God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul

992 Pages·1994·24.32 MB·English

by  Gordon D. Fee

GOD'S EMPOWERING PRESENCE

OD'S
OWERIN
RESENCE

THE HOLY SPIRIT

IN THE LETTERS

OF PAUL

GORDON D. FEE

r& , HENDRICKSON
~~
PUB LIS HER S

Copyright © 1994 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
P. O. Box 3473
Peabody, Massachusetts, 01961-3473
All rights reserveq
Printed in the United States of America

ISBN Q-943575-94-X

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fee, Gordon D.
God's empowering presence: the Holy Spirit in the letters of Paul
Gordon D. Fee
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN Q-943575-94-X
1. Holy Spirit-Biblical teaching. 2. Bible. N. T . Epistles of
Paul-Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Title
BS2655.H67F44 1994
231' .3'09015-dc20
93-41933
CIP

Material from "Pauline Literature" in the Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Charismatic Movements, Stanley M. Burgess and Gary B. McGee, eds.,
Patrick H. Alexander, assoc. ed., © 1988 Stanley M. Burgess, Gary B.
McGee, and Patrick H. Alexander, was used with the permission of
Zondervan Publishing House.

Portions of chapter 4, "I Corinthians," were adapted from Gordon D. Fee,
The First Epistle to the Corinthians, in the New International Commentary
series, © 1987 bY'Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, and is used with
the gracious permission of the publisher.

for
Carl and Betsy
Michael and Rosemary
Peter and Donna
Paul and Gail
and
Maudine
with gratitude for providing a context
for the birthing of this book;
may God's Empowering Presence
be your portion

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABBREVIATIONS. .

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

1 INTRODUCTION
. . . . . .
A "Theology" of the Spirit? .
God's Empowering Presence
About the Book Itself
. . .
Finding the Elusive "Center"

2 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON USAGE.
The Use of 1tVEUJ.lU in Paul
The Holy Spirit or a holy spirit
Holy Spirit or human spirit . .
"The Spirit of" or "a spirit of" .
The Meaning of the Adjective 1tVEUJ.lU"tllC6C;
The Term xaplC1J.lU in Paul . . . . .
The Spirit and the Language of Power . .

Part I-Analysis

3 THE THESSALONIAN CORRESPONDENCE

1 Thessalonians .
1 Thes 1:4-6
1 Thes 2:15. .
1 Thes 4:8 . .
1 Thes 5:16-18
1 Thes 5:19-22
1 Thes 5:23-24

xvii

xxi

1
2
5
9

11

14
14
15
24
26
28
32
35

39

40
40
49
50
53
55
63

viii
GOD'S EMPOWERING PRESENCE

2 Thessalonians ,
67
2 Thes 1:11 .
68
2 Thes 2:1-2
71
2 Thes 2:8 .
75
2 Thes 2:9 .
76
2 Thes 2:13
77

Conclusion .
79

4 1 CORINTHIANS
81
1 Cor 1:4-7
84
1 Cor 2:4-5
90
1 Cor 2:6-3:2 .
93
1 Cor 3:16-17 .
ll2
1 Cor 4:18-21 .
ll8
1 Cor 5:3-5
121
1 Cor 6:11
127
1 Cor 6:14 .
132
1 Cor 6:17 .
132
1 Cor 6:19-20
134
1 Cor 7:7
137
1 Cor 7:34 .
138
1 Cor 7:40 .
139
1 Cor 9:11
140
1 Cor 10:3-4
141
1 Cor 11:4-5
144

1 Corinthians 12:1-14:40
146
1 Cor 12:1-3
151
1 Cor 12:4-11 .
158
1 Cor 12:12-14
175
1 Cor 12:15-26
183
1 Cor 12:27-31
187
1 Cor 13:1-3
197
1 Cor 13:8-11 .
204

1 Corinthians 14:1-25
214
1 Cor 14:1-5
215
1 Cor 14:6-19 .
221
1 Cor 14:20-25
235
1 Cor 14:26-33
247
1 Cor 14:36-40
257
1 Cor 15:42-46
262
1 Cor 16:18
269

