Holy Spirit
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The Holy Spirit is a theological term referring simply to the spirit of God in Judaism and to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity in Christianity. The Christian theology of the Holy Spirit, or pneumatology, was the last piece of Trinitarian theology to be fully explored and developed. For this reason, there is greater theological diversity among Christian understandings of the Spirit than there is among understandings of the Son (christology) and understandings of the Father. Within Trinitarian theology, the Holy Spirit is usually refered to as the "Third Person" of the Triune God - with the Father being the First Person and the Son the Second Person.
Unlike the second person of the Trinity, it has never been taught that there was a physical manifestation - or Incarnation - of the Spirit. Instead, the Spirit is usually described as a comforter or helper.
The Holy Spirit in Judaism
The Holy Spirit in Judaism is not distinguished from God as a "person," but is seen more as an aspect, essence, or attribute of God. The word for spirit in Hebrew is ruach, and it is closely related to the concept of life. In the Book of Genesis, God's spirit hovered over the form of lifeless matter, thereby making the Creation possible (Gen. 1:2). God blew the breath (ruach) of life into Adam (Gen. 2:7). The Book of Job affirms that "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life" (Job 33:4;). God is the God of the spirits of all flesh (Num. 16:22). The breath of animals also is derived from Him (Gen. 6:17; Eccl. 3:19-21; Isa. 42:5).
Thus, all creatures live only through the spirit given by God. However, the terms "spirit of God" and "spirit of the Lord" are not limited to the sense of God as a life-giving spirit. He "pours out" His spirit upon those whom He has chosen to execute His will. This spirit imbues them with spiritual power or wisdom, making them capable of heroic speech and action (Gen. 41:38; Ex. 31:3; Num. 24:2; Judges 3:10; II Sam. 23:2). This special spirit of God rests upon man (Isa. 6:2); it surrounds him like a garment (Judges 6:34); it falls upon him and holds him like a hand (Ezek. 6:5, 37:1). It may also be taken away from the chosen one and transferred to some one else (Num. 6:17). It may enter into man and speak with his voice (II Sam. 23:2; Ezek. ii. 2). The prophet sees and hears by means of the spirit (Num. I Sam. 10:6; II Sam. 23:2, etc). The prophet Joel predicted (2: 28-29) that in the Day of the Lord: "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit."
What the Bible calls "Spirit of Yahweh (the Lord)" and "Spirit of Elohim (God)" is called in the Talmud and Midrash "Holy Spirit" ("Ruach ha-Kodesh"). The specific expression "Holy Spirit" also occurs in Ps. 52:11 and in Isa. 63:10-11.
In rabbinical literature, the Shekhinah is often referred to instead of the Holy Spirit. It is said of the Shekhinah, as of the Holy Spirit, that it rests upon a person, inspires the righteous, and dwells among the the congregation as the Queen of the Sabbath. Unlike ruach Shekhinah is a feminine noun, and its function among the congregation and with regard to certain especially holy rabbis, is specifically bride-like.
New Testament
The Christian doctrine of the Holy Spirit is derived from several New Testament sources.
John's Gospel describes the Holy Spirit as descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove at the time of his baptism by John the Baptist. Jesus reportedly described the Holy Spirit as the promised "Advocate" in (John 14:26). After his resurrection, Christ is said to have told his disciples that they would be "baptized with the Holy Ghost," and would receive power from this event (Acts 1:4-8), a promise that was fulfilled in the events recounted in the second chapter of Book of Acts. On the first Pentecost, Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem when a mighty wind was heard and tongues of fire appeared over their heads. A multilingual crowd heard the disciples speaking, and each of them heard them speaking in his or her native language.
The Spirit is said to dwell inside every true Christian, each person's body being God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16}}). The Holy Spirit is depicted as a 'Counselor' or 'Helper' (Paraclete), guiding people in the way of the truth. The Spirit's action in one's life is believed to produce positive results, known as the Fruit of the Spirit. A list of gifts of the Spirit includes the charismatic gifts of prophecy, tongues, healing, and knowledge.
Second Person of the Trinity
In orthodox Christianity, the Holy Spirit came to be seen as a distinct person from God the Father and God the Son. Scripturally, clearest basis for this doctrine is seen in the triadic formula for baptism—"in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost"—in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19)
This formula can also be seen in second-century Christian writings such as the Didache, Ignatius of Antioch and Tertullian (c.160-c.225) and third century writers such as [[Hippolytus (c.170-c.236), Cyprian (d.258), and Gregory Thaumaturgus (c.213-c.270). It apparently became a fixed expression soon.
