Filled with the Holy Spirit : a redactional motif in Luke's gospel

Abstract

Especially during the last hundred years, the church has become more aware of the work of the Holy Spirit. This interest has not only occurred in the holiness, pentecostal and charismatic movements, but in the church at large as well. Some have described this rediscovery as a "second great outpouring of the Holy Spirit" while others have spurned it as soulish emotionalism and ecstasy. Still others declare that the church has discovered nothing new and in a sense no new Pentecost has occurred; for to speak of the church at all one must speak of "two thousand years of Pentecost". This renewed interest in the Holy Spirit has various exponents with even still more assessments of its value, meaning and direction. All engaged in discussing the Holy Spirit today from various theological stances use biblical language concerning the Holy Spirit. Often this usage does not adequately consider the varied contextual and redactional significance of these expressions. This thesis analyzes one such phrase, "filled with/full of the Holy Spirit", in Luke-Acts and points out the significance and limitations for the phrase in a Lucan context. When other redactional and traditional points are encountered in Luke-Acts they are analyzed as well. It is apparent that Luke uses fulness of the Spirit as part of his overall programme of presenting the mission of Jesus and its expansion in the witness of the church in terms of the Holy Spirit. It is hoped that a clearer understanding of Luke's use of the concept will clarify the church's use of the phrase and reduce misunderstanding and division in the church over her greatest asset and very ground of being, the Holy Spirit.