Study on Holy Spirit (Acts)

ESSAY TITLE:What are the main facets of Lukan Pneumatology, and how do they compare with those of Pauline Pneumatology?

Contents

............................................................................................Introduction 2

.....................................................................The Holy Spirit and Jesus 4

........................................................................................Luke’s View 4

..........................................................................Jesus the Messiah 4

............................................................Jesus the Child of the Spirit 5

...................................................Jesus the Possessor of the Spirit 5

...........................................................Jesus the Giver of the Spirit 6

.........................................................................................Paul’s View 7

...........................................The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus 7

............................................................................................Summary 8

.......................................................................The Gift of the Holy Spirit 8

........................................................................................Luke’s View 8

.....................................................Who gives the Gift of the Spirit? 8

..........................................When is the Gift of the Spirit received? 9

..........................................What is the Gift of the Holy Spirit for? 11

.......................................................................................Paul’s View 12

...................................................Who gives the Gift of the Spirit? 12

........................................When is the Gift of the Spirit received? 12

..........................................What is the Gift of the Holy Spirit for? 13

..........................................................................................Summary 14

......................................................The Holy Spirit and the End Times 16

......................................................................................Luke’s View 16

.......................................................................................Paul’s View 18

..........................................................................................Summary 20

...........................................................................................Conclusion 20

.........................................................................................Bibliography 21

Vsn 3.0, 24/03/07

Introduction

“The health of the contemporary church necessitates that its theology

of the Spirit and its experience of the Spirit correspond more closely”.1

Historically Paul has been considered to be the theologian while Luke was

classified as the historian who recorded the experiences of the early church.2

In this paper, I will attempt to bring the theology and experience of the Spirit

closer together by examining the main facets of Lukan Pneumatology and

comparing them with those of the apostle Paul.

Pneumatology is a broad subject and so I will restrict this study to how

the Holy Spirit, in the writings of Luke and Paul, relates Christologically,

Charismatically and Eschatologically.3 The secondary sources I shall employ

in this study are mainly the writings of Roger Stronstad4, Robert Menzies5,

James Dunn and Gordon Fee. I have chosen these four because Stronstad

and Menzies have a bias towards the Christian having a full experience of the

Spirit and Dunn and Fee towards forming a correct theology of the Spirit.

Luke has typically been read through the eyes of Paul.6 This is

because Paul is upheld as the theologian7, while Luke is the observer, the

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1 Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: the Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1994), p. 02.

2 James D. G. Dunn, The Christ and the Spirit: Volume 2 Pneumatology (Eardmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Michigan 1998), p. 09

3 Regarding Lukan authorship, I will assume the traditional view that Luke wrote Luke-Acts. As to Pauline authorship I will restrict this study to the six uncontested Pauline epistles viz. Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians and 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

4 Roger Stronstad, The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1984)

5 William W. Menzies; Robert P. Menzies, Spirit and Power; Foundations of Pentecostal Experience (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2000)

6 Roger Stronstad, ‘Unity and Diversity’, Enrichment Journal. (2006), <http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/top/Holy_Spirit/200612.cfm>, [accessed 8/12/08]

7 Dunn says that out of all the writers of the New Testament Paul is the one who most deserves the title ‘Theologian of the Spirit’. See Dunn, Christ, p. 12.

historian who is not given much recognition as a theologian8. I believe,

however, that Luke has something to offer the church both experientially and

theologically. As Stronstad observes, “Typically, Luke’s data is pressed into

the Pauline mould. (Yet Luke is an independent witness and contributes to the

diversity as well as to the unity of the New Testament pneumatology.)”9

Menzies backs this up by saying that Luke did record history but “he had a

theological purpose in view”.10 It would therefore not be incorrect to read

Luke’s work with the understanding that he is using a narrative style in order

to teach doctrine. 2 Tim. 3:16 says “All scripture is inspired by God and is

useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in

righteousness”.11 Luke-Acts fits into the category of ‘all scripture’ and should

therefore be useful for teaching.

