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Foundations of Evangelical Theology
He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Often the most misunderstood, and therefore ignored, member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit deserves our attention and understanding. God the Father and God the Son rightfully garner much explanation and exploration, and God the Holy Spirit ought to be given the same studiousness, curiosity, and scholarship. In this addition to Crossway's Foundations of Evangelical Theology series, Dr. Graham Cole has written a work that offers a comprehensive theology of the Holy Spirit.
This book shows the ultimate selflessness of the Holy Spirit as the member of the Trinity who always works for the glory of God the Father and God the Son and the good of the saints.
Ideal for pastors, teachers, and students of theology, this book is a superb theology of the Holy Spirit.
Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.
This book shows the ultimate selflessness of the Holy Spirit as the member of the Trinity who always works for the glory of God the Father and God the Son and the good of the saints.
Ideal for pastors, teachers, and students of theology, this book is a superb theology of the Holy Spirit.
Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2007
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342 people want to read
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April 15, 2009
The church of Jesus Christ has historically produced voluminous works concerning all matters of doctrine and theology. As Solomon wisely observed, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecc 12:12). However, when it comes to doctrine on the Person and work of the Holy Spirit, there is a comparative neglect with other subjects. This may be due in part to a lack of understanding. Not only is there less explicit revelation concerning Him in the Scriptures in contrast to the Father and the Son, but there is no systematic discussion pertaining to Him in the Scripture anywhere, leaving much room for confusion. Arthur Pink observed this and warned, “[I:]gnorance of the Third Person of the Godhead is most dishonoring to Him, and highly injurious to ourselves.” To be faithful students of the Word, we must neglect nothing.
With this in mind, I was excited to pick up Graham Cole’s book entitled, He Who Gives Life, with the hope of discovering some of the great truths concerning the Spirit’s role and function, and how He relates to the church. This review will evaluate Cole’s work from a biblical (and academic) perspective—highlighting the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The Good
Cole appears to be a thorough researcher and scholar, and covers his topics in the book with abundant research. He has evidently given considerable thought to these issues, and leaves no stone unturned. He covers everything from how the Spirit has been understood historically—which is always important for a sober perspective—to what role the Spirit had in creation. Some of the categories he chose for discussion were especially thought-provoking, and I was glad to see someone asking practical questions about the believer’s relationship to the Holy Spirit and what that looks like.
I was challenged on several points, as he brought forth ideas contrary to some of my own long-held assumptions, causing me to question whether or not their foundation was based on Scripture alone. For instance, on page 247, in a discussion about “grieving the Spirit,” he cites several writers, including Calvin, who hold the traditional view that this is anthropomorphic language. Certainly God cannot be grieved as a man grieves. He then interrogates those ideas by asking, “Why read only Scriptures that ostensibly speak of divine grief in this [anthropomorphic:] way? Why not read those that speak of divine love and wrath similarly?” It is this type of inquiry that causes me to examine myself and what I believe. His point is very valid, and it is the kind of question that makes theology books like this of great interest and value.
Another example of practical wisdom is found on page 251, where the author deals with the controversial use of the gift of tongues. He points out the inconsistent claims of those who have a special affinity in the church today with this practice. Many use Paul’s statement, “I wish you all spoke with tongues” (1 Cor 14:5), to imply that it is mandatory for all Christians to evidence this gift. However, Cole’s point is well made when he states, “But he also wished that all the Corinthians were unmarried (7:7). An apostolic wish is not an apostolic command.” This type of clear reasoning is of great help in encouraging Christians to think through the issues.
One final example deals with some of the OT uses of the Hebrew word ruach, and why it is translated with its alternate meanings of “breath,” and “wind” in some places, not in others and why it matters (100-102). I found these types of discussions in the book to be most helpful in forming a consistent view of God from the Scriptures. The greatest benefit this book has to offer, in my opinion, is to raise discussion about some of the more difficult and controversial passages dealing with the work of the Spirit, with an attempt to bring them into the light for closer examination. (maybe mention the open-but-cautious view in the book?)
The Bad
Several glaring problems come to mind when I think about what I did not like about the book. To begin with, while Cole does do well to bring up a variety of important and interesting discussion points, rarely is anything ever conclusive—only a few of the problems he raises does he also solve. He will cite many people in the church who believe, or have historically believed, certain variations concerning the same doctrinal position, but nothing is ever concrete—where the reader can walk away from the book with the sense of landing on solid ground. While I understand that many of these subjects have been debated throughout the history of the church, the point of writing on a particular subject is normally to bring understanding through the use of the Scriptures, and not just to point out that there are problems.
This habit of not being decisive on anything can be seen concerning most of the items brought up for discussion. He may raise questions, which in some cases I was thankful for, but he often left me with more questions than answers. For example, on pages 188-190, he discussed the difficult text from John 20:19-22, where Jesus breathed on the disciples and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” After listing several views from scholars, the discussion just ended, with nothing helpful but to highlight that this is a difficult verse in the Bible. If this were the only occurrence, it might not be worth mentioning, but it is abundant throughout. Even Cole himself confesses this, when the subject of gifts in the church arises. He pokes fun at his own inability to land on a position. He comments that on certain days of the week he believes one position, and other days he holds to another. And normally in concert with this uncertainty and abrupt ending is an immediate shift to another subject, leaving the reader confused as to what just happened.
