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The Spirit Speaks - 1 Tim. 4:1
The Spirit Speaks - 1 Tim. 4:1
Paul declares that “the Spirit explicitly says…” (1Tim. 4:1). We often will quote a verse saying that ‘David said’ or ‘Isaiah said’. Such is true, and yet it should be emphasized that such speaking is actually the work and words of the Holy Spirit. For example, Paul said in Acts 28:25: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers,” - there follows the quote from Isa. 6. Paul understood that the words, while spoken by Isaiah, were in truth the words of the Spirit.
This agrees with Peter’s general claim about the Old Testament scriptures when he said that “… know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
Earlier Peter had said: “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” (1 Pet. 1:10-11). Even earlier, Peter declared: “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus” (Acts 1:16)
Hebrew Writer writes of the same principle: “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says…” and then a quote from Psa. 95 (Hebrews 3:7). Later he writes: “And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us…” then a quote from Jer. 31 (Heb. 10:15).
Such was also the understanding of Jesus as he says that “David himself said in the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet."' (Mark 12:36)
As the Holy Spirit revealed the OT message by speaking through these various chosen men, so He reveals the NT message speaking through the apostles and prophets. Paul speaks of this saying it is “now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” (Eph. 3:5). This was in accordance with the teaching and promise of Jesus: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you”(John 14:26). Also in John 16:13: "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”
This is all to say that as we read or hear the words of the New Testament, it is NOT just the words of men (as is so often alleged today), but we “…accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Are you listening to the explicit words of the Spirit?
Hugh DeLong