Conclusions
269

Excursus: On the Text of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 .
272

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ix

5 .2 CORINTHIANS .
282
2 Cor 1:11
285
2 Cor 1:12 .
286
2 Cor 1:21-22
287
2 Cor 2:13 .
296

2 Corinthians 3:1-18 .
296
2 Cor 3:3
302
2 Cor 3:6
304
2 Cor 3:8
307
2 Cor 3:16-18
309
2 Cor 4:1-6
320
2 Cor 4:7
321
2 Cor 4:10-12
322
2 Cor 4:13 .
323
2 Cor 4:16
324
2 Cor 5:5
324
2 Cor 5:13 .
327
2 Cor 5:16-17
330
2 Cor 6:6-7
332
2 Cor 6:16-7:1
336
2 Cor 7:13
338
2 Cor 8:7
339

2 Corinthians 10-13
340
2 Cor 10:2-4
340
2 Cor 11:4 .
342
2 Cor 11:6 .
345
2 Cor 12:1-10
346
2 Cor 12:12
354
2 Cor 12:18
357
2 Cor 13:3-4
359
2 Cor 13:13[14J
362

Conclusion .
365

6 GALATIANS.
367
Gal 2:2
372
GaI2:19b-20 .
373

Galatians 3:1-4:11 .
377
Gal 3:1-5
380
Gal 3:13-14
390
Gal 3:15-18
395
Gal 3:21-22
397
Gal 4:4-7
398
Gal 4:29
413
GaI5:4b-6.
416

X
GOD'S EMPOWERING PRESENCE

Galatians 5:13-6:10
420
Gal 5:13-15
425
Gal 5:16-18
427
Gal 5:19-23
439
Gal 5:24-26
454
Gal 6:1-3
458
Gal 6:7-10 .
464
Gal 6:18 ,
468

Conclusions
469
7 ROMANS,
472

Romans 1:1-15
476
Rom 1:2.
477
Rom 1:3-4 ,
478
Rom 1:9.
484
Rom 1:11
486
Rom 2:29
489
Rom 5:5.
493
Rom 5:15-16
498

Romans 6:1-8:39
499
Rom 6:4
501
Rom 6:23
502
Rom 7:4-6.
503
Rom 7:14. 18 .
508

Romans 8:1-30
515
Rom 8:1-2 .
519
Rom 8:3-4.
527
Rom 8:5-8.
538
Rom 8:9-11
542
Rom 8:12-13
555
Rom 8:14-17
560

Romans 8:18-30
570
Rom 8:22-23 .
572
Rom 8:26-27 .
575
Rom 8:28-30 .
587
Rom 9:1.
591
Rom 11:8
594
Rom 11:29 .
594

Romans 12:1-15:13
594
Rom 12:1-2
597
Rom 12:3-8
604
Rom 12:11 .
611
Rom 13:8-10
613
Rom 13:11-14 .
614

Romans 14:1-15:13
Rom 14:16-18
Rom 15:13 ...

Romans 15:14-33
Rom 15:14 ..
Rom 15:16 ..
Rom 15:18-19
Rom 15:27 .
Rom 15:30 .

Conclusions

"

TABLE OF CONTENTS

8 THE CAPTIVITY EPISTLES: PHILEMON AND COLOSSIANS

Philemon
Colossians
Col 1:7-8
Col 1:9-12
Col 1:29 .
Col2:5 .
Col 3:10 .
Col 3:15 .
Col 3:16 .

Conclusions

9 THE CAPTIVITY EPISTLES: EPHESIANS

Ephesians 1:3-14
Eph 1:3 ....
Eph 1:13-14
. .

Ephesians 1:15-2:10
Eph 1:17-20 .
Eph 2:2 ....
Eph 2:3 (2:11)
.

Ephesians 2:11-22
Eph 2:17-18 . .
Eph 2:19-22 . .

Ephesians 3:1-13
Eph 3:3-7 ...