Another persistent tendency of the author is to repeatedly cite questionable sources. From feminists to Popes, from liberal scholars to modern heretics, this book includes them all. I kept asking myself throughout, Why give so much space to these aberrant views? I can understand informing the church about the diversity of beliefs on a particular subject, but repeatedly quoting men (and women!) who do not uphold the doctrines of the historic Christian faith seemed excessive and most of the time, unnecessary. The author would have better served the Body of Christ by spending more time on exegesis, and less on people’s opinions.
The Ugly
While this portion may seem hyper-critical, I included it for the sake of disclosing my frustration with this book, and many comparable that are published in Christendom today. This does not reflect an attitude toward the author solely, but a desire in general to elevate the overall quality of Christian literature.
First of all, Cole, and many others at his level of scholarship, often cite terms in Latin, and yet rarely explain them. I understand that the more one engages this type of material, the more these terms will become common-place, but I often wonder who the target audience is, and for what purpose are Latin phrases included? For the edification of the Body? To raise the church’s level of comprehension? Or is it perhaps to flaunt a particular level of knowledge? I do not want to judge motives, but sometimes these things can take away from a work that is intended for Christian edification and growth. While I do commend the author for occasionally defining terms in parenthesis next to the Latin, or in the glossary toward the back of the book, there are many left undefined, interrupting the flow of argumentation and sending the reader off into another room to find a dictionary. Ironically, the ones that are somewhat easy to interpret (Imago Dei) are given an English equivalent, while others (such as conditio sine qua non, or mutatis mutandis) are given no explanation, with the exception of a footnote, directing the reader to a Latin dictionary.
Another troubling aspect of the book was obsessive need to reference other materials. I absolutely support the thoroughness of modern scholarship, and how they supplement their thoughts with appropriate citations. However, this book contains an average of 6-8 footnotes per page, and oftentimes more! I could only find one page in the entire book that did not have a citation, and that was in the introduction! This is part of the overall frustration with this work, that many ideas are presented, but few are established. The author seems to fancy the many different perspectives of others, but rarely distinguishes his own convictions. He regularly cites men such as Karl Barth and Friedrich Schleiermacher, sharing their philosophies about the Scriptures, instead of using the Scriptures to examine their philosophies.
Conclusion
I have great respect for men such as John Feinberg, who produced this work. I did find many things of value within these pages, and several things that caused me to consider my own position and evaluate my hermeneutic. However, that being said, there was more that was lacking than profitable. I believe the purpose of producing a work, such as on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, is to bring things into the light and make concrete conclusions based on the biblical text. I found too much speculation and uncertainty than should be found in a theological treatment. If I had to assign a grade to the book, I would give He Who Gives Life a C. Profitable for raising questions, but lacking in supplying answers.
With this in mind, I was excited to pick up Graham Cole’s book entitled, He Who Gives Life, with the hope of discovering some of the great truths concerning the Spirit’s role and function, and how He relates to the church. This review will evaluate Cole’s work from a biblical (and academic) perspective—highlighting the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The Good
Cole appears to be a thorough researcher and scholar, and covers his topics in the book with abundant research. He has evidently given considerable thought to these issues, and leaves no stone unturned. He covers everything from how the Spirit has been understood historically—which is always important for a sober perspective—to what role the Spirit had in creation. Some of the categories he chose for discussion were especially thought-provoking, and I was glad to see someone asking practical questions about the believer’s relationship to the Holy Spirit and what that looks like.
I was challenged on several points, as he brought forth ideas contrary to some of my own long-held assumptions, causing me to question whether or not their foundation was based on Scripture alone. For instance, on page 247, in a discussion about “grieving the Spirit,” he cites several writers, including Calvin, who hold the traditional view that this is anthropomorphic language. Certainly God cannot be grieved as a man grieves. He then interrogates those ideas by asking, “Why read only Scriptures that ostensibly speak of divine grief in this [anthropomorphic:] way? Why not read those that speak of divine love and wrath similarly?” It is this type of inquiry that causes me to examine myself and what I believe. His point is very valid, and it is the kind of question that makes theology books like this of great interest and value.
Another example of practical wisdom is found on page 251, where the author deals with the controversial use of the gift of tongues. He points out the inconsistent claims of those who have a special affinity in the church today with this practice. Many use Paul’s statement, “I wish you all spoke with tongues” (1 Cor 14:5), to imply that it is mandatory for all Christians to evidence this gift. However, Cole’s point is well made when he states, “But he also wished that all the Corinthians were unmarried (7:7). An apostolic wish is not an apostolic command.” This type of clear reasoning is of great help in encouraging Christians to think through the issues.
One final example deals with some of the OT uses of the Hebrew word ruach, and why it is translated with its alternate meanings of “breath,” and “wind” in some places, not in others and why it matters (100-102). I found these types of discussions in the book to be most helpful in forming a consistent view of God from the Scriptures. The greatest benefit this book has to offer, in my opinion, is to raise discussion about some of the more difficult and controversial passages dealing with the work of the Spirit, with an attempt to bring them into the light for closer examination. (maybe mention the open-but-cautious view in the book?)
