written: “Quicken Your servant.” Therefore, the one who is quickened is a servant, meaning a human who did not previously have life but received the privilege of having it.

² Let us then consider whether the Spirit is given life or if He Himself gives life. It is written: “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” So, then, the Spirit gives life.

³ But to understand that the life-giving work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is unified, consider the oneness of this quickening. God Himself gives life through the Spirit, as Paul said: “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Chapter 5 #

¹ Who can doubt that the Holy Spirit gives life to everything? The Holy Spirit, along with the Father and the Son, created all things. The Almighty Father did nothing without the Holy Spirit, and in the beginning of creation, the Spirit moved over the waters.

² So, when the Spirit was moving over the waters, creation was without grace. But after the world was created and underwent the work of the Spirit, it gained all the beauty of grace, with which the world is illuminated. The prophet affirmed that the universe cannot exist without the Holy Spirit when he said: “You will take away Your Spirit, and they will fail and return to dust. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be made, and You will renew the face of the earth.” This not only teaches that no creature can exist without the Holy Spirit, but also that the Spirit is the Creator of the entire creation.

³ Who can deny that the creation of the earth is the work of the Holy Spirit, whose work it is also to renew it? If anyone tries to deny that the Spirit created the earth, they cannot deny that it must be renewed by the Spirit. Those who want to separate the Persons of the Trinity would have to argue that the Holy Spirit’s work is superior to that of the Father and the Son, which is not true. There is no doubt that the renewed earth is better than it was when first created. If the Father and the Son created the earth initially without the Holy Spirit and then the Spirit’s work was added later, it would imply that their creation needed the Spirit’s help. However, it is wrong to think that the divine work required any change in the Creator, as this is an error introduced by Manicheus.

⁴ Can we believe that the substance of the earth exists without the work of the Holy Spirit, when even the expanse of the sky cannot endure without His operation? For it is written: “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their strength by the Spirit of His mouth.” Notice that all the strength of the heavens is attributed to the Spirit. How could the Spirit, who was active before the earth was made, be inactive during its creation?

⁵ Gentile writers, though they only grasped a shadow of the truth, have acknowledged in their verses that a divine Spirit sustains heaven and earth, along with the shining bodies of the moon and stars. They do not deny that the strength of creation comes from this Spirit. Should we, who read these works, deny the same? If they attributed the role of Creator to a Spirit of the air, can we doubt that the Spirit of God is the true Creator of all things?

⁶ Why am I wasting time on irrelevant matters? Let me make it clear: there is undeniable evidence that the Holy Spirit has created everything. It’s beyond question that everything exists through His work—whether it’s Angels, Archangels, Thrones, or Dominions. This is because the Lord, whom the Angels serve, was conceived by the Holy Spirit coming upon the Virgin. As Matthew recounts, the Angel told Joseph, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child she will bear is from the Holy Spirit.” Similarly, according to Luke, the Angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.”

⁷ The Virgin Birth was the work of the Holy Spirit. The child conceived in her womb was the work of the Spirit, as it is written: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” The flower from the root is also the work of the Spirit. It was prophesied: “A rod will come from the root of Jesse, and a flower will rise from that root.” The root of Jesse refers to the Jewish lineage, Mary is the rod, and Christ is the flower of Mary. Christ, who would spread the fragrance of faith across the world, was born from a virgin’s womb, as He Himself said: “I am the flower of the plain, a lily of the valley.”

⁸ A flower, even when cut, retains its fragrance and becomes even more aromatic when bruised or torn. Similarly, the Lord Jesus, though He was wounded and crucified, did not lose His essence or diminish. Even when pierced by the spear, His beauty was enhanced by the outpouring of His Blood. He could not die in Himself and, by His sacrifice, He offered the gift of eternal life to the dead. Thus, the Holy Spirit rested upon this flower of the royal lineage.

⁹ Some believe that the Flesh of the Lord is the true rod. It ascended from its earthly roots to heaven, bringing the fragrant fruits of faith and divine mysteries to the world. This Flesh poured grace upon the heavenly altars, spreading the sweet essence of spiritual truth everywhere.

¹⁰ We cannot doubt that the Spirit is the Creator, as He is recognized as the Author of the Lord’s Incarnation. Who could doubt this when, at the beginning of the Gospel, it is written that the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way: “When Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of (ex) the Holy Spirit”?

¹¹ Although most authorities read “de Spiritu,” the original Greek from which the Latin was translated uses “ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου,” which means “ex Spiritu Sancto” (of the Holy Spirit). What is “of” (ex) someone is either of their substance or of their power. It is “of their substance,” as in the case of the Son, who says, “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,” or the Spirit, “who proceeds from the Father,” of whom the Son says, “He will glorify Me, for He will take from what is Mine.” But it is “of their power,” as in the statement, “One God, the Father, of whom are all things.”

¹² How, then, was Mary with child by the Holy Spirit? If it was of His substance, was the Spirit transformed into flesh and bones? Certainly not. But if the Virgin conceived by His action and power, who can deny that the Holy Spirit is the Creator?

¹³ How, then, do we understand Job’s statement that “the Spirit of God has made me”? In this brief passage, Job indicates that the Spirit is both divine and Creator. If the Spirit is indeed Creator, then He cannot be a creature. This aligns with what the Apostle Paul said: “They worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,” clearly distinguishing between the Creator and the created.

¹⁴ He instructs us to serve the Creator by condemning those who worship the created things instead. Since Job recognized the Spirit as the Creator, he implies that we should serve the Spirit. This is further emphasized in Paul’s warning: “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision. For we are the circumcision who serve the Spirit of God.”

¹⁵ If anyone questions this due to variations in the Latin manuscripts, some of which may have been altered by heretics, they should check the Greek manuscripts. They will find that it reads: “οἱ πνεύματι Θεοῦ λατρεύοντες,” which translates to “who serve the Spirit of God.”

¹⁶ Therefore, when the Apostle instructs us to serve the Spirit and asserts that we should not serve the creature but the Creator, he clearly indicates that the Holy Spirit is indeed the Creator and deserves to be honored as part of the eternal Godhead. This is in line with the commandment: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”

Chapter 6 #

¹ I am also aware that some heretics argue that the Holy Spirit seems to be a creature based on their interpretation of a passage from Amos. They use this passage to support their erroneous beliefs. The verse reads: “Behold, I am the One who establishes the thunders and creates the wind [or spirit], who reveals to man his Christ, who makes light and mist, and ascends to the high places. The Lord God Almighty is His Name.”

