PRAYER POSSE .TWO KINDS OF BELIEVERS?: The Holy Spirit in the Bible

Sunday, June 12, 2011

The Holy Spirit in the Bible

Both the Old and New Testaments offer insights into the working of God’s Spirit. The Hebrew and Greek words for "Spirit" are ruakh and pneuma, both of which can also mean "breath," "wind," or "air."The words are associated with a wide range of realities in the Bible: divine energy and presence, the human core or essence, the beginning and end-ing of life, and demonic and angelic beings. They frequently describe the divine energy that resides in all living and breathing human beings.

The Old Testament offers insights into the creating and empowering presence of God’s Spirit. The Spirit is the source of life (Genesis 1:2;Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30).

The Spirit is a teacher (Nehemiah 9:20; Job32:8; Psalm 143:10).

The Spirit is God’s presence (Psalm 51:11; 139:7;Haggai 2:4-5).

The Spirit interrelates with the people of Israel (Nehe-miah 9:20, 30; Psalm 106:32-33; Isaiah 63:10-14; Zechariah 7:11-12).

The Spirit empowers people, including artisans who work on the Taber-nacle (Exodus 31:3; 35:30–36:1; 1 Chronicles 28:12).

The Spirit empowers leaders such as the 70 elders, Joshua, and King Saul (Num-bers 11:17, 25-29; 27:18; 1 Samuel 10:6-7, 10; 11:6; 19:18-24). TheSpirit gives power to the judges of Israel (Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29;13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14).

The Spirit empowers prophets such as Elijah (1 Kings 18:12), Elisha (2 Kings 2:9, 13-15), Isaiah (Isaiah 48:16-17),Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-3), and Micah (Micah 2:6-7) to communicate for God.

The New Testament understandings of the Spirit are consistent withthose in the Old Testament.

The Gospels tell us that the Spirit descendsupon Jesus at his baptism (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke3:21-22; John 1:29-34), accompanies him into the wilderness duringa time of testing (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13), and empowers his ministry of teaching and healing (Luke 4:14-19).

Throughout the remaining books of the New Testament, the Spirit isGod’s presence and power in the lives of believers.

(c) Cokesbury FAITHLINKS June 12, 2011

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Core Bible Passages

We first read about God’s Spirit in Genesis 1:2, where “a wind from God”(or “God’s wind” in the Common Eng-lish Bible) sweeps over the water.

If we jump over to John 1:1-18, we read how God’s Word was in the beginning; was involved in Creation; and was the source of light, life, and humankind.

But when John uses images of light and darkness from Genesis, he reinterprets them in ethical and philosophical ways to show why “the Word became flesh” (verse 14).

Staying with John, we turn to John14:15-26, where Jesus promises the disciples that God will send the Spirit to them in the near future. The Greek word parakletos, sometimes rendered into English as “paraclete,” is translated as “Counselor” (RSV), “Advocate”(NRSV), and “Companion” (CEB). It is the “Spirit of Truth” (CEB) who becomes the presence of Jesus himself for Jesus’ followers.

In Acts 2:1-21, the promised Spirit comes as the disciples are gathered together following Jesus’ ascension.

“Wind” and “fire” perhaps allude to Elijah’s experience in 1Kings 19:11-13, but Peter shortly explains that the Spirit’s arrival fulfills the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32. Although the Joel prophecy and the Pentecost event have special significance, this is not the first time the Spirit empowers a group of people.

In Numbers 11:24-30, for instance, which is one of today’s lectionary Scriptures, God’s Spirit visits 70 elders from the twelve Israelite tribes, assembled tohelp Moses with the leadership of the people.

Volume 17, number 7 June 12, 2011 Copyright © 2011 by Cokesbury

How can they be Christian if I'm Christian?

Sunday, June 12, 2011

The Holy Spirit in the Bible

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