Luke borrows style, terminology and themes from the Septuagint.12

Luke-Acts13 fits into the historical narrative genre as does the history of Israel,

as recorded in the Septuagint. Luke uses terminology from the Septuagint to

describe his theology of the Holy Spirit. He not only uses terms that are

unique in the New Testament but he also does not use the terminology that

Paul uses for example “fruit of the spirit”. This means that when it comes to

interpreting phrases such as “filled with the Holy Spirit”, we need to

understand that it means the same in Luke’s gospel as it does in Acts and that

we need to look to the Old Testament, and not to Paul’s epistles, for Luke’s

intended meaning.14

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8 Gordon D. Fee, How to read the Bible for all its worth: A guide to understanding the Bible, (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1982) p. 97.

9 Roger Stronstad, ‘Unity’

10 Menzies, Spirit, p. 50.

11 All Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. (Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, 1989)

12 Stronstad, Charismatic, p. 13.Craig S. Keener, ‘Why Does Luke Use Tongues as a Sign of the Spirit’s

Empowerment’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 15.2, (2007), p.180.

13 Acts is not a separate book. It is the second part of a two-volume work. See I. Howard Marshall, Acts (Inter-Varsity Press; Leicester, England, 1980), pp. 18,19.

14 Stronstad, Charismatic, p. 12.

Paul’s theology also leans on the Old Testament, but from a Rabbinical

point of view (Gal. 1:13,14; Phil. 3:5). The significance of this is seen in the

fact that the Rabbis believed that the Holy Spirit could only be experienced in

a community and at the appropriate time. Therefore, Paul’s teachings

emphasise that the gifts are for the edification of the body and that the coming

of the Spirit signals the beginning of the end time.15

The theologies of the Holy Spirit therefore, of Luke and Paul, are not

contradictory. As Pinnock points out:

The theologies of Luke and Paul are complementary to each other but must not be confused as being identical in the usual way. Paul has room, of course, for what Luke says in his treatment of the charismatic structure of the congregation in 1 Corinthians 12-14, but Luke must not be imprisoned in one room of the Pauline house.16

Let’s explore then how the pneumatologies of Luke and Paul

complement one another.

The Holy Spirit and Jesus

Luke’s View

Jesus the Messiah

In his writings, Luke shows that the Holy Spirit and Jesus had a unique

relationship. This point is stressed by the activity of the Holy Spirit in the

events surrounding Jesus’ birth. Luke is the only gospel writer who records

that:• John will be filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth (1:15)• John’s ministry will be done in the power of the spirit (1:17)• Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (1:41)• Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit (1:67)

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15 Stronstad, ‘Unity’.

16 Stronstad, Charismatic, p. vii.

• Simeon prophesied under the anointing of the Holy Spirit

(2:25-27)

The significance of these accounts is realised in their historical context viz.

they occur after 400 years of complete silence and inactivity of the Spirit of

God. It is also important to note that in every instance mentioned, the filling of

the Spirit was accompanied by prophecy. Stronstad points out that by making

these unique references to the role the Holy Spirit played in the birth of Jesus,

Luke was intent on showing firstly, that Jesus fulfilled the intertestamental

Messianic expectation and secondly, that the Holy Spirit empowers for a

purpose (Luke 2:29-32).

Jesus the Child of the Spirit

From conception to his resurrection, Luke shows Jesus to be the Anointed

One. Using terminology reminiscent of the Septuagint, he shows that Jesus

was conceived of the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke

1:35). Dunn comments on the miraculous conception,

The thought here is not that of the divine presence becoming Jesus or being embodied in Jesus; Luke’s intention is clearly to describe the creative process of begetting, not that which was begotten.17

Therefore, Jesus is not the Spirit who has become flesh, but rather, the one

who has the Spirit upon him. He is the one about whom Isaiah prophesied:

Is. 42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

In emphasising the Holy Spirit’s role in the birth of Jesus, Luke shows Jesus

to be the unique child of the Spirit.

Jesus the Possessor of the Spirit

At his baptism, Jesus becomes the unique possessor of the Holy Spirit.

