DUMINICA COBORÂRII SF. SPIRIT (RUSALIILE). Sf. m. Agripina (sec. III). EvU In 20,19-23

2:1-4 THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
OVERVIEW: There are five sections in this chapter: the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), the listing of all the nations represented and the amazement of the crowd (Acts 2:5-13), Peter’s speech (Acts 2:14-36), the reaction of the hearers (Acts 2:37-41) and a summary description of the restored and new people (Acts 2:42-47). In the theological presentation of Luke, we first saw the reconstitution of the Twelve, and thus the new Israel (Acts 1:15-26), and the giving of the new law at a new Sinai at Pentecost follows this. Then, in Peter’s speech to the old Israel, gathered from the nations in Jerusalem, the new Israel, in the power of the Holy Spirit, addresses the old Israel. The Fathers are sensitive to Luke’s allusive theology of a new Sinai: many remark on the significance of the fifty days, others allude to the “beginnings of the Gospel” (LEO), thus of a new people. They link Christian baptism to this baptism in the Holy Spirit (CHRYSOSTOM, CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, ARATOR). They are aware that Luke is alluding to the undoing of Babel in the gift of tongues (BEDE, CYRIL) and the significance of the presence of this gift in showing forth the universality of the church (AUGUSTINE, LEO, CYRIL, CASSIODORUS), though they show little curiosity about the precise description of this gift. Finally, Augustine poses the very modern question: what is the relation between the bestowal of the Spirit in John 20:22-23 and that at Pentecost? Typically, he compares the events while modern exegesis, also typically, looks rather to different theological viewpoints in the two authors.
2:5-13 THE MULTITUDE IS AMAZED
OVERVIEW: Luke now recounts how Jews “from every nation under heaven,” thus, representatives from all the world, heard the witness of Peter as he proclaimed the new Sinai. The list of nations, perhaps taken from similar lists and then added to, is meant also to show the universality of the proclamation and the unification of those separated by the confusion at Babel. The Fathers generally do not remark on the notion of all Israel representatively present, though they do mention once again the theme of the undoing of Babel (ARATOR) and find different “allegorical” (ARATOR), “mystical” (BEDE) or fulfillment (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM) forms of significance in the reference to new wine. Chrysostom picks up the familiar theme of the power of speech given to uneducated men.
Gospel according to St. John 7,37-53;8,12
7:37-44 THE OFFER OF LIVING WATER
OVERVIEW: As the feast was now coming to a close, our Lord gives the people provision for the return home (CHRYSOSTOM), for those who are thirsty may drink from the Spirit of Christ (AUGUSTINE). They no longer need a pitcher to draw the water because they have a fountain of living water welling up from inside (DIDYMUS). The passage Jesus is quoting is difficult to find (CHRYSOSTOM), although one might look in Isaiah or the Psalms. Our Lord used the imagery of the brook in Leviticus, from which Israel took everything for its observance of the feast, to point to himself as the River who would restore Paradise and bring to us spiritual and divine delight (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). Jesus is saying here that anyone who follows the Scriptures that speak of him will never dry up spiritually (THEODORE). The living water that flows from them is the Spirit (IRENAEUS), the river of God that flows out from the throne of God in the book of Revelation (AMBROSE), giving the gift of immortality (ORIGEN). We are called then to drink out of our own cisterns, that is, the Scriptures, which contain this living water of the Spirit. Just as water refreshes and sustains all things, so also the Spirit refreshes and sustains those who have this spring flowing from within them (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM).
Wisdom is the fountain of life (AMBROSE), which can be found in faithful preaching that flows from the soul of the faithful (GREGORY THE GREAT), so that a way of righteousness springs up in the parched desert where the elect of God reside (IRENAEUS). Jesus speaks of the Spirit who had not yet been given. The Spirit, of course, was present before Christ said this, but Christ here speaks of a new dispensation of the Spirit who would be poured out at Pentecost (AUGUSTINE) and in the gift of baptism (CYPRIAN). However, the pouring out of the Spirit was limited until after Christ’s glorification (CHRYSOSTOM), which would be fully realized when the Spirit would dwell completely in humankind (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).
