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Survey of the Holy Spirit in Scripture
In the New Testament, pneuma (Gk., Spirit/spirit) occurs about 250 times. It can be a reference to the Spirit of God or human spirit and evil spirit. The context will determine the right meaning. The reference of Rom. 8:16 is clear but others (like Mark 14:38, John 4:23) are not.
In the Old Testament, ruach (Heb., Spirit/spirit) occurs about 394 times which can mean breeze, breath, wind, spirit. The context, usage, and theological development must be brought to bear when deciding whether it is a reference to God. Thirty-nine times it occurs with God (e.g., spirit of God, 11 times; spirit of the Lord, 25 times; Holy Spirit of the Lord, 3 times [Ps. 55:11 [13]; Isa. 63:10, 11]).
The words Holy Spirit (Heb. ruach haqodesh; Gk. pneuma hagion) occur three times in the Old Testament (Ps. 51:11; Isa. 63:10, 11). The Spirit is also characterized as holy, capable of being grieved by the spiritual rebellion of Israel (Isa. 63:10–11), and of withdrawing from the lives of those toying with sin.
The first time the Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament is when the curtain rises in the creation story: “The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). He is the agent of creation (Cf. Job 33:4; Ps. 104:30). He brings existence out of nothing, order out of chaos, form out of formlessness (cf. Isa. 32:14–15) and is also the same Sprit that can restore order to chaos that sin brings to this world (after the fall of man) and to individual lives.
The Holy Spirit is also called by other names: Spirit of God (1 Cor. 3:16), Spirit of the Lord (Isa. 11:2), Spirit of the Lord YHWH (Isa. 61:1–3), Spirit of the living God (2 Cor. 3:16), Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1: 19), the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6, 7), Spirit of his son (Gal. 4:6), and Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9). Why is he called Spirit of Christ? Because it is his work to reveal Christ (John 16:14), to form Christ as a living presence within us (Eph. 3:17), and he is Christ’s gift (John 20:22) to us.
The New Testament informs us that the Holy Spirit will close the curtain of divine/human narrative: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life” (Rev. 22:17).[2] Theologically speaking, the Trinity was involved in creation—the Father (Rev. 4:11), the Son (Col. 1:16), and the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:1-6).
When God’s Spirit filled a man, he became an empowered person (1 Sam. 10:6). Great feats of strength were attributed to the Spirit (e.g., Samson in Judg. 13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14). Selected people who did great work for God in the Old Testament were filled with or possessed by the Spirit of God (e.g., Joseph [Gen. 41:38], Moses [Num. 11:16–17], Joshua (Num. 27:18).
When Israel needed a deliverer God raised Judges like Othniel (Judg. 3:10), Gideon (Judg. 6:34), Jephthah (Judg. 11:29). He also raised David (1 Sam. 16:13). When God used a person to lead, he empowered him with the Holy Spirit. In the suffering servant, we are told that God put his Spirit in him (Isa. 42:1). Others include Amasai (1 Chron. 12:1–13), Azariah (2 Chron. 15:1–7), Jahaziel (2 Chron. 20:14). It is the empowerment by the Holy Spirit (his presence and power) that enabled and equipped them to do mighty deeds.
Craftsmanship was also the gift of the Holy Spirit (e.g., Bezaleel in Exod. 31:1–5; cf. 35:31; 36:1). God’s spirit dwelt in the midst of his people Israel (Isa. 59:21; 63:11–14; Hag. 2:4–5).
The Spirit’s presence is also expected in the fulfilment of the promise of the outpouring of God in the last days (Isa. 11:2; 44:3; Ezek. 29:29; Joel 2:28). The Spirit also stands for the universal presence of God (Ps. 139:7; Song. 1:7).
