In this article, we will be looking at the Sacred Scriptures to determine what they tell us about the Spirit of Holiness (Holy Spirit). This topic is fundamental and must be understood by all those who follow Yeshua.
THE ONLY VERSE THAT CLEARLY SUPPORTS THE TRINITY IS AN ADDITION
The King James Version renders 1 John 5:7 as follows
1 John 5:7 [King James Version - KJV]
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
This is the only verse that clearly states that there are three persons who testify: the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost (Spirit). We now know that this text was added. This verse appears in twelfth century manuscripts, but is non-existent in older manuscripts and in the Peshitta.
James Murdock, who translated the Peshitta in 1852, states the following on this verse
“This verse is wanting in most MSS (manuscripts)., and is omitted in the edit. London, 1826.”
Murdock New Testament – note on 1 John 5:7.
The AENT (Aramaic English New Testament) has the following note on 1 John 5:7
Verse 7 is nonexistent in the Eastern Peshitta
And
The fact is that this line was inserted under the authority of Constantine to promote the Trinity doctrine. It does not exist in the Peshitta nor the oldest Greek manuscripts of Aleph, A, B and the Vulgate. Christo-Paganism which originated before Constantine taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are numerically three separate beings, but yet “all the same” is a blatant violation of the First and Second Commandments
(see Exodus 20:1-6).
(Note on 1 John 5:7 – AENT page 689)
This verse was added in the later Greek texts, it is not original and must not be used to demonstrate any teaching. The ancient Greek texts and the Aramaic Peshitta do not have verse 7; they only have verse 8 which says
1 John 5:8 [Murdock NT] And there are three witnesses, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are in union.
Note that these are three things mentioned. Is water a person? Is blood a person? So then, why should the spirit be a person, for the fact that it is mentioned here? The spirit, the water and the blood are three things that testify about the Messiah.
The Christian Trinitarian translators who were faithful to Scripture eliminated verse seven.
FOUR WAYS THE SPIRIT OF YAHWEH IS DESCRIBED IN SCRIPTURE
A – The spirit is His finger:
Compare Matthew 12:28 and Luke 11:20
| Matthew 12:28 (the Messiah said) [TS] “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. |
Luke 11:20 (the same incident) [TS] “But if I cast out demons by the finger of Elohim, then the reign of Elohim has come upon you. |
These two verses practically say the same thing with one important difference, from which we can deduce that the spirit of the Eternal is also called the <finger of Elohim>. The parallelism of these two verses shows us that the spirit of Yahweh is like saying the finger of the Eternal, in other words, it is part of Him. The power, the action of the Father, is the Spirit of Holiness.
B – His spirit is His breath:
Job 33:4 [The Scriptures - TS]
The Spirit of El has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life
In this phrase, where a concept is repeated twice with different words, we see that the spirit and His breath are the same thing. Again, the spirit is not another person, rather it is part of the Eternal. For example, in Genesis, the Eternal blew over the waters to give the power to generate life; in Exodus and Deuteronomy, when He opened the Red Sea, a wind coming from the Eternal blew all night which is why the Red Sea was divided in two. That wind from Yahweh is the Spirit of Holiness (the Holy Spirit).
C – His spirit is his mind:
1 Corinthians 2:10-12, 16 [TS]
10 But Elohim has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all matters, even the depths of Elohim.
11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? So also, the thoughts of Elohim no one has known, except the Spirit of Elohim.
12 And we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from Elohim, in order to know what Elohim has favourably given us,
... ... ...
16 “Who has known the mind of יהוה? Who shall instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Messiah.
It is through Messiah that we receive the Spirit of Yahweh. Which is something that comes from Him. Here, Shaul (Paul) draws a parallel between the spirit that is in man and the Spirit that is in the Eternal. This indicates that His Spirit is His Mind. We have the mind of Messiah because we have his spirit.
D – His Spirit is Himself
2 Corinthians 3:17 [TS]
Now יהוה is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of יהוה is, there is freedom.
On the one hand, the spirit of Yahweh is a part of Yahweh, it is His Mind; on the other hand, it is Yahweh Himself. The same is true with man: ‘my mind is the real me’.
SOMETIMES QUALITIES OF THINGS ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS
1) It is like water:
1 John 5:7-8 [Hebraic Roots Bible - HRB]
7 And the Spirit is the One witnessing, because the Spirit is the truth.
8 And there are three who bear witness: The Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three are one
As blood and water are things, so the spirit is a thing, a power, not a person in itself.
2) It can be poured out:
Acts 2:17,33 [HRB]
17 And it shall be in the last days, YAHWEH says, I will pour from My Spirit on all flesh...
... ... ...
33 Then being exalted to the right of YAHWEH, and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
<I will pour from My Spirit> – means only a part of the Eternal’s Spirit will be poured out.
Here, the Spirit is referred to as ‘this’ not as a person. You cannot speak of a person in this manner.
3) It is given out in portions:
1 John 4:13 [TS]
By this we know that we stay in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
It is something that can be given out in portions. Each person is given a portion of the Holy Spirit. Messiah was given the fullness of the spirit of the divinity, while we are given a portion of it or an advance. This means that, in the future, we will also be given the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
SOME EXAMPLES OF PERSONIFICATION
Humans have a tendency to express abstract concepts as things (reification) and also to personify things (personification). The Scriptures were written in human language, therefore reifications and personifications occur sometimes. These should not be taken literally.
• Sin can deceive:
Romans 7:11 [HRB]
for sin taking occasion through the commandment deceived me, and through it killed me.
Sin deceives, but it does not mean it is a person.
• Sin works, performs, acts:
Romans 7:15-17 [TS]
15 For what I work, I know not. For what I wish, that I do not practise, but what I hate, that I do.
16 But if I do what I do not wish, I agree with the Torah that it is good.
17 And now, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin dwelling in me.
Again, sin is is personified but in reality it is the person that acts.
• Fleshly lusts do battle:
1 Peter 2:11 [TS]
Beloved ones, I appeal to you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts which battle against the being,
Fleshly passions are not persons, but they do battle, they are personified.
• The Spirit speaks:
Acts 13:2 [TS] And as they were doing service to the Master and fasted, the Set-apart Spirit said, “Separate unto Me Barnaba and Sha’ul for the work to which I have called them.”
In this particular case, there can be two possibilities:
• personification of the Spirit
• it could be understood that the Holy Spirit, the power of Yahweh, spoke through a prophet in the congregation. The Spirit is the inspiration. Acts 13 speaks of prophets in the congregation, one of them was Barnaba.
SUMMARY
The Holy Spirit (Set-Apart Spirit, Spirit of Holiness) is:
• Yahweh’s finger – Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20
• Yahweh’s breath – Job 33:4
• Yahweh’s mind – 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, 16
• Yahweh Himself – 2 Corinthians 3:17
• Speaks – Acts 13:2
• Like water – 1 John 5:7-8
• Can be poured out – Acts 2:17, 33
• Given out in portions – 1 John 4:13
Sources:
Yosef Alvarez; Aramaic English New Testament Notes – Andrew Gabriel Roth ; James Murdock Notes.