“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought you into adoption as sons, so that we cry, 'Abba, Father.' — The λαμβάνω (lambanō, "receive") of the πνεῦμα (pneuma, "Spirit") liberates from δουλεία (douleia, "slavery") and φόβος (phobos, "fear"). Instead, the Spirit grants υἱοθεσία (hyiothesia, "adoption")—not natural birth but legal and relational positioning as τέκνα (tekna, "children"). The cry ἀββα, ὁ πατήρ (abba, ho patēr, "Abba, Father") is the Aramaic term of intimate filial address, the trademark of Jesus' own relation to God now extended to believers through the Spirit.
Church Fathers on Romans 8:15
“For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.” Then not staying to mention that which stands in contradistinction to bondage, that is, the spirit of freedom, he has named what is far greater, that of adoption, through which he at the same time brings in the other, saying, “But you have received the Spirit of adoption.” But this is plain. But what the spirit of bondage may be, is not so plain, and there is need of making it clearer. Now what he says is so…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!