While the other gospel writers record that the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus

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17 Dunn, Christ, p. 76.

“like a dove”, Luke adds that the Spirit descended on Jesus “like a dove in

bodily form” (Matt. 3:16, Mark 1:10, John 1:32, Luke 3:22). This emphasis

shows that this was an actual physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit and not

merely a visionary experience.18

Jesus understood this event to be the anointing for his ministry. In Luke

4:18,19 he says,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” In 4:22 Jesus further explains that he sees his ministry as that of a

prophet. Stronstad elaborates on this to say that Luke was emphasising that

Jesus saw himself as fulfilling the prophetic ministry.19

Jesus is therefore the Messiah, the Anointed One, a prophet led and

empowered by the Spirit.20

Jesus the Giver of the Spirit

In his gospel Luke portrays Jesus as the unique possessor of the Spirit.

However, in Acts, Jesus becomes the giver of the Spirit. On the day of

Pentecost Peter explains in his sermon that Jesus is the one who has poured

out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33).

Jesus was anointed and empowered for his ministry when the Holy

Spirit came upon him. So too, his disciples are anointed and empowered for

their mission when the Holy Spirit came upon them on the day of Pentecost.

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Stronstad says that after Pentecost “the Holy Spirit becomes the alter

ego of Jesus” because the disciples now continue with the mission of Jesus,

empowered and led by the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7).21

Paul’s View

The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus

Paul’s writings are circumstantial and not historical.22 He, therefore,

does not record the birth or ministry of Jesus. His first chronological mention

of the Holy Spirit relating to Christ is in his resurrection (Rom. 1:4). Fee points

out that this passage shows that even though the Spirit is closely related to

the Son they are distinct.23

It is however, difficult to find the line of distinction because the Spirit of

God is called the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9) and the Spirit of his Son (Gal.

4:6). Dunn explains it like this, ‘the Spirit is now the medium by which Christ is

known to and united with his followers’.24 Therefore, the only way that the

believer can relate to Christ is by relating to the Spirit.

Fee’s explains Rom. 8:9 by saying that the emphasis is placed on what

is means to be a believer, and that is ‘to have the Spirit of Christ’.25 In Paul’s

thinking the Christian life began when one received the Spirit. (Gal. 3:2-3)

Christ is central in Paul’s pneumatology and likewise, the Spirit is

essential to his Christology. Without the Spirit, one cannot belong to Christ.

We are joined to Christ by the Spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). It is by the gift of the Spirit

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23 This passage does not show that the Spirit is the agent of Christ’s resurrection. Rather, Paul is stating that if the Spirit of him (God) who raised Christ from the dead dwells within us, then we can be assured of our own future. See Fee, Empowering, pp.808, 809


25 Fee, Empowering, p. 548.

that we are adopted as sons of God (Rom 8:14-16).26 Everything that the

Spirit does is for Christ.

The overriding theme therefore, in Paul’s understanding of how the

Holy Spirit relates to Jesus has to do with salvation.

Summary

Luke and Paul have different emphases with regards to how the Holy

Spirit relates Christologically. Luke shows that Jesus is the promised Messiah

who is anointed by the Spirit to perform his ministry. Paul emphasises that the

Holy Spirit is the key agent in a person’s salvation and subsequent

relationship with Christ.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit27

The main issues of concern regarding the way the Holy Spirit relates

Charismatically are:• Who gives the gift of the Spirit?• When is the gift of the Spirit received?• What is the gift of the Holy Spirit for?

Luke’s View

Who gives the Gift of the Spirit?

It is clear that Luke understands Jesus to be the giver of the Spirit. We

see this in the following verses:• Luke 3:16 John the Baptist declares that Jesus will baptise in

the Holy Spirit.