The Bad
Several glaring problems come to mind when I think about what I did not like about the book. To begin with, while Cole does do well to bring up a variety of important and interesting discussion points, rarely is anything ever conclusive—only a few of the problems he raises does he also solve. He will cite many people in the church who believe, or have historically believed, certain variations concerning the same doctrinal position, but nothing is ever concrete—where the reader can walk away from the book with the sense of landing on solid ground. While I understand that many of these subjects have been debated throughout the history of the church, the point of writing on a particular subject is normally to bring understanding through the use of the Scriptures, and not just to point out that there are problems.
This habit of not being decisive on anything can be seen concerning most of the items brought up for discussion. He may raise questions, which in some cases I was thankful for, but he often left me with more questions than answers. For example, on pages 188-190, he discussed the difficult text from John 20:19-22, where Jesus breathed on the disciples and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” After listing several views from scholars, the discussion just ended, with nothing helpful but to highlight that this is a difficult verse in the Bible. If this were the only occurrence, it might not be worth mentioning, but it is abundant throughout. Even Cole himself confesses this, when the subject of gifts in the church arises. He pokes fun at his own inability to land on a position. He comments that on certain days of the week he believes one position, and other days he holds to another. And normally in concert with this uncertainty and abrupt ending is an immediate shift to another subject, leaving the reader confused as to what just happened.
Another persistent tendency of the author is to repeatedly cite questionable sources. From feminists to Popes, from liberal scholars to modern heretics, this book includes them all. I kept asking myself throughout, Why give so much space to these aberrant views? I can understand informing the church about the diversity of beliefs on a particular subject, but repeatedly quoting men (and women!) who do not uphold the doctrines of the historic Christian faith seemed excessive and most of the time, unnecessary. The author would have better served the Body of Christ by spending more time on exegesis, and less on people’s opinions.
The Ugly
While this portion may seem hyper-critical, I included it for the sake of disclosing my frustration with this book, and many comparable that are published in Christendom today. This does not reflect an attitude toward the author solely, but a desire in general to elevate the overall quality of Christian literature.
First of all, Cole, and many others at his level of scholarship, often cite terms in Latin, and yet rarely explain them. I understand that the more one engages this type of material, the more these terms will become common-place, but I often wonder who the target audience is, and for what purpose are Latin phrases included? For the edification of the Body? To raise the church’s level of comprehension? Or is it perhaps to flaunt a particular level of knowledge? I do not want to judge motives, but sometimes these things can take away from a work that is intended for Christian edification and growth. While I do commend the author for occasionally defining terms in parenthesis next to the Latin, or in the glossary toward the back of the book, there are many left undefined, interrupting the flow of argumentation and sending the reader off into another room to find a dictionary. Ironically, the ones that are somewhat easy to interpret (Imago Dei) are given an English equivalent, while others (such as conditio sine qua non, or mutatis mutandis) are given no explanation, with the exception of a footnote, directing the reader to a Latin dictionary.
Another troubling aspect of the book was obsessive need to reference other materials. I absolutely support the thoroughness of modern scholarship, and how they supplement their thoughts with appropriate citations. However, this book contains an average of 6-8 footnotes per page, and oftentimes more! I could only find one page in the entire book that did not have a citation, and that was in the introduction! This is part of the overall frustration with this work, that many ideas are presented, but few are established. The author seems to fancy the many different perspectives of others, but rarely distinguishes his own convictions. He regularly cites men such as Karl Barth and Friedrich Schleiermacher, sharing their philosophies about the Scriptures, instead of using the Scriptures to examine their philosophies.
Conclusion
I have great respect for men such as John Feinberg, who produced this work. I did find many things of value within these pages, and several things that caused me to consider my own position and evaluate my hermeneutic. However, that being said, there was more that was lacking than profitable. I believe the purpose of producing a work, such as on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, is to bring things into the light and make concrete conclusions based on the biblical text. I found too much speculation and uncertainty than should be found in a theological treatment. If I had to assign a grade to the book, I would give He Who Gives Life a C. Profitable for raising questions, but lacking in supplying answers.
September 16, 2022
4.5 stars. This was a deep academic dive into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. There were lots of good stuff in this book. I found that some of the best stuff were the quotes from other theologians. Cole picked some great quotes and he helps explain them clearly. This was a good book, maybe not as accessible as others but still very good.
October 22, 2019
Very helpful, just a bit of a slog
February 3, 2014
The book has good elements, including the review of the mystery of the Holy Spirit and the review of the Old Testament testimony concerning the Holy Spirit.
However, in much of the book Cole makes very bold statements without providing any supporting evidence or even discussion on which to base such claims. For instance Cole simply makes the statement that baptism in the Spirit is associated with “Christian conversion-initiation” (197) without referring to any biblical evidence or discussion on the subject.
Additionally, Cole asserts that the accounts of baptism in the Spirit in Acts are “arguably extensions of Pentecost rather than a paradigm for today” (p205), without providing any discussion to support this claim. Moreover, this opinion is not derived from scripture itself, but is predicated on the lack of such tangible experiences in many denominations of the modern church.
