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BIBLIOTHECA SACRA 155 (ApnKJune 1998) 139-63

THE SEAL
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

w
Eldon Woodcock

h a t does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?


What are the implications of this doctrine for Christians?
Being sealed with t h e Holy Spirit is mentioned in 2 Corinthi
ans 1:22 and E p h e s i a n s 1:13-14 a n d 4:30. Second C o r i n t h i a n s
1:22 a n d E p h e s i a n s 1:14 indicate a connection between being
sealed {) with t h e Holy Spirit and receiving a "pledge"
() of one's s p i r i t u a l i n h e r i t a n c e . The is also
mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:5.
A study of these verses reveals t h a t being sealed with t h e Holy
Spirit h a s significance not only for t h e initial stage of salvation
but also for the eternal preservation of believers.
T H E M E A N I N G O F ("TO S E A L " )
A N D / ("SEAL")
These words, which have been a t t e s t e d since t h e sixth century
1
B C , have a variety of meanings. In its most obvious use,
refers to physical seals such as signet rings t h a t made impres
2 3
sions, a n d to t h e impressions themselves. On some occasions
4
the impression was equivalent to a signature. Sometimes seals
5
were among t h e decorative a t t a c h m e n t s to clothing. Physical

Eldon Woodcock is Professor of Bible, Nyack College, Nyack, New York


R Schippers, "Seal," in New International Dictionary of New Testament The
ology, ed Colin Brown (Grand Rapids Zondervan, 1978), 3 497
2
Ibid (e g , Plato, Lesser Hippias 368 c 2, Aristotle, De Audibilius 801 b 4, Wis
dorn ofSirach 38 27, and Philo, Special Laws 1 47 3)
** Schippers, "Seal," 3 497 (e g , Aristotle, On Memory and Reminiscence 450 a 32,
Chrysippus, Fragmenta logica (ed J Von Armin) 55 5, Exodus 28 11, 21, and Philo,
On Dreams 1 158 4, 1 202 7
Gottfried Fitzer, ", , ? in Theological Dictionary
of the New Testament, ed G e r h a r d Kittel, t r a n s Geoffrey W Bromiley (Grand
Rapids Eerdmans, 1971), 7 946
5
Aristophanes, Fragmenta (ed J M Edwards), 321 13, Aristotle, Meteorologica
387 b 17, Exodus 35 22
140 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / ApnKJune 1998

seals were widely used in ancient times, as documented by Her


odotus' statement that every man possessed a staff and a seal. 6
The family often designates figuratively the impres
sions made on the mind. Memory has this powerful effect.7 The
content of these impressions include truths that God is One and is
the Creator, 8 vice,9 virtues, 1 0 old transgressions, 1 1 holiness, 1 2
benevolence, 13 justice, 1 4 and wisdom. 15
The smallest physical seal can make impressions of very
large things. 1 6 Even when it is used to make many copies, a seal
remains unchanged. Philo used this fact to illustrate "the powers
around God who give form to the formless and shape to the indis
tinct without losing anything of their own eternal essence." 17
INACCESSIBILITY

Various objects were sealed in order to prevent others from tam


pering with their contents without being detected. These include
vessels, 1 8 money bags (Tobit 9:5), a pagan temple (Bel and the
Dragon 14, 16), and letters 1 9 (to be opened only by the intended re
cipient who would break the seal).
When Darius the Medo-Persian king was manipulated into
throwing Daniel into the lion's den, he sealed it with his signet
ring to prevent anyone from having access to Daniel (Dan.
6:17). 20 Figurative or nonphysical seals were no less important
in preventing access. These include the beloved bride pictured as
a sealed fountain (Song of Sol. 4:12), a sealed mouth that is
thereby silenced,21 those who seal themselves so as not to learn the
6
Herodotus 1.195, cited by Schippers, "Seal," 3:497.
7
Plato, Theaetetus 192.a.6.
8
Philo, On the Creation of the World 172.2.
y
Philo, The Sacrifices of Cain and Abel 135.5.
1 0
Philo, On Drunkenness 137.2.
1 1
Philo, The Decalogue 11.3.
1 2
Philo, Special Laws 1.30.5.
1 3
Ibid, 4.16.6.
1 4
Ibid, 4.218.9.
1 5
Philo, The Worse Attacks the Better 38.9.
1 6
Fitzer, "? 7:946; Philo, On the Creation of the World 6.2.
1 7
Fitzer, "," 7:946; Philo, Special Laws 1.47.
1 0
History of Alexander the Great, Recension a 1.8.4.1. "No one seals an empty
vessel. "
^ Euripides, Hippolytus 864; Philo, The Embassy to Gaius 330.1.
2 0
Cf. Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews 10.258.3; 10.259.3.
2 1
Timotheus, Fragmenta (ed. D. L. Page), 001.15, col. 4.148; and Wisdom of Sirach
22-27.
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 141

Law (Isa. 8:16, LXX), God's sealing transgressions in a bag


(parallel to His covering iniquity, Job 14:17), and death as sealed
up, preventing any return from it (Wis. of Sol. 2:5).
The chief priests and Pharisees asked Pontius Pilate to se
cure Jesus' tomb to prevent His corpse from being stolen so that
His followers could say He was resurrected (Matt. 27:62-65). The
religious rulers had a seal placed on the stone and posted a guard
(v. 66) of several soldiers. 22 The seal was to close the tomb offi
cially by governmental edict. Details such as whose seal was
used and how the tomb was sealed are not stated. Later Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary found the stone rolled back, an
angel sitting on the stone, the guards paralyzed with fear, the
tomb empty, and Jesus gone (28:1-7). Nothing was said about the
seal, which was then irrelevant, for God had overruled the gov
ernmental edict.
The term "abyss," a rough transliteration of the Greek
, refers to the abode of the dead. This is where Satan will
be forcibly imprisoned for one thousand years to prevent his de
ceiving the nations during Christ's millennial reign (Rev. 20:1-
3). God's angel will arrest (, "to seize") Satan and bind
() him, that is, imprison him so that he will be unable to es
cape. The angel will lock {) and seal () the en
trance to the abyss over Satan.
A vision or revelation may be put into written form and then
sealed to keep its contents unknown (Isa. 29:11; cf. Dan. 12:4, 9).
The apostle John testified that he saw "in the right hand of him
who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and
sealed with seven seals" (Rev. 5:1, NIV). The purpose of the seals
was to keep the scroll closed, making the information on it inac
cessible and thus unknown (w. 3-4). Only the Lamb (who pur
chased His people with His blood) is worthy and able to break the
seals and open the scroll (w. 2, 5, 9).
John received another revelation, one he was not permitted to
share. A voice from heaven said, "Seal up what the seven thun
ders have said and do not write it down" (10:4, NIV). This revela
tion was given only in oral form. The command to seal up that
communication meant it was not to be put into written form. The
reference to the seal was figurative, applying it to speech as if it
23
were written on a scroll. But the effect of the seal was the same
as before: It made the revelation inaccessible. As a result, read-

^ That the guard detail involved several soldiers is clear from the plural forms
in Matthew 28:4, 11.
** Fitzer notes that here has a weaker meaning, "to conceal," by not
putting the information into written form {"" 7:950).
142 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

ers of Revelation know that the revelation was given, but they
cannot know what it involved.
Toward the end of the Apocalypse, John was told, "Do not seal
up the words of the prophecy of this book" (22:10). Since the Book of
Revelation was not to be sealed up, its contents were revealed and
written down and thus are accessible.
AUTHORIZATION AND CERTIFICATION

The king's seal extended his royal authority to the one who pos-
sessed it.24 It thereby certified that the person was the king's offi-
cial agent. 25 Pharaoh gave Joseph his royal seal, authorizing him
to enact his policies (Gen. 41:42-44).26 Jezebel placed King Ahab's
seal on her letters concerning Naboth (1 Kings 21:8).27 The Per-
sian king's signet ring was used by Haman to seal his decrees
against the Jews, thus putting royal authority behind the decrees
(Esth. 3:10; cf. 8:8, IO).28
A pagan priest placed his seal on the papyrus attached to the
horns of an animal, certifying that it was ritually clean and
suitable for use as a sacrifice.29 The seal of the Jewish high priest
conveyed his priestly authority. 30 The priests and Lvites affixed
their seals to their covenant with God, thereby putting it into effect
(Neh. 9:38-10:1).
On occasion refers figuratively to a confirmation or
implicit certification without a physical sealing. Examples
include the confirmation of the accuracy of Joseph's predictions
when he interpreted the pharaoh's dream, 3 1 and the confirmation
of the report by the Hebrew spies concerning Canaan. 3 2
Important documents were agreed to and certified by means
of a seal. Examples include a marriage contract (Tob. 7:14), a
deed of sale (Jer. 32:9-12, 44), and a covenant with God (Neh.
9:38-10:1).

