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Translated by Bl. Jackson.
St Basil the Great Resources Online and in Print
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88 Pages
Page 66
Chapter XXV.
That Scripture uses the words "in" or "by," en, cf. note on p. 3, in place of "with." Wherein also it is proved that the word "and" has the same force as "with."
58. It is, however, asked by our opponents, how it is that Scripture nowhere describes the Spirit as glorified together with the Father and the Son, but carefully avoids the use of the expression "with the Spirit," while it everywhere prefers to ascribe glory "in Him" as being the fitter phrase. I should, for my own part, deny that the word in [or by] implies lower dignity than the word "with;" I should maintain on the contrary that, rightly understood, it leads us up to the highest possible meaning. This is the case where, as we have observed, it often stands instead of with; as for instance, "I will go into thy house in burnt offerings," [1215] instead of with burnt offerings and "he brought them forth also by silver and gold," [1216] that is to say with silver and gold and "thou goest not forth in our armies" [1217] instead of with our armies, and innumerable similar passages. In short I should very much like to learn from this newfangled philosophy what kind of glory the Apostle ascribed by the word in, according to the interpretation which our opponents proffer as derived from Scripture, for I have nowhere found the formula "To Thee, O Father, be honour and glory, through Thy only begotten Son, by [or in] the Holy Ghost,"--a form which to our opponents comes, so to say, as naturally as the air they breathe. You may indeed find each of these clauses separately, [1218] but they will nowhere be able to show them to us arranged in this conjunction. If, then, they want exact conformity to what is written, let them give us exact references. If, on the other hand, they make concession to custom, they must not make us an exception to such a privilege.
[1215] Ps. lxvi. 13, LXX.
[1216] Ps. cv. 37.
[1217] Ps. xliv. 9.
[1218] In Eph. ii. 18 they are combined, but no Scriptural doxology uses en of the Spirit.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/basil/holy-spirit.asp?pg=66
