2 Iunie 2000

Iubite frate Ianos Marian

Ma bucur de atentia si pretuirea matale. Se spune ca, in democratie, negocierile au loc intre prieteni, polemicile intre adversari, iar discutiileintre prieteni. Doresc ca acest schimb de pareri sa fie o discutie, un dialog intre prieteni, ba chiar mai mult, unul desfasurat intre frati.

Pe aici, bisericile americane sunt mari si incapatoare. Multe dintre ele adapostesc frati cu convingeri diferite in parerile lor despre Duhul Sfint si lucrarea Lui. Este normal si bine sa fie asa. Dumnezeu ne-a dat o lucrare pe care trebuie s-o facem impreuna. El asteapta de la noi sa marturisim in unitate. Unii dintre noi, neintelepti si porniti pe cearta, polemizeaza la nesfirsit despre aceasta lucrare a Duhului Sfint si farimiteaza trupul lui Christos. Nu cred ca e bine.

Duhul Sfint vrea sa ne vada una in ce trebuie sa facem noi, iar noi ne dezbinam discutind ce face El! Cred ca ar trebui sa intelegem ca e bine sa ne vedem fiecare de treaba noastra. Noi sa facem ce vrea Duhul, iar pe Duhul Sfint sa-L lasam sa faca ce vrea El, ca El stie mai bine ca noi ce si cum sa faca. Este carachios sa nu facem ce trebuie sa facem noi, scuzindu-ne ca nu intelegem ce face El ... 
La fel de neintelepte si nejustificate mi se par si alte "certuri vinovate" pe tema altor lucrari in care Dumnezeu se descurca la fel de bine si fara amestecul nostru, cum ar fi: premilenism, amilenism, calvinism, liber-arbitru, predestinatie, etc.

Acum, sa revin la inceputul nostru de discutie frateasca: banuiesc in spatele intrebarii tale o alta: "Trebuie crestinii sa ceara sau sa staruiasca dupa Duhul Sfint?"

Ca raspuns, eu am sa dau cuvintul mai intii unor "specialisti" in originalul textului biblic, iar apoi am sa incerc cu modestie sa formulez o concluzie personala. (Nadajduiesc ca intelegi limba engleza. Poate se va milostivi cineva si ne va ajuta cu traducerea acestor comentarii). Iata deci:

In legatura cu Luca 11:13, iata ce scrie Darby:

"The prayer which He taught His disciples (chap. 11) has respect also to the position into which they came before the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Himself prayed, as the dependent man on earth. He had not yet received the promise of the Father, in order to pour it out on His disciples, and could not till His ascension into heaven. These, however, are in relationship with God as their Father. The glory of His name, the coming of His kingdom, were to occupy their first thoughts. They depended on Him for their daily bread. They needed pardon, and to be kept from temptation. The prayer comprised the desire of a heart true to God; the need of the body committed to their Father's care; the grace required for their walk when they had sinned, and in order that their flesh should not manifest itself, that they might be saved from the power of the enemy.

The Lord then dwells on perseverance, that petitions should not be those of a heart indifferent to the result. He assures them that their prayers should not be in vain; also, that their heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to those that asked Him. He puts them into His own relationship on earth with God. Hearkening to God, applying to Him as a Father-it is the whole of practical christian life.

John Gill scrie:

instead of the Holy Spirit here, the Vulgate Latin version reads, "good Spirit", and so two copies of Beza's; and the Ethiopic version, "the good gift of the Holy Spirit"; and doubtless intends the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, in distinction from, and as preferable to the good things given by earthly parents, to their children.

iar la Matei 7:11, John Gill scrie:

Not only temporal good things, as meat, drink, and clothing; but all spiritual good things; every supply of grace; all things pertaining to life and godliness. In (Luke 11:13) "the Holy Spirit" is mentioned, and so seems to design his gifts and graces, everything that is necessary for the spiritual and eternal good of his people: but for these things he must be inquired of, and sought after; and it is the least saints can do to ask for them; and they have encouragement enough to ask; for it is but ask and have.

Jamiesson/Faucet/Brown scrie:

the Holy Spirit--in Matthew (Matthew 7:11), "good gifts"; the former, the Gift of gifts descending on the Church through Christ, and comprehending the latter.

Matthew Henry scrie:

He shall give good things; so it is in Matthew. Observe, (1.) The direction he gives us what to pray for. We must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only a necessary in order to our praying well, but as inclusive of all the good things we are to pray for; we need no more to make us happy, for the Spirit is the worker of spiritual life, and the earnest of eternal life. Note, The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift we are every one of us concerned earnestly and constantly to pray for. (2.) The encouragement he gives us to hope that we shall speed in this prayer: Your heavenly Father will give. It is in his power to give the Spirit; he has all good things to bestow, wrapped up in that one; but that is not all, it is in his promise, the gift of the Holy Ghost is in the covenant, Acts 1:33, 38, and it is here inferred from parents' readiness to supply their children's needs, and gratify their desires, when they are natural and proper. If the child ask for a serpent, or a scorpion, the father, in kindness, will deny him, but not if he ask for what is needful, and will be nourishing. When God's children ask for the Spirit, they do, in effect, ask for bread; for the Spirit is the staff of life; nay, he is the Author of the soul's life. If our earthly parents, though evil, be yet so kind, if they, though weak, be yet so knowing, that they not only give, but give with discretion, give what is best, in the best manner and time, much more will our heavenly Father, who infinitely excels the fathers of our flesh both in wisdom and goodness, give us his Holy Spirit. If earthly parents be willing to lay out for the education of their children, to whom they design to leave their estates, much more will our heavenly Father give the spirit of sons to all those whom he has predestinated to the inheritance of sons.

