Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost

Salty · Sep 27, 2010

Which term do you use - does it make a difference?

Alive in Christ · Sep 27, 2010

As far as I'm concerned it doesnt matter.

6 of one, half dozen of the other....but I always say Holy Spirit.

glfredrick · Sep 27, 2010

I say Holy Spirit. The Greek word is pneuma, which does not translate "ghost." We would not even think of the word ghost in that context if not for the 1600 English that we've grown so accustomed to hearing.

Do we say that "God is Ghost" or that "God is Spirit?" If we call God, "Spirit" then why call the third person of the Trinity, "Ghost?" Same term, pneuma, is used.

G1606 ekpneō ek-pne'-ō give up the ghost
G1634 ekpsychō ek-psü'-khō give up the ghost, yield up the ghost
G4151 pneuma pnyü'-mä Spirit, Holy Ghost, Spirit (of God), Spirit (of the Lord), (My) Spirit, Spirit (of truth), Spirit (of Christ), human (spirit), (evil) spirit, spirit (general), spirit, (Jesus' own) spirit, (Jesus' own) ghost
Click to expand...

From Vines:

The Holy Spirit
The "Holy Spirit" is spoken of under various titles in the NT ("Spirit" and "Ghost" are renderings of the same word, pneuma; the advantage of the rendering "Spirit" is that it can always be used, whereas "Ghost" always requires the word "Holy" prefixed.) In the following list the omission of the definite article marks its omission in the original (concerning this see below): "Spirit, Mat 22:43; Eternal Spirit, Hbr 9:14; the Spirit, Mat 4:1; Holy Spirit, Mat 1:18; the Holy Spirit, Mat 28:19; the Spirit, the Holy, Mat 12:32; the Spirit of promise, the Holy, Eph 1:13; Spirit of God, Rom 8:9; Spirit of (the) living God, 2Cr 3:3; the Spirit of God, 1Cr 2:11; the Spirit of our God, 1Cr 6:11; the Spirit of God, the Holy, Eph 4:30; the Spirit of glory and of God, 1Pe 4:14; the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead (i.e., God), Rom 8:11; the Spirit of your Father, Mat 10:20; the Spirit of His Son, Gal 4:6; Spirit of (the) Lord, Act 8:39; the Spirit of (the) Lord, Act 5:9; (the) Lord, (the) Spirit, 2Cr 3:18; the Spirit of Jesus, Act 16:7; Spirit of Christ, Rom 8:9; the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Phl 1:19; Spirit of adoption, Rom 8:15; the Spirit of truth, Jhn 14:17; the Spirit of life, Rom 8:2; the Spirit of grace, Hbr 10:29." *
[* From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 193.]

The use or absence of the article in the original where the "Holy Spirit" is spoken of cannot always be decided by grammatical rules, nor can the presence or absence of the article alone determine whether the reference is to the "Holy Spirit." Examples where the Person is meant when the article is absent are Mat 22:43 (the article is used in Mar 12:36); Act 4:25, RV (absent in some texts); 19:2, 6; Rom 14:17; 1Cr 2:4; Gal 5:25 (twice); 1Pe 1:2. Sometimes the absence is to be accounted for by the fact that Pneuma (like Theos) is substantially a proper name, e.g., in Jhn 7:39. As a general rule the article is present where the subject of the teaching is the Personality of the Holy Spirit, e.g., Jhn 14:26, where He is spoken of in distinction from the Father and the Son. See also Jhn 15:26 and cp. Luk 3:22.

In Gal 3:3, in the phrase "having begun in the Spirit," it is difficult to say whether the reference is to the "Holy Spirit" or to the quickened spirit of the believer; that it possibly refers to the latter is not to be determined by the absence of the article, but by the contrast with "the flesh;" on the other hand, the contrast may be between the "Holy Spirit" who in the believer sets His seal on the perfect work of Christ, and the flesh which seeks to better itself by works of its own. There is no preposition before either noun, and if the reference is to the quickened spirit it cannot be dissociated from the operation of the "Holy Spirit." In Gal 4:29 the phrase "after the Spirit" signifies "by supernatural power," in contrast to "after the flesh," i.e., "by natural power," and the reference must be to the "Holy Spirit;" so in Gal 5:17.

