Art pointing to theology, connecting two ideas. Unpacking the work of the Spirit. Trusting God. If you read the Vigil of Pentecost post, some of this will be familiar.

Acts 2:1-21

Chapter 2 in total is cited twice in footnotes in The Small Catechism, The Creed, The Third Artcile: On Being Made Holy (SC 2.3.5, n 55), and The Lord's Prayer, The Second Petition (SC 3.2.6, n.65) both referring to the following woodcut for Pentecost, which these two sections both had as the image for the section. The image below is from the 1550 edition.

Romans 8:14-17

Verses 14 through 17 are cited through and editorial insert in Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 11: Election showing that God moves through the Spirit to encourage the elect and bring them into a way of life that reflects God's faith.

Verse 14 is quoted in Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article 7: Holy Supper, Affirmative Thesis 5 (Ep 7.6) to show that good works are done in the Spirit, not under the Law, even though they follow the Law.

Verse 14 is also quoted in Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 2: Free Will (SD 2.63) to make much the same point, that "people do good only to the extent that and as long as they Holy Spirit impels them" (SD 2.63).

Verse 15 is cited in Formula of Concord, Epitome, Article 4: Good Works, Affirmative Thesis 7 (Ep 4.12) to explain the motivation for good works in those who have experienced the gospel, who act "not out of fear of punishment, like a slave, but out of the love of righteousness, as children" (Ep 4.12).

Verse 16 is cited through editorial insert in Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article 12: Repentance (AP 12.73) as Melanchthon quotes again from Bernard of Clairvaux (also from Sermon on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary) to show the Lutheran understanding of forgiveness by God's mercy rather than by our own works. Verse 16 is also quoted in Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 11: Election (SD 11.31) to show that the Spirit proclaims to the elect.

John 14:8-17[25-27]

[Verse 26 is cited through editorial insert in Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 5: Law and Gospel (SD 5.11) noting one of the two places in John where the Spirit is called the Comforter.]

TheoThru

There is an interesting idea to ponder in that the woodcut for Pentecost is the image for both the third article of the Apostles' Creed and the petition in the Lord's Prayer, "thy/your kingdom come." Indeed, the woodcut is not what is expected in many ways. One of the disciples seems to be cow? (Second from right.) And the person in the center, reading the scriptures is a woman who also has a tongue of flame like the eleven apostles. More important is the work of this Spirit as unpacked in all these citations.

How does the Comforter also move us into doing good works?
Do we trust the Spirit to work, or do we seek out our own ideas of good works and either do them thinking we're doing God's work, or worse assign these works to others telling them these are God's work?