² If someone argues from this, that the ‘spirit’ was created—Esdras taught this in the fourth book, where it says, “On the second day, You made the spirit of the firmament”; but let’s stay focused on our main point—Isn’t it clear from Amos’s statement that the prophet was referring to the creation of this world?

³ He starts by saying, “I am the Lord who establishes the thunders and creates the wind [spirit].” The order of these words is telling. If he had meant to refer to the Holy Spirit, he wouldn’t have mentioned thunders first, since thunder is not older than the Holy Spirit—and even those who disagree wouldn’t claim otherwise. Moreover, when we consider the subsequent references to light and mist, it’s clear that the passage describes the creation of this world. Our everyday experience shows that during storms, thunder comes first, followed by wind, then the sky darkens with mist, and finally, light emerges from the darkness. Wind is also called spirits, as shown by the phrase: “Fire and brimstone and the spirit of storm.”

⁴ To clarify that this “spirit” refers to the wind and not the Holy Spirit, consider this: the text says, “establishing thunders and creating the wind [spirit].” Thunder and wind are created events; they occur and cease. The Holy Spirit, however, is eternal and not subject to daily creation like the wind. Even if someone were to wrongly call the Holy Spirit a creature, they couldn’t claim He is created daily like a gust of wind. Furthermore, Wisdom, speaking in the context of the assumed Body of Christ, says, “The Lord created Me.” Although this prophecy refers to future events, the use of “created” rather than “creates” highlights that Christ’s coming was predestined. This distinction emphasizes that the Body of Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary once, not repeatedly.

⁵ Regarding the prophet’s reference to God’s daily work through thunder and the creation of the wind, it would be deeply misguided to apply such descriptions to the Holy Spirit. Even those who reject the idea of the Holy Spirit cannot deny that He existed before the world began. Therefore, we affirm with deep conviction that the Holy Spirit has always existed and always will. The Holy Spirit, who was moving over the waters before the world’s creation, cannot suddenly become visible only after the world was made. To suggest otherwise would imply that there are multiple Holy Spirits coming into being through a sort of daily creation, which is utterly unacceptable. It is blasphemous to claim that the Holy Spirit is created repeatedly. Why would the Holy Spirit need to be created frequently? It’s not as if He dies and needs to be recreated. But the Spirit of life cannot die. Therefore, there is no reason for the Holy Spirit to be created repeatedly.

⁶ Those who hold different views fall into sacrilege because they fail to distinguish the Holy Spirit properly. They believe that the Word sent forth returns to the Father and that the Spirit, when sent forth, is reabsorbed into God. This leads them to think of a process where there is a kind of reabsorption and alternation, as if one entity changes into different forms. However, the true doctrine maintains that the distinction between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remains constant and unchanging. This distinction upholds the unity of divine power without any alteration or reabsorption. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each exist eternally and distinctly, preserving their individual roles while maintaining the unified essence of God.

⁷ If someone believes that the prophet’s words should be interpreted with reference to the Holy Spirit, because it says, “declaring unto men His Christ,” then it makes more sense to understand this in the context of the Lord’s Incarnation. If you’re troubled by the mention of the Spirit and think it can’t be related to the mystery of taking on human nature, keep reading the Scriptures. You’ll find that everything aligns perfectly with Christ. It’s entirely fitting to think that His coming established the thunders, meaning the powerful and resonant truths of the heavenly Scriptures. These thunders leave us in awe, making us respect and revere the divine messages.

⁸ In the Gospel, the Lord’s brothers are called the “Sons of Thunder.” When the Father’s voice declared, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again,” the Jews mistakenly thought it was thunder. Although they couldn’t grasp the truth’s grace and were speaking unknowingly, their reaction inadvertently gave a powerful testimony to the Father about the Son. Similarly, in the Book of Job, it is written, “And who knows when He will display the power of His thunder?” If these words referred to the thunder of the heavens, it would have mentioned that the thunder’s power was already manifested, not something yet to be revealed.

⁹ So, the reference to “thunders” is meant to symbolize the powerful words of the Lord, which spread across the entire earth. Here, the term “spirit” should be understood as referring to the soul, which He took on, endowed with reason and perfection. Scripture often uses the word “spirit” to denote the soul of a person, as seen in the phrase, “Who creates the spirit of man within him.” Similarly, the Lord used the term “Spirit” to refer to His Soul when He said, “Into Your hands I commend My Spirit.”

¹⁰ To clarify that the reference is about Jesus’ arrival, it’s mentioned that He revealed His Christ to humanity. This was evident at His baptism when God said, “You are My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” It was reaffirmed on the mount when God declared, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.” During His Passion, the declaration continued as the sun darkened, and the earth and sea shook. Finally, it was acknowledged by the Centurion who declared, “Truly this was the Son of God.”

¹¹ Therefore, we should interpret this entire passage as referring either to our current earthly existence or to the mystery of the Lord’s Body. If the text had claimed that the Holy Spirit was created, Scripture would certainly have mentioned this elsewhere, just as it does with the Son of God, who was both made and created in terms of His human nature.

¹² It’s fitting to reflect on how His Majesty became human for us, as it reveals His divine power through His embodiment. Just as we understand that the Father was involved in the mystery of the Lord’s Incarnation, so was the Spirit; and Christ Himself was involved in the creation of His own Body. The Father created it, as written: “The Lord created Me,” and in another place, “God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” The Spirit also played a role in this mystery, as we read that Mary was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

¹³ You can see that both the Father and the Spirit were involved in creation. Similarly, the Son of God was also involved, as Solomon says, “Wisdom has built herself a house.” Given this, how can the Holy Spirit, who played a role in the creation of the Lord’s Incarnation—a mystery beyond all creation—be considered a created being Himself?