A third example is the assertion, in agreement with Ramm and Fergusson (page 206), that pneumatology should not be determined from narrative scriptures, but rather from didactic scriptures. This is simply superficial theology which dismisses important aspects of biblical testimony regarding the Holy Spirit. It is interesting that no theologian makes similar assertions regarding the use of narrative scripture to formulate Christology.
In another example, Cole states that the differences in the Acts accounts of baptism in the Spirit makes it “too difficult” to draw conclusions on normative experience (p204). For many, there is little difficulty at all. Whilst there are variations on the timing of the baptism, there are strong agreements on the nature of the experience; in all cases Baptism in the Holy Spirit was a tangible experience for both the recipient and those observing.
In a very bold statement Cole states that there is no exegetical evidence that baptism in the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost resulted in empowerment to witness, preferring to assert that this was a “filling with the Spirit” (p194). Here Cole simply ignores the fact that in Acts 10:15-16 Peter compares this event with that of the House of Cornelius, and refers to the experience as a “baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. Cole then seems to contradict this position (p197), asserting that baptism in Spirit is about confessing Jesus as Lord; confession and witness are intimately related as confession really means public confession, and again on p207 where he acknowledges this event to be a baptism in the Holy Spirit.
On page 219 and 244, Cole asserts that Ephesians 5:18-21 is not concerned with the empowerment of the Spirit to sanctify or empower individuals, but is concerned with Pauline ecclesiology. This is poor exegesis as Ephesians is a letter which defines God’s purpose as bringing individuals together under one head, even Christ (Eph. 1:10), and then goes on to explain the calling and behaviour of individuals within the body corporate. Harmony amongst the corporate body is only possible because each individual is under the One Head.
Finally, on page 254 Cole asserts that the reference to “when the perfect comes” in 1 Cor. 13:10 refers to the full canon of scripture rather than eternity. This is another example of weak exegesis as the the passage states that when the perfect comes we will see face to face, and know fully, even as we are fully known; the formation of the canon has not resulted in us being able to see Jesus “face to face” or to know Him fully, as we are “fully known”.
However, in much of the book Cole makes very bold statements without providing any supporting evidence or even discussion on which to base such claims. For instance Cole simply makes the statement that baptism in the Spirit is associated with “Christian conversion-initiation” (197) without referring to any biblical evidence or discussion on the subject.
Additionally, Cole asserts that the accounts of baptism in the Spirit in Acts are “arguably extensions of Pentecost rather than a paradigm for today” (p205), without providing any discussion to support this claim. Moreover, this opinion is not derived from scripture itself, but is predicated on the lack of such tangible experiences in many denominations of the modern church.
A third example is the assertion, in agreement with Ramm and Fergusson (page 206), that pneumatology should not be determined from narrative scriptures, but rather from didactic scriptures. This is simply superficial theology which dismisses important aspects of biblical testimony regarding the Holy Spirit. It is interesting that no theologian makes similar assertions regarding the use of narrative scripture to formulate Christology.
In another example, Cole states that the differences in the Acts accounts of baptism in the Spirit makes it “too difficult” to draw conclusions on normative experience (p204). For many, there is little difficulty at all. Whilst there are variations on the timing of the baptism, there are strong agreements on the nature of the experience; in all cases Baptism in the Holy Spirit was a tangible experience for both the recipient and those observing.
In a very bold statement Cole states that there is no exegetical evidence that baptism in the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost resulted in empowerment to witness, preferring to assert that this was a “filling with the Spirit” (p194). Here Cole simply ignores the fact that in Acts 10:15-16 Peter compares this event with that of the House of Cornelius, and refers to the experience as a “baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. Cole then seems to contradict this position (p197), asserting that baptism in Spirit is about confessing Jesus as Lord; confession and witness are intimately related as confession really means public confession, and again on p207 where he acknowledges this event to be a baptism in the Holy Spirit.
On page 219 and 244, Cole asserts that Ephesians 5:18-21 is not concerned with the empowerment of the Spirit to sanctify or empower individuals, but is concerned with Pauline ecclesiology. This is poor exegesis as Ephesians is a letter which defines God’s purpose as bringing individuals together under one head, even Christ (Eph. 1:10), and then goes on to explain the calling and behaviour of individuals within the body corporate. Harmony amongst the corporate body is only possible because each individual is under the One Head.
Finally, on page 254 Cole asserts that the reference to “when the perfect comes” in 1 Cor. 13:10 refers to the full canon of scripture rather than eternity. This is another example of weak exegesis as the the passage states that when the perfect comes we will see face to face, and know fully, even as we are fully known; the formation of the canon has not resulted in us being able to see Jesus “face to face” or to know Him fully, as we are “fully known”.
January 23, 2013
Cole’s work is easy to read and expansive. It is also brief, considering all that it attempts to do. He does a good job with the Holy Spirit in the OT. He also addresses the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ, but does not highlight the Christocentric role during Christ’s lifetime, preferring to speak of the Son submitting to the Spirit (which is true insofar as it goes). There are many times where he looks at multiple options, but does not argue for one position over another–which is frustrating. This chapters on the role of the Spirit in the church are very good.
