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St. Basil the Great
On the Holy Spirit

TrinityPrayerScripture

On the Holy Spirit

St. Basil the Great · c. 375 AD

2h 12m read

Nicene

A landmark defense of the divinity of the Holy Spirit against the Pneumatomachians, establishing the classical doctrine of the Trinity.

Table of Contents

1The origin of the heretics' close observation of syllables 2The systematic discussion of syllables is derived from heathen philosophy 3That there is no distinction in the scriptural use of these syllables 4That not found “of whom” in the case of the Son and of the Spirit 5Issue joined with those who assert that the Son is not with the Father, but after the Father. Also concerning the equal glory 6Against those who assert that it is not proper for “with whom” to be said of the Son, and that the proper phrase is “through whom.”7In how many ways “Through whom” is used; and in what sense “with whom” is more suitable. Explanation of how the Son receives a commandment, and how He is sent 8Definitive conceptions about the Spirit which conform to the teaching of the Scriptures 9Against those who say that it is not right to rank the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son 10That they who deny the Spirit are transgressors 11Against those who assert that the baptism in the name of the Father alone is sufficient 12Statement of the reason why in the writings of Paul the angels are associated with the Father and the Son 13Objection that some were baptized unto Moses and believed in him, and an answer to it; with remarks upon types 14Reply to the suggested objection that we are baptized “into water.” Also concerning baptism 15That the Holy Spirit is in every conception inseparable from the Father and the Son, alike in the creation of perceptible objects, in the dispensation of human affairs, and in the judgment to come 16Against those who say that the Holy Ghost is not to be numbered with, but numbered under, the Father and the Son. Wherein moreover there is a summary notice of the faith concerning right sub-numeration 17In what manner in the confession of the three hypostases we preserve the pious dogma of the Monarchia. Wherein also is the refutation of them that allege that the Spirit is subnumerated 18Against those who assert that the Spirit ought not to be glorified 19Against those who maintain that the Spirit is in the rank neither of a servant nor of a master, but in that of the free 20Proof from Scripture that the Spirit is called Lord 21Establishment of the natural communion of the Spirit from His being, equally with the Father and the Son, unapproachable in thought 22The glorifying of the enumeration of His attributes 23Proof of the absurdity of the refusal to glorify the Spirit, from the comparison of things glorified in creation 24That Scripture uses the words “in” or “by,” ἐν, cf. note on p. 3, in place of “with.” Wherein also it is proved that the word “and” has the same force as “with.”25That the word “in,” in as many senses as it bears, is understood of the Spirit 26Of the origin of the word “with,” and what force it has. Also concerning the unwritten laws of the church 27That our opponents refuse to concede in the case of the Spirit the terms which Scripture uses in the case of men, as reigning together with Christ 28Enumeration of the illustrious men in the Church who in their writings have used the word “with.”29Exposition of the present state of the Churches