The exact nature of Holy Spirit and its relationship to the other components of the Godhead became a matter of significant debate within the Christian community. Many, especially Jews and possibly Jewish Christians, criticized the early trinitarian notion as teaching "three gods" instead of one. In order to safeguard monotheism, a theological movement called "Monarchianism." Tertullian countered this trend by maintaining that the Father, Son, and Holy spirit are neither one and the same nor separate, but rather merely "distinct" from one another. Tertullian started used the expression of "three persons" (tres personae in Latin). The Latin word persona in those days meant legal ownership or a mask used at the theater, not necessarily a distinct self-conscious being. Thus three distinct "persons" are still of "one substance" (una substantia in Latin). It was in this context that Tertullian also used the word trinitas.
The terms Tertullian coined, una substantia and tres personae, considerably influenced the Councils of Nicea (325) and of Constantinople (381). Constantinople established the consubstantiality (being of one substance) of the Holy Spirit with the Father and Son against the heresy of Semi-Arianism. Constantinople also mentioned that the Holy Spirit was not "created" but "proceeded" from the Father. Thus, the Holy Spirit was now firmly established as the Third Person of the Trinity.
Various Christian views
A great controversy would later arise between the Catholic and Orthodox churches regarding the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Son. Other denominations hold a variety of views regarding the Holy Spirit.
Roman Catholicism
The Roman Catholic version of the Nicene Creed reads: "We believe in the Holy Spirit ... who proceeds from the Father and the Son." The addition of "and the son" was strongly objected to by the Orthodox Church, which eventually declared it a heresy, leading ultimately to the Great Schism between Catholicism and Orthodox in 1054.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the following in the first paragraph dealing with the Apostles Creed's article I believe in the Holy Spirit.:
"No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." Now God's Spirit, who reveals God, makes known to us Christ, his Word, his living Utterance, but the Spirit does not speak of himself. The Spirit who "has spoken through the prophets" makes us hear the Father's Word, but we do not hear the Spirit himself...
As regards the Holy Spirit's relationship with the Church, the Catechism states:
"The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit...Thus the Church's mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament... Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body."
Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy teaches that the Father is the eternal source of the Godhead, from whom is begotten the Son eternally and also from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally. Thus, unlike the Catholic Church and western Christianity in general, the Orthodox Church does not espouse the use of the Filioque clause—"and the Son—in describing the procession of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is believed to proceed eternally from the Father only, not from the Father and the Son.
Orthodox doctrine regarding the Holy Trinity is summarized in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Eastern Catholics and Oriental Orthodox also coincide with Eastern Orthodox usage and teachings on the matter.
Protestantism
Although Protestant churches have diverse views about the Holy Spirit, most are basically trinitarian in nature, affirming the Nicene Creed's belief that the Holy Spirit is a distinct "person" yet sharing the same substance with God the Father and God the Son. Some Protestant churches and movements, however, place unique emphasis on the Holy Spirit or hold particular views about the Holy Spirit that set them apart from the norm.
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism derives its name from the event of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit when Jesus' disciples were gathered in Jerusalem. The Pentecostal movement places special emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit, and especially on the gifts speaking in tongues. Many Pentecostals hold that the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" is distinct the Christian regeneration from the "born-again" experience of conversion or baptism. Some believe that Holy Spirit baptism is a necessary element in salvation.
Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism teaches that the current time is the Age of the Spirit, or church age. In this view, the Old Testament Age was the the Age of the Father; the period of Jesus' ministry was the Age of the Son; and the period from Pentecost until the Second Comingis the Age of the Spirit, or the church age.
Femininity of the Holy Spirit
There are numerous Jewish and Christian groups consider that the gender of the Holy Spirit is feminine. Some early Christians apparently took this view. For example, in the Gospel of Thomas speaks of the Holy Spirit as feminine, and the Gospel of the Hebrews refers to "my mother, the Holy Spirit."
Some groups to the fact that the Hebrew word for Spirit, ruach, is feminine. Among these are the Branch Davidian Seventh day Adventists.
Several groups groups also see in the creation of Adam and Eve a literal image and likeness of the invisible Godhead, Male and Female, who is "clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made" (Rom. 1:20). The Unification Church affirms this, and also teaches that if Jesus had not been crucified, he would have take a Bride in whom the Holy Spirit would have incarnated in much the same way that the Christ incarnated in Jesus. However, in this view, the person of Jesus was not constubstantial with the Father, nor was the Holy Spirit. The ideal man could have be realized in Adam, and he and Eve together would have realized a Trinity with God. Moreover, all human beings are potentially capable of realizing this same Trinity; and the church's founder, the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, have succeeded in doing so.