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27 By way of definition, when referring to the ‘gift of the Holy Spirit’ I am not talking about ‘gifts of the Spirit’, but rather ‘the Holy Spirit who was given’. (Luke 24:49; 2 Cor. 5:5)

• Luke 24:49 Jesus promises to send to his disciples what the

Father promised viz. the gift of the Holy Spirit.• Acts 1:4,5 Jesus again refers to the ‘promise of the Father’ but

links it to John the Baptist’s prophecy. This implies that he sees

himself as the giver of the Holy Spirit.• Acts 2:33 Peter explains the Pentecost phenomena as Jesus

pouring out the Holy Spirit, which was promised by the Father.

Why did Luke make this emphasis? Marshall answers this question by

saying that it gives further proof that Jesus is the Messiah.28 I believe,

however that there is more to it than this. Stronstad explains the importance of

the transfer motif in Luke’s thinking.29 He points out that when there was a

transfer of the Spirit in the Old Testament, there was also a transfer of

leadership. We see the Spirit being transferred from Moses to the Elders

(Num. 11:25), from Elijah to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9,10) and also from Saul to

David (1 Sam. 16:13,14). What this means is that at Pentecost the disciples

were given not only the Spirit but also the ministry of Jesus. The disciples

were to continue to do the works that Jesus did and teach the things that he

taught.

When is the Gift of the Spirit received?

There has been a lot of debate surrounding this question. This is

because Pentecostals believe that Luke teaches that the Baptism of the Spirit

is a secondary experience subsequent to salvation while Evangelicals

believe that he teaches that the Spirit is received at salvation.30

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28 Marshall, Acts, p. 79.


30 Menzies and Stronstad take the Pentecostal position and Dunn and Turner fly the Evangelical flag. See Menzies, Spirit, pp. 69-106., Stronstad, Charismatic, pp. 49-62, Dunn, Baptism, pp.222-242, Max Turner, ‘The Work of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts’ Word & World 23.2 (2003).

Fee seems to agree with the Pentecostal viewpoint. See Fee, How to Read, p.96.

There is one point on which Dunn, Menzies and Stronstad agree viz.

that when we interpret books of the Bible we need to examine the works of

each author separately.31 In other words, we need to allow Luke to be Luke

and Paul to be Paul. Let us then see what Luke says about the timing of the

reception of the Spirit:• Acts 1:4,5 Jesus tells his disciples that they will soon be

baptised in the Holy Spirit.• Acts 2:1-4 All of the disciples were baptised in the Holy Spirit

and they began to speak in other tongues.• Acts 8:14-17 Peter and John were sent to a group of Samaritans

who had already accepted the word of God. When Peter and

John laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit.• Acts 19:1-6 At Ephesus Paul meets some disciples who had not

even heard of the Holy Spirit. He lays hands on them and they

begin to speak in tongues.

There are two important points to take note of regarding the above events.

Firstly, throughout Acts, Luke associates speaking in tongues with the

Baptism of the Spirit. There are occasions where tongues are not specifically

mentioned namely Acts 8:14-17 but there is always a sign of some kind. This

is consistent with Luke’s Old Testament pneumatology.32 This helps us to

identify when the people have been given the gift of the Spirit. Secondly, Luke

always uses the term ‘disciple’ to refer to disciples of Jesus.33 This means that

in all the above examples, those who received the gift of the Spirit were

already Christians.

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31 James D. G. Dunn, Baptism in the Holy Spirit (London: SCM, 1970), p. 39.; Menzies, Spirit, p. 51.; Stronstad, Charismatic, p. 10.

32 Stronstad, Charismatic, pp. 21-22.


As far as Luke is concerned then, it is always believers who receive the

Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the book of Acts does not teach a

salvation reception of the Spirit.35

What is the Gift of the Holy Spirit for?

When it comes to understanding the purpose for the Baptism of the

Holy Spirit, the key verse is Luke 4:18. Here Jesus interprets what happened

to him when he was baptised by saying “The Holy Spirit is upon me

because…” Jesus was anointed for a purpose, his mission. Stronstad shows

that Luke deliberately parallels the events on the day of Pentecost with those

of Jesus’ baptism in order to show that what the anointing meant to Jesus, the

Baptism of the Spirit means to his disciples.35

Jesus prepared his disciples for their mission by telling them to wait for

an empowerment from ‘on high’. (Luke 24:49) He also explained what the

purpose of this empowerment would be in Acts 1:8.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The Acts 2 account of Pentecost is not the start of the Christian church.