¹⁴ Having established earlier that the Holy Spirit is our Creator in terms of our physical being, let’s now show that He is also our Creator in the realm of grace. Just as the Father creates and the Son creates, the Holy Spirit creates as well. As Paul writes: “For it is by God’s grace that we have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”

Chapter 7 #

¹ So, the Father creates through good works, and the Son does as well. As it is written: “But to all who did receive Him, He gave the right to become children of God—to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

² Similarly, the Lord Himself confirms that we are born again of the Spirit through grace. He said: “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Do not be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The Spirit moves where He wishes. You hear His voice, but you do not know where He comes from or where He is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

³ It’s clear that the Holy Spirit is also the source of spiritual grace. Since we are created in God’s image to become His children, can we really deny the Spirit who brings us into His kingdom through holy regeneration? He makes us heirs of a new, divine birth—can we claim this inheritance and ignore its source? The gift cannot exist without the giver; they are inseparable. If you accept the grace, you must also believe in the power behind it. If you reject the power, don’t expect the grace. Denying the Spirit means rejecting the gift itself. If the giver is insignificant, how can the gifts be valuable? Why would we begrudge the blessings we receive, lower our expectations, reject our dignity, and deny our Comforter?

⁴ We cannot deny Him—far be it from us to reject something so great, especially since the Apostle says: “But you, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as it was then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit.” Clearly, it is understood from what was said earlier that being born according to the Spirit means being born of God. We are born again when we are renewed inwardly, shedding the oldness of the outer man. Thus, the Apostle also says: “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which is created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.” Let them hear how Scripture emphasizes the unity of the divine operation: the one who is renewed in the spirit of their mind has put on the new man, which is created according to God.

⁵ The superior regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the Creator of this new self, fashioned in God’s image, which is undeniably better than our outer self. The Apostle clarifies this distinction by saying that the heavenly is like the heavenly, and the earthly is like the earthly.

⁶ Since the grace of the Spirit transforms the earthly into the heavenly, even if we lack direct examples, we can still understand this through reasoning. For instance, Job says, “As the Lord lives, who has judged me, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter (for the Spirit of God is in my nostrils).” Here, Job isn’t referring to the physical breath and nostrils, but rather to the inner part of his being. This inner “nostrils” symbolize how he absorbs the essence of eternal life and the grace of divine anointing, as if through a deeper, spiritual sense.

⁷ There are spiritual nostrils, as we read in Scripture, which the bride of the Word possesses, as it is said to her: “And the smell of your nostrils.” In another passage, it is written: “The Lord smelled a smell of sweetness.” Thus, there are, so to speak, inward members of a person—hands symbolizing action, ears representing hearing, and feet signifying progress in good works. From what is done, we derive figurative representations of these members, for it is not fitting to conceive of anything in the inner man in a fleshly or material way.

⁸ Some people mistakenly think of God in physical terms when they read descriptions of His hand or finger. However, these descriptions are not meant to suggest that God has a physical body. Rather, they express the unity of the Godhead. In reality, the Godhead is not composed of physical parts or members. Instead, the fullness of the Godhead is fully present in the essence of the Trinity, without division. For this reason, the Son is called the “Right Hand of the Father,” as reflected in scriptures like “The Right Hand of the Lord has done mighty things; the Right Hand of the Lord has exalted me.”

Chapter 8 #

¹ Is it any wonder that people get caught up in debates about words, even down to syllables? Some argue that we should praise God in the Spirit but not with the Spirit, believing that the way we speak about God reflects His greatness. They claim that if we say God is praised in the Spirit, it refers to a role of the Holy Spirit. But if we say God is glorified with the Spirit, it suggests a connection or unity among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

² But who can separate what is inherently inseparable? Who can divide what Christ Himself has shown to be unified? He instructed, “Go, baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Did He change a single word or syllable regarding the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit? Certainly not. He used the same phrase for the Spirit as He did for the Father and for Himself. This implies not just a specific role of the Holy Spirit but a shared honor and work when we speak of the Spirit.

³ Consider also that this view undermines the Father and the Son. For Christ did not say, “with the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” but rather “in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” This phrase expresses not just a specific role but the power of the entire Trinity.

⁴ Finally, understand that it’s not a syllable that affects faith, but rather faith that gives meaning to a syllable. Paul also speaks “in Christ,” and Christ is not diminished by this, as seen in the statement: “We speak before God in Christ.” Just as Paul says we speak in Christ, so too do we speak in the Spirit. As the Apostle noted, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” Thus, in this context, it’s not about subordinating the Holy Spirit, but about a connection of grace.

⁵ To show that distinction doesn’t rely on a single syllable, consider what Paul says in another passage: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” This is not an isolated example. It is written, “You are all one in Christ Jesus,” and also, “To those sanctified in Christ Jesus,” as well as, “That we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” and, “Should fall from the purity that is in Christ Jesus.”

⁶ But what am I really doing here? Even though I claim that things written about the Son should be considered as if they were written about the Spirit, my point isn’t that writing about the Son automatically means it’s also respectfully written about the Holy Spirit. Instead, my point is that because similar things are written about the Spirit, some people argue that this somehow diminishes the honor of the Son. They ask, “Is it written about God the Father?”

⁷ But people should recognize that similar statements are also made about God the Father. For example, it says, “In the Lord I will praise the word,” and “In God we will do mighty deeds.” It also says, “My remembrance shall be ever in You,” and “In Your Name will we rejoice.” Additionally, it states, “That his deeds may be revealed, that they are done in God,” and Paul writes, “In God who created all things.” Paul also addresses the Church of the Thessalonians, saying, “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” In the Gospel, it says, “I am in the Father and the Father is in Me,” and “The Father who dwells in Me.” And it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” And it also says, “Our life is hidden with Christ in God.” By saying that we are with Christ in God, is the Son being given more honor than the Father? Or is our situation somehow greater than the grace of the Spirit, so that we can be with Christ but the Holy Spirit cannot? And when Christ wants to be with us— as He Himself said, “Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am”— would He refuse to be with the Spirit? It is written, “You are gathered together with my spirit and the power of the Lord Jesus.” So, do we come together in the power of the Lord and then claim that the Lord Jesus would not want to be with the Spirit, who willingly comes together with us?

⁸ The Apostle believes that it doesn’t matter which connecting word you use. Each one serves as a conjunction, and a conjunction doesn’t create separation. If it did cause separation, it wouldn’t be called a conjunction.

⁹ So, what makes you hesitate to say that glory, life, greatness, or power belong to God the Father or to His Christ through the Holy Spirit, while you refuse to acknowledge these qualities in the Spirit? Are you worried about seeming to equate the Spirit with the Father and the Son? But consider what is written about the Spirit: “The law of the Spirit is life in Christ Jesus.” And God the Father also says, “They shall worship You, and in You they shall make supplication.” If God the Father says we should pray in Christ, does it diminish the Spirit to say that Christ’s glory is present in Him?