After hearing Jesus’ marvelous words, the people realize he is more than just an ordinary man, but they are misguided as to who he is because they had no guidance from their leaders. They realize the Messiah would come from Bethlehem but are ignorant of Jesus’ birth, knowing only that he grew up in Nazareth (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA).
7:45-52 UNBELIEF OF JEWISH LEADERS IN SPITE OF TEACHING
OVERVIEW: The officers who were sent by the Pharisees believed in Jesus.

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7:37 If Anyone Is Thirsty
PROVISIONS FOR THE WAY. CHRYSOSTOM: Since the feast was over and the people were about to return home, our Lord gives them provisions for the way. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.1.1
THOSE WHO ARE THIRSTY DRINK FROM THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. AUGUSTINE: Hold on to the gift but acknowledge the giver. When the Lord promised he was going to give his Spirit, he said, “If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, rivers of living water will flow from his belly.” Where does this river in you come from? Remember your former dryness. I mean, if you had not been dry, you would not have been thirsty. If you had not been thirsty, you would not have drunk. What do I mean when I say: if you had not been thirsty, you would not have believed in Christ? Unless you had discovered how empty you were, you would not have believed in Christ. Before saying “rivers of living water will flow from his belly,” he first said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come and drink.” The reason you will have a river of living water is that you drink. You do not drink if you are not thirsty. SERMON 160.2.2
A PITCHER NO LONGER NEEDED WITH CHRIST. DIDYMUS THE BLIND: Some are able to drink from the fountain without the pitcher. Rebekah, which means steadfastness in the good, stepped down to the fountain and scooped the water with the pitcher in order to give the thirsty servant [of Abraham] to drink, but she herself drank from the fountain without the pitcher.… The imperfect knowledge and the imperfect prophecy3 are the pitcher filled from the fountain. When the imperfect will pass away,4 the pitcher is broken. Its content, however, is not lost.… When one does not need to drink from the pitcher anymore because the Savior has given to drink and prepared in the person who drinks a spring of living water, then the pitcher is not needed for the person who has the fountain of living water5 inside. COMMENTARY ON ECCLESIASTES 361.9.6

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7:38a Believers and Scripture
WHERE IN SCRIPTURE? CHRYSOSTOM: He is here speaking of spiritual drink.… But where does the Scripture say that “rivers of living water shall flow from his belly”? Nowhere.7 What then does it mean, “He that believes on me, as the Scripture says”? Here we must place a period, so that the “rivers shall flow from his belly” may be an assertion of Christ.8 For because many said … “When the Christ comes will he do more miracles?” he shows that it is important to have a correct understanding and to be convinced on the evidence of Scripture, not of miracles. In fact, many who had seen him working miracles still did not receive him as the Christ … “Search the Scriptures,” he had said previously. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.1.9
THE TESTIMONY OF THE PSALMIST AND ISAIAH TO CHRIST THE RIVER. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The feast of the tabernacles signified the thrice longed for time of the resurrection10 [For its observance, God specified] the taking of boughs and mentioned the fruit of a good tree and other things besides11 in order to indicate the recovery of Paradise that was about to be given to us again through Christ. But since [Leviticus] specifies at the end12 that one should take everything out of the brook and rejoice again, we say that our Lord Jesus Christ was compared to a brook in whom we shall find all delight and enjoyment in hope. And in him, this brook will delight us in a divine and spiritual way. And that he is called a brook, the most wise psalmist testifies13 … And the Lord himself says something similar in the prophet [Isaiah].14 COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.1.15
THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE SCRIPTURES WILL BE FILLED. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Clearly they referred the words, “As the Scripture has said,” to the sentence following and began to ask where “shall flow streams of living water” is written. But the phrase rather should be referred to the previous sentence. Since in the holy books there are many prophecies about the Messiah, as he had already said in another passage.16 Jesus, inciting every person to faith in him, means: Anyone who follows the Scriptures and believes in me will be filled by grace, and it will not only be like a river that never dries up but will also flow out of him, so that it may provide not only for him but for many others. And so the apostles, after they received the Spirit, provided for many others thanks to the gift they had received. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 3.7.37-39.17

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7:38b Streams of Living Water
THE SPIRIT FLOWS IN ALL OF US. IRENAEUS: The Spirit is in us all, and he is the living water that the Lord supplies to those who rightly believe in him and love him. AGAINST HERESIES 5.18.2.18