It is rather, the launch of the church’s mission.36 In the words of de Kock,

“Pentecostal power is for a Pentecostal task”.37 Jesus empowered his

disciples to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Keener emphasises the

importance of this missionary call by pointing out that the disciples were

empowered for cross-cultural ministry by receiving the gift of tongues.38 They

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37 Wynand J. de Kock, ‘Pentecostal Power For A Pentecostal Task: Empowerment Through Engagement In South African Context’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 16 (2000) pp. 102-116.

38 Craig S. Keener, ‘Why Does Luke Use Tongues as a Sign of the Spirit’s Empowerment’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 15.2, (2007)

were supernaturally able to proclaim the glory of God in the languages of the

people present.

We can conclude therefore that Luke saw the gift of the Holy Spirit as

missiological and not soteriological.

Paul’s View

Who gives the Gift of the Spirit?

Paul never refers to Jesus as being the giver of the Spirit.39 In 1 Cor.

2:12; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5; Gal. 3:5; 4:6 and 1 Thess. 4:8, God is shown to be

one who gives his Spirit. Fee explains that Paul uses this terminology to direct

attention to the work of the Father.40 It is important to note then, that in

context, all the above passages refer to God the Father working out his

redemptive plan.

The soteriological nature of Paul’s pneumatology is therefore brought

to the fore by his reference to God being the giver of the Spirit.

When is the Gift of the Spirit received?

The only mention Paul makes of a Baptism of the Spirit is in 1 Cor.

12:13 ‘For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body—Jews or

Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.’ Here

Paul writes not only of baptism in Spirit but of being baptised in one Spirit into

one body. Dunn explains that this baptism means that the convert not only

experiences the Spirit but also ‘becomes a member of Christ’.41

This means that one receives the Spirit at salvation. This is confirmed

by what Paul says to the Galatians. In Gal 2:3, they received the Spirit when

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39 Dunn, Christ, p. 77., Fee, Empowering, pg. 835.



they believed and in Gal. 2:4 they began ‘in the Spirit’. Dunn says that Paul’s

language here clearly implies that the Galatians received the Spirit at

salvation.42

Fee agrees that the Spirit is received at salvation. He stresses

however, that this reception does not take place at baptism.43 Using 1 Cor.

1:13-17, Fee explains that the Spirit is received when the preaching of the

gospel is received with faith.44

What is the Gift of the Holy Spirit for?

Paul uses a number of soteriological metaphors to explain the work of

the Holy Spirit. The metaphor of adoption is used in Gal. 4:4-6. It is the Spirit

who makes believers children of God and the evidence of this adoption is the

cry ‘Abba, Father’.45 In 1 Cor. 6:11 ‘washing’ is used as a metaphor to

describe the cleansing work of the Spirit in the life of a believer. Paul also

refers back to the Jewish rituals, where the sacred utensils were sanctified

unto God, to describe how the believer is also sanctified unto God.46 (2 Thess.

2:13; Rom 15:16)

Paul also uses three other metaphors which bring in an eschatological

dimension to the believer’s salvation. He writes of the Spirit being a ‘down

payment’ guaranteeing that the believer will receive what God has promised

(2 Cor. 1:21-22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14). The metaphors of ‘firstfruits’ (Rom. 8:23) and

‘seal’ (2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph 1:13; 4:30) carry a similar meaning to that of ‘down

payment’.

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42 Dunn, Christ, pp. 114,115.





The Spirit also enables us to not walk according to the flesh (Gal

5:16-17). Fee points out that ‘Nowhere does Paul describe life in the Spirit as

one of constant struggle with the flesh’. He says that in these verses, Paul

emphasising the sufficiency of the Spirit.47

Paul also teaches that the Holy Spirit is involved in the ongoing life of

the Christian:48

• Gal. 5:5; Rom. 15:13. The Spirit enables us to hope.• Col. 1:9; Rom. 12:1-2. The Spirit renews the mind.• Rom. 9:1 The Spirit keeps the believer’s conscience clear by

confirming the truth.• Gal. 5:22-23 The Spirit produces within the believer a lifestyle

which is contrary to that of the sinful nature.