¹⁰ Consider this: The Apostle wasn’t afraid to embrace what you might fear to acknowledge about the Spirit. He even said, “To be with Christ is far better.” So, how can you deny that the Spirit, who made the Apostle worthy of being with Christ, is also with Christ?

¹¹ So, why do you say that God or Christ is glorified in the Spirit rather than with the Spirit? Is it because saying “in the Spirit” implies that the Spirit is somehow lesser than Christ? While it’s possible to refute the idea of making the Lord greater or lesser, remember that we read, “Christ was made sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This shows that Christ is supreme even when we are most humble. Similarly, it is written, “In Him all things hold together,” meaning everything exists by His power. The things that hold together in Him can’t be compared to Him, since they derive their existence from His power.

¹² Do you believe that God rules through the Spirit in such a way that the Spirit’s power somehow gives God the basis for His authority? This idea is actually quite problematic. Our predecessors emphasized the unity of power among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit by stating that the glory of Christ is with the Spirit. They did this to highlight their inseparable connection and to affirm that their divine authority and glory are united.

¹³ How can the Holy Spirit be separated from the Son, given that the Spirit Himself confirms with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if we are children, we are also heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ? Who would be foolish enough to attempt to divide the eternal unity of the Spirit and Christ, especially when the Spirit, through whom we become co-heirs with Christ, unites even what is otherwise separated?

¹⁴ If we are to suffer with Christ in order to be glorified with Him, and if we are indeed glorified with Christ through the Spirit, how can we deny that the Spirit is also glorified with Christ? Can we truly separate the life of Christ from the life of the Holy Spirit when the Spirit promises that we will live with the Son of God? The Apostle says, “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him,” and again, “If we suffer with Him, we will also be glorified with Him.” Not only will we live and be glorified with Him, but we will also reign with Him.

¹⁵ No division is suggested by these particles, as each one serves as a connector. In the Scriptures, we often see one part stated and the other implied. For example, it says, “I will enter into Your house with whole burnt-offerings,” meaning “with whole burnt-offerings”; or “He brought them forth with silver and gold,” implying “with silver and gold.” Similarly, the Psalmist asks, “Will You not go forth with us in our hosts?” which means “with our hosts.” Therefore, using these expressions doesn’t diminish the honor of God. It’s essential for a person to truly believe in their heart for righteousness and to confess with their mouth for salvation. Those who don’t believe with their heart often speak things that undermine this truth.

Chapter 9 #

¹ Another passage that some interpret as implying a distinction reads: “But to us there is one Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” They argue that when it says “of Him,” it refers to the essence or source; when it says “through Him,” it refers to the instrument or means; and when it says “in Him,” it refers to the context or condition in which everything made is perceived.

² So, their aim is to show a difference in substance, trying to differentiate between what they consider the instrument and the actual source or author, as well as between time or place and the instrument. But does this mean the Son is somehow different in nature from the Father, just because an instrument is different from the worker or author? Or is the Son different from the Spirit just because time or place is not the same as an instrument?

³ Let’s compare our views. They argue that matter comes from God as if it were part of God’s own nature, similar to how a chest is made of wood or a statue of stone. According to them, matter is produced by God in this way, while the Son is seen as merely the instrument through which this matter is shaped. They claim that the Son is more of a tool than the actual creator, and that all things are made in the Spirit, as if in a particular place or time. They attribute each aspect of creation to a different Person and deny that all aspects are shared equally among them.

⁴ We demonstrate that everything originates from God the Father, and He remains complete and unchanged because everything is either through Him or in Him. However, all things do not come from Him as if He were their material source. Additionally, all things come through the Lord the Son, ensuring that the Son retains the attribute that everything comes from Him and is in Him. Likewise, all things exist in the Spirit, so we affirm that everything is through the Spirit and from the Spirit.

⁵ These terms, like the ones we’ve discussed before, imply one another. When the Apostle says, “All things are of God” and “all things are through the Son,” he is not suggesting that the substance of the Father and the Son is separate. Instead, he aims to show that, while the Father and the Son are distinct without being confused, they are unified in their essence and work. These terms are not opposed but are connected and harmonized, often referring to one Person in a complementary way. As it is written, “For of Him, and through Him, and in Him are all things.”

⁶ If you carefully consider the source of this passage, you will have no doubt that it refers to the Son. The Apostle cites the prophecy of Isaiah, stating, “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” He then adds, “For of Him and in Him are all things.” Isaiah had said this about the Creator of everything, as you can read: “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the earth in His fist? Who has weighed the mountains on scales and the hills in a balance? Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?”

⁷ And the Apostle added: “For from Him, through Him, and in Him are all things.” What does “from Him” mean? It means that the nature of everything comes from His will, and He is the Creator of all things that exist. What does “through Him” mean? It signifies that the establishment and maintenance of everything is His gift. What does “in Him” mean? It means that all things, with a wonderful kind of longing and indescribable love, look to the Author of their life and the Giver of their blessings and functions. As it is written: “The eyes of all look to You, and You open Your hand and satisfy every living creature with Your goodness.”

⁸ And of the Father, too, you can rightly say “of Him.” For from Him came the active Wisdom, which by His and the Father’s will, gave existence to all things that did not exist. “Through Him” means that all things were made through His Wisdom. “In Him” means that He is the Source of substantial Life, in whom we live, move, and have our being.

⁹ Of the Spirit, we can also say that we are formed by Him, strengthened by Him, and established in Him. Through the Spirit, we receive the gift of eternal life.

¹⁰ Since these expressions can suitably refer to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, it is clear that nothing derogatory is said about any of them. We say that many things are from the Son and many through the Father. For instance, it is said of the Son: “That we may be increased in all things in Him, who is Christ the Head, from whom the whole body, framed and knit together through every joint of supply for the measure of every part, makes the body grow, building itself up in love.” And again, writing to the Colossians about those who lack the knowledge of the Son of God, it says: “Because they do not hold the Head, from whom the whole body, being supplied and joined together through joints and bands, grows with the growth that is from God.” We have previously stated that Christ is the Head of the Church. Additionally, it is written: “From His fullness we have all received.” And the Lord Himself said: “He shall take of Mine and show it unto you.” And earlier, He said: “I perceive that power has gone out from Me.”