THE RIVER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMBROSE: This … is not a trivial matter when we read that a river goes forth from the throne of God. For you read the words of the Evangelist John that speaks to this: “And he showed me a river of living water, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street and on either side was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of all nations.”19 This is certainly the river proceeding from the throne of God, that is, the Holy Spirit, whom he drinks who believes in Christ, as Christ himself says: “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes on me, as the Scripture says, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke of the Spirit.” Therefore the river is the Spirit. This, then, is in the throne of God, for the water does not wash the throne of God.… And what wonder is it if the Holy Spirit is the throne of God, since the kingdom of God itself is the work of the Holy Spirit.20 ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 3.20.153-156.21
SUPERABUNDANT RIVERS FOR IMMORTALITY. ORIGEN: He who believes in him has not only a well but also wells; not only springs but also rivers within him. But the springs and rivers are not those that comfort this mortal life but that bestow immortality. HOMILIES ON NUMBERS 12.1.22
THE SPIRIT ONE IN NATURE, DIVERSE IN GIFTS. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: Let us drink waters out of our own cisterns and out of our own springing wells.23 We drink of living water springing up into everlasting life. But this is what the Savior said of the Spirit, which those who believe on him should receive. For observe what he says: “He who believes on me-not simply this, but-as the Scripture has said-here he sends you back to the Old Testament-out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” These are not rivers perceived by sense that merely water the earth with its thorns and trees. But these are rivers that bring souls to the light. And in another place he says, “But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of living water springing up into everlasting life”24-a new kind of water living and springing up, springing up to those who are worthy.
And why did he call the grace of the Spirit water? Because by water all things subsist; because water brings forth grass and living things; because the water of the rain showers comes down from heaven; because it comes down one in form but works in many forms. For one fountain waters the whole of paradise, and one and the same rain comes down on all the world, yet it becomes white in the lily, and red in the rose, and purple in violets and hyacinths, and different and varied in each. So it is one in the palm tree, and another in the vine, and all in all things; and yet it is one in nature, not diverse from itself. For the rain does not change itself and come down first as one thing, then as another, but adapting itself to the constitution of each thing that receives it, it becomes to each what is suitable.25 And so the Holy Spirit also, being one, and of one nature and indivisible, distributes to each his grace, as he wills.26 And as the dry tree, after being nourished with water, puts forth shoots, so also the soul in sin, when it has been through repentance made worthy of the Holy Spirit, brings forth clusters of righteousness. And though he is one in nature, yet many are the virtues he inculcates by the will of God and in the name of Christ. For he employs the tongue of one person for wisdom; the soul of another he enlightens by prophecy; to another he gives power to drive away devils, while another is given ability to interpret the divine Scriptures. He strengthens one person’s self-control while another learns how to give to the poor. He teaches one to fast and be disciplined and another to despise the things of the body, and still another he trains for martyrdom-diverse in different people, yet not diverse from himself.27 CATECHETICAL LECTURES 16.11-12.28
WISDOM AS THE FOUNTAIN OF SPIRITUAL GRACE. AMBROSE: As Wisdom is the fountain of life, it is also the fountain of spiritual grace. It is also the fountain of other virtues that guide us to the course of eternal life. Therefore, the stream that irrigates paradise rises from the soul when well-tilled, but not from the soul that lies uncultivated. The results therefore are fruit trees of diverse virtues. There are four principal trees that constitute the divisions of Wisdom. These are the well-known four principal virtues: prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice.… Wisdom acts as the source from which these four rivers take their rise, producing streams that are composed of these virtues. ON PARADISE 3.14.29
FAITHFUL PREACHING. GREGORY THE GREAT: When sacred preaching flows from the soul of the faithful, rivers of living water, as it were, run down from the bellies of believers. For what are the insides of the belly but the inner part of the mind; in other words, a right intention, a holy desire, humility toward God and mercy toward your fellow human beings. HOMILIES ON EZEKIEL 1.10.30
THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SPRUNG UP IN THE DESERT. IRENAEUS: [Christ] plainly announced that liberty that distinguishes the new covenant and the new wine that is put into new wineskins, [that is], the faith that is in Christ, by which he has proclaimed the way of righteousness sprung up in the desert and the streams of the Holy Spirit in a dry land, to give water to the elect people of God, whom he has acquired, that they might show forth his praise. AGAINST HERESIES 4.33.14.31

