Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, The Spirit, Basil & Amphiliocus

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (theos). He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son (monogenous) from the Father… No one has ever seen God; the only (monogenes) Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” John 1:1-4, 14, 18 – Cf. 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9 

“but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness (eikon) of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 

“He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image (eikon) of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. He IS before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:13-17 

“In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects (apaugasma) the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” Hebrews 1:1-3

“I learned both what is secret and what is manifest, 22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique (monogenes), manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent and pure and most subtle. For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.

“For she is a reflection (apaugasma) of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image (eikon) of his goodness. Though she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; for God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom. For she is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail.” Wisdom 7:21-30 

“O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things by thy word, and by thy wisdom hast formed man, to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul, give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne, and do not reject me from among thy servants.

“For I am thy slave and the son of thy maidservant, a man who is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws; for even if one is perfect among the sons of men, yet without the wisdom that comes from thee he will be regarded as nothing. Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people and to be judge over thy sons and daughters. Thou hast given command to build a temple on thy holy mountain, and an altar in the city of thy habitation, a copy of the holy tent which thou didst prepare from the beginning.

“With thee is wisdom, who knows thy works and was present when thou didst make the world, and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight and what is right according to thy commandments. Send her forth from the holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory send her, that she may be with me and toil, and that I may learn what is pleasing to thee. For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory. Then my works will be acceptable, and I shall judge thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.” Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-12

“Wisdom will praise herself, and will glory in the midst of her people. In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory: ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist. I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and have walked in the depths of the abyss. In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession. Among all these I sought a resting place; I sought in whose territory I might lodge. Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent. And he said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.” From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist. 10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion. In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my dominion. So I took root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance.’” Sirach 24:1-12

“For though they had disbelieved everything because of their magic arts, yet, when their first-born were destroyed, they acknowledged thy people to be God’s son. For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth.” Wisdom 18:13-16

“He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation 3:21

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:11-16

“For what man can learn the counsel of God? Or who can discern what the Lord wills? For the reasoning of mortals is worthless, and our designs are likely to fail, for a perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind. We can hardly guess at what is on earth, and what is at hand we find with labor; but who has traced out what is in the heavens? Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom and sent thy holy Spirit from on high? And thus the paths of those on earth were set right, and men were taught what pleases thee, and were saved by wisdom.” Wisdom of Solomon 9:1-18 

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Matthew 12:28

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, ‘Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22 

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit… And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country… ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,’” Luke 4:1, 14, 18

“And John bore witness, ‘I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.”’” John 1:32-33 

“You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10:36-38   

“how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:14 

“Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him. For perverse thoughts separate men from God, and when his power is tested, it convicts the foolish; because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin. For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit, and will rise and depart from foolish thoughts, and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness. For wisdom is a kindly spirit and will not free a blasphemer from the guilt of his words; because God is witness of his inmost feelings, and a true observer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue. Because the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said;” Wisdom 1:1-7 

“For thy immortal spirit is in all things.” Wisdom 12:1 

But the Paraclete (Paracleton), the Holy Spirit, he whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you everything, and he shall bring to your remembrance all that which I say to you' (‘). But again when thou hearest (the expression) ‘whom (the Father) sends' do not think slightingly (lit. that which is little) of the Spirit. 

For the Spirit is not sent to you as though he is not with you - for whither has he to come or whence has he to be sent — he who fills the whole creation. ‘For the Spirit of the Lord filled the creation' (¹).

That I and the Father and the Holy Spirit rule (uphold) the heavens and the earth the prophet testifies — he who said to the Father, 'Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, and whither shall 1 flee from thy presence (prosopon)'? (²) I am called the presence of the Father because he is seen in me - for he who has seen me has seen the Father (³). If it be then that those things which are on high and those things which are below and those things which are in the midst are filled with the Spirit, how, Lord, dost thou say: 'But the Paraclete (Paracletos), the Holy Spirit, he whom my Father sends in my name'? (⁴) His coming (⁵) I mentioned under the name of ' mission' (lit. sending), lest I should make the Father alien to the dispensation. 

