Rom 8:19-23
(Rom 8:19-23 ESV) 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Just as the creation will freed from the corruption of the curse of Genesis 3 when God renews the creation to become the new heavens and new earth prophesied by Isaiah and the Revelation, our bodies will be redeemed. We’ve covered before and will cover again, Lord willing, the renewal of bodies discussed in much more detail in 1 Corinthians 15, where we’re told we’ll have bodies like the body of the resurrected Jesus —
(1Co 15:49 ESV) 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Paul mentions the Spirit again in v. 23, saying that we have the “firstfruits” of the Spirit. “Firstfruits” refers to the first grain or fruit that ripens in the harvest. Thus, the Spirit itself is referred to as a firstfruit — an early fruit of the redemption of all things. Just as the first sheaves of wheat promise that the rest of the harvest will shortly ripen, the receipt of the Spirit promises that we’ll soon have the presence of all of God — not just the Spirit, but God the Father and the Son personally dwelling with us in the new heavens and new earth.
Rom 8:26-27
(Rom 8:26-27 ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
This is a frequently quoted verse, and it’s an important one. We begin with “we do not know what to pray for as we ought” — which is an astonishingly true declaration. We don’t know what to ask for, because we don’t know the outcome of the changes we want. We often aren’t even sure of what we want.
We can’t adequately even pray for forgiveness, because we all commit sins we’re unaware of and violate God’s will because we misunderstood his will. Who among us can claim to know how God wants to do act in every situation?
And God, knowing our weaknesses, gives us the Spirit to pray for us. You see, we tend to picture God as angry and Jesus and the Spirit striving to assuage his wrath — but this was God’s idea. God gives the Spirit to make certain he hears the prayers we should have prayed. And that’s a tremendous comfort indeed.
“He who searches hearts” means “God the Father” —
1Ch 28:9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
Therefore, v. 27 means “God knows the Spirit’s prayers because it is God who asked him to help us pray.”
“Groanings too deep for words” is a reference to numerous Old Testament passages where God’s people “groaned” and God heard them.
(Exo 2:24 ESV) And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
(Exo 6:5 ESV) Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.
(Jdg 2:18 ESV) Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.
(Psa 6:6-9 ESV) 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer.
(Psa 12:5 ESV) 5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
(Psa 38:8-15 ESV) 8 I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 9 O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes–it also has gone from me. … 15 But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
(Isa 35:10 ESV) 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Now, the key thought here is that it’s the Spirit groaning on our behalves! We groan for God, but the Spirit does so for us as well and does so better than we could ever do. And if God was touched by the groanings of his people in ancient times, surely he’ll respond to the groanings of the Holy Spirit!
Jay, I wonder if you knew of (and what you think about) what Campbell believed and wrote about this in the Millenial Harbinger? He believed that the context of this entire section of Romans 8:17:27 referred to the human spirit and not the Holy Spirit at all. Referring to the human spirit in Rom. 8:26, Campbell said: "I say, then, the (human) spirit itself speaks for us to God.; it intercedes for our deliverance by groans which cannot be expressed in words. For although our spirit groans under these bodile afflictions and infirmities, and cannot give utterance to its own desires; yet when patiently bearing these trials, its groans have a meaning which is understood. Yes, he who searches the heart knows what these groans mean."
He added, "In the King's Translation it reads, He, or it, makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Is it admissable to say that the spirit of God, in this or any given case, makes intercession for the saints 'according' to the will of God, or according to God? The Spirit of God acting according to the will of God, in any case, implies an incongruity for which there is no analogy within the book of God."
And he concludes thusly, "What a consolation to Christians that when groaning under afflictions, and unable how to express themselves, not knowing what to ask, their groans which they cannot turn into language have a meaning which God understands and regards."
As far as the one "who searches the hearts," I believe has to be Christ (Rev. 2:23). The Bible speaks of only one divine intercessor — Jesus Christ, not the Holy Spirit. I believe that it is saying that Christ knows the mind of the spirit of the one who is praying, but cannot utter the yearnings of his heart.
Plus, why would one person of the Godead be unable to express in actual words (but only through groans), but another person of the Godhead be able to understand what the groans mean. Gives the picture of a child crying for something that they don't yet know how to ask for intelligently, and yet the parent can understand, "oh, he wants some yogurt."