2 4
Ibid., 7:942.
*** For example Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War 1.129.1.6.
Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews 2.90.2.
*' Her purpose was to signify the king's authority as the basis for her instruc
tions.
2 8
Ibid., 11.271.4.
2 9
Herodotus 2.38; cf. Fitzer, ""7:943.
*** Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews 15.408.1.4.6.
l
Philo, On Joseph 98.4. Joseph's predictions were confirmed when accurately
fulfilled.
*** Philo, Moses 1.230.3. Philo said the spies who took the time to put together an
accurate report on Canaan received a "seal of reality," that is, the accuracy of their
report was confirmed.
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 143

Commentators have struggled to determine the significance


of in Romans 15:28. "Therefore, when I have finished
this, and have put my seal [] on this fruit of theirs, I will go
on by way of you to Spain." 33 Most writers have concluded that it
involves some form of certification. The contribution from Gen
tile Christians to poor believers in Jerusalem (v. 26) may have
been an expression of gratitude to the Jerusalem church, or the re
sult of the ministry of the Jerusalem church to Gentiles, or Paul's
ministry to the Gentiles. 34 The seal may have indicated that the
gathering and delivery of the contributions would be done in a
trustworthy manner. 3 5 Morris concludes that "in some way it
pointed to official assurance that all was well," even though the
details of its significance are not clear. 3 6
When Paul mentioned "the sign of circumcision" (
) in Romans 4:11, he used a genitive of apposition, 37 that
is, the circumcision was the sign, pointing to the existence of what
it signifies. 38 Since Abraham was circumcised as an adult, it
thereby functioned as a sign and seal of the righteousness he al
ready had by faith. His justification by faith and resulting accep
tance by God preceded his circumcision (Gen. 15:6; 17:10-11;
Rom. 4:10). Apart from faith, the covenant, of which circumci
sion is a sign (Gen. 17:10-11), is meaningless. 39
Paul described "the sign of circumcision" as "a seal of the
righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircum-
cised" (Rom. 4:11, NIV). This seal functioned to attest, certify, rat
ify, and authenticate the righteousness Abraham had received by
faith while still uncircumcised. 40 Some commentators suggest

0 0
C Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the
Romans, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh Clark, 1979), 2 775-76,
and James D G Dunn, Romans 9-16, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX Word,
1988), 876-77
*** These possibilities are mentioned by Cranfield (Romans, 2 775-76)
3 5
Fitzer, ",n 7 948
* Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1988), 522
** Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Ro
mans, 1 236, F Godet, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, trans A Cusin,
translation rev and ed Talbot W Chambers (1883, reprint, Grand Rapids Zonder-
van, 1956), 173
* John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, New International Commentary on
the New Testament (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1965), 1 138, and Cranfield, Romans,
1236
3 9
Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, 1 138
4 0
Ibid , Morris, Romans, 202-3, and Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Com
mentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 1 236
144 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

that the idea of God's ownership may also be included. 41


Circumcision has no value for those who break the law; such
action indicates that a person is as if he were uncircumcised
(2:25). Physical circumcision is valid as a sign or seal of righ
teousness by faith only if one also has the reality to which it
points, namely, an inward circumcision of the heart (Rom. 2:28-
29; cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4).
God described Zerubbabel as His chosen one whom He will
make like His signet ring (Hag. 2:23), thereby designating His
authority to him. Related benefits of God's certification of Zerub
babel included His renewed election of the Davidic line repre
sented at that time by Zerubbabel. 42 It also involved God's guaran
teeing the fulfillment of His promises in the Davidic Covenant (2
Sam. 7:12-16), 43 which will be fulfilled in the messianic king
dom. Meanwhile God would protect Zerubbabel from his hostile
enemies, enabling him to complete his God-given task of super
vising the reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem. 4 4
In 1 Corinthians 9:2-3 Paul defended his apostleship to the
Corinthians by saying, "You are the seal of my apostleship in the
Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment of me" 4 5
(NIV). Paul's spiritual successes in Corinth confirmed his apos
tolic ministry; the very existence of the Corinthian Christians
served to authenticate his apostleship. 46
God sent His Son to convey His perfect truth. Those who ac
cept Jesus' message as God's truth are, in effect, engraving their

4 1
J a m e s D G Dunn, Romans 1-8, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX Word,
1988), 232 Dunn understands t h e seal here to include the ideas of both ratification
and ownership But Fitzer limits the seal here to ratification ("," 7 949)

^ Pieter A Verhoeff, The Books of Haggai and Malachi, New I n t e r n a t i o n a l


Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1987), 147
4 3
Theodore Laetsch, The Minor Prophets (St Louis Concordia, 1956), 401-2

Joyce Baldwin, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Tyndale Old Testament Commen


taries (Downers Grove, IL InterVarsity, 1972), 54-55, and Eh Cashdan, "Haggai," in
The Twelve Prophets, ed A Cohen (New York Soncino, 1948), 264
4 0
Commentators do not agree on whether Paul's statement about his defense (v 3)
refers to what precedes it or w h a t follows it Some scholars say it refers to the pre
ceding material (e g , Godet, Commentary on St Paul's First Epistle to the
Corinthians, 2 4-6, and Leon Morris, The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians,
Tyndale New Testament Commentaries [Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1958], 132) But
on the basis of the Greek word order Fee concludes t h a t Paul's defense refers to
what follows (Gordon Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International
Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1987], 397-401) Ei
ther way, Paul saw the Corinthian Christians as evidence of his apostleship
4 6
Schippers, "Seal," 3 499, Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, 396-97, and
Paul L Hammer, "Canon and Theological Variety A Study in t h e Pauline Tradi
tion," Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 67 (1976) 86
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 145

seal on that message. "He who has received His [Jesus'] witness
has set his seal to this, that God is true" (John 3:33). Acceptance of
His message authenticates His witness as true. 4 7 "The man who
has accepted it has certified that God is truthful" (John 3:33, NIV).
Martin Luther emphasized the force of this confirmation.
Among men nothing is safer a n d more c e r t a i n t h a n t h a t which is
given u n d e r one's h a n d and seal. I feel sure w h e n I have a sealed
document . Anyone who r e a l l y accepts t h e m e s s a g e of t h e
Gospel resolutely sets his seal to it and says: "This seal a n d docu
m e n t m e a n t h a t I can s t a k e life and limb a n d all I possess on
48
this." His h e a r t is certain and h a r b o r s no d o u b t s .