October 14, 2018
If reading contemporary pneumatology is your thing, I'm sure you'll enjoy this. You've got a thorough survey of the field & cerebral scholastic erudition, but what you have very little of is a coherent whole. The book is more concerned with a survey of the scholarly consensus than making a decisive conclusion based on the texts in question. That's not to say that Cole doesn't make conclusions and that he doesn't analyze texts, but it seems like a scholastic endeavor rather than spirituality. The scholarship is impressive, but is this what doing theology ought to be? Cole makes a great point at the beginning of the book that the mysteries of God and the Holy Spirit should be treated as such, but everything else seems like science rather than a fearful treatment of the mystery of the Spirit. Perhaps that's what 'theology' means in academia, but it's not so good for God's people to aid their awe of the Holy Spirit. I must commend Cole on his scholarship since that's his aim. I must commend other works though for a good study of the Spirit.
December 18, 2020
Cole is a thought provoking theologian that brings different aspects of Christendom to the table when discussing key theological doctrines. This resource on the Holy Spirit is no different. Cole takes on the trinity, roles of the Spirit, how the Spirit moves in the OT and NT, and the gifts of the Spirit. This deep dive is biblical and maintains a desire to stay rooted to the text even if it leads to disagreeing with tradition. This book is a more academic theological book, so I may not recommend it universally.
September 12, 2022
Helpful resource for a presentation of how the whole Bible speaks of the Spirit. Most want to jump straight to the charismatic gifts, but Cole shows great restraint in that regard by only devoting 11 pages to that particular topic. Instead, he walks through Old and New Testaments, attempting to give as full a picture as he can of the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
September 29, 2023
Good and helpful!
March 10, 2025
Really like this. It sets out to be a biblically informed academic book on the Spirit that listens well to what others have said. That's what he does! Best thing about Cole is that he's thoroughly Trinitarian, thereby missing the excesses and mistakes people can make with the Spirit. Read slowly, sometimes brilliant points can be made in an understated way.
October 30, 2025
My favorite quotes:
"However, it is one thing to have such a high view of Scripture and quite another to interpret the Bible responsibly. A high view of Scripture requires a respectful hermenuetic. The Reformers had such a respectful and responsible interpretive approach summed up in the notion of the analogy of faith (analogia fidei), which took seriously the unity of the canon. Scripture is to interpret Scripture, Scripture is not to be interpreted against Scripture, and the plain Scripture is to interpret the obscure Scripture. I would add to these a fourth principle: Scripture is to be interpreted genre by genre. However, sometimes conservatively minded Christians can read Scripture in a one-dimensional and wooden way. I recall talking to an elder in a church who insisted that if there wasn't an actual robbery informing Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, then Jesus was not the Son of God. Why? Because Jesus would have attempted to teach truth by a lie. "But it is parable!" I insisted, to little effect.
What then do the Scriptures tell us? As we shall see, the Scriptures reveal to us a God who is personal. Persons generate narratives or stories that can be told by them and not simply by us. Scripture contains much divine autobiography. God has his own stories."
Page 24
"Moreover, this way of reading Scripture appreciates that the Scripture has a dual authorship: God and the human authors (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16 and 2 Pet. 1:21). The human author's intention, therefore, does not necessarily exhaust the scope of intended meaning. Thus, according to this view, Genesis 1:2 when originally written may not have been a reference to the Third Person of the Godhead in the human author's mind—how could it have been?—yet such a meaning was in the mind of God."
Page 109
"We are not gnostics, who despise the material realm and wish to flee it. We believe in a Creator and not just a Redeemer. There are both an order of creation and an order of redemption."
Page 113
"The historical experience of God is always tensed between the remembrance and the expectation which frame that experience."
Page 131
"Christ, the God-man, is not to be sought on earth. The doctrine of the ascension should teach us that Jesus is no longer accessible as one's best friend is accessible by sight, touch, and sound. Too many evangelicals speak, preach, and write as though relating to Jesus is just like relating to one's spouse. It is not. The rhetoric is fundamentally misleading and generates unrealizable expectations. There needs to be another way. As we shall see in the next chapter, the Spirit is integral to that other way."
Page 170
"Regeneration may not change our temperaments but should lead to changes in character. The Spirit's mission is not to make an extrovert of every Christian. Rather the fruit of the Spirit is about Christlike character. Further the new life that the Spirit brings is a sanctified life. God's people are to be holy. However, there is opposition from within (the flesh) and from without (the world, persecution, and the Devil)."
Page 225
"The old era is life according to the flesh. Flesh is that principle of opposition to the will and ways of God. The new era is life according to the Spirit. Within the believer both are at work still (Gal. 5:17)." Page 227
"However, it is one thing to have such a high view of Scripture and quite another to interpret the Bible responsibly. A high view of Scripture requires a respectful hermenuetic. The Reformers had such a respectful and responsible interpretive approach summed up in the notion of the analogy of faith (analogia fidei), which took seriously the unity of the canon. Scripture is to interpret Scripture, Scripture is not to be interpreted against Scripture, and the plain Scripture is to interpret the obscure Scripture. I would add to these a fourth principle: Scripture is to be interpreted genre by genre. However, sometimes conservatively minded Christians can read Scripture in a one-dimensional and wooden way. I recall talking to an elder in a church who insisted that if there wasn't an actual robbery informing Jesus' story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, then Jesus was not the Son of God. Why? Because Jesus would have attempted to teach truth by a lie. "But it is parable!" I insisted, to little effect.
