This is Part 3 of the series on Isidore of Seville. Today’s post, on “The Holy Spirit” was supposed to be the last in this series, however, I have decided to continue one week further by adding Part 4 which will include Isidore’s work on “The Trinity.” The selection for today, as is the case with the entire Isidore Series, is taken from his work “The Etymologies” and can be found in it’s entirety here. I highly encourage you all to invest some time to making your acquaintance with this vast and historically important work.

iii. The Holy Spirit (De Spiritu Sancto)

The Holy Spirit is proclaimed to be God because it proceeds from the Father and the Son, and has God’s substance, for no other thing could proceed from the Father than what is itself the Father. It is called the Spirit (spiritus, i.e. ‘breath’ or ‘spirit’) because when it is breathed (spirare, ppl. spiratus) it is transferred to something else; moreover, its action inspires with its breath, so to speak, and consequently it is called the Spirit. It is called the Holy Spirit for a certain appropriate reason, in that the term is related to the Father and the Son, because it is their spiritus. Now this name ‘Spirit’ is also conferred not because of what is imparted to something, but because of what signifies some kind of nature. Indeed, every incorporeal nature in Holy Scripture is called spirit, whence this term suits not only the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, but also every rational creature and soul. Therefore the Spirit of God is called Holy, because it is the holiness of the Father and Son. Although the Father is spirit and the Son is spirit, and the Father is holy and the Son is holy, properly nevertheless this one is called Holy (sanctus) Spirit, as the co-essential and consubstantial holiness (sanctitas) of both the others.

The Holy Spirit is not spoken of as begotten (genitus) lest it should be thought that there are two Sons in the Trinity. It is not proclaimed as unbegotten (ingenitus), lest it should be believed that there are two Fathers in that same Trinity. It is spoken of, however, as proceeding (procedere), by the testimony of the Lord’s saying (cf. John 16:12–15), “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot hear them now. But he, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, will come, and he shall receive of mine; he shall show everything to you.” This Spirit moreover proceeds not only by its nature, but it proceeds always in ceaselessly performing the works of the Trinity. Between the Son who is born and the Holy Spirit who proceeds is this distinction, that the Son is born from one, the Holy Spirit proceeds from both. Therefore the Apostle says (Romans 8:9), “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

In its work the Holy Spirit is also understood to be an angel, for it is said of it (John 16:13), “And the things that are to come, he shall announce (adnuntiare) to you” – and the Greek term‘angel’ means “messenger” (nuntius) in Latin. Hence also two angels appeared to Lot, and to these the name ‘Lord’ was given in the singular; we understand them to have been the Son and the Holy Spirit, for we never read that the Father is ‘sent.’

The Holy Spirit, because it is called the Paraclete, is named from‘consolation,’ for theGreek term!7
 in Latin means “consolation.” Thus Christ sent the Spirit to the mourning apostles, after he ascended from their eyes to heaven. For it is sent as a consoler to those who grieve, and according to the saying of the same Lord (Matthew 5:5), “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be consoled.” Again he said (Matthew 9:15), “Then the children of the bridegroom shall mourn, when the bridegroom shall have been taken away from them.” Again, Paraclete, because it offers consolation to souls that have lost temporal joy. Others say that ‘Paraclete’ in Latin means “orator” or “advocate,” for one and the same Holy Spirit speaks; it teaches; through it are given words of wisdom; by it Holy Scripture has been inspired.