In another example of figurative sealing imagery, the Lord


Jesus Christ mentioned His Father's certification of Him and
His work. "On Him [the Son of Man] God the Father has placed
His seal of approval" (John 6:27, NIV). Suggestions on what this
seal is include Jesus' baptism at which His Father stated He was
the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33),49 the
descent of the Spirit on Jesus, 5 0 the testimony of Scripture about
Him, 5 1 and His power to perform miracles (Acts 10:38). 52 Al
though any of these suggestions is possible, the immediate context
of a specific miracle, the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-
15), indicates that the fourth view may be the most likely. In any
case, the point is clear that God provided His seal of approval on
His Son as His official authentic representative.
Paul wrote to Timothy, "The firm foundation of God stands,
having this seal, The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let
everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wicked
ness' " (2 Tim. 2:19). To what does the foundation in 2 Timothy
2:19 refer? Suggestions include God's election, 53 Christ (1 Cor.
3:10-11; Eph. 2:20-22), the church (1 Tim. 3:15), the apostolic wit
54
ness (Eph. 2:20), Old Testament Scripture, and the truth in con-

4/
F F Bruce, The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1983), 97 Cf Leon
Morris, The Gospel according to John, New International Commentary on the New
Testament (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1971), 245-46
Luther's Works, quoted by Morris, The Gospel according to John, 245, 124
4 9
Schippers, "Seal," 3 499
5 0
C Barrett, The Gospel according to St John (London S C , 1960), 238
5 1
Schippers mentions t h a t others prefer this view ("Seal," 3 499)
^ Arthur W Pink, Exposition of the Gospel of John (Grand Rapids Zondervan,
1945), 1 314
*** Patrick Fairbairn, Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles (1874, reprint, Grand
Rapids Zondervan, 1956), 349-50
M
Hammer prefers this view because t he two quotations in the verse are t a k e n
from the Old Testament ("Canon and Theological Variety,'' 88) Guthrie suggests
that these texts express the thoughts of Numbers 16 5 and Isaiah 52 11 (Donald
146 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

trast to the teaching by false teachers. These views are all plausi
ble and somewhat interrelated. In view of t h e immediate context,
the last view seems preferable.
The sealing terminology is again figurative. God's seal au
thenticates His foundation, the t r u t h . Here t h e idea of a guarantee
is mingled with t h a t of authentication. 5 5

OWNERSHIP AND PROTECTION

Seals were a m a r k of ownership. Some people placed t h e imprint


of their seal on virtually everything they owned. 5 6 As a result, the
family signet ring was very i m p o r t a n t . 5 7
Some expressed their commitment to and possession by their
god by bearing on their bodies t h e distinctive mark of a seal rep
resenting the god. 5 8 This supposedly brought them under the pro
tection of t h a t god. 5 9 Worshipers of Dionysius h a d t h e i r god's
sign, an ivy leaf, burned on t h e m , a procedure described by the
verb ^.60 The Law of Moses prohibited any such marks
or tattoos, especially if they were related to pagan practices con
cerning the dead (Lev. 19:28; 21:5; Deut. 14:l-2). 6 1
is a sign, usually visually perceived, by which one
recognizes a person or t h i n g . 6 2 Broader in its range of meaning
t h a n , refers to t h e rainbow (Gen. 9:9-17, esp. w .
12-13), the observance of the Sabbath (Exod. 31:13, 17), and often to
miracles (4:1-9, esp. vv. 8-9; Deut. 34:10-12) 6 3 as confirmatory
signs. Of significance to this study, may also refer to a
distinguishing, confirmatory, a u t h e n t i c a t i n g m a r k by which
someone or something is categorized correctly. 6 4 It may desig-

Guthrie, The Pastoral Epistles, Tyndale New T e s t a m e n t Commentaries [Grand


Rapids Eerdmans, 1957], 150-51)
5 5
Schippers, "Seal," 3 500
5 6
Euripides, Orestes 1108
5 7
Sophocles, Electro 1223
5 8
Herodotus 2 113, cf Schippers, "Seal," 3 497
5 9
Schippers, "Seal," 3 497
Fitzer cites 3 Maccabees 3 29 as documenting this practice {"," 7 943) Cf
Philo, Special Laws 1 58
0 1
In the Septuagint these verses do not use , although they describe a
practice evidently having a similar significance (G W Lampe, The Seal of the
Spirit A Study of the Doctrine of Baptism and Confirmation in the New Testa
ment and the Fathers [London Longmans, Green, 1951], 13)
O Hofius, "," in New International Dictionary of New Testament Theol
ogy, 2 626
00
This usage occurs often in the New Testament (e g , John 2 11, Acts 8 6)
6 4
Hofius, "," 2 626, and Fitzer, ""7205
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 147

nate the signet of a ring. 6 5 Circumcision was early recognized as


a of t h e Abrahamic Covenant between God and Israel
(Gen. 17:11). P a u l described circumcision as a , which is
the of t h e righteousness received by faith (Rom. 4:11).
God had one of His servants place a m a r k on t h e foreheads of
those who protested the abominations done in their midst (Ezek.
9:3-4). Its purpose was to protect t h e m from God's w r a t h in His
judgment since they were His property (v. 6). 6 6
In the Tribulation t h e 144,000 will be identified by a seal on
their foreheads (Rev. 7:3-4). And in t h e fifth t r u m p e t j u d g m e n t
the locusts will be allowed to h a r m "only those people who [will]
not have the seal of God on their foreheads" (9:4, NIV). Though
these verses do not specify w h a t the seal will be, it may be similar
to the mark m a d e by a signet ring used by an ancient Oriental
king to a u t h e n t i c a t e and protect official d o c u m e n t s . 6 7 According
to Revelation 14:1 the seal on the foreheads of the 144,000 will be
the name of the Lamb and of the Father. It will t h u s be an observ
able seal. 6 8
This seal, described as "the seal of the living God" (Rev. 7:2)
and "the seal of God" (9:4), will have t h e authority of God behind
i t . 6 9 Thus God's commands concerning those b e a r i n g His seal
will be scrupulously followed.
The purpose of this seal will be to label God's people as belong
ing to Him, as His possession. 7 0 What He owns, He also pro
t e c t s . 7 1 By m e a n s of His seal God will identify the people whom
He will protect from the disasters predicted for t h e Tribulation.
His protection will g u a r a n t e e their survival. This will give t h e m
comfort, a s s u r a n c e , a n d security, even in difficult circum
s t a n c e s . 7 2 This concept is similar to Paul's t e a c h i n g on being
sealed with the Holy Spirit.

For example Plato, Theaetetus 191 Fitzer also describes \ as any seal or
stamp indicating ownership ("," 7 204) But his supporting evidence is from
the second century A D
6 6
Lampe, The Seal of the Spirit, 14-15, and Schippers, "Seal," 3 498
" ' Robert H Mounce, The Book of Revelation, New International Commentary on
the New Testament (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1977), 167
0 0
J A Seiss, The Apocalypse (London Marshall, Morgan & Scott, d ), 164. But
Ladd says this sealing will be spiritual and t h u s not visible (George E Ladd, A
Commentary on the Revelation of St John [Grand Rapids. Eerdmans, 1972], 112)
TO
Seiss, The Apocalypse, 165
7 0
Fitzer, "," 7 951
Schippers, "Seal," 3 500, and Lampe, The Seal of the Spirit, 16
7 2
Seiss, The Apocalypse, 167
148 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / Apri W u n e 1998

SEALING IN RELATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

In three passages Paul referred directly to believers' being sealed


with the Holy Spirit. "Now it is God who makes both us and you
stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on
us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what
is to come" (2 Cor. 1:21-22, NIV). "Having believed, you were
marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a de
posit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God's possessionto the praise of his glory" (Eph. 1:13b-
14, NIV). "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you
were sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30, NIV).
Some commentators say being sealed with the Holy Spirit in
cludes impressing God's character on those who belong to Him. 7 3
He did this by the Holy Spirit's acts of regeneration, enlighten
ment, and sanctification. 74 This idea is consistent with earlier
ideas of that include impressions of moral qualities
made on the mind. However, since Paul's emphasis in these
verses is on the foundational aspects of what Christ accomplished
for believers in His redemptive work, he included the idea of im
pressing God's character on believers as only a secondary ele
ment. 7 5 It is not what these texts stress.
The relationship between being sealed with the Holy Spirit
and baptism has been discussed at length by a number of writ
ers. 7 6 Several commentators hold that this sealing refers either to
water baptism or occurs during that baptism. 77 They point out that
these verses have been understood in that way by many of the
78
early church fathers.

