Ben57
Well-Known Member
Hello faithfullservent,
First I want to say how nice it is to see someone putting in some time to research a subject in the Bible.
I would also like to agree with you that, the Bible does speak of the holy spirit as a “helper” and spoke of such helper as ‘teaching,’ ‘bearing witness,’ ‘giving evidence,’ ‘guiding,’ ‘speaking,’ ‘hearing,’ and ‘receiving.’ In so doing, the original Greek shows Jesus did, at times, apply the personal pronoun “he” to that “helper”. Now just because the holy spirit is personified at times does that prove that it is a person? If we are to think along those lines, then should we not, whenever an “inanimate” noun is personalized, straight away conclude that that noun is a person? I found it interesting that it is not unusual for the Bible to personalize other “inanimate” nouns in much the same way.
For example, wisdom is personified in the book of Proverbs (1:20-33; 8:1-36); and feminine pronominal forms are used of it in the original Hebrew, as also in many English translations. (KJ, RS, JP, AT) Wisdom is also personified at Matthew 11:19 wisdom is said to do “work”(WHT) or “deed” (RSV) [many English texts say children here], and, in Luke 7:35 that wisdom had children. Are we to conclude, then, that wisdom is a person?
I also found it interesting that the apostle Paul personalized sin and death and also grace (or righteousness) as reigning (as kings)
Ro 5:14, “Yet Death reigned as king” WEY; verse 17, “Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty,” the same verse from RSV “death reigned through that one man,” and verse 21 grace also reigns ” so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through” 6:12 “not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies,” RSV
Paul also speaks of sin as “finding an opportunity,” ‘working out covetousness,’ ‘deceiving,’ and ‘killing.’ (Ro 7:8-11:”8 But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died;10 the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.11 For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me.”) When we read those texts is it not obvious that Paul did not mean that sin, death and grace were actually a individuals even though they were personalized as doing something. So, again I ask are to conclude that death, sin and grace are individuals because they reign,. deceive or kill?
Further evidence against the idea of personality as regards the holy spirit is the way it is used in association with other impersonal things, such as fire (Mt 3:11;he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”) Mark 1:8 Ac 1:5; 11:16 Christians are spoken of as being baptized wit holy spirit.”. Persons are urged to become “filled with spirit” instead of with wine. (Eph 5:18) So, too, persons are spoken of as being ‘filled’ with it along with such qualities as wisdom and faith (Ac 6:3, 5; 11:24) or joy (Ac 13:52); and holy spirit is inserted, or sandwiched in, with a number of such qualities at 2 Corinthians 6:6. Is it likely that such expressions would be made if the holy spirit were a divine person? Also the Holy Spirit is a free gift from God (Acts 2:38 “and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” RSV) so every one that is eligible can receive holly spirit (Acts 5:32 “and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.” RSV)
Since God himself is a Spirit and is holy and since all his faithful angelic sons are spirits and are holy, it is evident that if the “holy spirit” were a person, there should reasonably be given some means in the Scriptures to distinguish and identify such spirit person from all these other ‘holy spirits.’ It would be expected that, at the very least, the definite article would be used with it in all cases where it is not called “God’s holy spirit” or is not modified by some similar expression. This would at least distinguish it as THE Holy Spirit. But, on the contrary, in a large number of cases the expression “holy spirit” appears in the original Greek without the article, thus indicating its lack of personality.—Compare Ac 6:3, 5; 7:55; 8:15, 17, 19; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52; 19:2; Ro 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 19; 1Co 12:3; Heb 2:4; 6:4; 2Pe 1:21; Jude 20, with an interlinear translations.
To help distinguish the “Holy Spirit” form the other spirits that are also holy why is no name mentioned for it. The Almighty God (the Father) has a name YaHWaH (In English the most recognized form is Jehovah). The Son has a name the Hebrew form is YeSHua (the English form is Joshua. In Greek I·e·sous or English Jesus). With those names we can easily distinguish who is being talked about. But the Holy Spirit is not named!
Just because the Holly spirit is personalized in some text prove that it is a person? No it does not as shown above.
There are two opposing questions to be answered
1) If the Holy Spirit” is a “person” how do the texts relating to it being poured out, shared around filing up people , baptized with and all the other texts that do not show it to be a person, be reconciled with those that appear to support personality (remembering personality texts do not prove a person).
2) Or can the fact that, the Holly Spirit is spoken of in a personal way fit in with it not being a person”? Can those texts you mention be explained if the Holly Spirit is not a person?
To come to the correct conclusion we should examine the meaning of the word spirit as used in the Hebrew scriptures as well as the Greek scriptures. There is some homework for you.