People's Commentary scrie:

9-13. Ask, and it shall be given. See notes on Matt. 7:7-11. These verses are a part of the Sermon on the Mount. It is probable that Luke, who does not give a chronological history, incorporates them here, though not the time when they were spoken. The same may be said of various utterances given by Luke. Luke says instead of good things (Matthew) that the Father will give the Holy Spirit, the best possible gift.

Matew 7:11. If ye, then, being evil. Men who have the natural affection of parents, even though sinful men, will not do such things. Whoever believes that the term Father, as applied to God, is more than a figure of speech, must believe in prayer. Give good gifts. Luke 11:13, in the parallel passage, says, instead of "good gifts," "the Holy Spirit," as though this is heaven's greatest blessing.

Concluzie personala:

Textul despre care m-ai intrebat (Luca 11:13) face parte dintr-un pasaj in care:
- ucenicii Il intreaba pe Domnul Isus depsre viata de rugaciune
- ucenicii primesc un model de rugaciune
- ucenicii primesc indemnul sa staruiasca in viata de rugaciune, caci Tatal lor nu este nepasator de nevoile lor
- ucenicilor li se pomeneste despre un dar nespus mai important, care va veni de la Dumnezeu prin daruirea Duhului Sfint.

1. Pasajul face de fapt parte din "Predica de pe Munte" (Matei 5-7).
Luca nu reproduce predica, ci doar foloseste pasajul.
Este interesant ca in textul paralel din Matei 7:7-11, Matei nu mentioneaza Duhul Sfint ca dar dumnezeiesc, ci scrie:

" ... cu cit mai mult Tatal vostru, care este in ceruri, va da LUCRURI BUNE celor ce I le cer!" 

Fara nici o indoiala, Matei face aluzie la "darurile Duhului Sfint si la Roada Duhului Sfint" care sunt infinit mai importante decit darurile temporare mentionate in text. Remarcati cele cinci contraste:

o piine - o piatra
un peste - un sarpe
un ou - o scorpie
daruri temporare - daruri vesnice
parinti pamintesti - tatal din cer

2. In momentul in care vorbeste Domnul Isus, aceasta fagaduinta a Tatalui era inca in viitor: "Spunea cuvintele acestea despre Duhul, pe care aveau sa-L primeasca cei ce vor crede in El. Caci Duhul Sfint inca nu fusese dat, fiindca Isus nu fusese proslavit" (Ioan 7:39).

3. Dupa invierea Domnului Isus, ucenicii sunt indemnati sa nu se departeze de Ierusalim, pina ce vor primi "fagaduinta Tatalui, "pe care", le-a zis El, "ati auzit-o de la Mine" (Fapte 1:4-8). Ucenicii au staruit in rugaciune timp de zece zile pina in ziua de Cincizecime.

4. In ziua de Rusalii, aceasta promisiune a coboririi Duhului Sfint s-a implinit. Iata ce spune Petru:

"Si, odata ce S-a inaltat prin dreapta lui Dumnezeu si a primit de la Tatal fagaduinta Duhului Sfint, a turnat ce vedeti si auziti" (Fapte 2:33).

Fiecare om care crede in Christos intra in aceasta fagaduinta a Tatalui si primeste in momentul convertirii Duhul Sfint. In cuvintele lamuritoare ale lui Petru:

"Caci fagaduinta aceasta este pentru voi, pentru copiii vostri si pentru toti cei ce sunt departe acum, in oricit de mare numar ii va chema Domnul, Dumnezeul nostru" (Fapte 2:39).

5. Nicaieri in Noul Testament  nu ni se mai porunceste: "Staruiti pentru Duhul Sfint!" sau "Botezati-va in Duhul Sfint!" Ni se porunceste in schimb: "Fiti plini de Duh!"
Aceasta inseamna ca venirea sau turnarea Duhului Sfint a fost lucrarea ("fagaduinta") Tatalui. Fiecare crestin intra acum in botezul acela cu Duhul Sfint inaugurat la Rusalii si este facut partas trupului lui Christos.

6. Ramine responsabilitatea noastra sa cautam sa fim "plini de Duh", adica sa ne golim de noi si sa-L lasam pe El sa ne umple, rodind in noi un caracter asemenea Domnului Isus si facindu-ne partas unor lucrari duvovnicesti prin abilitatea "darurilor" cu care ne inzestreaza.

Remarca din Luca 1:13 nu trebuie luata afara din contextul in care a fost rostita. Altfel ea ne-ar lasa sa credem ca Rusaliile n-au valoare universala, ci ca asa ceva trebuie sa se intimple mereu, cu fiecare generatie si cu fiecare suflet care vine la Christos. O asemenea interpretare nu cred ca este sustinuta de textul din Faptele Apostolilor si Epistole si este cu totul straina de realitatea celor douazeci de secole ale istoriei Bisericii crestine. Exegeza si realitatea istorica sunt paznicii interpretarilor noastre.

Sper ca n-am fost prea lung. Astept cu bucurie reactia ta la mesajul meu.

Daniel Branzai