Role of the Holy Spirit in Evaluating Non-Biblical Examples
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in evaluating non-biblical examples by guiding believers in discerning truth and righteousness. According to John Chrysostom, a key figure in Eastern Orthodox tradition, the Spirit is essential in understanding and interpreting Scripture, which in turn informs the evaluation of external examples [4].
One of the primary ways the Holy Spirit facilitates this evaluation is through the production of spiritual fruit in believers. The fruit of the Spirit, as described by Adam Clarke in his commentary on Galatians 5:22, includes qualities such as love, joy, peace, and self-control. These characteristics enable believers to assess non-biblical examples against the backdrop of their own spiritual growth and maturity [2]. Similarly, John Gill notes that the fruit of the Spirit is manifested in "all goodness, and righteousness, and truth," providing a moral framework for evaluating external examples [3].
The Spirit's role in evaluating non-biblical examples is also linked to the concept of spiritual discernment. According to Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, the spiritual person is able to "judge all things" by their true standard, implying a capacity to evaluate external examples with discernment [6]. This discernment is rooted in the Spirit's guidance, as Jesus promised that the Spirit of truth would "guide you into all truth" (John 16:13). The Tyndale House commentary on John 15:26 describes the Holy Spirit as an "Advocate" who counsels and protects Jesus' followers, further emphasizing the Spirit's role in guiding believers in their evaluation of non-biblical examples [1].
Furthermore, the Spirit's involvement in evaluating non-biblical examples is tied to the interpretation of Scripture. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note that the Spirit is involved in "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," suggesting that the Spirit facilitates a nuanced understanding of Scripture and its application to external examples [5]. This is reinforced by John Chrysostom's observation that the Spirit is essential in expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture and illustrating Gospel mysteries [4].
Different Christian traditions have varying perspectives on the Holy Spirit's role in evaluating non-biblical examples. While the Presbyterian and Reformed traditions emphasize the Spirit's role in guiding believers in their interpretation of Scripture, the Eastern Orthodox tradition highlights the Spirit's involvement in theosis, or the process of becoming like God. Despite these differences, there is a broad consensus across traditions that the Holy Spirit is essential in evaluating non-biblical examples and guiding believers in their discernment.
The evaluation of non-biblical examples is not limited to explicit moral or ethical teachings. Rather, it encompasses a broader consideration of cultural, philosophical, and literary examples that may inform or challenge Christian understanding. As such, the Holy Spirit's role in evaluating these examples is not restricted to a narrow moralistic framework but rather involves a nuanced and contextualized discernment.
Sources
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 15:26: 15:26 But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth: Like a legal advocate, the Holy Spirit counsels and protects Jesus’ followers.”
- Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit - Both flesh - the sinful dispositions of the human heart and spirit - the changed or purified state of the soul, by the grace and Spirit of God, are represented by the apostle as trees, one yielding good the other bad fruit; the productions of each being according to the nature of the tree, as the tree is according to the nature of the seed from which it sprung. The bad seed produced a bad tree, yielding all manner of bad fruit; the good seed produced a good tree, bringing forth fruits of the most excellent kind. The tree of the flesh”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 5:8: For the fruit of the Spirit,.... Either of the spirit of man, as renewed, or rather of the Spirit of God; the allusion is to fruits of trees: the believer is a tree of righteousness; Christ is his root; the Spirit is the sap, which supports and nourishes; and good works, under the influence of his grace, are the fruit: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read "the fruit of light"; which agrees with the preceding words: and the genuine fruit of internal grace, or light, is in all goodness, and righteousness, ”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: 13:17 13:23 James 1:6 2:13 2:19 2:26 3:11 4:3 1 Peter 1:3 1:12 2:13 2:21 2:21 2:22 2:22 2:22 5:5 5:8 5:8 5:8 2 Peter 2:4 3:13 1 John 2:9 3:2 3:8 4:8 Revelation 1 1:4 1:9 1:11 1:16 1:20 2 3 3:12 14:1 14:4 14:13 15:6 20:9 22:16 Tobit 12:9 Wisdom of Solomon 1:4 1:14 11:23 11:24 14:16 Sirach 2:2 2:2 2:4 2:10 2:11 2:27 3:10-12 3:11 5:6 6:14 6:16 6:34 7:6 7:31 9:13 9:15 10:9 10:12-13 11:1 11:2 11:3 11:3 11:4 11:15 11:28 12:13 13:15 14:9 15:9 16:3 18:13 18:13 19:14-15 20:20 21:2 22:21-22 23:17 23:17 25:1 25:1 25:11 26:27 28:6 31:1 32:10”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:15: He that is spiritual--literally, "the spiritual (man)." In Co1 2:14, it is "A [not 'the,' as English Version] natural man." The spiritual is the man distinguished above his fellow men, as he in whom the Spirit rules. In the unregenerate, the spirit which ought to be the organ of the Holy Spirit (and which is so in the regenerate), is overridden by the animal soul, and is in abeyance, so that such a one is never called "spiritual." judgeth all things--and persons, by their true standard (compare Co1 6:2-4; Jo1 4:1), in so far as he is spiritual”