The B'nai Yashua Synagogues Worldwide[1] headed by Rabbi Moshe Koniuchowsky, also holds to the feminine view of the Holy Spirit. [1][2]
There are also some other independent Messianic groups with similar teachings. Some examples include Joy In the World[3]; The Torah and Testimony Revealed [4]; and The Union of Nazarene Jewish Congregations/Synagogues [5], who also count as canonical the Gospel of the Hebrews which has the unique feature of referring to the Holy Spirit as Jesus' Mother [6].
Depiction in art
The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove, based on the account of the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove when He was baptized in the Jordan. In many paintings of the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit is shown in the form of a dove, coming down towards Mary on beams of light, representing the Seven Gifts, as the Angel Gabriel's announces Christ's coming to Mary. A dove may also be seen at the ear of Saint Gregory the Great - as recorded by his secretary - or other Church Father authors, dictating their works to them.
The dove also parallels the one that brought the olive branch to Noah after the deluge (also a symbol of peace), and Rabbinic traditions that doves above the water signify the presence of God.
The book of Acts describes the Holy Spirit descending on the apostles at Pentecost in the form of a wind and tongues of fire resting over the apostles' heads. Based on the imagery in that account, the Holy Spirit is sometimes symbolized by a flame of fire.
There are also some artworks that have depicted the Holy Spirit in a feminine sense as seen in the Sistine Chapel.[2][verification needed]
Non-Trinitarian religious views
In the belief of many nontrinitarian religions — Christadelphians, Unitarians and Jehovah's Witnesses, for instance — the Holy Spirit is God's spirit or God's active force, and not an actual person. These beliefs may be drawn from passages such as these:
"yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone knows this....." - 1 Corinthians 8: 6-7.
The above argument is disputed by Trinitarians because the very same chapter, i.e. 1 Corinthians 8, contains verse 5 which says "Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven...." In other words, there's no exclusivity to the title god. Thus, according to Trinitarians, verse 6 is intended to place emphasis not on the word "God," but the entire phrase "God, the Father." Thereby, this verse does not exclude the existence of "God, the Son" (i.e. Jesus Christ) or "God, the Holy Spirit."
Some Christadelphians believe that the Holy Spirit / Comforter is in fact an Angel [3].
Latter-day Saint views
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that the name "Holy Spirit" has many references, depending on its usage and the context in which it appears. The term "Holy Spirit" can denote the Holy Ghost; Spirit; the Spirit of God; Spirit of the Lord; Spirit of Christ (or Light of Christ) or even Spirit of Truth. Latter-day Saints teach that these terms are distinct from one another, showing the many aspects and/or functions of God. For example, the Spirit of God has been used as a synonym for the "Holy Ghost," which is a usage that denotes the nature of the Holy Ghost, a distinct personage of the Spirit and an actual distinct and separate person of the Godhead. Spirit of God has also been used to denote a force or power which is impersonal and fills the immensity of space. This latter use is not the Holy Ghost, but denotes a "non-personage," as the Power of God or the Light of God that emanates everywhere.
Examples of these distinctions are shown within the Bible (King James Version) verses as:
- Holy Spirit - Psalm 51:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:13
- Spirit - Romans 8:16
- Spirit of God - Genesis 1:2; Exodus 31:1; 1 Samuel 11:6; Romans 15:19
- Spirit of the Lord - Judges 3:10; Isaiah 11:2; Acts 8:39
- Spirit of Christ - Romans 8:9 (notice here how the word "Spirit" is linked to "Spirit of God" and the "Spirit of Christ"); 1 Peter 1:11
- Light of Christ - 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 5:14; 1 John 1:7
- Spirit of Truth - John 14:17; John 16:13; 1 John 4:6
There are many other such references within the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Holy Ghost is considered a third and individual member of the Godhead; by virtue of their holy nature and the everlasting covenant existent between them, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit operate as 'One God' (united in the attributes of perfection and pursuit of a common, divine goal). The Holy Spirit exists as a distinct and separate being from the Father and the Son, having a body of spirit with no flesh and bones, whereas the Father and the Son are said to be resurrected individuals having immortalized bodies of flesh and bone. Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is technically "Non-Trinitarian," their belief in the Godhead is often misinterpreted as an endorsement of Trinitarianism.