What then do the Scriptures tell us? As we shall see, the Scriptures reveal to us a God who is personal. Persons generate narratives or stories that can be told by them and not simply by us. Scripture contains much divine autobiography. God has his own stories."
Page 24
"Moreover, this way of reading Scripture appreciates that the Scripture has a dual authorship: God and the human authors (cf. 2 Tim. 3:16 and 2 Pet. 1:21). The human author's intention, therefore, does not necessarily exhaust the scope of intended meaning. Thus, according to this view, Genesis 1:2 when originally written may not have been a reference to the Third Person of the Godhead in the human author's mind—how could it have been?—yet such a meaning was in the mind of God."
Page 109
"We are not gnostics, who despise the material realm and wish to flee it. We believe in a Creator and not just a Redeemer. There are both an order of creation and an order of redemption."
Page 113
"The historical experience of God is always tensed between the remembrance and the expectation which frame that experience."
Page 131
"Christ, the God-man, is not to be sought on earth. The doctrine of the ascension should teach us that Jesus is no longer accessible as one's best friend is accessible by sight, touch, and sound. Too many evangelicals speak, preach, and write as though relating to Jesus is just like relating to one's spouse. It is not. The rhetoric is fundamentally misleading and generates unrealizable expectations. There needs to be another way. As we shall see in the next chapter, the Spirit is integral to that other way."
Page 170
"Regeneration may not change our temperaments but should lead to changes in character. The Spirit's mission is not to make an extrovert of every Christian. Rather the fruit of the Spirit is about Christlike character. Further the new life that the Spirit brings is a sanctified life. God's people are to be holy. However, there is opposition from within (the flesh) and from without (the world, persecution, and the Devil)."
Page 225
"The old era is life according to the flesh. Flesh is that principle of opposition to the will and ways of God. The new era is life according to the Spirit. Within the believer both are at work still (Gal. 5:17)." Page 227
July 11, 2023
Great theological resource on the Person of the Holy Spirit & ministry of the Holy Spirit (OT & NT perspectives)!!
“There is an irreconcilable variability in the operations of the Holy Spirit on the souls of men” (p. 34)
“Likewise this account of Jesus is vital for understanding the personhood of the Spirit and for developing a “high” pneumatology which does not reduce the Spirit to simply God in action or an impersonal force from God “ (p. 67)
“The Holy Spirit may be prayed to. The Spirit, after all, is God. And yet, the Holy Spirit is not to be prayed in such a way as to displace the mediatorship of Chris as our great High Priest. In fact, our regular prayer practice is to pray to the Father in the name of the Son in dependence upon the Spirit”. (p. 87)
“… the people of God is where the revealed center of gravity is for the Spirit’s ministry.” (p. 113)
“The bearer of the Spirit becomes the bestower of the Spirit. The state of Christological humiliation gives way to the state of Christological glory. The bestowal of the Spirit at Pentecost is the dramatic sign of this”. (p. 179)
“The Spirit’s work will be Christocentric” (p. 185)
“Every revival is a repetition of Pentecost… the Holy Spirit’s work in reviving God’s people cannot be organized but may be prayed for and prepared for by deep repentance. A sense of the awesome holiness of God and revival are intimately connected.” (p. 233)
“Walk in the Spirit. Don’t grieve the Spirit. Don’t quench the Spirit. If we live ghat way we will be filled with the Spirit.” (p. 243)
“The Spirit’s filling is the Spirit giving the believer what he or she needs for the next step of obedience to the divine will and service in God’s kingdom... If I want to be filled with the fullness of the Spirit, then let me set my heart on doing the will of God and call upon him for the enablement to do so.” (p. 245)
“Spiritual gifts are God empowering His people through the Holy Spirit for kingdom life and service, enabling them in attitude and action to live and minister in a manner which glorifies Christ.” (p. 249)
“There is an irreconcilable variability in the operations of the Holy Spirit on the souls of men” (p. 34)
“Likewise this account of Jesus is vital for understanding the personhood of the Spirit and for developing a “high” pneumatology which does not reduce the Spirit to simply God in action or an impersonal force from God “ (p. 67)
“The Holy Spirit may be prayed to. The Spirit, after all, is God. And yet, the Holy Spirit is not to be prayed in such a way as to displace the mediatorship of Chris as our great High Priest. In fact, our regular prayer practice is to pray to the Father in the name of the Son in dependence upon the Spirit”. (p. 87)
“… the people of God is where the revealed center of gravity is for the Spirit’s ministry.” (p. 113)
“The bearer of the Spirit becomes the bestower of the Spirit. The state of Christological humiliation gives way to the state of Christological glory. The bestowal of the Spirit at Pentecost is the dramatic sign of this”. (p. 179)
“The Spirit’s work will be Christocentric” (p. 185)
“Every revival is a repetition of Pentecost… the Holy Spirit’s work in reviving God’s people cannot be organized but may be prayed for and prepared for by deep repentance. A sense of the awesome holiness of God and revival are intimately connected.” (p. 233)
“Walk in the Spirit. Don’t grieve the Spirit. Don’t quench the Spirit. If we live ghat way we will be filled with the Spirit.” (p. 243)
“The Spirit’s filling is the Spirit giving the believer what he or she needs for the next step of obedience to the divine will and service in God’s kingdom... If I want to be filled with the fullness of the Spirit, then let me set my heart on doing the will of God and call upon him for the enablement to do so.” (p. 245)
“Spiritual gifts are God empowering His people through the Holy Spirit for kingdom life and service, enabling them in attitude and action to live and minister in a manner which glorifies Christ.” (p. 249)
February 14, 2018
Able, even-handed survey of the Bible’s teaching on the Holy Spirit.