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7:39 The Spirit Had Not Been Given Yet
A NEW DISPENSATION OF THE ONE SPIRIT. AUGUSTINE: Why then did the Lord Jesus Christ determine not to give the Holy Spirit until he should be glorified? We need to first inquire in what manner the Holy Spirit was not yet in holy people, as best as we are able, before we speak further, in case this should trouble anyone. We read in the Gospel concerning the Lord himself newly born that Simeon by the Holy Spirit recognized him; that Anna the widow, a prophetess, also recognized him;32 that John, who baptized him, recognized him;33 that Zachariah, being filled with the Holy Spirit, said many things; that Mary herself received the Holy Spirit to conceive the Lord.34 We have therefore many preceding evidences of the Holy Spirit before the Lord was glorified by the resurrection of his flesh. Nor was it another spirit that the prophets also had, who proclaimed beforehand the coming of Christ. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.6.35
THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE MADE KNOWN IN A SPECIAL WAY AT PENTECOST. AUGUSTINE: How is this to be understood, unless the special giving or sending of the Holy Spirit after the glorification of Christ was to be such as it had never been before? For it was not that it had never occurred previously, but that it had never been known in a way such as this. For if the Holy Spirit was not given before, how were the prophets who spoke filled?36 … How then was “the Spirit not given, since Jesus was not yet glorified,” unless because that giving or granting or mission of the Holy Spirit was to have a certain character of its own in its very advent such as never had happened before? For we read nowhere that people spoke in tongues that they did not know through the Holy Spirit coming on them. But this is what happened then [in Acts], when it was necessary that his coming should be made plain by visible signs, in order to show that the whole world, and all nations constituted with different tongues, should believe in Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit to fulfill that which is sung in the psalm: “There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard; their sound is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.”37 … The Holy Spirit, whether by the shape of a dove or by fiery tongues … by motion within time and by [various] forms, manifested himself co-eternal and unchangeable with the Father and the Son. ON THE TRINITY 4.20.29-21.30.38
BAPTISM HERE INDICATED. CYPRIAN: Christ reminds of what was previously foretold by the prophet39 and says, “If anyone thirst, let him come and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, rivers from his belly shall flow of living water.” And that it might be the more clear that the Lord is there speaking not of the cup40 but of baptism, Scripture has added, “But this he said of the Spirit that those who believed in him were to receive.” But by baptism the Holy Spirit is received, and so those who are baptized and have secured the Holy Spirit go on to drink the cup of the Lord. Let no one be troubled because when divine Scripture speaks of baptism it says that we thirst and drink, since the Lord also says this in the Gospel.41 This is because what is received with keen and thirsty desire is more fully and completely42 drained. LETTER 62.8.43
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. CHRYSOSTOM: But in the case of the prophets, all allow that the gift was that of the Holy Spirit. But this [prophetic] grace was limited and departed and failed from off the earth from the day in which it was said, “Your house is left to you desolate.”44 Even before that day, its dearth had begun, for there was no longer any prophet among them, nor did grace visit their holy things. Since then, the Holy Spirit had been withheld. It was, instead, to be shed forth abundantly for the future. The beginning of this imparting was after the crucifixion, not only as to its abundance but also as to the increased greatness of the gifts. (For the gift was more marvelous … and the people of old possessed the Spirit themselves but did not impart it to others, while the apostles filled tens of thousands with it.) Since then, I say, they were to receive this Gift, but it was not yet given. For this reason he adds, “The Holy Spirit was not yet.” But because then the Lord spoke of this grace, the Evangelist says, “For the Holy Spirit was not yet,” that is, “was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.2.45
THE GIFT OF THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Spirit came to be in the prophets so that they could prophesy, and now the Spirit dwells in believers through Christ, having first dwelled in Christ when he was made man. For as God, Christ has the Spirit unceasingly, since the Spirit is essentially of Christ’s nature: the Spirit is his own. Christ is anointed and is said to receive the Spirit as a man, not so that he could participate in the divine good things but rather for our sake and for the sake of human nature, as we have been taught. When the Evangelist says to us, “The Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified,” let us understand him to mean the full and complete indwelling of the Holy Spirit in humankind. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.2.46

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7:40-41 A People Divided: Prophet or Christ?
