The Ministry of the SpiritGordon, A. J. (Adoniram Judson)
Religion
The Ministry of the Spirit
Gordon, A. J. (Adoniram Judson)
Holy Spirit
To change the figure of baptism for a moment to another which is used
synonymously, that of the anointing of the Spirit, we have in Exodus a
beautiful typical illustration of our thought. At Aaron's consecration
the precious ointment was not only poured upon his head, but ran down
in rich profusion upon his body and upon his priestly garments. This
fact is taken up by the psalmist when he sings: "Behold how good and
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the
precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even
Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments" (Ps. 133:
1, 2). Of our great High Priest we read: "How God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power" (Acts 10: 38). But it was
not for himself alone but also for his brethren that he obtained this
holy unction. He received that he might communicate. "Upon whom thou
shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he
that baptizeth in the Holy Ghost" (John 1: 33). And now we behold our
Aaron, our great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, standing in the holiest in heaven. "Thou didst love
righteousness and didst hate iniquity," is the divine encomium now
passed upon him, "therefore God, thy God, anointed thee with the oil of
gladness {59} above thy fellows" (Heb. 1: 9). He, the _Christos_, the
Anointed, stands above and for the _Christoi_, his anointed brethren,
and from him the Head, the unction of the Holy Ghost descended on the
day of Pentecost. It was poured in rich profusion upon his mystical
body. It has been flowing down ever since, and will continue to do so
till the last member shall have been incorporated with himself, and so
anointed by the one Spirit into the one body, which is the church.
It is true that in one instance subsequent to Pentecost the baptism in
the Holy Ghost is spoken of. When the Spirit fell on the house of
Cornelius, Peter is reminded of the word of the Lord, how that he said:
"John indeed baptized in water, but ye shall be baptized in the Holy
Ghost" (Acts 11: 16). This was a great crisis in the history of the
church, the opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles, and it would
seem that these new subjects of grace now came into participation of an
already present Spirit. Yet Pentecost still appears to have been the
age-baptism of the church. As Calvary was once for all, so was the
visitation of the upper room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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