Filioque
2022-05-06
The Latin word “filioque” means “and the Son.” This word was one of the sources of the Great Schism of 1054, where the western and eastern churches split. Why was this such a problem?
This word was added to the Nicene Creed so that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father and the Son.” Does the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father, or from the Father and the Son? What do the Scriptures say concerning the matter?
The Gospel of John
Jesus said in the Upper Room:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
The Spirit would be sent by the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. This may give credence to the filioque addition. However, note the use of the future tense. Does this mean that the Spirit did not always proceed from the Son?
Jesus later that night said:
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me (John 15:26)
Jesus would send the Spirit, but at the time, the Spirit proceeded from the Father with no mention of the Son. Earlier, the Lord had said this:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16)
Here, the Lord would pray to the Father, and the Father would give the disciples the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was with them up to that time, yet not in them. The Spirit would be in them once the Son was enthroned in heaven. The Spirit could not be sent until He was enthroned on high: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).
Then what of this? “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Jesus was risen from the dead, but not enthroned. This likely refers to an opening of the disciples’ eyes concerning the Scriptures (cf. Luke 24:44-45; which is likely the same event).
From these verses, we would think that the Spirit proceeds from the Father, and the Son has a role in this. However, when concerning the Son, these were events that happened after His resurrection and the ascension, not from eternity past.
The Spirit of the Father and the Son
The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of the Father:
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. (Matthew 10:20)
The Holy Spirit is also referred to the Spirit of Christ:
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:19)
From these, we would think that the Spirit proceeds from Christ as much as the Father. However, it says nothing of what was since eternity past. All these references of the Spirit being Christ’s are still post-ascension.
The Spirit in Revelation
Notice a progression that happens in Revelation. The Spirit is before the throne of God first:
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
The Spirit is later sent forth throughout the earth after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, and are represented as the eyes of the Lamb:
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)
It appears, from our perspective in time and space, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father since eternity past, but since the resurrection or enthronement of the Son in heaven, the Son has a role of the sending of the Spirit.
From the Foundation of the World?
However, this series of events is from our perspective in a way; from eternity, Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). One could argue that the nature of the Trinity changed if the Spirit did not eternally proceed from the Son. Does this constitute a change in the Trinity? Does the Son ever change? “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus permanently became a man when He previously was not. Does that constitute change? It could be that those events that happened at His resurrection or Pentecost really reflect events from eternity past in some way.
Conclusion
You can see how quickly this can become confusing. God is infinite and we are finite. For anyone who seeks to be dogmatic on any of this is asking for trouble. Back in 1054, there were a lot better things to discuss than this, that needed to be made right.
Admittedly, this is not an exhaustive list of Scriptures. However, the trend seems to be the same. The Spirit proceeds from the Father from eternity past. The risen Christ has a role in sending the Spirit, but not before His resurrection. I could be wrong, having not exhaustively searched through all the Scriptures.
Whether the filioque clause is correct or not, the Scripture is clear that the Son is God and the Spirit is God, and distinct from each other. No member of the Trinity is undermined if you include this clause or not, because the Scriptures show each to be God. The Scriptures are the Word of God, and the Nicene Creed is not. Such traditions are inferior to God’s Word, and this should be remembered as such when considering such creeds.