A PEOPLE FULLY PREPARED TO BELIEVE, BUT MISGUIDED. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: They were so astonished at his divine confidence, seeing that his words could no longer be gauged in human terms, that they revert to their recollection of the law as having already declared beforehand concerning the Christ and saying that a prophet would be raised up similar to the all-wise Moses who should interpret to Israel the words from God.47 … From the quality therefore of his words and the superiority of his sayings they say that he is already shown to be the one who was heralded in the law.… They thought that the Christ would be someone other than the prophet of the law.… Whereas two were supposed to come, I mean, the prophet of the law, that is, Christ, and Elijah-they were looking for three, imagining that the prophet was other than Jesus.… But we must observe that they were already fully prepared to believe. They are persuaded by the Savior’s words to marvel at him. And yet, without guidance from their rulers, they are borne along a many-branching path of ideas. Some call him and now believe him to be the Christ, others that he is the prophet. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.2.48
7:42-44 Christ Is from Bethlehem, Not Galilee
A CAREFUL, BUT NOT COMPLETE, INQUIRY. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Jews are not haphazard in the inquiries about Christ. They can be found going through each and every idea in order to arrive at a perception of the truth. For having first marveled at his words, they next turn to the divine Scripture thinking to find there a most unerring conception of him, for such is its nature. They believe that he shall be of the seed of the thrice-blessed David and shall be revealed in Bethlehem of Judea, persuaded by the prophecies concerning this.49 … But the unassisted mind of the Jews was led astray and failed to find Christ merely on account of Nazareth, which was situated in Galilee. It was common knowledge that our Lord was brought up here.50 … But they did not know that he had been born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Holy Virgin, who was of the seed of David (for she was of the tribe of Judah by descent). Merely knowing that our Lord was brought up at Nazareth, they fall away from the truth and lack sound reasoning. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.2.51

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7:45 Why Did You Not Bring Him?
THE OFFICERS RETURN FULL OF ADMIRATION. AUGUSTINE: But those who had been sent to take him returned innocent of the crime and full of admiration. For they even gave witness to his divine doctrine, when those by whom they had been sent asked, “Why have you not brought him?” They answered that they had never heard a man speak like this.… But he spoke in this way because he was God and man. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 33.1.1
7:46 No Man Ever Spoke Like This Man!
THE POWER OF JESUS’ SPEECH. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The chief priests and Pharisees, fearing that the people of the Jews might be persuaded by the Savior’s words, send out officers to arrest him. They think that if Christ were out of the way they might no longer be concerned with him. But what they suspected might happen to the people actually happens to those whom they sent to arrest Jesus. Moreover, the chief priests and Pharisees shudder to hear a report from their own officers that contradicts them: “No man ever spoke like this man!” … In essence the officers are saying, “It is unreasonable for you to blame us for not being able to arrest Jesus, for how could one arrest a man who by his words possesses divine nature? For he spoke not as a man, nor were his words befitting man, but they unmistakably belong to one who is God by nature.” COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.2.2
ONLY THE LIVING GOD COULD HAVE SPOKEN LIKE THIS. ATHANASIUS: They perceived that this was not a mere man like themselves, but that this was he who gave water to the saints and that it was he who was announced by the prophet Isaiah. For he was truly the splendor of the light,3 and the Word of God, the river that flowed from the fountains and watered the paradise of old. But now, to all he gives the same gift of the Spirit and says, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes on me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water shall flow out of his belly.”4 This was not for [a] man to say but for the living God, who truly promises life and gives the Holy Spirit. FESTAL LETTER 44.5