And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Read Chapter 4
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
The Holy Spirit rejoices in our salvation not for himself, since he has no lack of blessedness. But if we have disobeyed the Spirit, we have grieved the Spirit. His work in us is cut short, just when he wishes us to belong to life. Yet he is not grieved in such a way as to suffer in a literal sense. For God the Spirit is invisible and not subject to physical suffering. When Paul says the Spirit is “grieved,” he speaks metaphorically on our account to show that the Spirit leaves us to our own selfwill when we have, so to speak, wounded him by despising his admonitions.
Finally, the apostle warns us, and teaches, saying: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you.".
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be taken away from you."
Grieve not the Holy Spirit: not that the Holy Spirit can be contristated. It is a metaphor; and the sense is, sin not against the Holy Spirit. (Witham)
To contristate the Holy Spirit is a metaphorical expression, which signifies to offend God, or the Holy Spirit, who has sealed us by the sacraments of baptism and confirmation with particular marks, by which we shall be distinguished from others in the day of our retribution. (Sts. Chrysostom, Jerome, Ambrose)
That we have been “sealed” with the Holy Spirit means that both our spirit and our soul are impressed with God’s own seal, signifying that we belong to him. By this we receive in ourselves that image and likeness in which we were created at the outset…. You are sealed so that you may be preserved to the end. You may show that seal on the day of redemption, pure and unblemished and not damaged in any part. You are thereby ready to be counted with those who are redeemed. .
A matter this more terrible and startling, as he also says in the Epistle to the Thessalonians; for there too he uses an expression of this sort. He that rejects, rejects not man, but God. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 So also here. If you utter a reproachful word, if you strike your brother, you are not striking him, you are grieving the Holy Spirit. And then is added further the benefit bestowed, in order to heighten the rebuke.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit, says He, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption.
He it is who marks us as a royal flock; He, who separates us from all former things; He, who suffers us not to lie among them that are exposed to the wrath of God—and do you grieve Him? Look how startling are his words there; For he that rejects, says he, rejects not man, but God: and how cutting they are here, Grieve not the Holy Spirit, says he, in whom you were sealed.
Moral. Let this seal then abide upon your mouth, and never destroy the impression. A spiritual mou...
This is a particularly awful and fearful saying. It reminds us of what he said to the Thessalonians: “Whoever disregards this disregards not man but God.” … If you say an arrogant word, if you strike your brother, you have not merely hurt him but have grieved the Spirit. He contrasts such arrogance with the benevolence of God in order to sharpen the admonition. .
How then can I live, since I have acted thus? "And he said to me, "Your feelings are indeed right and sound, for you ought as a servant of God to have walked in truth, and not to have joined an evil conscience with the spirit of truth, nor to have caused sadness to the holy and true Spirit.".
First, he acts wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit, which was given to man a cheerful Spirit. Secondly, Grieving the Holy Spirit.
And the others also he sent into the tower, those, namely, who had returned branches that were green and had offshoots but no fruit, having given them seals.
Perturbation of mind, ought the exercise of prayer to be free, uttered from a spirit such as the Spirit unto whom it is sent. For a defiled spirit cannot be acknowledged by a holy Spirit.
Not that I am specially entitled to exhort you; yet not only the trainers and overseers, but even the unskilled, nay, all who choose, without the slightest need for it, are wont to animate from afar by their cries the most accomplished gladiators, and from the mere throng of onlookers useful suggestions have sometimes come; first, then, O blessed, grieve not the Holy Spirit,