Philip E Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International


Commentary on t h e New Testament (Grand Rapids Eerdmans, 1962), 41, and An
drew Lincoln, Ephesians, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas, TX Word, 1990),
307

George Smeaton, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (1882, reprint, Carlisle, PA
Banner of Truth, 1974), 79
7 5
Thomas Goodwin argued t h a t in these texts Paul did not include the idea of im
pressing God's holiness upon believers He stressed certification as the main idea
and purpose of sealing, but conceded t h a t the impress of an image was a secondary
element (An Exposition of the Epistle to the Ephesians [reprint, Evansville, IN
Sovereign Grace, 1958], 229-34)

' For example Markus Barth, Ephesians, Anchor Bible (Garden City, NY Dou-
bleday, 1974), 1 135-44
77
For example Richard C Lenski, The Interpretation of St Paul's Epistles to
the Galatians, to the Ephesians and to the Phihppians (Minneapolis Augsburg,
1961), 383, and Lampe, The Seal of the Spirit, 4-5
7 0
For example Fitzer, "," 7 951-52, and Lincoln, Ephesians, 39-40 Lincoln,
however, held t h a t Paul distinguished between baptism and sealing (ibid , 39-40)
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 149

But baptism is not the topic discussed in these passages; they


are concerned primarily with God's redemptive acts before water
baptism. Paul was emphasizing the reality of salvation, one ben
efit of which is the sealing with the Holy Spirit, not that which
symbolizes it. 7 9 Historically no suggestion of a connection be
tween sealing and baptism was made until the early church fa
thers, who wrote decades after Paul. 8 0 Since the sealing with the
Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of conversion, it is thus distinct
from water baptism. 8 1
The Holy Spirit is the means 8 2 by which Christians are
sealed at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is Himself the
sealespecially in the sense of His presence in Christian experi
ence. 8 3 The Trinity is evident in Ephesians 1:13-14. "God is the
One who seals, Christ is the sphere in which the seal is done, and
the Holy Spirit is the instrument of the seal." 84

^ Barnabas Ahern "identified t h e sealing with the indwelling Holy Spirit, but
also sees an implicit reference to the s a c r a m e n t of baptism" ("The Indwelling
Spirit, Pledge of Our Inheritance (Eph 1 14)," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 9 (1947)
183-84 Lincoln connected it with the reception of and baptism with the Holy Spirit
(Ephesians, 40)
CKJ
Barth, Ephesians, 139, and John Eadie, Commentary on the Epistle to the Eph
esians (1883, reprint, Grand Rapids Zondervan, d ), 66 Lincoln points out t h a t
"the explicit identification of circumcision in general with a seal and of baptism
with a seal comes from the second century and h a s to be read back into the N T "
(Ephesians, 40) The temporal proximity of the early church fathers to the New
Testament period might seem advantageous to a more accurate interpretation of the
apostolic writings This possibility, however, seems unlikely in the light of t h e i r
often faulty hermeneutics, especially their tendency toward allegorization and
their growing reliance on church tradition Geoffrey W Bromiley discussed both
positive and negative aspects of patristic interpretation ("The Church F a t h e r s and
Holy Scripture," in Scripture and Truth, ed D A Carson and J o h n D Woodbridge
[Grand Rapids Zondervan, 1983], 214-19) For other examples of patristic allego
rization see Roy Zuck, Basic Bible Interpretation (Wheaton, IL Victor, 1991),
33-37, and William W Klein, Craig L Blomberg, and Robert L Hubbard J r , Intro
auction to Biblical Interpretation (Dallas, TX Word, 1993), 31-35
0 1
Colin Brown connects these texts to "the vivid experience of the Spirit i t s e l f
("Spirit," in New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3 701)
Eadie considered any reference to baptism as "wholly foreign from the sense and
purpose oF Ephesians 4 30 (Ephesians, 357)
op
^ S D F Salmond understood to be an instrumental dative ("The Epis
tle to the Ephesians," in The Expositor's Greek Testament [London Hodder and
Stoughton, 1903], 3 268) Cf Robert G Gromacki, "Ephesians 1 3-14 The Blessings
of Salvation," in New Testament Essays in Honor of Homer A Kent Jr, ed Gary
Meadows (Winona Lake, IN BMH, 1991), 235
QQ
0 0
Rudolf S c h n a c k e n b u r g , Ephesians A Commentary, trans Helen H e r o n
(Edinburgh Clark, 1991), 65
0 4
Harold W Hoehner, "Ephesians," m The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New
Testament, ed John F Walvoord and Roy Zuck (Wheaton, IL Victor, 1983), 619
150 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / Apri ) une 1998

Sealing with the Holy Spirit certifies 85 God's ownership 8 6 and


protection 87 of His people. It happens at conversion when the Holy
Spirit begins His indwelling. As a result of this action initiated
by God, grounded on Christ's redemptive work, and accomplished
by the Holy Spirit, the salvation of believers is secured. Since be
lievers are God's inviolable property, 88 He will protect them. As a
result, believers can enjoy complete security in their relationship
with Him. 8 9 This conclusion is supported by Paul's statements
that connect the sealing with the Holy Spirit to the , which
Paul used in 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; and Ephesians 1:14.

T H E M E A N I N G O F ( " P L E D G E " )

The word transliterates the Hebrew noun 3?,


"pledge." 90 The Phoenicians evidently developed it as a commer
cial term, especially as an earnest. 9 1 The Greeks derived their
usage from the Phoenicians, with whom they had commercial
contact. 9 2

0 0
James Denney, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, The Expositor's Bible,
ed. W. Robertson Nicoli (1903; reprint, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1943), 51; and
Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians (1859;
reprint, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1980), 25.
c
" C. K. Barrett, A Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians,
Harper's New Testament Commentaries (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), 79;
David K. Lowery, "2 Corinthians," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Tes
tament, 557; and Robert G. Bratcher and Eugene A. Nida, A Translator's Handbook
on Paul's Letter to the Ephesians (New York: United Bible Societies, 1982), 25.
07
Robert A. Peterson, " 'Though all hell should endeavor to shake': God's Preser
vation of His Saints," Presbyterion 17 (Spring 1991): 56; and Lowery, "2 Corinthi
ans," 557.
Smeaton, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, 79.
8 9
Ernest R. Campbell, Ephesians (Silverton, OR: Canyonview Press, 1986), 182-
83; Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 41; Peterson, " Though all
hell should endeavor to shake': God's Preservation of His Saints," 56; and Lampe,
The Seal of the Spirit, 16.
9 0
Ronald B. Allen, "mi?," in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, ed. R.
Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke (Chicago: Moody, 1980),
2:693-94. Allen also says the verb y~\u means (a) to barter or exchange, (b) to pledge,
and (c) to become surety for (a practice vigorously condemned in the Old
Testament, e.g., Prov. 6:1-5; 11:15). Also see O. Becker, "," in New
International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 2:39-40.
y i
J. B. Lightfoot considered this Phoenician usage probable even though he could
find no such usage in then extant Phoenician remains (Notes on the Epistles of
Paul [1895; reprint, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1957], 323). Ahem agreed that the
noun does not occur in extant Phoenician literature, but noted that the primitive
root V6 does ("The Indwelling Spirit," 180).
^ Lightfoot cited Ezekiel 27:13 as documenting this commercial contact (Notes on
the Epistles of Paul, 323). Cf. A. J. Kerr, "Notes and Studies: ," Journal of
Theological Studies 39 (1988): 92; and Ahern, "The Indwelling Spirit," 182.
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 151

