from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 (Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents

 

Lesson 41

Topical and Doctrinal Notes

Leading Thought: The Holy Spirit

During our reading of the Acts we have learned much about the Holy Spirit, for the Christian Church was established by the Lord Jesus Christ, and after His ascension to heaven, by the Holy Spirit, which goes forth from Him. We learned that on the day of Pentecost it came upon the disciples like the rushing of a mighty wind, and rested upon each like cloven tongues of fire. We read about the apostles being filled with the Holy Spirit, and thus enabled to preach zealously, and to heal the sick and raise the dead. We read about the Holy Spirit coming down upon the Roman, Cornelius, and his company, at Caesarea, when Peter had preached to them, and even before they were baptized. And now we read about some people in Ephesus, who had been baptized with the baptism of John the Baptist, but as yet did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. Paul baptized them again, but this time with the baptism of the Lord, that is, "in the name of the Lord Jesus," and then when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.

As we have read so much about the Holy Spirit, let us try to understand a little better what it is.

The Holy Spirit, as you have doubtless noticed from all these stories, is the emanation and influence which comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we learned once before, it is like the influence of the sunshine from our sun, which lights up the world, warms it up, and gives life to all plants, and to the bodies of animals and men. Just as without sunshine our bodies could have no life, so without the Holy Spirit our souls could have no life.

We see objects in the world owing to the sunshine; we understand truth owing to the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are supple and able to move, owing to the sunshine; our souls can love what is good and plan out what is right, owing to the Holy Spirit. Indeed, in heaven the Holy Spirit looks and feels like sunshine, for it is the spiritual sunshine coming down from the sun of heaven, in the midst of which is the Lord.

Now, the heavenly sunshine, or the truth and good which comes down from the Lord Jesus Christ, enters into the minds of angels; it warms their hearts, and lights up their understandings. But they do not keep it to themselves, but pass it on to others. Indeed, all the angels of the highest or celestial heaven pass on the warm love and bright wisdom to the angels of the middle or spiritual heaven; these pass it on to the angels of the lowest or natural heaven; these pass it on to good spirits in the world of spirits; and these pass it on to men on earth!

And, wonderful to tell, although the angels pass it on from one to another, they do not lose it, but it stays with them! For the Lord's Love and Wisdom are inexhaustible, and He keeps on continually and forever giving it to angels and men - the more they give to others so much the more they receive from Him.

But you must clearly understand that, although one angelic heaven passes the love and wisdom which the Lord gives them, to another heaven, the Lord also gives these directly to each heaven, and to men on earth. This is what is called "mediate" and "immediate" influx. That is, the Lord's Divine sunshine inflows into men by means of angels and spirits, and also directly from Himself.

Anyone who receives this wonderful Divine influx from the Lord is just as much in the Lord's presence as if he were living in the time when the Lord was on earth, and heard the Lord speaking to him. He tells us this in the Gospel according to John. There the Holy Spirit is called also by other names, besides "the Holy Spirit." It is called "the Comforter" (or "Paraclete"), and also "the Spirit of Truth." Promising that it will come after He Himself should have ascended to heaven, the Lord said that the world will not be able to receive it, "because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17)

People may misunderstand this language, as if the Lord were speaking of the Comforter as another person. But the Lord here used figurative language; and in order to correct any misunderstanding, He added, "I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you," that is, this Paraclete that would come to them is not another person, but is Himself, His own personal influence.

A child needs to have a father to teach him the truth and to guide him to be good. So we all need our heavenly Father to teach us the truth and to guide us to be good. A child that has no father or mother is an orphan. People are orphans when they have not the Lord as their father. And though the Lord was going to leave the world, yet He was going to be with all who look to Him as their father. While He was with them, He taught them the Truth. Now that He was going out of the world, He would not leave them orphans - without His truth. He gave and gives men His truth, and He also led and leads them to be good. That is what He meant by saying, "I will come to you."

When a candidate for. the ministry or priesthood is introduced into the priesthood, the Lord promises him the Holy Spirit. He promises to be especially with him and give him such special gifts that he may be able to see and understand the truth, and to preach it with zeal. And just as in the story in the Acts, Paul laid his hands on the people in Ephesus, and the Holy Spirit then came down on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied, so nowadays the ordaining minister lays his hands on the candidate's head to represent that the Holy Spirit will be passed on to him.

And whatever truth the minister preaches is not his own truth; it is not his property; it still belongs to the Lord. It is the Holy Spirit. And by the minister's preaching, this truth passes on to the people. But at the same time, the Lord also influences the people directly from Himself.

It is of especial interest to know about the beginning of the Christian Church in Ephesus, because it is the first of "the seven churches which are in Asia," which are described in the Book of Revelation. (Revelation 2 and 3) This book, as you know, is part of the inspired Word of the Lord, containing an internal sense. It has been very carefully explained by the Lord through His servant Swedenborg, in the two works, The Apocalypse Revealed and The Apocalypse Explained.

You may read more about the beginnings of the Church in Ephesus in Acts 18:18-28; 20:16-38.

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