Graham Cole has done the Church a service by succinctly sketching out the main lines of the complex data in the Bible about the Third Person of the Trinity and ably assembling them into a coherent picture of His person and ministry.
Cole’s work is a textbook example of theological method. I learned not only from what he wrote but how he wrote it. It’s careful, learned, and cheerful. He does an excellent job of providing balancing perspectives on the many controversial questions about the Holy Spirit. At times, I wished he was more decisive and less tentative about his exegetical and theological decisions, but that just shows how difficult some of the judgment calls are to make in this arena. Wherever a strong conclusion was required by the either the importance of the question or the preponderance of the biblical evidence, Cole did not hesitate to reach it or state it. If I could write a book on this level, I would want to do it on this model.
I especially appreciated how Cole started with the mystery and elusiveness of the Spirit (He is the uncontrollable wind!) and ended with His divine self-effacement. The Spirit of God is perfectly worthy to be made known but is best known as He makes known the Son of God. “The magnificence of the Spirit lies in this self-effacement or divine selflessness. For this reason believers are rightly called ‘Christias’ not ‘Pneumians’” (pg. 284). Highly recommended.
Graham Cole has done the Church a service by succinctly sketching out the main lines of the complex data in the Bible about the Third Person of the Trinity and ably assembling them into a coherent picture of His person and ministry.
Cole’s work is a textbook example of theological method. I learned not only from what he wrote but how he wrote it. It’s careful, learned, and cheerful. He does an excellent job of providing balancing perspectives on the many controversial questions about the Holy Spirit. At times, I wished he was more decisive and less tentative about his exegetical and theological decisions, but that just shows how difficult some of the judgment calls are to make in this arena. Wherever a strong conclusion was required by the either the importance of the question or the preponderance of the biblical evidence, Cole did not hesitate to reach it or state it. If I could write a book on this level, I would want to do it on this model.
I especially appreciated how Cole started with the mystery and elusiveness of the Spirit (He is the uncontrollable wind!) and ended with His divine self-effacement. The Spirit of God is perfectly worthy to be made known but is best known as He makes known the Son of God. “The magnificence of the Spirit lies in this self-effacement or divine selflessness. For this reason believers are rightly called ‘Christias’ not ‘Pneumians’” (pg. 284). Highly recommended.
June 23, 2024
This book was a good systematic summary of the teaching on the Spirit, but little more than that. While Feinberg's flagship volume in the series - "No One Like Him" - is an in-depth analysis of biblical, systematic, historical, and practical theology as compared with hostorical and current philosophical trends, Cole did little more than raise a few minor questions in his volume, usually resolved via proof-texting without argumentation, or simply left the questions unresolved as if moot. Some of these discussions included rejecting historical doctrines (e.g., illumination) with little more than a few scripture references and an extended quote. His core idea that the Spirit is "self-effacing" was not supported scripturally, and he seemed to hesitate at the Nicene confession of the Spirit as he who "with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorifiedx without much support. All in all, I was expecting more from this volume than undergraduate level course notes.
December 1, 2021
Cole's book is helpful and broad. He brushes on many, many questions and topics concerning the Holy Spirit. It's not terribly long at under 300 pages, so most of those topics are only briefly touched on--my one gripe with the book! I would have liked more in a number of areas, especially at times when Cole made statements that were not well supported (I had hoped for far more on the idea of the Spirit as the love between the Father and Son, among other aspects of the Spirit's person and work!).
I disagree with Cole in a number of areas, but still find it to be a good, helpful book on the Holy Spirit.
(Also of note--he has a number of insightful comments that speak to the recent EFS/ESS/ERAS controversy scattered throughout the book.)
I disagree with Cole in a number of areas, but still find it to be a good, helpful book on the Holy Spirit.
(Also of note--he has a number of insightful comments that speak to the recent EFS/ESS/ERAS controversy scattered throughout the book.)
January 12, 2021
"Graham Cole has written the widest-ranging textbook on pneumatology that currently exists." So says J. I. Packer, and who am I to object.
The vastness of this work, with information crammed densely into every page, is breath-taking. And yet Cole manages to keep the work devotional almost. He addresses all the major controversies concerning the Spirit, and at one place or another manages to discuss most of the major points of historical pneumatology.
Every chapter ends with a section for application. I really have rarely ever read a book that was at once so academically dense and warmly devotional. It is fitting that Packer endorsed it, because it reminds me very much of his writings.
The vastness of this work, with information crammed densely into every page, is breath-taking. And yet Cole manages to keep the work devotional almost. He addresses all the major controversies concerning the Spirit, and at one place or another manages to discuss most of the major points of historical pneumatology.