AN EARNEST OR DOWN PAYMENT

Early in Greek use, designated an earnest or down pay


ment. 9 3 It signified the initial partial payment that functioned as
a guarantee to pay the complete price of something being pur
chased. 9 4 Since some people did not always fulfill their contrac
tual obligations, for they lacked integrity, both buyers and sellers
wanted to protect themselves. The seller desired a contract that
would have the buyer pay the amount owed as if it were a loan, and
the buyer wanted a guarantee that the seller would relinquish the
object sold when full payment had been made.
The was a small article or partial payment, perhaps
substantial. If the buyer failed to pay in full, he forfeited the
. If the seller did not turn over what he had sold, he had to
repay double the amount of the . When these Greek prac
tices spread to the eastern Mediterranean, the value of the
was usually half the price of the object purchased. 9 5 Even with
these safeguards, human integrity was essential to assure the ful
fillment of the obligations. In early Greek this use of as
an earnest occurred more often than its use as a pledge. 96
A PLEDGE

Like the earnest, the pledge functions as a guarantee of the


completion of a business transaction. 9 7 Unlike the earnest, how
ever, a pledge consisted of an article or articles unrelated to what
was being purchased and the payments for it. 9 8 The pledge was to
be returned when all payments had been made.
In the Septuagint occurs only three times, all in one
passage (Gen. 38:17-18, 20). This passage describes Judah's fi
nancial arrangement with a woman whom he considered a pros
titute (v. 15). In exchange for her sexual favors he offered a young
goat from his flock (v. 17). Since he did not have the goat imme-

*** Ahern, "The Indwelling Spirit," 182-83


*** Ibid , and K u r t Erlemann, "Der Geist als (2 Kor 5,5) im Kontext der
pauhnischen Eschatologie," Zeitschrift fur die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 83
(1992) 202-23
9 5
This section is based on the discussion by Kerr, "Notes and Studies "
92-94 Cf Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second
Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians (Edinburgh Clark, 1915), 41
* Ahern, "The Indwelling Spirit," 181-82 Early examples of used as an
initial partial payment to guarantee the completion of the purchase include Isaeus,
On the Estate ofCiron 7 23 3, 8 23 5, and Aristotle, Politics 1259 a 12
9 7
Ahern, T h e Indwelling Spirit," 182-83
* Ibid , and William Lilhe, "An Approach to II Corinthians 5 1-10," Scottish
Journal of Theology 30 (1977) 64
152 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

diately available, he gave h e r his seal, its cord, a n d his staff as


his pledge to fulfill his p a r t of t h e transaction (v. 18). These items
were h e r security t h a t she would be paid. When h e delivered t h e
goat, t h e objects were to be r e t u r n e d to him (v. 20). Philo also used
in t h e sense of a pledge when discussing t h i s passage, al
though he developed a n allegorical interpretation of i t . "

A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES


K e r r ' s perceptive observations provide i m p o r t a n t i n s i g h t i n t o
Paul's use of t h e .
As a possible source of t h e metaphor a contract for services h a s a n
i m p o r t a n t advantage over a contract of sale, a point which seems
to have been overlooked by commentators who mention only con
t r a c t s of sale In a contract for services t h e person who gives t h e
is t h e one for whom t h e work is to be done, t h e person
who receives it is t h e one who will do t h e work I n a contract of
sale t h e buyer gives t h e a n d t h e seller receives it It is
easy to envisage God giving a n to those who believe in
him a n d serve him, it is difficult to think of a hypothetical t r a n s
action in which C h r i s t i a n s sell something to God a n d receive a n
from him as t h e buyer 1 0

IN RELATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT


Second C o r i n t h i a n s 1:22 a n d 5:5 have t h e same construction:
, literally, " t h e deposit of t h e Spirit." This
can be understood as a genitive of apposition, 1 0 1 a n d can be b e t t e r
rendered, " t h e deposit as t h e Spirit," or conversely, " t h e Spirit as
t h e deposit" (as in the NIV). Paul's thought was t h a t t h e indwelling
Holy Spirit is w h a t functions as t h e . H e conveyed t h e
s a m e idea in E p h e s i a n s 1:14 by m e a n s of a relative clause: " t h e
promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit" (NIV).
Commentators have often concluded t h a t P a u l intended to ap
ply t h e basic meanings of in these texts. Some describe it
a s a pledge, b u t without distinguishing it from a n e a r n e s t , noted

*** Philo, On Flight and Finding 149 5-151 6 He said Judah's sexual desire pic
tured piety and the three securities of his pledge symbolized steadfastness and fi
delity (his signet ring), connection of ward with life (his cord), and discipline on
which one should lean (his staff) Developing such noble qualities from a sinful de
sire and transaction is remarkable misinterpretation
1 0 0
Kerr, "Notes and Studies ," 95
loi Friedrich Blass and Albert Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testa
ment and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago University of Chicago Press,
1961), 92, Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle
of St Paul to the Corinthians, 41, and Johannes Behm, "," in Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, 1(1964) 475
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 153

earlier. 1 0 2 Others designate it as an earnest (i.e., a down pay


ment), which indicates God's commitment to fulfill completely
what He had promised in His redemptive plan. 1 0 3 The Holy
Spirit's living within believers provides a preview or foretaste of
their future salvation. 104
In describing the indwelling Holy Spirit as the believer's
Paul did not intend to convey all nuances ofthat term. 1 0 5
For in this context the was not merely a partial payment
as part of a contract obligating the debtor to pay all he owed. Nor
was it a pledge that would have to be returned.
Rather, the believer's is an unsolicited and gracious
gift by the perfectly holy and completely faithful God, who always
fulfills His promises. Since His integrity and faithfulness are
beyond question, this was of course unnecessary as a de
vice to discourage God from changing His mind or not taking
His obligations seriously. God graciously led Paul to use im
agery that would assure believers of the reality of His guaran
tee. 1 0 6 God's use of an element from human culture to assure be
lievers of His reliability in doing what He promised to do was not
limited to the . He had previously used a blood covenant to
assure Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob
that He would fulfill His promises (Gen. 15). Neither the
covenant nor the made the fulfillment of God's promises
more intrinsically certain.
Without all the details of such commercial arrangements as
pledges and down payments, this is God's assurance of
His guarantee that He will certainly achieve His redemptive pur
pose. 1 0 7 This will involve Christians' future hope in Christ, that

Hodge, An Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 25, Denney,


The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 55-57 B u t J A Robinson did note this dis
tinction, preferring the sense of "earnest" (St Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians
[London Macmillan, 1909], 36) Lincoln described it as a down payment (Eph
esians, 40) Ahern believed it included both meanings ("The Indwelling Spirit," 179,
184-35)

w
Abbott, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the
Ephesians and the Colossians, I n t e r n a t i o n a l Critical C o m m e n t a r y (Edinburgh
Clark, 1897), 23, and Lincoln, Ephesians, 40
l4
Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 41-42, and Ahern, "The In-
dwelling Spirit," 185-86
105 Murray J Harris, "2 Corinthians," in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed
Frank E Gaebelein (Grand Rapids Zondervan, 1976), 10 348
Heinrich A W Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Epistles to
the Corinthians, trans D Bannerman (New York Funk & Wagnalls, 1884), 434-35
1W
In Romans 8 23 Paul used another term, ("frstfruits") to describe this
concept of the presence of the Holy Spirit to assure future salvation for believers
154 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

is, their ultimate future salvation. 1 0 8 Based on God's sovereign


power and faithfulness to His Word, along with Christ's redemp
tive work, this of the indwelling Holy Spirit shows that
the believers' future in God's redemptive program is guaranteed
109
and thus is absolutely and eternally secure.