Ben
First I want to say how nice it is to see someone putting in some time to research a subject in the Bible.
I would also like to agree with you that, the Bible does speak of the holy spirit as a “helper” and spoke of such helper as ‘teaching,’ ‘bearing witness,’ ‘giving evidence,’ ‘guiding,’ ‘speaking,’ ‘hearing,’ and ‘receiving.’ In so doing, the original Greek shows Jesus did, at times, apply the personal pronoun “he” to that “helper”. Now just because the holy spirit is personified at times does that prove that it is a person? If we are to think along those lines, then should we not, whenever an “inanimate” noun is personalized, straight away conclude that that noun is a person? I found it interesting that it is not unusual for the Bible to personalize other “inanimate” nouns in much the same way.
For example, wisdom is personified in the book of Proverbs (1:20-33; 8:1-36); and feminine pronominal forms are used of it in the original Hebrew, as also in many English translations. (KJ, RS, JP, AT) Wisdom is also personified at Matthew 11:19 wisdom is said to do “work”(WHT) or “deed” (RSV) [many English texts say children here], and, in Luke 7:35 that wisdom had children. Are we to conclude, then, that wisdom is a person?
I also found it interesting that the apostle Paul personalized sin and death and also grace (or righteousness) as reigning (as kings)
Ro 5:14, “Yet Death reigned as king” WEY; verse 17, “Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty,” the same verse from RSV “death reigned through that one man,” and verse 21 grace also reigns ” so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through” 6:12 “not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies,” RSV
Paul also speaks of sin as “finding an opportunity,” ‘working out covetousness,’ ‘deceiving,’ and ‘killing.’ (Ro 7:8-11:”8 But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died;10 the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.11 For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me.”) When we read those texts is it not obvious that Paul did not mean that sin, death and grace were actually a individuals even though they were personalized as doing something. So, again I ask are to conclude that death, sin and grace are individuals because they reign,. deceive or kill?
Further evidence against the idea of personality as regards the holy spirit is the way it is used in association with other impersonal things, such as fire (Mt 3:11;he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”) Mark 1:8 Ac 1:5; 11:16 Christians are spoken of as being baptized wit holy spirit.”. Persons are urged to become “filled with spirit” instead of with wine. (Eph 5:18) So, too, persons are spoken of as being ‘filled’ with it along with such qualities as wisdom and faith (Ac 6:3, 5; 11:24) or joy (Ac 13:52); and holy spirit is inserted, or sandwiched in, with a number of such qualities at 2 Corinthians 6:6. Is it likely that such expressions would be made if the holy spirit were a divine person? Also the Holy Spirit is a free gift from God (Acts 2:38 “and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” RSV) so every one that is eligible can receive holly spirit (Acts 5:32 “and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.” RSV)
Since God himself is a Spirit and is holy and since all his faithful angelic sons are spirits and are holy, it is evident that if the “holy spirit” were a person, there should reasonably be given some means in the Scriptures to distinguish and identify such spirit person from all these other ‘holy spirits.’ It would be expected that, at the very least, the definite article would be used with it in all cases where it is not called “God’s holy spirit” or is not modified by some similar expression. This would at least distinguish it as THE Holy Spirit. But, on the contrary, in a large number of cases the expression “holy spirit” appears in the original Greek without the article, thus indicating its lack of personality.—Compare Ac 6:3, 5; 7:55; 8:15, 17, 19; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52; 19:2; Ro 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16, 19; 1Co 12:3; Heb 2:4; 6:4; 2Pe 1:21; Jude 20, with an interlinear translations.
To help distinguish the “Holy Spirit” form the other spirits that are also holy why is no name mentioned for it. The Almighty God (the Father) has a name YaHWaH (In English the most recognized form is Jehovah). The Son has a name the Hebrew form is YeSHua (the English form is Joshua. In Greek I·e·sous or English Jesus). With those names we can easily distinguish who is being talked about. But the Holy Spirit is not named!
Just because the Holly spirit is personalized in some text prove that it is a person? No it does not as shown above.
There are two opposing questions to be answered
1) If the Holy Spirit” is a “person” how do the texts relating to it being poured out, shared around filing up people , baptized with and all the other texts that do not show it to be a person, be reconciled with those that appear to support personality (remembering personality texts do not prove a person).
2) Or can the fact that, the Holly Spirit is spoken of in a personal way fit in with it not being a person”? Can those texts you mention be explained if the Holly Spirit is not a person?
To come to the correct conclusion we should examine the meaning of the word spirit as used in the Hebrew scriptures as well as the Greek scriptures. There is some homework for you.
Ben