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The primary goal of chapters three and four is to develop a biblical/theological model that describes the nature of the Holy Spirit’s authority along with the various “realms”1 of authority possessed by the Spirit, thereby displaying the Spirit’s place within the “principle” and “pattern” of divine authority.

Methodology

I will attempt to do build this model by exegeting several passages of Scripture, many of which lie at the heart of the theological debates reviewed in chapter two. Regarding our principle of authority, we inferred from Patristic theology that the Spirit should be thought of as a divine Person who reveals divine authority in the world. In this chapter, we shall investigate Scriptures and theological concepts in an attempt to confirm and describe the nature of the Spirit’s divine Personhood, specifically as a Person who possesses and reveals divine authority.

Regarding our pattern of authority, we discovered in chapter two that the “filioque theology” of the medieval Church allows us to infer the notion of the Spirit’s executorial authority—an authority to act under Christ’s authority. In this chapter we shall examine Scriptures and theological concepts in an attempt to confirm and describe this executorial authority. In the next chapter we shall examine two predominant realms where the Spirit seems to act with executorial authority.

Hermeneutical Goals and Assumptions

In this chapter and the next I will employ a grammatical-historical and “critical realism”2 approach to the exegetical task. First, in my exegesis of Scripture I will study specific words and particularly “speech acts” of Scripture in search of evidence for the authority of the Spirit, and will attempt to keep in mind any historical issues that may influence my exegesis (those that emerged from the biblical culture or the theological debates discussed in chapter two).

Second, I will attempt to employ “critical realism” in my exegesis as a way of making us more “humble observers” of the text. Critical realism instructs us to approach the text from a perspective of realism (an interpretive philosophy that affirms a reality independent of our own minds), while taking a critical stance toward our own observational powers—knowing that we too have been influenced by our own culture, personal biases, and hermeneutical communities. Many of these communities have a rather “narrowing” effect on systematic theology and on the interpretation of Scripture. Critical realism is especially helpful in such a study that, as we have seen, has been so debated and divisive throughout theological history. Therefore, I will attempt to approach my exegesis with an appropriate self-criticism, at times examining interpretations that disagree with my own.

In addition, I will attempt to set these passages within the larger context of biblical theology and systematic theology as presented in the procedure that follows.

Procedure for Exegetical and Theological Analysis: Moving from Scripture to Theology

An outline of the exegetical/theological “flow” through chapters three and four will proceed as follows:

Chapter Three

A. The Divine Authority of the Spirit

1. with respect to created life (Ps 104:29–30)

2. as confirmed by divine access and revelation (1 Cor 2:10–13)

B. The Executorial Authority of the Spirit

1. in relation to the present authority of Christ (John 15:26)

2. with respect to the present revelation of Christ (John 16:12–15)

Chapter Four

C. The Veracious Authority of the Spirit

1. with respect to the inspiration of Scripture (John 14:16–17, 26)

2. with respect to the illumination of Scripture (2 Pet 1:20–21)

D. The Governing Authority of the Spirit in the Church

1. with respect to the eschatological and immediate “realm” of author- ity in the Church (Isa 11:2; Isa 32:15–16; Acts 1:5–8)

2. with respect to the immediate “effects” of this realm in establishing and governing the Church

a. Democratization (Isa 59:21)

b. Liberation (Rom 8:2)

c. Transformation (2 Cor 3:17–18)

The flow of the four sections in chapters three and four, and the main aspects of authority to be discussed, will parallel the sections of historical theology in chapter two. The only variation from the sequence of chapter two is that the discussion of the Spirit’s “interpretive authority” (from the Reformation period) will be woven into the discussion of the Spirit’s “veracious authority” (which is the broader term).

Relying upon Scripture as final authority, each of the four sections above (A, B, C and D) will follow a procedure involving four “steps” from exegesis to theology: Introduction to the section, Exegesis of passages, Biblical Theology, and Systematic Theology.3

Introduction

In each section I will begin by restating the provisional “definition” that emerged from chapter two. Then I will proceed by asking a specific question regarding that particular “aspect”4 of the Spirit’s authority—a question I will attempt to answer by the end of that section. With this question in mind, I will then suggest specific passages that seem to provide initial evidence pertaining to the question.

Exegetical Sections

This step involves the exegesis of those passages of Scripture most critical to the discussion at hand. I will use targeted studies of each passage to discern their meaning with respect to the Holy Spirit and his authority. I will look for solid clues in each passage regarding the nature of this authority, pointing them out as they emerge.

Biblical Theology

This step will be an attempt to place the passages I have exegeted into the broader context of the whole of Scripture and progressive revelation. In doing so I will look for broad scriptural themes that emerge with respect to the Spirit’s authority.

Systematic Theology

In this final step, the systematic theology findings of each section will build on the findings of the previous sections. I will seek to discern “descriptions” of the Spirit’s authority that result in specific parameters (i.e., limitations) for all subsequent sections.5 In developing these descriptions of the Spirit’s authority for systematic theology, I will first “dialogue” with various contemporary theologians who have written “whole book” treatises on the Holy Spirit (those we touched on in the sections in chapter two entitled “Evangelical ‘Postmodern’ Theologies of the Spirit” and “Contemporary ‘Postmodern’ Theologies of the Spirit”). I will attempt to “listen to” the main contribution of each book for our discussion.

Second, I will utilize my exegesis and biblical theology to respond to each author. Having discerned from Scripture various clues and patterns regarding the authority of the Holy Spirit, I will now use Scripture to assess whether this author affirms or denies a biblical notion of the Spirit’s authority.

Finally, I will discuss this aspect of the Spirit’s authority in light of systematic theology and specifically within the broader scope of our principle and pattern of divine authority, looking to confirm a biblical/systematic notion of the Spirit’s authority within the entire pattern.6 I will attempt to provide a formal description of this authority that will clarify its precise nature and identify specific “titles” for the Spirit that represent each description. This description, of course, will be far more definitive than the “provisional” summary statement gleaned from historical theology (in chapter two).

Exegetical and Theological Analysis

We now begin our exegetical and theological analysis of the four critical “aspects” of the Holy Spirit’s authority as discerned in our study of historical theology.

The Divine Authority of the Spirit

In our study of historical theology we discovered that various patristic theologians (i.e., Athanasius, the Cappadocians) attempted to “prove” the Spirit’s divinity by demonstrating such attributes as the Spirit’s Lordship and transcendence (as well as his immutability, supremacy, eternality shared divinity, and involvement in certain activities).7

Introduction