T H E KEY PAULINE TEXTS

SECOND CORINTHIANS 1 21-22

In these verses Paul used four participles, all of which are ren
dered as indicative verbs in the New International Version
("stand firm," "anointed," "set his seal of ownership," and "put"):
"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit
in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
The participle means "to make firm, make sure, be
solidly grounded, be attached to a firm foundation." 1 1 0 Like
, its cognate noun was a legal and commercial
term that designated properly guaranteed security, thereby indi
cating that a business contract was obligatory. 111 Here it refers to
God's continuous strengthening of believers in their relationship
to Christ. 1 1 2 Since Christ is the foundation on which the Christian
stands and since God is making firm that relationship, the
Christian's position in Christ is assured. 1 1 3 As a result, that posi
tion is "indubitable and irreversible." 114

108 Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon and to the Ephesians,
New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids E e r d m a n s ,
1984), 266, a n d A Skevington Woods, "Ephesians," in The Expositor's Bible Com
mentary, 11 (1978) 27
l 0 y
Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 43, 173-74, and Hoehner,
"Ephesians," 619
1
Schonweiss, "" m New International Dictionary of New Testament
Theology, 1 658, and Heinrich Schlier, ", , " in Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, 1 (1964) 600-602
1 1 1
Schlier noted a relationship between and but did not spec
ify w h a t t h a t relationship was (", , ," 602-3) There is evi
dently some overlapping of meaning, especially in their legal and commercial us
age, and also in indicating a guarantee Schlier cited Leviticus 25 23 as an example
of such u s a g e (ibid , 602) An Israelite's l a n d could not be sold definitively
(permanently, t h a t is) with a legal guarantee
1 1 2
Harris, "2 Corinthians," 325
1 1 3
Schonweiss, "" 1 660
1 1 4
Denney, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 49 Plummer described t h e re
lationship between Christ and believers as "legally indestructible" (A Critical and
Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, 40)
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 155

The participle means "to anoint." In the Septuagint the


verb almost always refers to a physical application of oil or
ointment in a ritual with symbolic significance. 1 1 5 Hebrew
kings and priests were anointed as part of their inauguration into
office, thereby giving them authority to perform their official re
sponsibilities.
The most notable exception in the Septuagint is Isaiah's
statement, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the
Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted" (Isa.
61:1). This is a metaphorical reference to the prophet's "en
dowment with authority." 1 1 6 This is especially significant be
cause Jesus applied this text to Himself (Luke 4:18-21).
In the New Testament is used consistently in a figura
tive sense. Four times it refers to the anointing of Jesus, by which
He was commissioned and endowed with supernatural power
(Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9).
Its cognate noun refers three times to an anointing of
Christians (1 John 2:20, 27 [twice]). This anointing results in
their having sufficient knowledge of spiritual truth so that they
need not be completely dependent on human teachers. This
anointing is "the power which works in the believer through the
divine authoritative word." 117 In 2 Corinthians 1:21 the participle
refers metaphorically to God's anointing of Christians. 1 1 8
This anointing sets apart, commissions, and equips Christians to
serve God. 1 1 9
The third participle, (v. 22), has already been
discussed. This sealing certifies God's ownership and guaran
tees His protection of His people. The extent of the group covered
by is debated. Some commentators limit it
and the anointing to Paul and his apostolic group or to ordained
clergy. 120 Such a limitation, however, is unwarranted, for it con-

110
D. Mller, "," in New International Dictionary of New Testament Theol
ogy, 1:121-23.
116
Ibid., 122.
117
Ibid.
Ilo fj^-g anointing is clearly a divine work. Whether the Anointer is the Father,
the Son, or the Holy Spirit is not always clear, especially since all are involved.
Stephen S. Smalley gives a perceptive discussion on this issue (1, 2, 3 John, Word
Biblical Commentary [Waco, TX: Word, 1984], 107-8).
119
Ralph P. Martin, 2 Corinthians, Word Biblical Commentary (Waco, TX: Word,
1986), 28.
^ Denney, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 40; and Christian F. Kling,
The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, Commentary on the Holy
Scriptures Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical, ed. John P. Lange (1868; reprint,
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, n.d.), 22.
156 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

tradicts the broader application of anointing mentioned in 1 John


2:20, 27. Furthermore the New Testament nowhere recognizes the
modern distinction between clergy and laity. It is preferable to
view the sealing as applying to all Christians. 1 2 1 In 2 Corinthi
ans 1:21 Paul explicitly described all Christians { )
as being made to stand firm in Christ. Then he described "us" as
anointed { ), and as sealed { , v.
22). In view of the context, the anointed and the sealed evidently
refer to the same group, that is, to all Christians. 1 2 2
The fourth participle, , from , describes God's
putting His Spirit within believers. The Holy Spirit's living
within Christians functions as the divine seal that labels them as
belonging to Him. The presence of the Holy Spirit as God's
provides powerful assurance that their future in God's redemp
tive program is guaranteed and thus is eternally secure. 1 2 3
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5 5

In this verse Paul emphasized that it is God who accomplished the


action mentioned. 1 2 4 "Now it is God who has made us for this very
purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing
what is to come" (NIV). The participle , which des
ignates this action, means "to produce, create, accomplish, pre
pare." Only here in the New Testament is it used with a personal
object. 125 Here it portrays God's involvement in the entire process
of redemption, including believers' salvation, spiritual renova
tion, and ultimately being clothed appropriately for heaven. 1 2 6
To assure believers of His intent to accomplish these things,
God gave 1 2 7 them the Holy Spirit as His , thereby guaran
teeing that He will complete His redemptive program.

1 2 1
Furnish, 2 Corinthians, 136-37, R C H Lenski, The Interpretation of St
Paul's First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians (Minneapolis Augsburg,
1963), 853-54
- ^ F u r n i s h u n d e r s t a n d s as "fully inclusive," t h u s involving
all Christians (2 Corinthians, 137)
-loo
J
^ The NIV rendering at the end of 2 Corinthians 1 22 and 5 5, "guaranteeing what
is to come," is not in the Greek text Nevertheless, as noted earlier, t h e concept of
God's protection of His people is part of t h e meaning of His assurance of
His g u a r a n t e e is p a r t of the meaning of Since both concepts point to the
future, the NIV rendering does represent the apostle's thought
^ ^ As Martin observed, this is emphasized by Paul's placing at the end of the
sentence (2 Corinthians, 108)
^ Kling, The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 83
1 2 6
Ibid
^ The Greek construction in 2 Corinthians 5 5,
, is virtually the same as in 1 22
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 157

This, the crowning experience of God's work of grace in the be


liever, is entirely of God. The good work begun in the Christian
by God will be carried through to completion by God, until it
reaches perfection in the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Not only
is everything attributed to grace, but it is toward this glorious
goal that God's redemptive activity is all along directed. What
confidence and certainty the assurance should give us that this
work is altogether of God, and not in any measure of man! As it is
God's work, it will be done. There can be no place for failure or
frustration. 1 2 8
This is t h e basis for Paul's strongly expressed confidence con
cerning his future home in heaven with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6, 8).