The full title with the article before both pneuma and hagios (the "resumptive" use of the article), lit., "the Spirit the Holy," stresses the character of the Person, e.g., Mat 12:32; Mar 3:29; 12:36; 13:11; Luk 2:26; 10:21 (RV); Jhn 14:26; Act 1:16; 5:3; 7:51; 10:44, 47; 13:2; 15:28; 19:6; 20:23, 28; 21:11; 28:25; Eph 4:30; Hbr 3:7; 9:8; 10:15.

The Personality of the Spirit is emphasized at the expense of strict grammatical procedure in Jhn 14:26; 15:26; 16:8, 13, 14, where the emphatic pronoun ekeinos, "He," is used of Him in the masculine, whereas the noun pneuma is neuter in Greek, while the corresponding word in Aramaic, the language in which our Lord probably spoke, is feminine (rucha, cp. Heb. ruach). The rendering "itself" in Rom 8:16, 26, due to the Greek gender, is corrected to "Himself" in the RV.

The subject of the "Holy Spirit" in the NT may be considered as to His Divine attributes; His distinct Personality in the Godhead; His operation in connection with the Lord Jesus in His birth, His life, His baptism, His death; His operations in the world; in the church; His having been sent at Pentecost by the Father and by Christ; His operations in the individual believer; in local churches; His operations in the production of Holy Scripture; His work in the world, etc.
Click to expand...

Tom Bryant · Sep 27, 2010

I say "Spirit" because of what people think of when we say ghost.

dwmoeller1 · Sep 27, 2010

Holy Ghost comes from the KJV. Therefore it is the inspired term. Holy Spirit is a term that comes from Bibles that deny the Trinity. Clearly Holy Ghost is the only acceptable term.

Errrrrrrr....never mind.

preachinjesus · Sep 27, 2010

Both are acceptable.

I prefer "Spirit"

Tom Bryant · Sep 27, 2010

dwmoeller1 said: ↑

Holy Ghost comes from the KJV. Therefore it is the inspired term. Holy Spirit is a term that comes from Bibles that deny the Trinity. Clearly Holy Ghost is the only acceptable term.

Errrrrrrr....never mind.

Click to expand...

Obviously... :tongue3:

Dr. Bob · Sep 27, 2010

Ghost conjures up (pun intended) a negative image. Especially if you've watched our minor league Casper Ghosts play baseball.

Spirit is the correct term. Really. Look in the OT. It is the Spirit of God. Never the Ghost of God. Or God the Ghost.

Odd thing to me is the capitalization of "holy" (an adjective, not part of a name) when referring to the Spirit of God. It is often used to describe the Spirit, but just as often not used - Spirit is the correct term. We don't capitalize "only" Son when talking about Jesus, right?

The third person of the triune godhead is the holy Spirit of God.

padredurand · Sep 28, 2010

Salty said: ↑

Which term do you use - does it make a difference?
Click to expand...

Does it make a difference? - Huh! Does it make a difference? - Huh! Does it make a difference? - Huh! Never heard of no Holy Spirit Revival meeting. We put up the tent and have ourselves a Holy Ghost Revival Meeting! Somebody give me an "AMEN!".

Salty · Sep 28, 2010

padredurand said: ↑

... We put up the tent and have ourselves a Holy Ghost Revival Meeting! Somebody give me an "AMEN!".
Click to expand...

OH ME! :flower:

Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost

Salty 20,000 Posts Club
Administrator

Alive in Christ New Member

glfredrick New Member

Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

dwmoeller1 New Member

preachinjesus Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

Dr. Bob Administrator
Administrator

padredurand Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Salty 20,000 Posts Club
Administrator

Useful Searches

Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost

Salty 20,000 Posts Club Administrator

Alive in Christ New Member

glfredrick New Member

Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

dwmoeller1 New Member

preachinjesus Well-Known Member Site Supporter

Tom Bryant Well-Known Member

Dr. Bob Administrator Administrator

padredurand Well-Known Member Site Supporter

Salty 20,000 Posts Club Administrator

Salty 20,000 Posts Club
Administrator

preachinjesus Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Dr. Bob Administrator
Administrator

padredurand Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Salty 20,000 Posts Club
Administrator