Old Testament prophecy was connected with the Spirit of God (e.g., Num. 24:2; 1 Sam. 10:10; 2 Sam. 23:2; Isa. 48:16; cf. Mic. 3:8; Isa. 61:1; Zech. 7:12; Ezek. 11:5; 2:2; 36:27). No one can prophecy without the Spirit of God upon him. Usual behaviour is attributed to the prophet who prophesied (1 Sam. 19:24). The work of the Holy Spirit also resulted in abnormal phenomenon, manifestation, and ecstasy, rather than daily routine (e.g., 1 Kings 18:7–17; 2 Kings 2:18; Ezek. 8:2; cf. 3:12, 14, 11:1).
In sum, the work of the Spirit in the Old Testament is connected with the ‘extraordinary’ and the ‘abnormal’. He came upon a select few. The Spirit of God came and went from individuals. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was more of an agency through whom God directed and led the selected individuals. His primary role was more of an energizer of selected individuals called upon to do a task—both natural and supernatural. Hence, we see a series of concrete actions:
Much of work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament belongs to the category of dynamic power and mysterious, sometimes stormy, intervention in the affairs of Israel or the larger world . . . . But even in the Old Testament there are hints that the Spirit of God is a conscious, personal being.[3]
Power in action is in fact thought whenever God’s Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament[4] (e.g., repentance, joy, restitution, God coming down (Isa 64:1). It is important to note that in the Old Testament, the Spirit was transitory. His ebb and flow would be changed with the advent of Jesus Christ. For Jesus, the Spirit’s coming would be permanent.[5]
In the New Testament, the Spirit was involved in the birth of Christ (Luke 1:35; Matt. 1:20), his baptism (Luke 3:22), his ministry (Matt. 4:1–11), and his resurrection (Rom. 1:4).[6]
While on earth, Jesus Christ was very much connected to the Holy Spirit who empowered him after his baptism (Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 3:2–3). Jesus patiently waited thirty years in Nazareth (Luke 3:23) before he was commissioned by God to preach, teach, and heal.
Jesus is described as “full of Spirit” (Luke 4:1; cf. Isa. 42:1). The Holy Spirit guided and directed his life and empowered his ministry (Matt. 4:1; 12:28; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1, 14; 11:20; cf. Exod. 31:18; Deut. 9:10). In other words, Jesus was Spirit-dependent and Spirit-empowered.
Jesus taught several things about the Holy Spirit in the Four Gospels:
Before Jesus’ departure he promised to send them another, the Holy Spirit, paraklētos, paraclete (John 14:1, 26; 15:26; 16:7), commonly translated as comforter, counsellor, advocate, friend, helper. Parakletos comes from the word paraklein—someone called to one’s side or alongside to give assistance. What a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit is a gift. John 14:16 says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”
The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).[7] He is connected to truth. He teaches the truth: “The Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26). He guides us into all truth: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13; emphasis mine).
As finite humans and fallen beings, we can only see partial or fragmentary truths. It is a good reminder that we should never be dogmatic. As imperfect beings, we “see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror,” and we do not have all the truth. Neither can we grasp the truth completely; only the Holy Spirit can. Hence, we should avoid the danger of sometimes speaking or acting like the third person of the Trinity!
[1] Adapted from Johnson T. K. Lim, A Prayer Guide (Singapore: Word N Works, 2012), 48–55. For this section, I am indebted to William Barclay, The Promise of The Spirit (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 2001).
[2] He is involved in apocalyptic events (2 Thess. 2:7; cf. Zech. 4:1–6; Rev. 11:3–4).
[3] Mateen Elass, The Holy Spirit (Louisville, KY: Geneva Press), 9.
[4] J. I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1984), 57.
[5] For a scholarly study on the Spirit in the Old Testament, refer to David G. Firth and Paul D. Wegner, Presence, Power and Promise (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2011) and Daniel B. Wallace and M. James Sawyer, eds., Who’s Afraid of the Holy? An Investigation into the Ministry of the Spirit of God Today (Dallas, TX: Biblical Studies Press, 2005).
[6] Note also what was said of John the Baptist “for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth” (Luke 1:15). Elizabeth and Zechariah were also filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:41, 67).
[7] He is also called “Spirit of grace” (Heb. 10:29).