The doctrine of the Trinity argues that the Holy Spirit is a co-equal and co-eternal Person within the Godhead.
The Holy Spirit can be shown to be a power by a careful comparison of the following passages:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen 1:1,2)
Other references to creation attribute the work to God’s power. Consider the following:
- “I have made the earth, the man and the beasts that are upon the ground, by my great power…” (Jeremiah 27:5)
“He hath made the earth by his power…” (Jeremiah 51:15 cf 10:12).
- “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath [Heb “ruach”, spirit] of his mouth….”(Psalm 33:6).
The latter is understandable if the Holy Spirit is a power, but the language is inappropriate if, in fact, the Holy Spirit is a mighty, omnipotent, and omniscient Personage within the Godhead.
It was the power of the Highest which “overshadowed: Mary” (Luke 1:35). But if the Holy Spirit were a Person within the Godhead, then the Holy Spirit, and not the Father, is the real father of Jesus.
Jesus breathed on the disciples and they received the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22). This language is understandable if a power were conveyed, but inappropriate if the Holy Spirit were a divine Person.
Similarly the Holy Spirit was transmitted by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:17-19). Was this the transmission of a divine Personage within the Godhead?
The Holy Spirit was given “without measure” to Jesus. (John 3:34). “Without measure” is an appropriate description of Holy Spirit power, but it is not the kind of language ordinarily associated with a person. (Cf Acts 10:44 “The Holy Spirit fell upon them which heard the word”. Also Acts 2:17, “I will pour out of my Spirit”.)
God sent the Holy Spirit to anoint Jesus. (Matthew 3:16, Luke 4:18). Is it credible that “God the Father” sent “God the Holy Spirit” to anoint “God the Son” with “God the Holy Spirit”?
The divine order is set out in 1 Corinthians 11:3. “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” Why is there no mention of the Holy Spirit if he were a person?
Jesus gave commandments by the Holy Spirit, (for example Acts 1:1,2). Was this one “co-equal” commanding another “co-equal”?
Although it is stated that the Holy Spirit (ie, the “Comforter”) would make his abode in the disciples, (John 14:16,17), this does not necessarily imply the personality of the Holy Spirit, since both the Father and the Son (in the same context) were also to make their abode in the disciples (John 14:23). Clearly then, God and his Son would abide through the Holy Spirit power. As Jesus said, “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.” (John 15:26).
The Holy Spirit appeared as a “dove”, (Matthew 3:16), as “cloven tongues of fire”, (Acts 2:3), and was accompanied by the sound of a rushing mighty wind, (Acts 2:2). If the Holy Sprit were a Person, why are the theophanies so unlike those of the Father? (Exodus 33:18-23; 34:5-7).
Why is the Holy Spirit not shown as sitting on God’s throne? (See Revelation 7;10 – “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Also Acts 7:55, 56). Why no mention of the Holy Spirit?
The personality of the Holy Spirit is sometimes inferred from Luke 12:10 “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.” With the common belief that the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son, this interpretation places the Holy Spirit above the Father and the Son, since it is a greater offence to sin against the Holy Spirit, than against either the Father or the Son.
The word “spirit” (pneuma) in the Greek text is neuter in gender, and does not therefore, in itself, denote personality. This point can be illustrated in the text of Acts 8:16: “…who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (RSV). The immediate antecedent to the pronoun is “spirit” which is neuter in gender, hence the neuter pronoun is “spirit” which is neuter in gender, hence the neuter pronoun. Many other translations give “it” rather than “he” (as does the AV). See for example: NST, Diaglott, Rotherham’s, The Emphasized Bible.