EPHESIANS 1 13-14

In praising God for His sovereign initiative and implementation


of His redemptive program, P a u l wrote, "And you also were in
cluded in Christ when you h e a r d the word of t r u t h , the gospel of
your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a
seal, t h e promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until t h e redemption of those who are God's posses
sionto the praise of his glory" (NIV).
Some writers state t h a t ("you") refers to Gentile Chris
tians in contrast to early Jewish Christians who were t h e first to
hope in C h r i s t . 1 2 9 Nevertheless Paul did not develop this contrast
between Jewish and Gentile Christians until in 2:11 a n d later.
Since by P a u l was specifically addressing t h e E p h e s i a n
Christians (whether of Jewish or Gentile background), his state
ments here are applicable to all C h r i s t i a n s . 1 3 0
Whether t h e first is rendered "whom" or "him," its an
tecedent is evidently ("Christ"), t h e last word in 1:12. 1 3 ]
Instead of being t h e subject of an implied verb ("were included"),
is better understood as t h e subject of ("were
132
sealed").
The E p h e s i a n C h r i s t i a n s h a d " h e a r d t h e word of t r u t h . "
Hearing involved listening to t h e t r u t h being preached and un-

10Q
^ Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 174 (italics his)
^ Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon and to the Ephesians, 264,
and Wood, "Ephesians," 11 26
lo
^ Lincoln, Ephesians, 38, and William Hendriksen, Exposition of Ephesians,
New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids Baker, 1967), 8-90, 31
U 1
Peterson, " T h o u g h all hell should endeavor to shake' God's Preservation of
His Saints," 54, 65, and Lenski, The Interpretation of St Paul's Epistles to the
Galatians, to the Ephesians, and to the Philippians, 381
**** Lincoln, Ephesians, 38
158 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / April-June 1998

derstanding i t . 1 3 3 Hearing the word of t r u t h was a necessary, b u t


not a sufficient, condition for a response of saving faith (cf. Rom.
10:14-15), for hearing t h a t message may evoke a response of ei
ther acceptance or rejection. To h e a r t h e Word and to reject it is to
render t h e h e a r i n g futile. 1 3 4 The E p h e s i a n believers h a d both
heard {) and believed () t h e word of t r u t h .
What they heard and believed was "the gospel of your salva
tion," which is in apposition to " t h e word of t r u t h , " thereby ex
plaining w h a t it involves. Thus "the word of t r u t h " designates the
message of God's salvation provided t h r o u g h J e s u s Christ, t h e
only means of salvation from eternal d a m n a t i o n . 1 3 5
The aorist participle is best rendered "having
believed" or "when you believed." T h u s at t h e specific moment of
saving faith, a believer is sealed with t h e Holy Spirit. Syntacti
cally an aorist participle and the main verb (also aorist) may in
dicate either identical or simultaneous a c t i o n . 1 3 6 If this is t h e
case here, as seems probable, believing () and being
sealed with the Holy Spirit ( . . .
) occur simultaneously.
Throughout his eulogy (Eph. 1:3-14), P a u l emphasized God's
sovereign operations in His redemptive program t h a t are acti
vated in the individual at the moment of regeneration. Paul per
ceived present and future blessings as derived from this initial
redemptive event.
Paul described the seal as "the promised Holy Spirit" (NIV) or
as "the Holy Spirit of promise" (NASB). The former r e n d e r i n g
presents t h e Holy Spirit as prophesied in t h e Old Testament (e.g.,
Isa. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29) and by
the Lord J e s u s Christ (e.g., Luke 24:49; J o h n 14:16; 16:7-15; Acts
1:4-8; Gal. 3:14). The translation "Holy Spirit of promise" leaves
open the option t h a t the Spirit's having been promised is in view; it
also leaves open the option t h a t the verse pictures the Holy Spirit as
137
bringing with Him to believers t h e promise of glory to c o m e .

loo Wilhelm Mundle, "Hear, Obey," in New International Dictionary of New Tes
tament Theology, 2 175-77
lcJ4
Francis Foulkes, The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians (Grand Rapids Eerd
mans, 1963), 55
1 3 5
Gromacki, "Ephesians 1 3-14 The Blessings of Salvation," 234 Cf John 14 6,
Acts 4 12
lc
" is what J a m e s H Moulton called an "aorist participle of cornei
dent or identical action" (A Grammar of New Testament Greek [Edinburgh Clark,
1908], 131 [italics his]) Ernest De Witt Burton called this usage an "aorist partici
ple of identical action" (Syntax of the Moods and Tenses in New Testament Greek,
3d ed [Edinburgh Clark, 1898], 64-65 Cf Lincoln, Ephesians, 39).
Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, 265,
and Foulkes, The Epistle of Paul to the Epht^ians, 56
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 159

This is more likely for it fits the t h e m e of the passage better.


Although there is no preposition in the Greek text, t h e words
"Holy Spirit" ( . . . ) are in t h e dative case.
This is an i n s t r u m e n t a l d a t i v e , 1 3 8 indicating t h a t the Holy Spirit
is the means of the sealing. Thus as Christ was both the sacrifice
and the High Priest, t h e Holy Spirit is both t h e seal and t h e means
of sealing.
Anyone who does not have t h e Holy Spirit living within him
does not belong to Christ (Rom. 8:9), and conversely, only those
within whom the Holy Spirit dwells belong to Christ. This means,
as stated earlier, t h a t t h e Holy Spirit is received at the moment of
saving faith (cf. Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 6:19; Gal. 3:2). 1 3 9 His sealing
certifies God's ownership and protection of His people, thereby as
suring believers t h a t their salvation is secured.
As in 2 Corinthians 1.22 Paul identified the Holy Spirit as the
, which shows believers t h a t t h e i r future salvation is
guaranteed and t h u s secure "until t h e redemption of those who are
God's possession" (Eph. 1:14, NIV). T h a t final redemption h a s
been described as t h e soteriological inheritance believers will re
ceive 1 4 0 or as God's t a k i n g complete possession of His people who
belong to H i m . 1 4 1 These descriptions are similar, but they express
different perspectives: t h a t of believers and t h a t of God. The latter
fits better the God-centered perspective of the passage as a whole.
God's completion of His redemptive program and t a k i n g pos
session of His people will inherently bring praise to His glory. 1 4 2
This involves His being honored, especially by His completing
His redemptive work in its eschatological d i m e n s i o n . 1 4 3 This
marvelous future h a s been g u a r a n t e e d by God. Should t h i s not

*** Eadie, Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 65 Gromacki calls it a


"dative of means" ("Ephesians 1 3-14 The Blessings of Salvation," 235)
lciy
Peterson, " T h o u g h all hell should endeavor to shake' God's Preservation of
His Saints," 54, 68, Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to
the Ephesians, 265, Lincoln, Ephesians, 39, and J a m e s D G Dunn, Baptism in the
Holy Spirit (Philadelphia Westminster, 1970), 158-59 For the contrary view that
the sealing with the Holy Spirit occurs after saving faith, see Eadie, Commentary
on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 66, and J a m e s Fergusson, An Exposition of the
Epistles of Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalo
mans (Evansville, IN Sovereign Grace, d ), 132
140
J o h n Macpherson, Commentary on St Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians
(Edinburgh Clark, 1892), 149-50
141
Lincoln, Ephesians, 41-42, cf Hendriksen, Exposition of Ephesians, 92, 34
Lincoln, Ephesians, 42
14
* Sverre Aalen mentioned t h a t power and honor are prominent ideas in apply-
ing to God ("Glory, Honour," in New International Dictionary of New Testa
ment Theology, 2 46-48) In Ephesians 1 14 honor to God results from His use of His
power in completing His redemptive program
160 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / ApriKJune 1998

evoke a response of praise to God by those whom He has redeemed


and whose redemption He will complete? 144
EPHESIANS 4 30
In Ephesians 4:29 Paul wrote that believers are not to engage in
"unwholesome'' () talk. They are to avoid talk that is
useless, 1 4 5 worthless, 1 4 6 malicious, 147 obscene or slanderous, thus
being harmful to others. 1 4 8 For such conversation disrupts rela
tionships, provoking hostility and dissension. Instead Christian
talk is to build up (), strengthen, and encourage oth
e r s . 1 4 9 Following these exhortations Paul commanded Chris
tians, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God" (v. 30). The verb
"grieve" () means to cause pain, sorrow, grief, distress. 1 5 0
I t i s n o t a q u e s t i o n of s o m e offense a i m e d d i r e c t l y a t t h e S p i r i t
b u t r a t h e r t h a t b e l i e v e r s b y c o m m i t t i n g t h e s o r t of s i n s t h a t h a v e
b e e n m e n t i o n e d in t h e e a r l i e r s e n t e n c e s , sins w h i c h d i s r u p t com
m u n a l life, a r e t h e r e b y d i s r u p t i n g a n d o p p o s i n g t h e w o r k of t h e
S p i r i t i n b u i l d i n g u p t h e C h u r c h (cf 2 22 ) W h e n believers act
i n a w a y t h a t h a r m s t h e i r b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s , G o d is h u r t 1 5 1