It just seems to make more sense that it is our own weak spirit groaning like that and not the Holy Spirit. For, he would surely be able to express his thoughts to God without the need for groans.
Just a reminder, the only legitimate authority for opinion, interpretation, and practice must be the scriptures only. Prominent men for centuries have promulgated all kinds of heresy that was packaged in attractive terms, not always intentionally but because they taught their own opinion and understandings. The Campbells, the "Church Fathers", and any other men that lived after the apostles all died, ARE UNINSPIRED. Although many through out history have been brilliant bible teachers, NONE of their opinions should ever be allowed to trump the plain reading and interpretation of Inspired Scripture. 🙂
True… all uninspired writers are uninspired. Thanks for the reminder, I trust we all realize that.
Hank,
Can you provide a link to where Campbell wrote those things? Or a citation? In any event, Rom 8 is plainly not all about the human spirit.
That theory ignores the OT background of Paul's doctrine of the Spirit. If Campbell taught that, he was just plain wrong. Indeed, I see from http://books.google.com/books?id=SktGAAAAYAAJ&… p. 128 ff, that Campbell argues for a strongly word-only view, which is error as previously shown from Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, not to mention large portions of the NT. And nearly all of Christendom disagrees as well. His views are quite unusual in the history of Christianity.
To suggest that the Spirit can't communicate on behalf of God's people "according to the will of God" is just silly. I mean, I have no clue why that's supposed to be some kind of serious problem. And wouldn't we expect a divine person to communicate at a level deeper than words?
Hank,
You treat "groans" as baby talk, as though words would necessarily be superior — assuming that human language is the best form of communication on heaven or earth. And there's no reason to think this at all. I doubt seriously that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit communicate in human language or anything quite like it. Rather, I suspect they communicate at a deeper, more meaningful level — a level "too deep for words."
And for those who've prayed in great distress, the idea that sometimes our prayers are "groanings" does not mean we are inarticulate or unintelligent. It just means that words don't always fully express what we want to say to God. David knew that God understood him at a level beyond mere words.
I just dont think that that one member of the Godhead would have to interpret the feelings of another member of the Godhead. I believe they are all on the same page without haveing to search and/or interpret the groans of one another.
It just make more sense to me that it is my own spirit that is groaning and needs to be figured by God rather than the groans of the Holy Spirit.
Hank,
Rom 8:23 speaks of our own groanings —
(Rom 8:23 ESV) 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
But v. 26 adds the Spirit's own groanings to the mix (or else 26 would be entirely redundant) —
(Rom 8:26 ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Here the groanings become "too deep for words." Another Greek word would mean "unable to speak." This one means "inexpressible" because there are no words.
"Intercedes" means to plead for someone else. Obviously, I can't intercede for myself. Only a different person can do that.
We must make allowance for the necessity of figures of speech in any discussion of the incomprehensible, and the nature of the Trinity is surely very far beyond our comprehension.
Paul seems to choose his words to avoid any idea that the Father and the Spirit are identical: the Spirit intercedes for us — clearly implying a distinction between the two. And we should not interpret as though God and the Spirit are the exact same thing.
Hi Jay,
You asked for a link to where Campbell said what I said he said. Here is a good one. The section I referred to is under the heding, "CHRISTIANOS AND THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF ROMANS." (about a third of the way down). I should add that while I realize and understand that A. Campbell was just an uninspired man like you and I….this exchange (as with most of his writings), shows just sharp (and witty) he actually was. I promise you will at least chuckle when you read what he said about this Chritianos guy (at the very beginning).
http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/acampbell/tm…
Of this Christianos guy, Campbell continued…
"I will suggest to him the following hints to aid him in approving or condemning according to his superior judgment:–
1. There is no adjunct or epithet attached to the term spirit, in the 26th verse, which would authorize the conclusion that the Spirit of God is referred to.
2. To represent the Spirit of God as interceding for the saints, is incompatible with any office or work assigned to the Spirit in any passage in the Old or New Testament. He cannot furnish a sentence in all the volumes of revelation which looks like it.
3. Paul, in this context, represents the Lord Jesus as interceding for us. QUERY.–Does the Holy Spirit and the Saviour sustain the same office?