Every chapter ends with a section for application. I really have rarely ever read a book that was at once so academically dense and warmly devotional. It is fitting that Packer endorsed it, because it reminds me very much of his writings.
October 8, 2022
Actually I found the book quite good, yet without a sense of depth. I felt like it moved from theme to theme with very basic explanations and no seeking to help deepen the understanding of the reader, or perhaps that was the intent, just a broad overview of doctrine. I felt at some points while reading however that perhaps the author wrote the book simply because he had the knowledge and the ability rather than a real meaningful want to right it. But again, perhaps it was just me.
May 2, 2022
4.5 // Thorough and edifying. I especially appreciated the twin-ish chapters exploring the relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit in Christ’s life on earth (as he followed the Spirit) and after his ascension (whereupon he sends the Spirit to his disciples). Lots to chew on, and likely a book I will return to as a reference.
July 7, 2025
Read for a second time for Dr. Allison’s pneumatology seminar. Cole is helpful, but could have used a bit more editing. He tends to drop sentences that have significant implications and just moves on.
January 4, 2021
Best book I read in my grad degree. It wasn't a close contest.
Read
June 17, 2022I really appreciate both the exegetical depth as well as the theological humility and nuance offered on this book
April 21, 2024
It was good.... hard to read
November 2, 2025
You know I read this a while ago and I remember thinking that this was a good book, but because I cannot remember a single thing from this book, I cannot give this book higher than three stars.
May 13, 2022
Solid. Not obnoxious, arrogant, or speculative. In fact, at times I do wish he’d tease some things out a little more, but he remains cautious. And at times frustratingly he doesn’t make a decision. Despite the con of not breaking new ground or nailing some things down, there is a solid pro: he seeks mine what is evidently there and to offer caution where he believes interpreters have gone too far (a couple times I think he doesn’t go far enough though). He is even willing to disagree with some classic reformed positions on the Holy Spirit.
Helpful wisdom throughout. My favorite is his beginning with the elusiveness of the Spirit and his advice at the end that the more we look for the Holy Spirit and his work, the more elusive he may be. This is my experience.
With respect to miraculous gifts, he finds no exegetical reason why they shouldn’t exist, and thus remains cautiously open. His argument here is not a big focus at all, but he does offer helpful advice when thinking about those who believe hey are experiencing miraculous gifts but may indeed not be.
One surprising breath of fresh air is his repeated reminder that while some versions of Christianity have us trying to escape history and the world, the Holy Spirit has no room for that: history and creation are to be redeemed.
Along with wishing at a few points that he’d I would have liked to see him explore union with Christ and Christification — potentially more mystical aspects of the Spirit’s work. But, as with much in this book, he’s concise. Pro and con. It’s nice when there really is only a little to say.
Helpful wisdom throughout. My favorite is his beginning with the elusiveness of the Spirit and his advice at the end that the more we look for the Holy Spirit and his work, the more elusive he may be. This is my experience.
With respect to miraculous gifts, he finds no exegetical reason why they shouldn’t exist, and thus remains cautiously open. His argument here is not a big focus at all, but he does offer helpful advice when thinking about those who believe hey are experiencing miraculous gifts but may indeed not be.
One surprising breath of fresh air is his repeated reminder that while some versions of Christianity have us trying to escape history and the world, the Holy Spirit has no room for that: history and creation are to be redeemed.
Along with wishing at a few points that he’d I would have liked to see him explore union with Christ and Christification — potentially more mystical aspects of the Spirit’s work. But, as with much in this book, he’s concise. Pro and con. It’s nice when there really is only a little to say.
September 3, 2013
This book is a well-written pneumatology--a theology of the Holy Spirit. On the plus side, Cole writes well, and he pays attention to biblical theology. Also, his theology is solid. He is a careful thinker. However, often his discussions of particular issues are brief. This book could easily have been 50-100 pages longer and would have been better for it.
I think this book is best supplemented by James Hamilton's God's Indwelling Spirit. He pays more attention to the way the Spirit works in the OT and the NT. His discussion of the Spirit in John's Gospel as well as in Acts is very helpful.
I think this book is best supplemented by James Hamilton's God's Indwelling Spirit. He pays more attention to the way the Spirit works in the OT and the NT. His discussion of the Spirit in John's Gospel as well as in Acts is very helpful.
May 10, 2015
A great read. Clear with a critical approach to most issues and a determination to make conclusions only on the basis of firm exegetical support. Cole deals with a host of issues very helpfully if briefly (occasionally frustratingly briefly).
June 24, 2016
Fairly brief for a work like this. Mostly clear. Points where I felt I read more about what he'd be saying than what he actually said. Some parts could be eliminated, others expanded, and still more topics should be treated. Overall, a good theology on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
February 9, 2023
Dr. Cole provides an excellent theological study on the "forgotten God". His careful exegesis of the scriptural references to the Third person of the Trinity is an invaluable resource for the book shelf of every teacher, paster, leader and chaplain.
December 31, 2008
A professor of mine from Trinity wrote this book, which is a very helpful theology of the Holy Spirit. A good primer on the often-neglected third Person of the Trinity!
January 22, 2014
Awesome from a biblical perspective lacking from practical value--typical work coming from a first rate Christian scholar.
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