From Paul’s perspective, the Holy Spirit is the key to Christian life. Instead of

giving Christians a list of rules to live by, God has given them his Spirit, who

transforms them into the image of his Son.49

The Holy Spirit not only empowers individual believers, but the body of

the church as well. He does this by giving gifts to believers, which are

intended for the edification of the church as a whole (1 Cor. 12:7-11; Rom.

12:6-7).

Fee summarises the purpose of the Gift of the Holy Spirit by saying

that life in the Spirit begins at conversion, but the experience of that life is both

dynamic and renewable.50

Summary

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Paul sees God as the giver of the Spirit. He understands that the Spirit

is received at conversion. From his epistles we learn that the Holy Spirit is

responsible not only for salvation, but also to transform the believers into the

likeness of Christ.

Luke on the other hand sees Jesus as being the giver of the Holy

Spirit. This gift is received, as a secondary experience from salvation and its

purpose is empowerment for mission.

While these emphases are different, they are not necessarily

contradictory. Dunn would argue otherwise. He says, with regard to when the

Spirit is received:

To recognise that ‘Baptised in the Spirit’ is a metaphor for ‘becoming a Christian’ would have prevented Pentecostalism from embarking on the theologically hazardous road of distinguishing baptism in Spirit from conversion.51

Menzies, however, does not necessarily see a contradiction. He points

out that Paul uses two Greek words to refer to the gifts given by the Spirit:

charismata (gifts) and pneumatika (spiritual gifts).52 He explains,

The way Paul alternates between pneumatika (1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1) and charismata (12:4; 12:31) in 1 Corinthians 12-14 suggests the former denotes a subcategory of the latter.53

Menzies’ point is that the subcategory of gifts which Paul refers to as

pneumatika is related to prophecy which in turn is related to the prophetic

gifting which is imparted at the Baptism of the Spirit as recorded in Luke-Acts.

Paul is therefore saying to the church in Corinth that every believer has gifts

(charismata), but there is a subcategory (pneumatika) of spiritual gifts that is

not automatically received at salvation. These prophetic gifts should be

eagerly desired. (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:1)54

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54 Menzies, Spirit, pp. 195-197.

With this understanding we see that Luke and Paul do not contradict

one another. Luke has a very singular purpose for writing about the

charismatic nature of the Holy Spirit. Paul on the other hand is far more

detailed and is concerned about the salvation, the regeneration and the

empowerment of the believers.

The Holy Spirit and the End Times

Luke’s View

In Acts 1:6 the disciples asked the risen Christ if this was the time when

he would restore the kingdom to Israel. By asking this question they were

confirming two facts: Firstly that they believed that Jesus was the Messiah

and secondly, that the eschatological age was upon them. This belief was

based on their understanding of the Old Testament prophets.55

Stronstad shows how Luke paralleled the ministry of Jesus to that of

Elijah:56

• Luke 7:12-17 Like Elijah, Jesus raised the dead (1 Kings

17:17-24)• Luke 8:22-26 Like Elijah, Jesus controlled nature (1 Kings 17:1)• Luke 9:12-17 Like Elijah, Jesus multiplied food (1 Kings 17:16)• Act 2:4 Like Elijah, Jesus transferred an anointing of the Spirit to

his followers (2 Kings 2:13-14).

By making this comparison, Luke shows Jesus to be the expected end

time Elijah.

There were also other signs on the day of Pentecost that would have

convinced those gathered that the coming age was upon them.57 The violent

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57 Keener, Craig S., The Spirit in the Gospels and Acts. Divine Purity and Power. (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1997) p. 193.

wind from heaven (Acts 2:2) refers to the breath of life in Ezekiel 37. The

tongues of fire (Acts 2:3) symbolised the eschatological judgement.