¹¹ In a similar way, to recognize the Unity, it is also said of the Spirit: “For he that sows in the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.” John says: “Hereby we know that He is in us because He has given us of His Spirit.” The Angel says: “That which shall be born of her is of the Holy Spirit.” And the Lord says: “That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.”

¹² So, just as we understand that everything comes from the Father, we also recognize that everything comes from the Son, through whom all things exist. Additionally, we learn through evidence that everything comes from the Spirit, in whom all things reside.

¹³ Now, let’s consider if we can teach that anything happens through the Father. It is written: “Paul, the servant of Christ, through the will of God,” and elsewhere: “Therefore you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Additionally: “As Christ rose from the dead by the glory of God.” Furthermore, God the Father says to the Son: “Behold, converts shall come to You through Me.”

¹⁴ You will find many other passages if you look for things done through the Father. Does this mean the Father is lesser because we read that many things are in the Son and of the Son, and because we find in the Scriptures that many things are done or given through the Father?

¹⁵ Similarly, we also read about many things being done through the Spirit. For example: “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit”; “Keep the good deposit through the Holy Spirit”; “To be strengthened through His Spirit” (Ephesians); “To another is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom” (Corinthians); “But if you put to death the deeds of the body through the Spirit, you will live”; and “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Spirit who dwells in you.”

¹⁶ Some might ask for explicit proof that all things are of the Son or the Spirit. However, I would respond by asking them to show where it is written that all things are through the Father. Since we have established that similar expressions apply to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, and that these terms don’t differentiate the divine power among them, it is clear that all things are from Him through whom all things exist. Likewise, all things are through Him through whom all things are. We should understand that all things are either through Him or from Him in whom all things are. Every creation exists by the will, through the action, and within the power of the Trinity, as demonstrated by: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” and, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the Spirit of His mouth.”

Chapter 10 #

¹ The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity, sharing the same will, purpose, and commands, as seen in the profound and saving mystery of the Church. Just as the Father invited the Gentiles to join the Church, saying, “I will call her My people who were not My people, and her beloved who was not beloved,” and “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,” so too did Jesus choose Paul to help build and gather the Church. Jesus told Ananias, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument to carry My name before all nations.”

² Just as God the Father called the Church, so did Christ, and so did the Holy Spirit, who said, “Set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work I have called them to.” After fasting and praying, they laid hands on them and sent them off. Paul, sent out by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia. Thus, Paul received his apostleship not only through Christ’s will but also through the Holy Spirit, and he quickly began gathering the Gentiles.

³ Not only Paul but also Peter, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, was called in a significant way. Peter saw a vision during prayer: heaven opened and a sheet was lowered, containing all kinds of animals. A voice told him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat.” Peter replied, “No, Lord; I have never eaten anything unclean.” The voice responded, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times before the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was still pondering this vision, Cornelius’s messengers, sent by an angel, arrived. The Spirit told Peter, “The men are looking for you. Go downstairs and go with them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”

⁴ The Holy Spirit’s power was demonstrated with remarkable clarity. First, He inspired Peter while he was praying and was present while he was seeking guidance. When Peter responded to the call by addressing the Lord, he was deemed worthy of a second message because he recognized and acknowledged the Lord. The Scripture reveals who that Lord was: the same one who spoke to Peter in response to his answer. This passage clearly shows the Spirit’s role, as He, who orchestrated the mystery, also made it known.

⁵ Notice that the repetition of the mystery three times reflects the concept of the Trinity. In the rituals, questions and answers are given in threefold, and purification requires a threefold confession. This is why, in the Gospel, Peter is asked three times if he loves the Lord—so that his threefold affirmation can undo the guilt he incurred from denying the Lord.

⁶ The Angel was sent to Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter, “for the eyes of the Lord are over the faithful of the earth". When God had previously said, “What God has cleansed, do not call common,” the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles to purify them, highlighting that the Spirit’s actions are divine. Peter, though, didn’t wait for a direct command from God the Father when he was sent by the Spirit. He recognized the message and grace as coming directly from the Spirit. He acknowledged this by saying, “If God has given them the same grace as He gave us, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

⁷ It is the Holy Spirit who has delivered us from the impurity of the Gentiles. In the forms of four-footed creatures, wild beasts, and birds, there was a representation of the condition of humanity, which remains clothed in the savage ferocity of beasts unless it is tamed by the sanctification of the Spirit. How excellent, then, is the grace that transforms the ferocity of beasts into the simplicity of the Spirit! As the Apostle says: “For we also were once foolish, unbelieving, straying, serving various lusts and pleasures. But now, through the renewing of the Spirit, we begin to be heirs of Christ and joint-heirs with the angels.”

⁸ The holy prophet David, inspired by the Spirit, foresaw that we would be transformed from wild beasts into heavenly beings. He says, “Rebuke the wild beasts of the wood,” not referring to physical woods disturbed by animals, but rather to the symbolic “wood” mentioned in the scriptures: “We found it in the fields of the wood.” This wood symbolizes the righteousness and growth foretold by the prophet, where the righteous flourish like palm trees and grow like cedars of Lebanon. This wood, shaken at its top, spreads the nourishment of the divine Word. Paul, who initially came as a ravening wolf, later emerged as a shepherd, with their message spreading throughout the world.

⁹ We were once like wild beasts, which is why the Lord warned us to “Beware of false prophets, who come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravening wolves.” But now, through the Holy Spirit, the fierce nature of lions, the spots of leopards, the cunning of foxes, and the greed of wolves have been transformed within us. The grace is truly remarkable that has turned our earthly nature into a heavenly one, so that our lives, once like wild beasts wandering through the woods, are now aligned with heavenly ideals.

¹⁰ Not only here but also in other parts of the same book, the Apostle Peter confirms that the Church was established by the Holy Spirit. He states, “God, who knows the hearts of everyone, testified by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” This shows that just as Christ is the Cornerstone who brings together both peoples into one, the Holy Spirit made no distinction between the hearts of each group but united them as well.

¹¹ Don’t be like the Jews who rejected the Son, whom the prophets predicted would come. By rejecting Him, you’re also rejecting the Holy Spirit, and you’re disregarding the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. The one chosen by the Lord lifted Jeremiah out of the pit, where he was thrown by those who ignored the prophecy. No one from the Jewish people helped him, but an Ethiopian named Abdemelech, as the Scriptures tell us, came to his rescue.

