The Two Kinds of Spirit Filling

There are, strangely, only two New Testament authors who even use the terminology “filling of the Spirit” in their writings, Luke and Paul.  And here is a list of each of the places they use the terminology:

Luke in Luke 1:15,41,67; 4:1; Acts 2:4; 4:8,31; 6:3,5,8; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9,52

Paul in Ephesians 5:18

Why is this?  I suggest that the other New Testament authors would not find the terminology foreign or unclear but that they speak of the Spirit’s work in us through different terminology (John, for example, may include what Luke and Paul mean under the term “anointing” as in 1 John 2:20, and Peter speaking of becoming partakers of the divine nature in 2 Peter 1:4, or being carried along by the Spirit, as in 2 Peter 1:21).

But the term to describe the Spirit’s activity in believers, “fill,” is chosen by Luke and Paul because it conveys that the Holy Spirit has occupied believers to full capacity, expressing Himself through them in an extraordinary way.  Interestingly, they use two different Greek words meaning “to fill” and use them to describe two differing ways in which the Holy Spirit fully occupies believers.  They use the words pimplemi (pronounced pĭm’-play-me) and pleroo (pronounced play-rah’-oh).  Our English translations often note the different Greek words by translating pimplemi as “filled by” and pleroo as “full of”.

If we note the differences in their usage in context we can conclude that the pimplemi kind of filling by the Spirit seems to refer to a sudden, temporary equipping of the believer with power and boldness to proclaim or demonstrate the gospel.  The pleroo kind of Spirit filling, on the other hand, seems to refer to being characterized by the moral qualities of the Holy Spirit.

So, for example, in Acts 4:8, as Peter is called before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, to answer for why he healed a man in Jesus’ name, Peter is “filled” with the Spirit (pimplemi) and is enabled by the Spirit to give a powerful defense, a bold defense of what he and John did to heal the man born lame.  But in Acts 6:3 and 5, Peter and the other apostles direct the church to select men to lead the widows’ ministry, men who are “full” of the Holy Spirit, that is, full of His holy character (honesty, love, faithfulness, joy, self-control, patience, kindness, wisdom, etc.).

Here is a chart showing all the passages that speak about being filled with the Spirit and which Greek word is used:

Pimplemi	Pleroo
Correlates more closely with service and proclamation	Correlates more closely with Christian growth in character
Never required or commanded of believers but is a characteristic of those called to prophetic office	Commanded of all believers and a requirement for all who serve in any office
Never directly requested by individual believers (they request boldness and get a filling) but is given at the sovereign discretion of God	Is not so much something to be requested as it is to acquire through repeated submission to the Holy Spirit and growth; a state of being mature
Lk. 1:15,41,67; Ac. 2:4; 4:8,31; 9:17; 13:9	Lk. 4:1; Ac. 6:3,5,8; 7:55; 11:24; 13:52; Eph. 5:18

 

You may note in the table some observations about the two kinds of filling.  There is no command in Scripture to be “filled” (pimplemi) with the Spirit, because this is something God sovereignly gives at His own discretion.  It is an empowerment for service to the gospel.  In addition, it is never directly requested by anyone in Scripture.  In Acts 4 the disciples, after a bout of persecution, do ask for wisdom from God, to which request He responds by filling them (pimplemi) with the Holy Spirit.  Peter had just been filled in this way to give his defense before the Sanhedrin, but he is once again filled in response to the request for boldness.  This tells us that the filling is a temporary condition that may need to be repeated, all, of course, at the discretion of God.  Interestingly and understandably, those with the gift of prophecy seem to be given this type of filling consistently throughout their careers (John the Baptist is said to have been filled with the Spirit from the womb, Luke 1:15).

The pleroo kind of Spirit filling, however, is commanded of all believers (Ephesians 5:18).  All believers are to be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, His holy character traits that He is instilling in us as we grow under His tutelage.  It is not requested by individuals in Scripture because it is not an instantaneous or temporary activity but rather a process of maturing in the faith.  It is a characteristic, like being full of wisdom is, that is desired, no, required in spiritual leaders.  Like being full of wisdom, which takes time and experience to achieve, so being full of the Spirit is a mark of having grown in spiritual stature and being characterized by integrity and holiness in one’s life, a definite Biblical requirement for leadership of any kind.

We can illustrate these two very different fillings this way:

• A full vessel, like a full tank of gas, for example, that indicates there is no room for anything else in the vessel.
• Someone being full of some quality (wisdom, silliness, “beans”, etc.) to indicate that this person is characteristically wise or silly or clueless.

These two ways of thinking about filling describe the two ways the Spirit fills us and the two processes for these fillings.

• He fills us momentarily and suddenly at times to perform a service to the proclamation of the gospel (we’re filled up with Him in a way that there is no room for anything else and it feels uncharacteristic of our normal behavior)
• We develop over time, with maturity, the character of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.)

I am guessing that if you look over your spiritual life-experiences you might be able to note some times in which, as you served Him, you were uncharacteristically powerful beyond your normal ability.  These could be pimplemi type fillings with the Spirit.  You may also be able to note a time along the way in which you were able to be described as a mature believer, meaning you were full of the Spirit’s qualities in a consistent way.  These are the two different kinds of Spirit fillings described by Paul and Luke.