Ephesians 3:14-21 .
Eph 3:16-17
Eph 3:20-21 . . .

xi

615
617
621

624
625
626
628
631
632

634

635

635
636
638
640
645
645
646
647
648

657

658

664
666
668

672
673
679
680

681
682
685

690
691

693
695
697

xii
GOD'S EMPOWERING PRESENCE

Ephesians 4:1-16
698
Eph 4:1-6
699
Eph 4:11-12
705

Ephesians 4:17-6:9
709
Eph 4:23-24
709
Eph 4:30
712
Eph 5:9 .
717
Eph 5:14
718
Eph 5:18-21
718

Ephesians 6:10-20 .
723
Eph 6:12
724
Eph 6:17-20
726

Conclusions
732

10 THE CAPTIVITY EPISTLES: PHILIPPIANS .
734
Phil1:18c-20 .
736
Phil 1:27
743
Phil2:1 .
747
Phil 3:3 .
750
Phil 4:23
753

Conclusion
753

11 THE PASTORAL EPISTLES
755

1 Timothy
757
1 Tim 1:18
758
1 Tim 3:16
761
1 Tim 4:1-2
768
1 Tim 4:12 .
770
1 Tim 4:14 .
771

Titus
776
Titus 1:12
777

~
Titus 3:5-6
777

2 Timothy
784
2 Tim 1:6-7
785
2 Tim 1:8
789
2 Tim 1:14 .
790
2 Tim 3:5
792
2 Tim 3:16 .
793
2 Tim 4:22.
794

Conclusions
794

TABLE OF CONTENTS
xiii

Part I1-Synthesis

Preface to Part II: Finding a Place to Begin
799

12 THE SPIRIT AS ESCHATOLOGICAL FULFILLMENT .
803

The Pauline Framework
803
The role of the Spirit
805
The Pauline metaphors
806
The Spirit and resurrection
808

The Spirit as the Fulfilled Promise
811
The Spirit and the inclusion of the Gentiles
811
The Spirit and the new covenant
812

The Spirit and Torah
813

The Spirit against the Flesh .
816
The meaning of aapl; in Paul
818
The Spirit-flesh contrast in Paul
820

The Spirit, Power, and Weakness
822

13 THE SPIRIT AS GOD'S PERSONAL PRESENCE
827

The Holy Spirit as Person
829

The Spirit and the Godhead .
831
The Spirit as the Spirit of God .
834
The Spirit as the Spirit of Christ .
837
The Spirit and the Trinity
839

The Spirit as God's Presence
843

14 THE SOTERIOLOGICAL SPIRIT
846

The Spirit and the Hearing of the Gospel
847
The Spirit and proclamation
848
The role of revelation
850
The Spirit and faith
853

The Spirit and Conversion
853
The crucial role of the Spirit
854
The Pauline soteriological metaphors
855

The Spirit and Water Baptism.
860

xiv
GOD'S EMPOWERING PRESENCE

Conversion and Spirit Baptism
863

Life in the Spirit ,
864
Other Spirit activity
865
The Spirit and prayer
866
Spirit life and the Presence of God
868

15 THE SPIRIT AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD
870

The Spirit and the Believing Community
872
The formation of the community
872
The Pauline images .
873

The Spirit and Christian Life
876
The Spirit and ethical life
877
The fruit of the Spirit .
881

The Spirit and Worship
883
The nature oj worship .
884

The xapicrJ,la'ta and the Spirit
886
Their number and variety
886
Glossolalia .
889
Prophecy
890
The xupiallu'tu and eschatology
893
Their extent in the Pauline churches
894

16 WHERE TO FROM HERE?
THE RELEVANCE OF PAULINE PNEUMATOLOGY
896

The Pauline Perspective: A Summary
897

The Present Perspective: A Contrast
899

A Way Forward.
901

ApPENDIX: THE PAULINE ANTECEDENTS
904

The Spirit in the Old Testament
905
The Spirit as divine power
906
The Spirit and leadership .
907
The Spirit and prophecy
908
The Spirit and revelation .
908
The Spirit as God's presence
909
The Spirit and eschatology
909