The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Whom I will send unto you from the Father . From this verse the later Greeks maintain that the Holy Ghost proceeds from, and is by the Father only, not the Son : and therefore they made an open schism from the Latin Church, A.D. 1054, when Michael the patriarch of Constantinople dared for this cause to excommunicate the Roman Pontiff and the Latins. And for this reason, in A.D. 1453, on the very Feast of the Holy Ghost, or during the octave of Whitsunday, Constantinople was taken by the Turks, the Emperor slain, and the empire of the Greeks brought to an end. This therefore is the error of the Greeks ; for, as S. Hilary rightly observes, (lib. 8, de Trin.) and S. Augustine (lib. 4, de Trin. c. 20), this passage rather signifies the contrary, namely, that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. For this is the meaning of whom I will send. For in the Holy Trinity no Person is sent by any other unless He proceeds from Him who sends Him. Wherefore the
Father is never said to be sent because He proceedeth from none. The Son is said to be sent by the Father, but not by the Holy
Ghost. The Holy Ghost is said to be sent by the Father and the
Son, because He proceedeth from Both as from one Principle of Spiration. So the ancient Greek, as well as the Latin, Fathers understood this passage. They are cited by the Council of Florence ( sess . 18 and 25), where a union was effected between the Latins and the Greeks, and the Greeks admitted that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. (See Cardinal Bessarion's speech on behalf of union, c. 7.) Wherefore when it is only said in the creed of the Council of Nice, “ I believe in the Holy Ghost,” the Council of Constantinople added, Who proceedeth from the Father. And when a contention arose about the Son, the Church added, and from the Son , as the Council of Florence teaches (sess. 7). The same thing is clearly apparent from the words of Christ (chap, xvi.), All things whatsoever the Father hath are Mine : wherefore I said. He shall take of
Mine , and shall show it unto you. For if all things which the Father hath are the Son’s, then He also breathes the Holy Ghost. In this manner all the Fathers of the same Council understood the passage. Therefore in the Letters of Union the whole Synod declared, “ And since all things which the Father hath, the Father Himself has given to His Only Begotten Son except to be the Father, this very thing that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Son, the Son Himself hath eternally from the Father, of Whom also He is eternally begotten.” (See Bellarm. lib. 2, de Christo , c. 20 et seq.)
Moreover one Divine Person is said to be sent by another, when by the will of Him from whom He proceeds He begins to be anywhere in a fresh manner from that in which He was there before. Thus the Son was sent by the Father in the flesh that He might become man. The Holy Ghost was sent by the Father and the Son to the Apostles, interiorly by the abundant grace with which He illuminated their minds, and inflamed their will that they should constantly bear witness to Christ and His doctrine : but He did the same exteriorly by means of the fiery tongues, by which He gave efficacy to their words, and also by means of the miracles which He wrought by them,
I will send from the Father . Christ said this — 1st. Plainly : as it were thus, When I shall have ascended to the Father in heaven, then I with the Father will send unto you the Holy Ghost. 2d. Theophylact says ,from the Father means, the Father approving and together sending. 3d. From the Father may mean that the Son hath from the Father the Divine Essence, and consequently the power of breathing and sending the Holy Ghost, so that verily with the
Father, by the same action and breathing He breathes, and by the same Mission sends, the Holy Spirit. So S. Hilary (lib. de Synod.) and the Council of Sirmium.
4th. From the Father , i.e. I will send you the Holy Ghost, who is with the Father, forasmuch as He is coeternal and consubstantial with Him.
5th. The words from the Father crush the heresy of Eunomius, who taught that the Holy Ghost proceeds not from the Father, but from the Son, so that the Holy Ghost is, as it were, the Son of the Son, and the Grandchild of God the Father. This heresy S. Basil refutes (lib. 2, contr. eund.), showing that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. So also S. Cyril (lib. 10, c. 33) teaches that the Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, and proceeded from the Father, but through the Son. Which means nothing else but that which we say, that the Son produces the Holy Spirit from the Father, i.e. He hath from the Father to produce the Holy Ghost, as God by the Word created all things. For all things were made by Him.
S. Thomas (1 par. q. 36. art. 2), Suarez, and others give the reason a priori. Because if the Holy Ghost did not proceed from the Son, He would not be distinguished from the Son. For in the Godhead there is no distinction save in the procession of One from Another, and the distinction of relationship.
Who proceedeth from the Father. Thus Christ speaks, and is
silent concerning Himself: 1st. Because the Father is the First Principle of the Spiration of the Holy Ghost, as I have said. 2d. Because Christ, for the sake of humility and reverence, to give us an example, is wont to refer all things concerning His authority to the Father. 3d. Because if He had said, Who proceedeth from Me, He could not appositely have subjoined, He shall testify of Me. For the witness who proceeds from any one, if he gives testimony concerning him among men, is apt to be suspected.
Moreover, Jansen says that these words are to be understood, not concerning the Divine and eternal procession, but concerning that temporal and human procession by which the Holy Ghost is sent to the Apostles and other believers. But that the Divine procession is here spoken of is clear — 1st. Because such is the evident meaning of the words when He saith, Who proceedeth from the Father. For when Christ speaks of temporal missions, something is added to show what is meant, as when He saith (chap. xvi.), I came forth from the Father , and am come into the world. 2d. Because He had just before spoken of the temporal mission, saying, Whom I will send unto you from the Father. 3d. Because the Fathers in the Council of Florence so understood it (sess. 18 and 23). 4th. Because the temporal mission or procession presupposes the eternal. For as I have previously said, in the Godhead One Person is not said to be sent by Another, except the Person who proceeds from Another.
He shall testify of Me, that I am the Son of God, the Messias, the Saviour of the world. And this He shall do both by interior illumination and inspiration, and by external miracles. Now in a witness three things are needful. 1st. Wisdom, that he should know the truth. 2d. Honesty, that he should relate it sincerely, and neither deceive, nor be deceived. 3d. Power and authority, that he should be allowed by all to be a true witness, and above all suspicion . These three qualifications most perfectly unite in the Holy Spirit. He therefore is the most perfect witness of Christ.
And ye shall bear witness, &c. The Greek is μαρτυρεῖτε, which is both of the indicative mood, meaning ye bear witness, and the imperative, bear ye witness. St. Cyril reads the indicative, as does the Syriac version. The Vulgate, ye shall bear witness has the same meaning as bear witness (imperative). He bids them testify by their preaching that Christ is the Son of God. For the future is often put for the imperative.
From this passage learn who, what, and how great is the Holy Ghost. 1st. That He is the Third Person in the Holy Trinity, distinct from the Father and the Son. For in that He proceedeth from, and is sent by Both, He that proceedeth and is sent is distinct from
Those who send. 2d. That the Holy Ghost is true God, of one substance with God the Father, because He proceedeth from Him as God from God. 3d. That He proceedeth — not from the Father alone, not from the Son alone, but — unitedly from Both as from one Principle of Spiration. 4th. That He proceedeth not from the Father by Generation, as doth the Son, but by Spiration, so that He is the Holy Spirit. Wherefore SS. Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Augustine, and others throughout their writings refute the heretic Macedonius, who said, that since the Holy Ghost proceedeth not from the Father by the way of Generation, as the Son doth, He is therefore not Consubstantial with the Father, neither is He God. 5th. That He is the Paraclete, i.e. the Comforter and the Exhorter to all goodness. 6th. That He is the very Spirit of Truth, because He teaches all truth, and the true faith, doctrine, and prudence. 7th. That He is the witness of Christ and of His doctrine ; the witness, I say, infinitely above all other witnesses, because He is Himself very God.