Expert: Brenton Hepburn - 10/20/2009

Question
Brenton, perhaps you can answer this; I sent it to Brother Rando and all he did was preach a Watchtower Sermon, go off about hell (which my question had nothing to do with), and misrepresent what the Church Fathers believed.  He then refused to post my follow-up, where I asked that he actually answer my question.  So here's my question:

Last month, on page 3 of the 10-1-09 WT, concerning the Holy Spirit, it was stated:

"Why all this confusion [about who/what the Holy Spirit is]? It dates back to the fourth century CE when some theologians claimed that the holy spirit was a person and somehow equal to God."

Now, I have quotes on hand from Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Tertullian, Origen, and Gregory Thaumaturgus which all state, either explicitly or implicitly, that the HS is a person. Those men lived during the 2nd and 3rd century. Here are the quotes:

150 AD Justin Martyr "But both Him, and the Son (who came forth from Him and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels who follow and are made like to Him), and the prophetic Spirit, we worship and adore." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 6) Notice what else Justin say: "Worship God alone." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 16) "Whence to God alone we render worship." (Justin Martyr, First Apology, ch 17)

150 AD Polycarp of Smyrna "I praise you for all things, I bless you, I glorify you, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, with whom, to you and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen" (Martyrdom of Polycarp 14).

190 AD Clement Of Alexandria "I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, by whom all things were made according to the will of the Father." (Stromata, Book V, ch. 14)

207 Tertullian "Thus the connection of the Father in the Son, and of the Son in the Paraclete, produces three coherent Persons, who are yet distinct One from Another. These Three are, one essence, not one Person, as it is said, 'I and my Father are One' [John 10:30], in respect of unity of Being not singularity of number" (Against Praxeas, 25)

207 AD Tertullian "[God speaks in the plural ‘Let us make man in our image’] because already there was attached to Him his Son, a second person, his own Word, and a third, the Spirit in the Word....one substance in three coherent persons. He was at once the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." (Against Praxeas, ch 12)



200 AD Hippolytus "A man, therefore, even though he will it not, is compelled to acknowledge God the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus the Son of God, who, being God, became man, to whom also the Father made all things subject, Himself excepted, and the Holy Spirit; and that these, therefore, are three. But if he desires to learn how it is shown still that there is one God, let him know that His power is one. As far as regards the power, therefore, God is one. But as far as regards the economy there is a threefold manifestation, as shall be proved afterwards when we give account of the true doctrine. In these things, however, which are thus set forth by us, we are at one. For there is one God in whom we must believe, but unoriginated, impassible, immortal, doing all things as He wills, in the way He wills, and when He wills." (Against The Heresy Of One Noetus)

107ad Ignatius of Antioch There are not then either three Fathers, or three Sons, or three Paracletes, but one Father, and one Son, and one Paraclete. Wherefore also the Lord, when He sent forth the apostles to make disciples of all nations, commanded them to "baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," not unto one [person] having three names, nor into three [persons] who became incarnate, but into three possessed of equal honour." (Letter to the Philadelphians 2).

262 AD Gregory the Wonder-worker "But if they say, 'How can there be three Persons, and how but one Divinity?' we shall make this reply: That there are indeed three persons, inasmuch as there is one person of God the Father, and one of the Lord the Son, and one of the Holy Spirit; and yet that there is but one divinity, inasmuch as . . . there is one substance in the Trinity" (A Sectional Confession of Faith, 14).

All of these quotes indicate the Holy Spirit is a person; all were made by men well before the 4th century CE.  Even Arius considered the Spirit a person, just not of the same Essence of the Father.  Why, then did the WT say the confusion started in the 4th Century when "some theologians" said the Spirit was a person and equal to God?  I believe they were being deceptive.  

Answer
Hello Mike

Thank you for your question, and I apologize for taking so long to give you any sort of a reply.

Unfortunately this is not a proper reply.

Over the last 2-3 weeks I have had to put my blind mother into a nursing home after the death of her husband, and organize a lot of legal paper work.  I also have to get here unit ready for sale as the nursing home wants a large bond which is to be paid for from the sale of here home and they charge 7.3%  interest per annum  calculated per day until they get the bond.

I also have to do more research on the topics you asked about.  When I get an answer for you I will edit this page and you will receive another notice telling you that the answer has arrived.

Until then I hope you can be patient with me and wait for my reply

Brenton