He is called the Spirit, according to the Scripture just now read, “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom.” [1 Cor. 12:8] He is called the Spirit of Truth, as the Savior says, “When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come.” [John 16:13] He is called also the Comforter, as He said, “For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.” [John 16:7]
But that He is one and the same, though called by different titles, is shown plainly from the following. For that the Holy Spirit and the Comforter are the same, is declared in those words, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit” [John 14:26]; and that the Comforter is the same as the Spirit of Truth, is declared, when it is said, “And I will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth.” [John 14:16,17]; and again, “But when the Comforter is came whom I will send unto you from the Fr., even the Spirit of Truth.” [John 15:26]
And He is called the Spirit of God, according as it is written, “And I saw the Spirit of God descending” [John 1:32]; and again, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” [Rom. 8:14]. He is called also the Spirit of the Fr., as the Savior says, “For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Fr. which speaks in you;” [Matt. 10:20] and again Paul says, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Fr. of our Lord Jesus Christ…that He would grant you…to be strengthened with might through His Holy Spirit.” [Ephes. 3:14-16].
He is also called the Spirit of the Lord, according to what Peter spoke, “Why is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?” [Acts 5:9]. He is called also the Spirit of God and Christ, as Paul writes, “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. But if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” [Rom. 8:9].
He is called also the Spirit of the Son of God, as it is said, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son.” [Gal. 4:6]. He is called also the Spirit of Christ, as it is written, “Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify;” [1 Pet. 1:11] and again, “Through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” [Phil. 1:19].
You will find many other titles of the Holy Spirit besides these. Thus He is called the Spirit of Holiness, as it is written, “According to the Spirit of Holiness.” [Rom. 1:4] He is also called the Spirit of adoption, as Paul says, “For you received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Fr..” [Rom. 8:15] He is also called the Spirit of revelation, as it is written, “May give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” [Eph. 1:17] He is also called the Spirit of promise, as the same Paul says, “In whom you also after that you believed, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” [Eph. 5:13]. He is also called the Spirit of grace, as when he says again, “And have done despite to the Spirit of grace.” [Ps. 115:17].
And by many other such-like titles is He named. And you have plainly heard in the previous lecture, that in the Psalms He is called at one time the good Spirit, [Cat. 16:28; Ps. 143:6] and at another the generous Spirit; [Ps. 51:12] and in Isaiah He was styled the “Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel, and might, of knowledge, and of godliness, and of the fear of God.” [Is. 11:2]
By all which Scriptures both those before and those now alleged, it is established, that though the titles of the Holy Spirit are different, He is one and the same; living and subsisting, and always present together with the Fr. and the Son; not uttered or breathed from the mouth and lips of the Fr. or the Son, nor dispersed into the air, but having a real substance [Cat. 11:10; 16:13], Himself speaking, and working, and dispensing, and sanctifying; even as the Economy of salvation which came to us from the Fr. and the Son and the Holy Spirit, is inseparable and harmonious and one, as we have also said before. For I wish you to keep in mind those things which were lately spoken, and to know clearly that there is not one Spirit in the Law and the Prophets, and another in the Gospels and Apostles; but that it is One and the Self-same Holy Spirit, which both in the Old and in the New Testament, spoke the divine Scriptures…
The above is an excerpt from St. Gregory’s Lecture 17, printed in the Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, series 2, volume 7.
