684. Through his grace, the Holy Spirit is the first to awaken faith in us and to communicate to us the new life, which is to “know the Father and the one whom he has sent, Jesus Christ.”4 But the Spirit is the last of the persons of the Holy Trinity to be revealed. St. Gregory of Nazianzus, the Theologian, explains this progression in terms of the pedagogy of divine “condescension”:
The Old Testament proclaimed the Father clearly, but the Son more obscurely. the New Testament revealed the Son and gave us a glimpse of the divinity of the Spirit. Now the Spirit dwells among us and grants us a clearer vision of himself. It was not prudent, when the divinity of the Father had not yet been confessed, to proclaim the Son openly and, when the divinity of the Son was not yet admitted, to add the Holy Spirit as an extra burden, to speak somewhat daringly…. By advancing and progressing “from glory to glory,” the light of the Trinity will shine in ever more brilliant rays.5
Aprofunde seus conhecimentos
431. What purpose do the precepts of the Church have?
500. How should children be considered?
225. What is the relationship of the sacraments to Christ?
248. What is the criterion that assures unity in the midst of plurality?
171. What is the meaning of the affirmation “Outside the Church there is no salvation”?
5. How can we speak about God?
Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:
What can we learn from Edom’s pride described in Abdias 1:3?
What are 5 important lessons about wisdom found in Baruch 3:9-12?
What is the story of Naaman and how did faith and obedience cure him of leprosy?
What is the main message of Jonah’s story and how does it reveal God’s grace?
The Tower of Babel: What Does This Story Teach Us About God’s Sovereignty? (Genesis 11:1-9)
What is the church’s role in promoting reconciliation according to Philemon 1:6?
How important is Jesus’ resurrection, and what can we learn from his appearance to the disciples?
