3160.—Personality of the Holy Spirit
By Editor
Please explain in the Question Corner John 16:7, 13. Is the Holy Spirit a personality? Are the words "him" and "he" masculine pronouns? Please explain what the meaning of the Holy Ghost is in 2 Peter 1:21. W. E. H. The pronouns in the above question are, of course, in the English, masculine pronouns, but they do not have the same distinction in the Greek. For instance the term "he" in verse 13, is in the original ekeinos, which is not a pronoun, but a pro-nominal adjective, properly translated "that." It is used in Matt. 17:27 referring to the Roman coin which was used to pay temple taxes. That which really has no gender at all, but which is noted as being strong and big, is spoken of as masculine; while things of a softer, gentler nature are spoken of as feminine. That same distinction is to quite an extent observed in the English language also. We speak of a battle-ship as a "man-of-war;" we speak of an ordinary ship as "she." No argument could be based on the gender of the pronouns used of the Holy Spirit. To the mind of the writer, the Holy Spirit is a personality in the sense that it makes present the personality of both Father and Son. We can not explain it, because we can not comprehend it. It is that which is represented as proceeding forth from both Father and Son, and common to both Father and Son; that which makes Father and Son one, and that life which connects Jesus with all His true disciples wherever they may be. It is not a personality in the sense in which Jesus was a personality when here upon earth; because if that had been the case it would not have been expedient for Him to go away (John 16:7), because He in His personality could be in only one place at a time, but the Spirit could be everywhere, as implied in Psalm 139, "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" But there is this power with the Spirit of making Christ, or the Father, present everywhere at all times in response to faith. We have a very weak illustration of this in the telephone and in later inventions, by which a manager in his office, for instance—that office covering a half mile of territory, which could be enlarged to an almost unlimited extent—can call every foreman in every department to any number, and talk with them all at the same time, just as though he were present with each one. That invention has the power to make that manager personally present in each department. That in a limited way shows how it is that the Holy Spirit can make Christ present in all parts of His great dominion at the same time,—just as truly present as though He were in His own personality present. The expression in 1 Peter 1:21 would be better rendered "Holy Spirit," and so all through the New Testament. The common rendering has led some to believe that Holy Ghost was different from Holy Spirit, but the original word is the same. Its use in the text simply shows the operation of the power of God upon men that wrought for Him; men who yielded themselves to God, and God used them in giving His Word. The same thing is expressed in different language in 1 Peter 1:11: "The Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified." And in 2 Sam. 23:2: "The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue." It is a blessed, comforting thought that God can by His Spirit be present with His children; and this is what Jesus declares in John: "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He [the Father] may abide with you forever." "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We [Father and Son] will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:16, 23. How do they come and make Their abode with a believer? —They do this by the power of the Holy Spirit.