Jehovah Witness views
Jehovah's Witnesses point out[4] that personification in the Bible occurs often, including terms such as wisdom, sin and death, water and blood, and does not indicate that the subject is a person. The fact that the Holy Spirit is referred to impersonally several times is used to assert that references of this manner would not occur in such frequency if this was a divine member of God, just as it does not occur with the Father or the Son. Additionally, at Jesus' baptism in Matthew 3:16, Jesus received God's spirit at that time, which Witnesses say conflicts with the idea that the Son was always one with the Holy Spirit. Jesus relates in Mark 13:32 "But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." The Witnesses note that the Holy Spirit is conspicuously missing from this statement, just as it is missing from Stephen's vision in Acts 7:55, 56 where he sees only the Son and God in heaven.
Also noted, in regards to the mentions of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit together (as in 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Matthew 28:19), nontrinitarians bring out that none of these verses offer any evidence of the equality of nature or authority among them, just as the numerous simultaneous references to "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" or "Peter, James and John" do not infer an equality in any manner. Alvan Lamson says in The Church of the First Three Centuries: "The modern popular doctrine of the Trinity . . . derives no support from the language of Justin Martyr: and this observation may be extended to all the ante-Nicene Fathers; that is, to all Christian writers for three centuries after the birth of Christ. It is true, they speak of the Father, Son, and . . . holy Spirit, but not as co-equal, not as one numerical essence, not as Three in One, in any sense now admitted by Trinitarians. The very reverse is the fact." In fairness however, it should be noted that while not explicitly expressing the Trinity in words these very Apocrypha writings from Justin Martyr and many others of ante-Nicene Fathers from C.E. 70 on, do refer to the duality of Jesus and the Father, Jesus being worshiped and referred to as their God.[5]
Unity Church views
The Unity Church's co-founder Charles Fillmore considered the Holy Spirit a distinctly feminine aspect of God.
To the Christian metaphysician the Holy Spirit is just what the name implies, the whole Spirit of God in action. In the Hebrew Jehovah is written Yahweh, Yah being masculine and weh feminine.
In the New Testament Christ stands for Jehovah. Jesus talked a great deal about the Holy Spirit: that it would bear witness of Him, come with Him, and help Him to the end of the age.
Do not be misled by the personality of the Holy Spirit and the reference to it as "he." This was the bias of the Oriental mind, making God and all forms of the Deity masculine.
Holy Spirit is the love of Jehovah taking care of the human family, and love is always feminine. Love is the great harmonizer and healer, and whoever calls upon God as Holy Spirit for healing is calling upon the divine love. Jesus Christ Heals, pp. 182-183
The view that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct person has been considered to be heretical by mainstream Christianity, including Roman Catholicism. For example, Epiphanius of Salamis referred to some of those as Semi-Arians and Pneumatomachi ("spirit-fighters") and called them, "A sort of monstrous, half-formed people of two natures … Semi-Arians … hold the truly orthodox view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father...but has been begotten without beginning and not in time … But all of these blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son" (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471-472)
Other views
Rastafarian view
As a movement that developed out of Christianity, Rastafari has its own unique interpretation of both the Holy Trinity and the Holy Spirit. Although there are several slight variations, they generally state that it is Haile Selassie who embodies both God the Father and God the Son, while the Holy (or rather, "Hola") Spirit is to be found within Rasta believers (see 'I and I'), and within every human being. Rastas also say that the true church is the human body, and that it is this church (or "structure") that contains the Holy Spirit.
Baha'i
In the Baha'i Faith, the Holy Spirit, also known as the Most Great Spirit, is seen as the bounty of God.[6] It is usually used to to describe the descent of the Spirit of God upon the messengers/prophets of God, which are known as Manifestations of God, and include among others Jesus, Muhammad and Bahá'u'lláh.[7] In Bahá'í belief the Holy Spirit is the conduit through which the wisdom of God becomes directly associated with His messenger, and it has been described variously in different religions such as the burning bush to Moses, the sacred fire to Zoroaster, the dove to Jesus, the angel Gabriel to Muhammad, and the Holy Maiden to Bahá'u'lláh.[8] The Bahá'í view rejects the idea that the Holy Spirit is a partner to God in the Godhead, but rather is a pure reflection of God's attributes.[9]
Judaism
Judaism as a whole does not have a developed pneumatology. Most Jews consider the Holy Spirit to be a thoroughly Christian concept. "The designation of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, stems from a Hebrew figure of speech, the ruah ha-qodesh ("holy spirit"). In Jewish usage, however, this concept was never identified with a separate person, but with a Divine power which could fill men, as, for instance, the prophets." - The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, 1943, 1969, see: "Trinity," pp. 308. See also: Shekhinah. In Genesis 1:2 there is the reference to "wind of God" (ruah elohim) hovering over the face of the waters and intimately involved in Creation; ruah literally translates as "wind, breeze" but also as "breath, spirit" and, therefore, "soul."
