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Holy Spirit as a he. Masculine examples of the Holy Spirit

1. The Holy Spirit as grammatically masculine

Introduction

Modern translations, including the King James version translate the Holy Spirit as 'He' in the New Testament.

The Hebrew has two cases of grammar:

  • the masculine and
  • the feminine.

    The Greek has different cases of grammar for the same Hebrew words.

    This causes translation consistency problems, expecially if we consider the New Testament was orginally written in Hebrew and later translated into Greek.

    For example the Hebrew word for 'Holy Spirit' is 'ruwach' which means wind. This is a special wind, known as the Holy Spirit.

    The word is mostly grammatically feminine, but sometimes masculine cases are used, in the Old Testament.

    In the New Testament, the Greek word for 'Holy Spirit' is 'pneumia' which means spirit.

    This word is always grammatically masculine. The Greek does not have a feminine case for 'pneumia'.

    The classification of words as cases of grammar, do not indicate they are gender male or gender female. However some people have assumed this. In this study the reason why different classifications of grammar are used, will be explained later.

    So now let's consider the Scripture texts which show the masculine grammar of the Holy Spirit, as a 'He'.

    Masculine examples

    Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,

  • because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him:
  • but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you..

    Here is one verse...

    Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,

  • whom the Father will send in my name,
  • he shall teach you all things,
  • and bring all things to your remembrance,
  • whatsoever I have said unto you.

    Here is one verse...

    Joh 15:26 ¶ But when the Comforter is come,

  • whom I will send unto you from the Father,
  • even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father,
  • he shall testify of me:

    Here is one verse...

    Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come,

  • he will guide you into all truth:
  • for he shall not speak of himself;
  • but whatsoever he shall hear,
  • that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

    14 He shall glorify me:

  • for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

    15 All things that the Father hath are mine:

  • therefore said I, that he shall take of mine,
  • and shall shew it unto you.

    Here is a passage using the pronoun 'he'...

    Joh 16:7 ¶ Nevertheless I tell you the truth;

  • It is expedient for you that I go away:
  • for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
  • but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

    8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,

  • and of righteousness, and of judgment:

    Here is one verse...

    Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth,

  • is come, he will guide you into all truth:
  • for he shall not speak of himself;
  • but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
  • and he will shew you things to come.

    14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine,

  • and shall shew it unto you.

    Here is one verse...

    Now I am not sure if there are any other Scriptural evidence? Although the book of John has many examples.

    Now all this evidence is based on the Greek pronouns:

  • autos
  • ekeinos

    These pronouns must agree with the 'Holy Spirit word' (pneumia) since in Greek this word is grammatically masculine.

    These examples do not strongly show the Holy Spirit expresses 'he' for the following reasons:-

    (1) These texts only come from the New Testament.

    (2) The correct Scripture method for establishing truth is to investigate ALL Scripture texts, including the Old Testament texts and the New Testament texts, and make all Scripture evidence have harmony with each other.

    (3) A better method is to consider evidence, NOT based on pronouns which are based on grammar considerations in the Scripture sentences.

    Therefore those who believe the Holy Spirit expresses a 'he' are biased because they have not considered all the Scripture evidence.

    To be fair, this subject is a difficult study.

    Much of the evidence is hard to find, because the Holy Spirit is a mystery. There is a reason for this, which is explained later.

    ALL Scripture evidence will be shown in easy to read manner.

    God bless us for seeking a better expression of Scripture truth. Shalom

    On the next web page let's consider another study.

    Holy Spirit theme

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