The connection between the exhortation not to grieve the Holy


Spirit and the ethical commands in the immediate context is
clear. 1 5 2 Some commentators broaden the basis for grieving the
Holy Spirit to include any conversation or activity that endan
gers Christian unity, 1 5 3 or even any sinful behavior. 154

Lincoln, Ephesians, 42
140
Schnackenburg, Ephesians, 208
14fc>
H e r b e r t G Miller, Commentary on St Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians
(London Skeffington & Son, 1899), 242
14
' Wood, "Ephesians," 11 65, and Charles Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to
the Ephesians (New York Carter and Brothers, 1856), 274
14 B r u c e ? The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, 363,
and Wood, "Ephesians," 65
J Goetzmann, "," in New International Dictionary of New Testament
Theology, 2 251-53, and Wood, "Ephesians," 65
150
Hermann Haarbeck and Hans-Georg Link, "," in New International Die
tionary of New Testament, 2 419-21, and Walter Bauer, William F Arndt, and F
Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature, 2d ed , rev F Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W D a n k e r
(Chicago University of Chicago Press, 1979), 482-83
151
Lincoln, Ephesians, 307
15
^ Eadie observed t h a t the initial in Ephesians 4 30 clearly links t h a t verse
with the preceding exhortations (Ephesians, 354) So also Wood, "Ephesians," 65,
and Campbell, Ephesians, 182
lod Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians, 363
154
Lewis S Chafer, Systematic Theology (Dallas, TX Dallas Seminary Press,
1948, reprint [8 vols in 4], Grand Rapids Kregel, 1993), 6 234-35
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 161

Similar terminology is used in Isaiah 63:10. After extolling


God's redemptive blessings for Israel, the prophet noted, "Yet they
rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became
their enemy and he himself fought against them" (NIV). The He
brew word for grieved, from 2"$v, refers to the emotional pain suf
fered by the Holy Spirit. 1 5 5 The Septuagint renders 3^9 by -
, "to provoke to wrath, to irritate.'' This idea fits the context of
Isaiah 63:10. But in Ephesians 4:30 the meaning of is closer
to that of n^y than to that of .156
Paul's language in Ephesians 4:30 probably echoes that of
Isaiah 63:10, but his context and the point he made are different.
Isaiah was writing in the context of the Mosaic Covenant, which
stipulated that God would punish Israel for her sins, even to the
point of turning against her (e.g., Lev. 26:14-39). But Paul was
writing in the context of the New Covenant, under which God has
saved, sealed, and guaranteed the inheritance of the redeemed.
The effect of grieving the Holy Spirit has been debated. Some
hold that the Holy Spirit, if persistently grieved, will leave the
sinning believer, who as a result will lose his salvation. 1 5 7 Oth
ers conclude that there is no indication in this verse that the Holy
Spirit will depart from the sinning believer, even though He is
grieved. 158 Paul's argument supports the latter conclusion.
The response of believers to the Holy Spirit should be grati
tude and appreciation for His presence within them, not fear of
His departure or of some other punishment. 1 5 9 In view of all that
the Holy Spirit has done and is doing for them, believers should
earnestly strive to avoid causing Him grief. His purpose in liv
ing within believers is to motivate and empower them to live on a
160
higher spiritual and moral level. When believers thwart His
161
purpose for living within them, He is grieved. And when
grieved, the Holy Spirit withholds the manifestations of His pres-

100
Ronald B. Allen observes t h a t in its overall usage % can refer to both physi
cal and mental pain ("nui?," in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 2:687-
88).
15t>
Lincoln, Ephesians, 306.
1Di
Irwin J . Habeck, Ephesians: Amazing Grace (Milwaukee: N o r t h w e s t e r n ,
1985), 95.
150
Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 275; and Chafer, Sys
tematic Theology, 6:234.
loti Miller, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, 243.
160
Chafer, Systematic Theology, 6:234-35.
1 W
Eadie, Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 355.
162 BIBLIOTHECA SACRA / Aprils!une 1998

enee within believers, even though He remains within them. 1 6 2


Believers are sealed with the Spirit afor the day of redemp
tion" (Eph. 4:30). As previously noted, sealing labels them as
God's inviolable property, as having the mark of God's ownership
and protection, and as being guaranteed of their final salvation.
The preposition has been rendered "until" 1 6 3 and "for" or "for
the purpose of."164 Either rendering does justice to the sense of the
passage. Although the day of redemption reminds one of the day
of the Lord, in this verse it points to the final, completed redemp
tion of believers. 165
Paul here teaches preservation when he reminds his readers that
they "were sealed for the day of redemption." Paul does not
threaten his readers with the forfeiture of eternal life if they
grieve the Spirit. Rather, he reminds them that they "were sealed
for the day of redemption" by the Spirit as "an incentive to right
living and right speaking." . . . Paul here uses the fact of preser
166
vation to strengthen his appeal to godliness.
This conclusion is supported by the continuing ethical exhor
tations in Ephesians 4:31-32. Paul used five expressions for
wrath to emphasize the need of believers to eliminate inappropri
ate hostilities from their attitudes (v. 31), and in place of these, he
advocated a kind, caring, forgiving spirit (v. 32).

CONCLUSION

The seal of the Holy Spirit certifies God's ownership and protec
tion of His people from the moment of saving faith, when the Holy
Spirit begins His indwelling. As a result of this action initiated
by God, grounded on Christ's redemptive work, and accomplished
by the Holy Spirit, the salvation of believers is secured.
Paul referred to the indwelling Holy Spirit as the believer's
. In commercial settings the functioned to secure
a business transaction. This function was unnecessary to God,
whose word is sufficient to guarantee what He has promised.
Thus Paul used commercial imagery to assure believers of the

Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 275.


Eadie, Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, 356.
lty
^ Miller, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, 244.
lt>
Schnackenburg also notes that the idea of judgment has faded into the back-
ground in this text (Ephesians, 210).
ico Peterson, "Though all hell should endeavor to shake:' God's Preservation of
His Saints," 56 (italics his). Cf. Bruce, The Epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon,
and to the Ephesians, 364.
The Seal of the Holy Spirit 163

reality of God's guarantee that He will in fact achieve His re


demptive purpose. This means that their future in God's redemp
tive program is guaranteed and thus they are eternally secure.
In 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Paul wrote of God's making firm
and strengthening Christians, His anointing them by equipping
them for His service, His placing His seal of ownership on them,
and His giving them the Holy Spirit as an to assure them
that salvation is guaranteed and thus is secure for eternity.
In 2 Corinthians 5:5 Paul mentioned God's involvement in
the entire process of redemption. Again he referred to the Holy
Spirit as an , as God's assurance of His guarantee that He
will complete His redemptive work.
In Ephesians 1:13-14 Paul described Christians as those who
had heard and believed the word of truth, the gospel of their salva
tion. Again he said they are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which
certifies God's ownership and protection of them. Again he iden
tified the Holy Spirit as an , providing assurance to be
lievers that God has guaranteed and secured their salvation.
In Ephesians 4:30, in the midst of a series of ethical exhorta
tions, Paul again wrote that believers are sealed with the Holy
Spirit. By this he labeled them as the people whom God owns and
protects. The apostle used the truth of their preservation by God
until the day of redemption as the basis for motivating them to fol
low his ethical exhortations.
These four passages all present soteriological themes that
look to the future. They use the concepts of being sealed with the
Holy Spirit and/or the Holy Spirit as an to assure believ
ers that God has guaranteed their salvation. The inevitable con
clusion from these texts is that their preservation is certain and
that their salvation is and will continue to be eternally secure.
^ s
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