¹² In this account, there’s a powerful image of how we, sinners from the Gentiles, who were once lost in our own sins and unproductive, have lifted up the prophetic message that the Jews had pushed aside, as if burying it in the mire of their own worldly concerns. This is why it is written, “Ethiopia shall stretch out her hand unto God.” This verse symbolizes the holy Church, which proclaims in the Song of Songs: “I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem.” This reflects our condition: black due to sin but beautiful through grace; black by our natural state but beautiful through redemption. It also suggests that she is black from the dust of her labors, yet beautiful when she is adorned with the victory of her struggles.

¹³ It’s fitting that the prophet was lifted with cords, as the faithful writer says, “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.” And it’s fitting that he was lifted with rags, because the Lord Himself, when those first invited to the wedding feast made excuses, sent out to the crossroads to invite everyone found—both the good and the bad—to the feast. In this way, with these rags, He raised the prophetic message from the mire.

Chapter 11 #

¹ And you, too, can be like Abdemelech, chosen by the Lord, if you lift the Word of God out of the depths of Gentile ignorance. Believe that the Son of God is never deceived and that nothing is beyond His knowledge, including what is yet to come. The Holy Spirit is also never deceived; as the Lord said, “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” He who knows all misses nothing—neither the day nor the hour, neither past events nor future ones.

² To understand that He knows all things and foretells the future, and that His knowledge is unified with that of the Father and the Son, listen to what the Truth of God says about Him: “He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.”

³ To show that He knows everything, consider this: when the Son said, “But of that day and hour knows no one, not even the Angels in heaven,” He was excluding only Himself from that knowledge. However, if the Holy Spirit is not ignorant of this, then why is the Son of God considered to be ignorant?

⁴ You argue that the Son of God is counted among the Angels. While it’s true that the Son was included, the Spirit was not. So, either admit that the Holy Spirit is greater than the Son of God—aligning yourself not only with Arianism but even with Photinianism—or recognize that the Son’s statement about not knowing refers to His human nature. As a man, He could be numbered among created beings.

⁵ If you’re open to understanding that the Son of God knows everything and has complete foreknowledge, consider this: the things you believe the Son doesn’t know, the Holy Spirit has received from the Son. The Spirit received them through the same Unity of Substance that the Son received from the Father. As Jesus said, “He will glorify Me because He will receive what is Mine and declare it to you.” Everything the Father has belongs to the Son, so when I say that the Spirit will receive from the Son and declare it, this illustrates their Unity. What the Father has belongs to the Son, and what the Son has, the Holy Spirit also has received.

⁶ Understand that the Son does indeed know the day of judgment. As it says in Zechariah, “And the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with Him. On that day there will be no light, but cold and frost, and it will be a unique day known only to the Lord.” This day, known to the Lord who will come with His saints, will reveal His second coming and enlighten us.

⁷ Let’s continue with the point we started about the Spirit. In the passage we discussed, the Son says of the Spirit, “He will glorify Me.” This means the Spirit glorifies the Son, just as the Father does. Similarly, the Son also glorifies the Spirit, as we noted earlier. Thus, the one who causes this mutual glorification through the Unity of the Eternal Light is not weak or inferior. The Spirit is not greater than the Son, because it is through the Spirit that the Son is glorified.

⁸ You too can be chosen if you believe that the Spirit speaks the same truth as the Father and the Son. Paul was chosen because he believed this and taught it. As it is written, God has revealed to us through His Spirit things beyond what we can see or hear, or even imagine—things He has prepared for those who love Him. That’s why the Spirit is called the Spirit of revelation. God gives the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to those who prepare themselves, so that He can be truly known.

⁹ There is a unity of knowledge because just as the Father, who gives the Spirit of revelation, reveals the truth, so does the Son. As it is written: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” The emphasis on the Son’s role in revealing the Father is not to suggest that the Son has more knowledge than the Father, but to avoid implying that He has less. It is fitting for the Son to reveal the Father because the Son knows the Father as fully as the Father knows the Son.

¹⁰ Understand that the Spirit also knows God the Father, because it is written: “Just as no one knows the thoughts of a person except their own spirit, so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” When it says that only the Spirit of God knows, it doesn’t mean the Son is excluded. Just as the Spirit is not excluded when it’s said that no one knows the Father except the Son, the Son is not excluded from knowing the Father.

¹¹ Therefore, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share the same nature and the same knowledge. The Spirit should not be counted among the things created by the Son, because He knows the Father—just as it is written that only the Son knows the Father. But the Holy Spirit also knows the Father. So, when we talk about all created things, the Holy Spirit is not included in that list.

¹² Let’s consider what it is in a person that knows the thoughts and feelings of that person. It must be something that surpasses other faculties of the soul and represents the highest aspect of human nature. Similarly, what does it mean for the Spirit, who knows the profound mysteries of God and through whom God is revealed? Is the Spirit lesser in the fullness of the divine nature, given that He is shown to be of the same substance as the Father? Or can He be lacking in knowledge if He understands God’s plans and the mysteries hidden since the beginning? What could He possibly not know if He knows everything about God? For “the Spirit searches even the deep things of God”.

¹³ In case you think the Spirit searches in order to learn something unknown to Him, it is first stated that God revealed these things to us through His Spirit. Furthermore, to make clear that the Spirit already knows what is revealed to us through Him, it is later said: “For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man which is in him? So too, the things of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God.” If the spirit of a man knows the things of a man and knows them without first searching, how could there be anything of God that the Spirit of God does not know? The Apostle deliberately said, “The things of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God,” not to imply that He knows by searching, but that He knows by His very nature. His knowledge of divine things is not acquired or incidental but is innate and essential to Him.

¹⁴ If the term “searches” concerns you, remember that this description also applies to God, who is described as the one who searches hearts and minds. As God says, “I am the one who searches the heart and mind.” Similarly, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the Son of God is referred to as “the Searcher of minds and thoughts.” This indicates that no being of lower status can search the inner workings of a superior, as knowing hidden things is a power reserved for the divine. Therefore, the Holy Spirit searches in the same way as the Father, and the Son searches in the same way, implying that there is nothing unknown to Him—nothing escapes His knowledge.