Perhaps the clearest indication that the eschatological age had arrived

is Peter’s reference to Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32). In his

sermon, Peter declared that speaking in tongues was a confirmation of the

last day’s outpouring of the Spirit prophesied by Joel.

Menzies draws attention to the fact that in Acts 2:16-21, Luke has

made three changes to Joel’s prophecy:58

• He changes the order from ‘dreams and visions’ to ‘visions and

dreams’ (Acts 2:17 cf. Joel 2:28). This shows the importance of

receiving guidance from God in the form of visions.• In Acts 2:18 Luke adds the phrase ‘and they shall prophesy’.

Menzies says this describes the ministry that the end time

community of believers should expect to have. Like Jesus, the

ultimate prophet, the church too has a message to proclaim.59

• Joel speaks only of ‘portents (wonders) in the heaven and on

the earth’ (Joel 2:30). Luke adds ‘in the heavens above and

signs on the earth below’ (Acts 2:19). This connects with what

Peter said directly after quoting from Joel, that God attested

Jesus by signs and wonders. (Acts 2:22)

Menzies concludes that Luke was intent on showing that this is ‘an era

that is to be marked by divine guidance, bold witness, and signs and

wonders.’60 Jesus, the end time prophet, has transformed his followers into a

community of prophets and he has empowered them to take his message to

the ends of the earth.

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58 Robert P. Menzies, ‘Acts 2.17-21: A Paradigm for Pentecostal Mission’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 17 (2008), pp. 200-218.

59 Menzies, ‘Acts’.

60 Menzies, ‘Acts’.

As we look then, at how the Holy Spirit relates eschatologically, we

once again see Luke’s missiological bias coming to the fore.

Paul’s View

The eschatological dimension to the work of the Spirit is so important

that Fee says:

It is not possible to understand the Spirit in Pauline theology without recognising that for Paul the coming of the Spirit was God’s fulfilment of the promised new covenant.61

Along with the coming of the Spirit, the other event that led Paul to

believe that he was living in the end times was Christ’s resurrection.62 Paul

was convinced that he was living in the end times. He wrote to the Corinthians

and told them that they were those ‘on whom the ends of the ages have

come’. (1 Cor. 10:11)

Paul understood the end times to have begun with the resurrection of

Christ and the coming of the Spirit. However, the promises of God have not

yet been fully realised and so we are living in a time of tension. This tension

between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’ can be illustrated by looking at some of

God’s promises:63

• Salvation: o Eph. 2:8. We have already been saved. o 1 Cor. 1:18. We are being saved.

• Redemption:o Eph. 1:7. We have redemption.o Eph. 4:30. The Spirit seals us for the day of redemption.

• Adoption:o Rom. 8:15. We have received a spirit of sonship.o Rom. 8:23. We eagerly await our adoption as sons.

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63 Fee, Empowering, pp. 803-805.

• Justification:o Rom. 5:1. We have been justified.o Gal. 5:5. By the Spirit we await the righteousness for

which we hope.

Fee explains that the Holy Spirit is, for the believer, the proof that the

future has come into the present.64 Paul describes this role as the Holy Spirit

being the ‘down payment’ (2 Cor.1:21-22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14), the ‘firstfruits’ (Rom.

8:23) and the ‘seal’ (2 Cor. 1:21; Eph. 1:13; 4:30) of the believer’s redemption

and final resurrection. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the fulfilment of God’s

promises and also the down payment of the believer’s certain future.65

Fee also brings out another aspect of Paul’s understanding of

eschatology and that is the inclusion of Gentiles into the people of God.66

Explaining Gal. 3:14 Fee says:

Paul’s assertion that the fulfilment of this promised blessing for the Gentiles is to be found in their having experienced the Spirit as a living and dynamic reality. The blessing of Abraham, therefore, is not simply ‘justification by faith.’ Rather, it refers to the eschatological life now available to Jew and Gentile alike, effected through the death of Christ, but realised through the dynamic ministry of the Spirit.67

