A Meditation on the Word "Spirit" in the New Testament

I think the most remarkable way the word "Spirit" is used in the Bible is in reference to the "Holy Spirit." Some examples of this include, but not limited to, the Holy Spirit "Descending like a dove" on Jesus in His Baptism, People being "filled with the Holy Spirit," to "receive the Holy Spirit" king David in the Bible speaking by the Holy Spirit, and other occurrences like "tongues of flame" resting on the people during Pentecost.

But there are other uses for the word "spirit" in the Bible that give a different impression, or rather, illuminate a certain meaning to what it means for the New Testament writers to use this word.

I think the striking broad sweeping conclusion I have reached in researching this topic is that "spirit" almost always has to do with "spiritual entities" throughout the Bible. Demons are said to be "unclean spirits" which were cast out of people on many occasions in the New Testament. It is also said that people have or possess a spirit in the New Testament. For Pauls says,

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

—1 Thessalonians 5:23–24

In a broader context, "spirit" almost always has a certain meaning of the supernatural. So not only is it said that the spirit is a supernatural thing, and that we have a spirit, but that the spirit necessarily has a personal quality to it.

So the next time you hear someone saying, "The Holy Spirit is just a 'force'," let them know about the fact that the way the word spirit is used in the New Testament almost always has to do with a personal entity. That of course includes the Holy Spirit as a person. For it says,

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

—John 16:13

So it can equally be said that not only is the Holy Spirit a person, but it is in fact identified as a "he" (as opposed to "she" or "it").

One thing I'd like to talk about for us to meditate on a bit is a verse that echos the way spirit is used in the Old Testament, but actually is categorically the opposite use of the term. That is found here:

“And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.”

—Luke 8:55

This is contrasted to what we find early in the Old Testament when it says,

“Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.”

—Genesis 25:8

Now, the word spirit actually means, in one sense of the word, means "breath." So we see here the Bible is basically saying, "Abraham's spirit left him," in Genesis 25:8. This is contrasted with Luke 8:55 where it is said that "her spirit returned to her."

So as we see that spirit means something of the supernatural and something of a person, we can see that our supernatural essence leaves us when we die. Most curious is that this is what happens even if someone comes back to life. In fact, as we can see here, the supernatural essence of someone can "come back" to someone's body when someone is raised from the dead.

Now, we can get into a whole conversation about how in the resurrection of the saints when Christ returns that our bodies will be transformed into a greater body, but it still should pique our curiosity that our spirit once again finds a body to inhabit in the resurrection. That opens up all kinds of implications on the nature of physical reality and what that has to do with spiritual reality, but suffice to say, the physical body is in some sense a necessary component for our spirit.

So the next time you find yourself talking about the spirit, remember that it is the supernatural aspect of us as creatures and that it can depart from us and return to us.

Until next time. Blessings!