Quotes from Larry W. Hurtado

Romans 8:22-23, where Paul refers to believers as having received "the first fruits [aparch?] of the Spirit," a present inward impartation of new divine energy that makes them also long earnestly for the completion of their salvation in "the redemption of our bodies.

is the "one mediator between God and men" (1 Tim 2:5; also Heb 8:1, 6; 9:15; 12:24).

contend that the major factor was the inclusion of Jesus as a distinguishable figure along with "God" in early Christian devotion, producing the question of how to combine this with an exclusivist "monotheistic" stance.

of the NT texts as reflecting what we might call a "proto-Trinitarian" outlook?

briefly earlier, two things stand out: on the one hand the unprecedented and programmatic place of Jesus and on the other hand his clear functional subordination to "God the Father.

Paul's understanding of God was functionally Trinitarian."20 Indeed,

but a new kind of monotheistic devotional practice in which "God" is worshiped typically with reference to Jesus, and Jesus is reverenced in obedience to "God" and to the glory of this God.

The first of these is that in the NT "God's" Spirit is much more prominently mentioned than in the OT or the texts of Second Temple Judaism.29 One

Earliest Christians believed that they were experiencing the fulfillment of biblical prophecies of an eschatological outpouring of "God's" Spirit (e.g., Acts 2:14-33). So it is little wonder that in their religious discourse reference to the Spirit of "God" features prominently.

NT writings the Spirit is linked specifically with Jesus in a remarkable and unparalleled closeness.31

the oftused grace benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:13, which refers to "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit" (NRSV).

by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom 15:18-19 RSV). In

noteworthy feature of the NT references to the Spirit is the strong connection with Jesus.

It is those who live "according to the Spirit" and in whom the Spirit now dwells who are thereby enabled to fulfill "the just requirement of the law" (8:4 NRSV).

and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3 NRSV). The basic thrust of the statement is that the divine Spirit

Jesus is Lord," which seems to be the earliest extant creedal formulation, reflected in Rom 10:9-10; 1 Cor 12:3; Phil 2:9-11 (in this last passage the slightly fuller form, "Jesus Christ is Lord").

1 John 4:1-3: "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God" (NRSV). In yet another text, Revelation 19:10 declares that "the testimony of [or to] Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (NRSV).

Peter" in Acts 2:36, declaring that "God" has made Jesus "both Lord and Messiah/Christ," and the characterization of Paul's preaching in Damascus synagogues as focused on Jesus as Son of God (Acts 9:19-20).

Revelation itself. The opening words describe the text as "the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:1) and a "prophecy" (1:3) that came to the author as he was "in the Spirit" (1:10),

and the words of Jesus for the seven churches of Asia in 2:1–3:6 are at the same time "what the Spirit is saying to the churches" (3:6 NRSV).

In Paul's discourse about the new situation of believers in Romans 8, it is very interesting to note how he interweaves references to Jesus and the Spirit. He proclaims "no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (8:1 NRSV) and summons them to live "according to the Spirit" and set their minds on the Spirit (8:4-6). Paul declares that they are "in the Spirit" and indwelt by the Spirit (8:9, 11) and also that "Christ is in you" (8:10).

Jesus is central in NT references to early Christian ritual/devotional practices.

Note also the ritual use of Jesus' name in Christian baptism, the common initiation rite in early Christian circles (e.g., Acts 2:38). Paul's rhetorical question to the Corinthians, "Were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor 1:13 NRSV)

Paul identifies "those who belong to Christ" as summoned and enabled now to live and be guided by the Spirit (Gal 5:24-25).