The Holy Spirit is named the Sevenfold (septiformis) because of the gifts that all have a claim to attain from the fullness of its unity, one by one, according as they deserve. Thus it is the Spirit of wisdom and intellect, the Spirit of counsel and courage, the Spirit of knowledge and holiness, the Spirit of the fear of theLord(Isaiah 11:2– 3). 14. Further, we read of the ‘perfect Spirit’ (principalis Spiritus) in the fiftieth Psalm, where because spiritus is repeated thrice, some understand the Trinity, since it is written (John 4:24), “God is a spirit.” Indeed, because he is not a body, and yet he exists, it seems to remain that he is a spirit. Some understand that the Trinity is signified in Psalm 50: in the “perfect Spirit” (vs. 14) the Father, in the “right Spirit” (vs. 12) the Son, in the “holy spirit” (vs. 13) the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is called a Gift because it is given, for ‘gift’ (donum) takes its name from ‘giving’ (dare). Now it is very well known that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he had ascended into heaven after his resurrection from the dead, gave the Holy Spirit, and filled with this Spirit the believers spoke in the tongues of all nations. Moreover it is a gift of God to the extent that it is given to those who love God through the Spirit. In itself, it is God; with regard to us, it is a gift – but the Holy Spirit is forever a Gift, handing out the gifts of grace to individuals as it wishes. It imparts the gift of prophecy to whomever it wishes, and it forgives sins for whomever it wishes – for sins are not pardoned without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is appropriately named Charity (caritas) either because by its nature it joins with those from whom it proceeds and shows itself to be one with them, or because it brings it about in us that we remain in God and he in us. Whence among the gifts of God nothing is greater than charity, and there is no greater gift of God than the Holy Spirit. It is also Grace (gratia), and has this name because it is given freely (gratis) not according to our merits, but according to divine will.

Further, just as we speak of the unique Word of God properly by the name of Wisdom, although generally both the Holy Spirit and the Father himself are wisdom, so the Holy Spirit is properly named by the word Charity, although both the Father and the Son are in general charity.  The Holy Spirit is very clearly declared in the books of the Gospel to be the Finger (Digitus) of God, forwhen one Evangelist said (Luke 11:20), “I by the finger of God cast out devils,” another said the same thing in this way (Matthew 12:28), “I by the Spirit of God cast out devils.”Wherefore also the law was written by the finger of God, and it was granted on the fiftieth day after the slaughter of the lamb, and on the fiftieth day after the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ came the Holy Spirit. Moreover it is called the Finger of God to signify its operative power with the Father and the Son. Whence also Paul says (I Corinthians 12:11), “But all these things one and the same Spirit worketh, dividing to every one according as he will.” Just as through Baptism we die and are reborn in Christ, so we are sealed by the Spirit,which is the Finger of God and a spiritual seal. The Holy Spirit is written to have come in the form of a dove (columba) in order that its nature might be expressed through a bird of simplicity and innocence.Whence the Lord said (Matthew 10:16), “Be ye simple as doves” – for this bird is without bile in its body, and has only innocence and love.

The Holy Spirit is referred to by the name of Fire (ignis) because it appeared as fire in the distribution of tongues in the Acts of the Apostles (2:3), and it settled on each of them. Moreover it gave the gift of diverse tongues to the apostles so that they might be made capable of instructing the faithful people. But the Holy Spirit is remembered as having settled upon each of them so that it may be understood not to have been divided into many, but to have remained whole with respect to each one, as is generally the way with fire. For a kindled fire has this nature, that however many should behold it, however many should behold that mane of purple splendor, to that same number would it impart the sight of its light, and offer the ministry of its gift, and still it would persist in its integrity. The Holy Spirit is referred to by the name Water (aqua) in the Gospel, as the Lord cries out and says (John 7:37–38), “If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He that believeth in me, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”Moreover, the Evangelist explained his words, for in the following sentence he says, “Now this he said of the Spirit which they should receive, who believed in him.” But the water of the sacrament (i.e. of Baptism) is one thing, and the water that signifies the Spirit of God is another, for the water of the sacrament is visible, the water of the Spirit is invisible. The former cleanses the body, and symbolizes what takes place in the soul; but through the latter, the Holy Spirit, the soul itself is purified and fed.

As the apostle John witnesses, the Holy Spirit is called Unction (unctio) because, just as oil floats above every liquid because of its physical weight, so in the beginning the Holy Spirit floated above the waters (Genesis 1:2). Whence we read that the Lord was anointed with the ‘oil of gladness’ (Hebrews 1:9, etc.), that is with the Holy Spirit. But the apostle John also calls the Holy Spirit ‘unction,’ saying (I John 2:27): “And as for you, let the unction, which you have received from him, abide in you. And you have no need that any man teach you; but as his unction teacheth you of all things.” Now that is the Holy Spirit, an invisible unction.