Islam
Many Islamic interpretations consider the Holy Spirit (Arabic: ruhul qudus) to be another name for the archangel Gabriel, signifying its role as an Agent of Revelation. In Sura 2.97, the Qur'an states that Gabriel delivered the Word of God (Allah) to the Prophet Muhammad. The actual term "Holy Spirit" الروح القدس is used in the following verses in the Qur'an: 2:87;2:253 ;5:110; and 16:102. In these verses, the Holy Spirit is strongly supportive of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad in their divine missions. The Qur'an also mentions the Holy Spirit in Sura 21:91, yet the term "Our Spirit" is used. The 91st Ayah of Sura Al-Anbiya (21:91) is in clear reference to the Virgin Mary and Jesus, while "Our Spirit" refers to Gabriel. In Islam, angels are genderless and have no will of their own, meaning it is impossible for them to disobey God, (please see: Angels in Islam).
Mandaeanism
Comparisons in fiction
In several popular role-playing games, the measure of Honour or Grace to Paladins can be superficially compared to the views towards the Holy Spirit. The Paladin, by doing good deeds and helping others (the NPCs), is favoured by the deity he serves, which translates into points for experience and honour. These points mark his ability to do Paladin spells like healing, repulsing undead, blessing, giving strength etc. which are usually dependent on his level of charisma. When doing honourless or evil actions, Paladin is punished by his deity with removal of these abilities.
Another possible parallel is the Force of Star Wars and the Jedi knights, that has much in common with the concept of Paladins in the role-playing games. The Force resembles some interpretations of the Holy Spirit, in that it flows between living beings and holds the universe together. A Jedi, by having connection to the Force, can use it to obtain abilities that vaguely resemble some of the 'gifts' of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit in mainstream Christianity is believed to be a personal being, and one that is served by the believer, whereas the Force is impersonal, and works at the behest of the character who is wielding it. The Force is more usually compared to the Chi.
J.R.R. Tolkien, Christian fantasy author, in the Ainulindalë speaks about the Flame Imperishable by which the Ilúvatar the Creator made the Ainur and brought Being to the world of his mythos. The Flame was not a separate being, but was in the Creator. Gandalf also mentions the Secret Fire which he claims he serves, before the Balrog (Gandalf is of the Maiar, beings parallel in Tolkien's mythology to angels). This description is to be understood as a model of the Holy Spirit, which appeared at Pentecost as "tongues of fire" which descended on the heads of the Apostles.
See also
- God
- Christ
- Jesus
- Trinity
- Fleur de lys
- God the Father
- The Virgin Mary
- Prevenient Grace
- Agape
- Pneumatology
- Revelation
- Slain in the Spirit
- Christian anarchism
- Athanasian Creed
- A Course in Miracles
- Prana
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ http://yourarmstoisrael.org/BYSW/directory/
- ↑ http://www.geocities.com/athens/agora/6776/
- ↑ http://www.aletheiacollege.net/angels/angels13.htm
- ↑ http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/article_07.htm
- ↑ Jehovah is The Almighty Creator. Jesus is the first born of all creation. Holy Spirit is Jehovah God's active force. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/
- ↑ `Abdu'l-Bahá [1904-06] (1981). "The Holy Spirit", Some Answered Questions. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pp. 108-109. ISBN 0877431906.
- ↑ Taherzadeh, Adib (1976). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 1: Baghdad 1853-63. Oxford, UK: George Ronald, p. 10. ISBN 0853982708.
- ↑ Abdo, Lil (1994). Female Representations of the Holy Spirit in Bahá'í and Christian writings and their implications for gender roles. Bahá'í Studies Review 4 (1).
- ↑ `Abdu'l-Bahá [1904-06] (1981). "The Trinity", Some Answered Questions. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pp. 113-115. ISBN 0877431906.
External links
- Holy Spirit Interactive
- Who or What is the Holy Spirit? Christian page that discusses that Holy Spirit is not a person, and idenitifes the origins of trinity with pagan triune gods
- Holy Spirit: Scripture Reference Guide
- a Lutheran's view of what the Holy Spirit does
- Lois Roden's studies on the Feminine aspect of the Godhead
- How To Live By The Power Of The Holy Spirit (Protestant Christian)
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