Who Is The Holy Spirit? (Part 2)

by Micky Galloway

The question is asked, “Is the Holy Spirit always a ‘Him’?” “The Spirit itself beareth witness” (Romans 8:16 KJV) and “the Spirit itself maketh intercession” (Romans 8:26 KJV). It is affirmed by some, “Few versions accurately translate this word, as has the old King James Version, which correctly identifies the Greek word in this context as a neuter pronoun, not a masculine one.” However, it must be noted that the neuter form of the pronoun “itself” in the KJV in Romans 8:16, 26 means absolutely nothing as to the personal nature of the Holy Spirit.

It is true that the word “spirit” is translated from the Greek noun “pneuma,” which is neuter in gender modified with neuter pronouns. However, the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is not a “he” but an “it,” a non-person, a power of God only is not academically correct. It is argued that if the Holy Spirit were a personal being, the word would be masculine with masculine pronouns as it is with “theos,” God. Great emphasis is even placed on the translators turning the neuter pronouns into masculine pronouns. It is also argued that the translators personal bias is seen in the translation. But, to translate the neuter pronouns with the English neuter still would have no bearing on whether or not the Holy Spirit is a distinct person of masculine gender. Also, note that the Hebrew word for “spirit” in the Old Testament has feminine pronouns, but the Holy Spirit is as much masculine as the Father and Jesus are masculine. Greek nouns, adjectives and pronouns have gender. Most modern languages do also, except for English. Originally, even English had gender nouns, but that was eventually dropped. The original meaning of “pneuma” was “wind” which is impersonal. Later, a Greek philosopher assigned gender to words that he considered should be masculine, feminine or neuter. Gender in language was a human invention, not divine. But time changed the meanings of words just as has happened in English through the ages. “Pneuma” came to have many other meanings besides “wind” and “breath.” Jason David BeDuhn, in his book, Truth in Translation, page 144, rightly says,

“You cannot just choose one definition out of the dictionary and use it every single time to translate a term. Context shifts the possible meaning of a term, and must be carefully considered when making a translation.”

There is a list of meanings attached to “pneuma” by the time of the first century while at the same time it retained the neuter grammatical form. But, does neuter gender prove an impersonal nature of the Holy Spirit? Does this make the Holy Spirit a glorified “it.” Let’s examine the evidence.

First, John 4:24 says that “God is spirit.” “Theos,” God, is masculine but identified by the neuter, “pneuma.” That makes the neuter gender, “spirit,” here refer to a person who is no less than the person who is God.

Second, angels are spirits. The word, “angelos,” is masculine but they are spirits, “pneuma,” neuter gender (Hebrews 2:15).

Third, demons are called evil spirits. The word “demon,” “daimonion,” is neuter gender, yet demons had personality (Luke 8:27-30). The demons were called evil spirits. One mark of their personality is that Jesus had a conversation with them on one occasion. The demons had intelligence, emotions, wishes, names and could make requests. Sounds like intelligent beings does it not?

Fourth, humans have spirits, the inner man that lives on after the body decays. Personality is the nature of human spirits. That is what continues to exist after death.

Fifth, other terms that identify the Holy Spirit are masculine gender. For instance, in three passages, John 14:16, 26, 15:26, the Holy Spirit is called “Comforter.” It is a noun, masculine gender. Jesus said, He would send “another Comforter,” (“parakletos”), the Holy Spirit, to the Apostles. This would be another (“allos”) numerically but one like Himself. This is said for two reasons: Jesus is called by the name “parakletos” in I John 2:1, translated as “Advocate” and, secondly, because it indicates the deity of the Holy Spirit.

Sixth, pronouns that identify the “Comforter” are thus masculine. In John 14:26, Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “he (‘ekeinos’) shall teach you all things.” In John 15:26, Jesus said that “he (‘ekeinos’) shall bear witness of me.” “Ekeinos” is a demonstrative pronoun, masculine gender. In John 16:7, Jesus said “I will send him (‘autos’) unto you.” “Autos” is a masculine gender pronoun referring to the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. We could as well show that there are other neuter nouns that indicate personality and are not just an impersonal “thing” or a glorified “it.”

It should be evident from just these points that “pneuma” may be neuter grammatical gender, but that does not indicate any lack of personality. The neuter gender of “pneuma” is just a linguistic form that was decided by humans and not God. The fact that neuter pronouns are used with “pneuma” reflects only the nature of Greek grammatical form. Greek grammar dictates that pronouns agree with their antecedents in gender and number, and will agree sometimes in case as well.

“Pneuma” may refer to a number of things in some passages, where “wind” and “breath” may be under discussion and thus specified. But, in regard to the spirits of men, of God or the Holy Spirit, or of angels, the word refers to an intelligent, self-aware, personal being.