¹⁵ Lastly, he was chosen by Christ and taught by the Spirit. As he himself testifies, having received knowledge of divine mysteries through the Spirit, he demonstrates that the Holy Spirit knows God and has revealed to us the things of God, just as the Son has also revealed them. He further states: “But we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of the power of God.”

Chapter 12 #

¹ It has been demonstrated that just as God has revealed His things to us, so too have the Son and the Spirit revealed the things of God. Our understanding comes from one Spirit, through one Son, to one Father; and goodness, sanctification, and eternal power are delivered from one Father, through one Son, to one Holy Spirit. Where there is a manifestation of the Spirit, there is the power of God, and there is no distinction where the work is unified. Therefore, what the Son says is also said by the Father, what the Father says is also said by the Son, and what the Father and the Son say is also said by the Holy Spirit.

² Thus, the Son of God said about the Holy Spirit: “He will not speak on His own,” meaning He does not speak independently of the Father and Myself. The Spirit is not divided or separated but speaks only what He hears. This hearing is not through physical senses but through the unity of essence and knowledge. The Spirit doesn’t hear through bodily means or in a physical way, nor does He hear what He does not already know. In human experience, hearing typically leads to knowledge, but even among people, not all speech or hearing is physical. For instance, when someone speaks in tongues, they speak not to people but to God; no one understands them, but in the Spirit, they speak mysteries.

³ If hearing in humans isn’t always a physical act, why would you expect God to have the physical limitations of hearing, like humans do, in order to understand? We hear to learn and understand, but for God, who knows everything, knowledge comes before hearing. When we say the Son knows the Father’s will, we use the idea of hearing as a way to express this, even though God doesn’t experience sound or words as we do. In God, understanding and will are unified in a profound way, while in us, they are represented through signs and expressions.

⁴ What does it mean when we say “He shall not speak from Himself”? It means that He doesn’t speak independently; He speaks in unity with Me. He speaks the truth and embodies wisdom. He doesn’t speak apart from the Father because He is the Spirit of God. He doesn’t act on His own authority, as everything comes from God.

⁵ The Son received everything from the Father, as He Himself stated: “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father.” The Son possesses everything that belongs to the Father, as He also said: “All things that the Father has are Mine.” Likewise, the Spirit, sharing the same divine nature, received from the Son what the Son received from the Father. As Jesus said about the Spirit: “He will receive what is Mine and declare it to you.” Therefore, what the Spirit says is derived from the Son, and what the Son imparts comes from the Father. Thus, neither the Son nor the Spirit speaks on their own initiative. The Trinity communicates only what is inherently within Itself.

⁶ If you argue that this means the Holy Spirit is weak or limited like the body, you’re also undermining the Son. The Son said, “As I hear, I judge,” and “The Son can do nothing except what He sees the Father doing.” If we accept that all things the Father has are also the Son’s, and that the Son is one with the Father in divine nature—not in a Sabellian sense of mere appearance—then what is united in essence cannot be divided. Therefore, the Son can only do what He has heard from the Father, for the Word of God is eternal, and the Father is never separate from the Son’s actions. What the Son does, He knows the Father wills, and He understands how to carry out the Father’s will.

⁷ To clarify that there is no difference in the timing or order of work between the Father and the Son, and to affirm their unified operation, Jesus says, “The works that I do, the Father does.” Similarly, to emphasize that there is no distinction in the nature of their work, and to show that their will, action, and power are the same, Wisdom states, “Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.” This means that neither Person’s action precedes or follows the other; instead, their operations are one and the same. The Son says He can do nothing on His own because His actions are inseparable from those of the Father. Similarly, the Holy Spirit’s actions are not separate from those of the Father and the Son, which is why what the Spirit speaks is said to come from the Father.

⁸ What if I show that the Father listens to the Son just as the Son listens to the Father? The Gospel says that the Son expressed gratitude to the Father, saying: “Father, I thank You because You heard Me.” But how could the Father have heard the Son, given that in the earlier instance with Lazarus, the Son didn’t actually speak to the Father? To clarify that the Son is always heard by the Father and not just occasionally, He added: “And I know that You hear Me always.” This indicates that their communication is not about obedience or subordination, but reflects their eternal unity.

⁹ Similarly, the Spirit is said to hear from the Father and to glorify the Son. The Spirit glorifies the Son by revealing that He is the image of the invisible God, the radiance of His glory, and the exact representation of His being. The Spirit also spoke through the patriarchs and prophets, and the apostles became more complete after receiving the Holy Spirit. Thus, there is no division in the divine power and grace, for although “there are different gifts, it is the same Spirit; different ministries, it is the same Lord; and different activities, it is the same God who works all in all.” These are differences in roles, not separations within the Trinity.

¹⁰ Finally, it is the same God who works all in all, so that you may understand there is no difference in operation between God the Father and the Holy Spirit, since the works of the Spirit are also the works of the Father, “who works all in all.” For while God the Father works all in all, “to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the gift of healings by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Yet all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who distributes to each person as He wills.”

¹¹ There is no doubt that whatever the Father does, the Spirit does as well. The Spirit’s work is not carried out under a command, like someone who hears and follows orders, but is done freely and voluntarily, according to His own will. The Spirit is not a servant to the power of another; rather, as the giver of gifts, He controls them and acts independently, not in obedience but in His own sovereign authority.

¹² Consider whether the Spirit accomplishes everything the Father accomplishes. You can’t deny that the Father does what the Holy Spirit does; otherwise, the Father doesn’t do everything, if He doesn’t do what the Spirit does. But if the Father does what the Spirit does, and since the Spirit distributes His actions according to His own will, you must either argue that the Spirit acts according to His own will, in opposition to the Father’s will, or you must admit that the Father and the Spirit have the same will. This means you must acknowledge that the divine will and action are unified, even if you’re reluctant to do so, whether you accept it in your heart or just say it out loud.