In writing to Gentiles in Eph. 1:13,14 Paul assures them that they too

are sealed with the Holy Spirit. He then puts Jew and Gentile together by

adding that the Spirit is the guarantee of ‘our inheritance’. Paul sees this work

of the Spirit as the fulfilment of the eschatological promise that Jew and

Gentile would receive their inheritance together.68 Hui sums this up by saying

that the Holy Spirit unites Jews and Gentiles into a redefined eschatological

Israel.69

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69 Archie Hui, ‘The Spirit of Prophecy and Pauline Pneumatology’, Tyndale Bulletin 50.1 (1999), pp. 93-115.

As a result, when Paul looks at how the Holy Spirit relates

eschatologically, he sees the coming of Spirit as proof that the end times have

arrived and also the guarantee that the promises of God will be fulfilled.

Summary

Both Paul and Luke understand the coming of the Spirit to signal the

dawning of the eschatological age. Luke emphasises the Holy Spirit

empowering the church as a community of prophets. Paul focuses on the

‘already / not yet’ tension and explains that the Spirit is the guarantee that

God will fulfil his promises. These views are not contradictory but

complementary.

Conclusion

In comparing the main facets of Lukan pneumatology to those of

Pauline pneumatology, we have seen that these two writers have different but

not conflicting theologies. Luke’s understanding of the Holy Spirit is

missiological in nature while Paul’s is soteriological. Paul has a more

developed view, while Luke’s perspective, is more limited.’70 Stronstad makes

the point that anti-Charismatics need to realise that Luke does teach a

charismatic pneumatology that is valid for today. Pentecostals on the other

hand need to understand that with the baptism of the Spirit comes a

responsibility for mission.71

I believe that in order for the church to be healthy it needs to

experience the Holy Spirit as taught by both Luke and Paul. This is not a case

of choosing one against the other, we need to embrace both. In the words of

the writer of Ecclesiates: ‘It is good that you should take hold of the one,

without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God shall succeed with

both.’ (Eccl. 7:18)

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70 Menzies, Spirit, p. 56., Dunn, Christ, p.11.


Bibliography

1. De Kock, Wynand J., ‘Pentecostal Power For A Pentecostal Task: Empowerment Through Engagement In South African Context’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 16 (2000)

2. Dunn, James D.G., The Christ and the Spirit. Volume 2 Pneumatology (Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1998)

3. Dunn, James D. G., Baptism in the Holy Spirit (London: SCM, 1970)

4. Fee, Gordon D., God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1994)

5. Fee, Gordon D., How to read the Bible for all its worth: A guide to understanding the Bible (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1982)

6. Hui , Archie ‘The Spir i t of Prophecy and Paul ine Pneumatology’, Tyndale Bulletin 50.1 (1999)

7. Keener, Craig S., The Spirit in the Gospels and Acts. Divine Purity and Power. (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1997)

8. Keener, Craig S., ‘Why Does Luke Use Tongues as a Sign of the Spirit’s Empowerment’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 15.2, (2007)

9. Marshall, I. Howard, Acts (Inter-Varsity Press; Leicester, England, 1980)

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10. Menzies, William W.; Menzies, Robert P., Spirit and Power; Foundations of Pentecostal Experience (Zondervan; Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2000)

11. Robert P. Menzies, ‘Acts 2.17-21: A Paradigm for Pentecostal Mission’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 17 (2008) .

12. Menzies, Robert P., ‘Luke’s Understanding of Baptism in the Holy Spirit: A Pentecostal Dialogues with the Reformed Tradition’, Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Volume 86.101 (2008)

13. Stronstad, Roger, The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke (Hendrickson Publishers; Massachusetts, 1984)

14. Stronstad, Roger, ‘Unity and Diversity’, Enrichment Journal, (2006), <http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/top/Holy_Spirit/200612.cfm> [accessed 08/12/2008]

15. The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. (Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville, 1989)

16. Turner, Max, ‘The Work of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts’, Word & World 23.2 (2003)

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Study on Holy Spirit (Acts)