4. Why should the Spirit of God use groans which cannot be expressed in words? Does this weakness belong to that Divine Agent?
5. In some versions, in Thomson's, and in the King's Translation, it reads, "He or it makes intercessions for the saints according to the will of God." Is it admissible to say that the Spirit of God, in this or any given case, makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God, or according to God. The Spirit of God, acting according to the will of God, in any one case, implies an incongruity for which there is no analogy in the book of God.
6. If I were to make this matter plain to a child, I would ask what propriety in saying that these groans were examined in the heart and understood in the heart by God, if the Spirit of God uttered these groans himself? [115]
An inattention to the Hebraisms in Paul's style, and in the style of the New Testament, has given rise to some difficulties. Why a man's spirit could speak for himself or intercede for himself, or how the first person and the third person can be applied indiscriminately to the same being, at the same time, is a puzzle to some. But to those who study the style of the New Testament, such usages will not appear strange. "Jesus rejoiced in spirit;" "Shall I come to you in the spirit of meekness?" "Lord Jesus receive my spirit;" "I will pray with the spirit;" "Paul was pressed in spirit;" "I go bound in the spirit;" "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." The pronoun I represents the whole person; but how often in all languages is the body and the spirit personified and distinguished from one another; so that I represents the one, and you and it the other? The love of God, denotes both our love to him, and sometimes his love to us. I know, said Jesus, that you have not the love of God in you. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. Keep yourselves in the love of God–are instances of the former. In this was the love of God manifested. Hereby perceive we the love of God–are examples of the latter. In Romans viii. 39. it must mean our love to God, because afflictions and persecutions could not cause the love of God towards us to abate; but they might be supposed to lessen our love to God. These hints I suggest to him, or any other person, who may take a different view of this passage.
To conclude. What a consolation to christians, that, when groaning under afflictions, and unable how to express themselves, not knowing what to ask, their groans, which they cannot turn into language, have a meaning which God understands and regards. A patient spirit sustains infirmity, lightens the weight of persecution, and has a language more eloquent than the voice of words, and prays more effectually than any form of expression which the most fruitful imagination could invent."
I meant to include these preceding remarks of Campbell to the section i pasted above:
"It is true I have given to the 26th verse a meaning which is not fashionable; but I hope none will reject it on that account, until they examine the passage and compare it with the references alluded to in it. I do not here, give the arguments, nor the criticisms by which this view is supported. I simply present the view itself. And I ask, is it either immoral or irreligious in its tendency? Nay, is it not most moral and religious, most practical in its tendency? But I make no bond of union, no term of communion, no condition of fellowship in the adoption or rejection of it. I have no such intolerant spirit. I offer it as favor to those who look for instruction. If they tell me they cannot receive it, I feel no indignation. If they acquiesce in it, I feel no complacency in them unless their lips and lives agree. But if Christianos denounce me on this account, let him prove that he is not intolerant as a Pope, and let him give us a connected view of the whole passage."
Thanks…
Hank,
Campbell's arguments are not persuasive to me at all. I've responded to most at /2010/08/the-holy-spirit-ro… already. Let me add these thoughts —
It's really forced to suppose that my human spirit can help me in my weakness. My spirit is me!
"Intercedes" (??????????????) refers to pleading on someone else' behalf. You can't intercede for yourself.
The fact that "spirit" is sometimes a reference to the human spirit doesn't mean that we should always take "spirit" in that sense unless "Holy" precedes it. We don't start our interpretation by seeking to minimize the involvement of God in our lives. That's sheer bias. Rather, we study the context. Paul meant to be understood, and an honest reader will normally find the text plenty clear enough.
Campbell is normally a very sensible interpreter, but he had a blind spot when it came to the Spirit. His contemporaries, such as Walter Scott, Barton Stone, and Robert Richardson, often disagreed with the extremism of his views on the Spirit. Presumably, Campbell was trying to protect the church from the Quakers, Shakers, and Mormons, who were active in the area and claiming to have new revelations equal or superior to the Bible. But Campbell plainly overreaches.
Richardson, for example, interpreted this passage —
A Scriptural View of the Office of the Holy Spirit. http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/rrichardson/…