¹³ If the Holy Spirit shares the same will and action as God the Father, then He is also of the same essence, as the Creator is recognized by His works. Therefore, it is the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God. When you refer to the Spirit, He is the same; when you refer to the Lord, He is the same; and when you refer to God, He is the same. This does not mean that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the same person, but rather that the Father and the Son share the same power. Thus, they are the same in essence and power, as the Godhead is free from the confusion of Sabellianism, the division of Arianism, and any earthly or bodily changes

Chapter 13 #

¹ Take, O sacred Emperor, another compelling example in this matter, one familiar to you: “In many ways and at various times, God spoke to the fathers through the prophets.” The Wisdom of God also said, “I will send prophets and apostles.” Furthermore, as it is written, “To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the gift of healings by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy.” Therefore, according to the Apostle, prophecy comes not only through the Father and the Son but also through the Holy Spirit. Thus, the office is unified, and the grace is one. You see, then, that the Spirit is also the source of prophecies.

² The apostles also said: It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. When they say “It seemed good,” they’re highlighting not just the Source of the grace but also the One who executes what was commanded. Just as we read about God being pleased, saying “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit” shows a Master in control of His own power.

³ And how could He not be a Master, when He speaks and commands according to His will, just as the Father and the Son do? For just as Paul heard Jesus say, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Holy Spirit also directed Paul and Silas away from Bithynia. Similarly, just as the Father spoke through the prophets, Agabus declared, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: The Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt.” Just as Wisdom sent the apostles with the command, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel,” the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to.” So, as the Scripture later shows, when they were sent by the Holy Spirit, they were not distinguished from the other apostles as being sent differently by the Father compared to the Spirit.

⁴ Paul, being sent by the Spirit, was both chosen by Christ and testified that God worked through him, saying, “He who worked through Peter in his apostleship to the Jews also worked through me for the Gentiles.” Since the same One worked in both Paul and Peter, it’s clear that if the Spirit worked in Paul, He also worked in Peter. Peter himself confirms that God the Father worked through him, as shown in the Acts of the Apostles where he says, “You know that a while ago God chose that the Gentiles should hear the Gospel from my lips.” Thus, it’s evident that God gave Peter the grace to preach. Who would deny Christ’s involvement in Peter’s work, especially since Peter was clearly chosen by Christ, as the Lord commanded him, “Feed My lambs”?

⁵ Therefore, the work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is unified. Unless, of course, you who dispute this unity in the Apostle’s case believe that the Father and the Spirit worked in Peter in addition to the Son, as if the Son’s work alone were insufficient for Peter to receive grace. It would imply that the combined strength of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was needed to accomplish the task, suggesting that Christ’s work alone might be inadequate to support Peter.

⁶ Not only in Peter but in all the apostles, there is a unified divine operation of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, along with a certain authority over heavenly matters. The divine operation is carried out through the power of command rather than through labor or craft. When God acts, He doesn’t create through effort or skill; He simply speaks, and things come into being. For example, He said, “Let there be light,” and light appeared. This shows that the accomplishment of the divine work is contained within God’s command.

⁷ We can easily see, if we take a moment to reflect, that this royal authority is attributed to the Holy Spirit according to Scripture. It becomes clear that the apostles were not just followers of Christ but also ministers of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As the teacher of the Gentiles puts it: God has placed certain roles in the Church—first apostles, then prophets, followed by teachers; then miracles, gifts of healing, support roles, leadership, and various kinds of tongues.

⁸ Look, God established apostles, prophets, and teachers, and granted the gift of healing, as mentioned earlier as given by the Holy Spirit, along with various kinds of tongues. However, not everyone is an apostle, prophet, or teacher. Not everyone has the gift of healing, nor does everyone speak in tongues. The divine gifts aren’t given to every individual; each person receives according to their own capacity, either based on their desires or their worthiness. But unlike this distribution of gifts, the power of the Trinity, which abundantly bestows all graces, is not limited or weak.

⁹ Finally, God appointed apostles. Those whom God established in the Church were chosen and ordained by Christ to be apostles and sent out into the world with the command: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” You can also see that the Father and Christ appointed teachers in the Church. Just as the Father bestows the gift of healing, so does the Son. Likewise, as the Father grants the gift of tongues, so does the Son.

¹⁰ Similarly, we have heard that the Holy Spirit also grants the same types of gifts. It is stated that “To one is given through the Spirit the gift of healing, to another various kinds of tongues, to another prophecy.” Thus, the Spirit bestows the same gifts as the Father and the Son. Now, let us delve more deeply into this, as we previously mentioned, to understand that the Holy Spirit performs the same role as the Father and the Son, and appoints the same individuals. As Paul said, “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the Church of God.”

¹¹ Thus, there is a unity in authority, appointment, and giving. If you were to separate appointment from power, it would be unclear why those whom Christ appointed as apostles were also appointed by God the Father and the Holy Spirit. It wouldn’t make sense to think that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each had to divide the task and share the authority like people who might fear legal complications. Instead, their actions reflect a unified operation and authority.

¹² These things are narrow and insignificant, even among people who, although they might not always act in unison, generally share the same intentions. For instance, when someone was asked to define a friend, they replied, “A second self.” If a friend is defined as a second self, meaning through a shared love and goodwill, how much more should we value the unity of Majesty among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? This unity, expressed through the same divine operation and power, reflects the Greek concept of tautotes, which means “sameness.” This indicates that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit share the same essence. Thus, their shared will and power aren’t just a matter of mutual affection but are inherent to the very substance of the Trinity.

¹³ This reflects the legacy of apostolic faith and devotion, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles. Paul and Barnabas followed the Holy Spirit’s directives, and so did all the apostles, who immediately set apart those whom the Spirit had chosen, saying, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul.” Notice the authority of the One who gives the commands and consider the value of those who follow them.

¹⁴ Paul, once a fierce persecutor, embraced faith and, as a result, shed his former zeal and earned a crown of righteousness. He, who once ravaged the Churches, was transformed by his conversion. Filled with the Spirit, he preached the message the Spirit commanded. The Spirit equipped him as a champion, helping him cast off the dust of disbelief and presenting him as a formidable opponent to the unbelievers. Through numerous trials, the Spirit prepared him for the prize of his high calling in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Barnabas had faith and followed that faith, which led to him being chosen by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s abundant presence was a clear sign of his worthiness. Barnabas was not unworthy of such an esteemed role because the same grace illuminated those chosen by the one Spirit.

¹⁶ Paul was not inferior to Peter, even though Peter was the foundation of the Church and Paul was a skilled builder, strengthening the faith of the nations. Paul was fully deserving of the fellowship of the apostles and stands on par with Peter. Anyone who fails to recognize their own limitations is essentially placing themselves on equal footing.