Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 466

442

§ 78.

Jesus'

own

THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLES

conception, and confirms

tlie

[Div. Ill

result of the former

section.

Of the

apostles, also,

it is

not difficult to show that they

were familiar with the idea of inspiration it.

and that they held

This appears most strongly from Acts

were

all filled

with the Holy

Spirit,

ii.

4:

"And

other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." aTTOcf^Oeyyeadai is to utter

they

and began to speak with

an audible sound.

Without

Now solv-

ing the question whether by " other tongues " languages of other peoples are to be vmderstood, or sounds of an entirely peculiar sort, in either case the apostles brought forth sounds

which were not produced from their own consciousness, but were the product of an action which went out upon them from This is inspiration in the fullest sense of the Holy Ghost. Thus we read in Acts viii. 29 " And the Spirit the word. said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." It does not say that this thought arose in him, but that a speaking took place and where it is our point to know the conception which was current in the apostolic circle, we must, of course, be careful to note their way of expressing themselves. Of the Jews, it is said in Rom. iii. 2, " That they were Ucarevdrjvac implies entrusted with the oracles of God." that to you, as ruler, or manager, or steward, something is committed which does not belong to you, has not been produced by you, but is the property of another subject, and over which you are placed in a position of responsibility. Of the grain which he himself has raised, the farmer cannot say that it is committed to him this is only true of the grain which was raised by another, and is stored in his barn. Hence, the apostolic representation is not that thoughts, but that "• utterances " (Xoyca') were given to them for safe-keeping and care, which were not original with themselves, but had another as subject, author and owner. And that other subject is named, for they are called " the oracles of God." In 1 Cor. vii. 40, after having given a rule for matrimony, the apostle says, " and I think that I also have the Spirit of God." There is, therefore, no question here of a moral excellence, nor yet God of more holiness, but of an insight into the will of God. :

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