For as I, after being secretly in the world as God, finally appeared openly in the world as man — as John said: 'He was in the world and the world knew him not' (⁶) so also the Holy Spirit who, up to now, was invisibly with you, comes openly to you after my Ascension through the descent by means of the tongues of flame.

(1) Wisdom, 1, 7.

(2) Psalm 139, 7.

(3) John, 14, 9.

(4) John, 14, 26.

(6) John, 1, 10. (Amphiliochus on John 14, 28. Pp. 337-338: https://answeringislam.blog/amphilochius-homily-on-john-14-28/; emphasis mine)

54.¹¹⁷⁹ Now of the rest of the Powers each is believed to be in a circumscribed place. The angel who stood by Cornelius¹¹⁸⁰ was not at one and the same moment with Philip;¹¹⁸¹ nor yet did the angel who spoke with Zacharias from the altar at the same time occupy his own post in heaven.  But the Spirit is believed to have been operating at the same time in Habakkuk and in Daniel at Babylon,¹¹⁸² and to have been at the prison with Jeremiah,¹¹⁸³ and with Ezekiel at the Chebar.¹¹⁸⁴ For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world,¹¹⁸⁵ and “whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”¹¹⁸⁶ And, in the words of the Prophet, “For I am with you, saith the Lord…and my spirit remaineth among you.”¹¹⁸⁷ But what nature is it becoming to assign to Him who is omnipresent, and exists together with God? The nature which is all-embracing, or one which is confined to particular places, like that which our argument shews the nature of angels to be? No one would so say. Shall we not then highly exalt Him who is in His nature divine, in His greatness infinite, in His operations powerful, in the blessings He confers, good?  Shall we not give Him glory? And I understand glory to mean nothing else than the enumeration of the wonders which are His own. It follows then that either we are forbidden by our antagonists even to mention the good things which flow to us from Him. or on the other hand that the mere recapitulation of His attributes is the fullest possible attribution of glory. For not even in the case of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Only begotten Son, are we capable of giving Them glory otherwise than by recounting, to the extent of our powers, all the wonders that belong to Them.

1179 Here the Benedictine Editors begin Chapter xxiii., remarking that they do so “cum plures mss. codices. tum ipsam sermonis seriem et continuationem secuti.  Liquet enim hic Basilium ad aliud argumentum transire.”  Another division of the text makes Chapter XXIII. begin with the words “But I do not mean by glory.”

1180 Acts x. 3. 1181 Acts viii. 26. 

1182 Bel and the Dragon 34. 

1183 Jer. xx. 2, LXX.  εἰς τὸν καταῤ& 191·άκτην ὁς ἦν ἐν πύλῃ.  Καταῤ& 191·άκτης τῶν πυλῶν occurs in Dion. Halic. viii. 67, in the same sense as the Latin cataracta (Livy xxvii. 27) a portcullis.  The Vulgate has in nervum, which may either be gyve or gaol.  The Hebrew="stocks", as in A.V. and R.V. καταῤ& 191·άκτης in the text of Basil and the lxx. may be assumed to mean prison, from the notion of the barred grating over the door.  cf. Ducange s.v. cataracta.

1184 Ez. i. 1.

1185 Wis. i. 7.

1186 Ps. xxxix. 7.

1187 Hag. ii. 4, 5. (“The Book of Saint Basil on the Spirit”, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series II, Volume VIII., Basil: Letters and Select Works, pp. 215-216; emphasis mine)

Furthermore if he calls the Holy Ghost a creature he describes His nature as limited. How then can the two following passages stand? “The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world;”¹⁸⁴⁸ and “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?”¹⁸⁴⁹ But he does not, it would seem, confess Him to be simple in nature; for he describes Him as one in number. And, as I have already said, everything that is one in number is not simple. And if the Holy Spirit is not simple, He consists of essence and sanctification, and is therefore composite. But who is mad enough to describe the Holy Spirit as composite, and not simple, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son?

1848 Wisdom i. 7.

1849 Ps. cxxxix. 7. (Ibid., The Letters, Letter VIII. To the Cæsareans. A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith, p. 382; emphasis mine)