Abstract
This appendix investigates whether the Holy Spirit should be understood as a personal being or merely as an impersonal power of God. Drawing upon Scripture, linguistic analysis, and early Christian doctrine, it argues that the Spirit is fully divine and personally distinct, sharing the one divine Name of the Father and the Son. The Spirit’s “namelessness” does not indicate impersonality but unity of essence. Through the Spirit, God’s presence becomes universally active—creating, revealing, and sanctifying without division.
1 Introduction
Christian theology affirms one God who eternally exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet many have questioned whether the Spirit is truly personal, since He bears no unique proper name and is described through metaphors of breath and wind. The biblical witness, however, attributes to the Spirit intellect, will, emotion, and moral agency. These traits establish the Spirit’s full personhood and divinity. His “name” is identical with God’s, as expressed in the baptismal formula:
“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28 : 19)
2 Linguistic Background: Ruach and Pneuma
2.1 Ruach Elohim (רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים)
In Hebrew, ruach means breath, wind, or spirit. When joined with Elohim, it signifies the divine breath animating creation (Gen. 1 : 2; Ps. 104 : 30). Far from denoting impersonal energy, it portrays the living presence of God in motion.
2.2 Pneuma Hagion (Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον)
The Greek pneuma shares the same semantic range. Though grammatically neuter, it is not conceptually neutral. The New Testament consistently treats the Spirit as an acting subject—He teaches (John 14 : 26), speaks (Acts 13 : 2), and intercedes (Rom. 8 : 26).
3 Scriptural Evidence for Personhood
| Personal Attribute | Biblical Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Intellect | 1 Cor. 2 : 10–11 | The Spirit searches and knows the depths of God. |
| Will | 1 Cor. 12 : 11 | He distributes gifts “as He wills.” |
| Speech | Acts 13 : 2 | “The Holy Spirit said …” |
| Emotion | Eph. 4 : 30 | He can be grieved. |
| Intercession | Rom. 8 : 26–27 | He prays for believers. |
Such actions require consciousness and volition, confirming genuine personhood.
4 Divine Attributes and Works
The Spirit performs what only God can do:
- Creation: “The Spirit of God has made me” (Job 33 : 4).
- Omnipresence: “Where shall I go from your Spirit?” (Ps. 139 : 7).
- Omniscience: “The Spirit searches all things” (1 Cor. 2 : 10).
- Sanctification: “Through sanctification of the Spirit” (2 Thess. 2 : 13).
- Inspiration: “Men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1 : 21).
These divine operations reveal the Spirit as co-equal with the Father and the Son.
5 The Unity of the Divine Name
The singular “name” (onoma) in Matthew 28 : 19 indicates one divine essence shared by three persons. The Spirit therefore requires no separate proper name: He bears the very identity of God. The title Holy Spirit is both descriptive and revelatory—expressing His holiness and His spiritual nature. To blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12 : 31) is to offend God Himself.
6 The Spirit’s Role in Salvation History
- Conception and Incarnation: Luke 1 : 35 – “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.”
- Empowerment of Christ: Luke 4 : 18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.”
- Resurrection: Rom. 8 : 11 – “The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead.”
- Regeneration: John 3 : 5–8 – “Born of the Spirit.”
- Indwelling and Sanctification: 1 Cor. 3 : 16; Gal. 5 : 22–23.
Through these works, the Spirit applies the Father’s will and the Son’s redemption to humanity.
7 Early Christian Witness
7.1 The Nicene Creed (AD 381)
“We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified.”
7.2 Patristic Reflection
- Athanasius described the Spirit as fully divine: “Through Him we are made partakers of God” (Letters to Serapion, I. 28).
- Basil of Caesarea emphasised worship equality: “The Spirit is numbered together with the Father and the Son because His glory is the same” (On the Holy Spirit, ch. 9).
These affirmations consolidated the doctrine of the Spirit’s co-eternal personhood.
8 Power and Personhood
To call the Spirit God’s “power” is partially correct yet incomplete. Power describes what He does; personhood describes who He is. Augustine explained: “The Spirit is the bond of love between Father and Son” (De Trinitate, XV. 17). He is divine relationship personified—the self-giving life of God communicated to creation.
9 Omnipresence and Unity
Because God is Spirit (John 4 : 24), His presence is not confined by space. The Spirit can dwell simultaneously in countless believers without division. This is not diffusion of energy but communion of person: one Spirit acting personally everywhere, uniting the faithful into one body (1 Cor. 12 : 13).
10 Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is neither a created power nor a subordinate force but God personally active and present. Scripture attributes to Him mind, will, and emotion; the Church confesses Him as “Lord and Giver of Life.” His lack of a distinct proper name underscores His unity with the Father and the Son rather than denying His personhood. Through the Spirit, the one divine Name becomes living presence—illuminating Scripture, sanctifying believers, and filling creation with the breath of God.
References
Athanasius (1981) Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit. Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
Augustine (1991) On the Trinity (De Trinitate). Trans. E. Hill. New York: New City Press.
Basil of Caesarea (1980) On the Holy Spirit. Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
BDAG Lexicon (2000) Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Durham, J.I. (1987) Exodus. Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 3. Waco, TX: Word Books.
Nicene Creed (AD 381) in Bettenson, H. (ed.) (1980) Documents of the Christian Church. Oxford: Oxford University Press.