INTRODUCTION:
The
term pneumatology comes from two Greek words, namely, pneuma which
means spirit and logos meaning word. So, pneumatology refers to the
study of the biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Generally this includes such
topics as the personality of the Spirit, the deity of the Spirit, and the work
of the Spirit throughout Scripture. The pneumatology is a vast topic which
cannot be deal in a limited time and space. However, this paper tries to bring
out the understanding of the researcher on how pneumatology developed
throughout the whole scripture. We can notice the work of the Spirit right from
the beginning of the Bible in Genesis and at the same time concludes with the
Holy Spirit in the book of Revelation. This paper will bring out a brief study
of pneumatology in the Old Testament, Judaism and also the New Testament.
1. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT:
The
work of the Spirit in the Old Testament is much broader than just the
production of Scripture, as important as that is. In the book of Genesis, the
Spirit was involved in creating the cosmos. We have seen that the work and
the function of the Holy Spirit especially in the Pentateuch is a creative
agent by which God used ‘Ruah’ as a force to create. He is currently and
actively involved in sustaining creation and will someday, in a period of
enormous divine blessing, completely renew it. The nature of the Spirit’s
present ministry testifies to this future work. The Holy Spirit came upon
certain people to impart wisdom and practical skills, strength and ability. He
did this during the building of the tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and
all the tabernacle’s furnishings which we can see in the book of Exodus. Moreover,
He was also the strength and guidance behind the building of the temple. Observation
can also be made that Spirit is also seen as an agent of destructive agent in
which God used it as instrument of judgment and also instrument of liberation
and transformation. It is also an empowering agent by which God used as an
endowment to the chosen to enable them to fulfil a particular task.
The
Spirit was involved in the administration of the nation of Israel by giving
gifts of administration and wisdom. He also raised up national leaders during
the dismal period of the Judges. He gave strength, courage, capability in war,
and leadership abilities to several people. Later on the Spirit anointed Saul,
David, and Solomon for leadership by giving them strength and ability to
prophesy, but in the case of Saul, the Spirit subsequently withdrew because of
his disobedience. The Holy Spirit was also involved in the regeneration,
instruction, and sanctification of Israel in the Old Testament. It is also said
that he will produce righteousness and justice among the people of God in the
messianic age.[1]
The work of the Holy Spirit in the Wisdom Literature is more of transmission of
a message. The Spirit transmits the message of God through the prophets to let
the people hear what the Lord God wanted them to do. This Ruah (Spirit) is
called wind, breath or Spirit; however these terms are used differently and
interchangeably. The works and the functions of the Spirit in the prophetical
writings can be seen more in terms of restoration, hope. It is dynamic and also
serves as a mysterious power of God. The activity of the spirit is also seen
more on the prophecy. It inspires the prophets to communicate the word of God
to his people. Another means of the activity of Spirit is sanctification and
also judgment. As a whole the functions of the Spirit in the Old Testament is
very significant and it employs different sets of works right from the
beginning of the creation and till the prophet’s time. These are some of the brief understanding of
the spirit and how it develops from the book of Genesis till the intertestamental
period.
2. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN
JUDAISM:
The Holy Spirit in Judaism generally
refers to the inspiration through which attuned individuals perceive and
channel the Divine through action, writing or speech. Through this they attain some
degree of prophetic knowledge, and possibly convey it to others. One of the
main role and function of the Spirit in the time of Judaism was cleansing and
purifying the covenant people or community. In most of the text i.e.,
Septuagint, Book of Jubilees, Qumran Literature, Wisdom of Solomon, Philo of
Alexandria, the Spirit purifies and enable the sectarian Israel to maintain an
intimate relationship with God by the obedience to the Law which was set for
them. It also expects the future coming of the Spirit which will cause the
recipient to obey God and follow His commandments.
3. THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT:
The
work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament is as important as in the Old
Testament. The main work of the Spirit in the Synoptic Gospel is in relation to
Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was involved in the birth of Christ, with the
result that Christ, while fully human, was completely sinless. The Holy Spirit
was also involved in Christ’s anointing for messianic service i.e., at his
baptism (Luke 3:21-22),
filled him during his temptations (Luke
4:1),
and revealed the timing and nature of the beginning of that ministry (Luke 4:14, 18).
The Holy Spirit was also responsible for Christ’s ability to perform miracles
and cast out demons (Matt 12:28).[2] He
was also involved in both the death of Christ as well as his resurrection. It
is also seen that the Spirit is depicted as a dove in the baptism of Jesus
Christ in Jordan in which a dove descended from heaven. The dove is a
representation of peace, innocent, purity and holiness. So the Spirit in the synoptic may refers to
the capacity to purify believers from sin and felicitate a life of practical
holiness. Spirit is presented by Mark as the divine source of power, influence,
messianic anointing, inspiration and help. In the New Testament Spirit is
frequently used as a reference to God himself especially when dynamic
supernatural expressions of power, miracles, and abilities are said to be originate
with him. In the Gospel of Luke, the Holy Spirit empowers God’s people for His
service as seen in Luke 1:35. The Holy Spirit also builds us, sustains us and
also encourages us through the body of Christ.
The
pneumatology of the Gospel of John is well established and developed in
compared with the Old Testament and other New Testament writings. The Spirit is
seen as a teacher who teaches and reminds what Jesus has taught the disciples. The
Spirit is also an advocate who comes to the help of the disciple in their
hostile situation while witnessing the testimony of Jesus. He is the judge who
convicts and judges the world for its sin and disbelief in Jesus. He is also a guide who leads the disciples in
the way of the truth that Jesus reveals. So, the portrayal of the Spirit by
John is very personal, active, participative and vibrant. The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts is primarily
related to the witnessing of Jesus Christ. Luke reminds in the beginning of
Acts about Jesus’ earthly ministry and his post resurrection. Jesus promises to
send the Holy Spirit and it is fulfilled in Acts 2 which is the Day of
Pentecost. On the Day of Pentecost the people were filled with the Holy Spirit.
This anointing of the Spirit is called as witnessing for Christ because the
Spirit empowers them to carry out the mission given by Jesus. Like the Spirit’s
role as a guide in the Gospel of John, the Spirit functions as a personal guide
in the book of Luke-Acts as well as seen in Acts 8:29.
The
Holy Spirit has a significant and important place in the writings of Paul
because it makes possible to connect the historical Jesus with the heavenly
Lord who is at the same time present with his people. The Pauline concept of
the Spirit is one of totality. The Sprit is viewed as that which radically and
totally determines the life and existence of the Christians. In Rom 8:16, the
Spirit testifies to the believer's spirit to the fact that he or she is the child
of God in the salvific sense. Paul also says that the Spirit metaphorically
functions to seal believers. To seal something is to set the stamp of one's
ownership on it, so that metaphorically believers have the stamp of God's
ownership on them insofar as they have the Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30).[3]
In the letters to Romans, 1 Corinthians and Galatians, Paul claims that he and
other believers performed signs and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit. The
signs and wonders were confirmations of the good news. Other important function
of the Spirit is that the Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers to be
exercised for the benefit of the whole church.
The
role and functions of the Holy Spirit in the General Epistles is as important
as other book of the Scripture. In James it is seen that wisdom is equivalent
to Spirit. In James 3:13-18, it refers to the wisdom that comes down from above
and produces the fruits of ethical qualities in Christian lives. In 1 Peter the
presence of the Spirit helps the believers to live holy life and exhibit
honourable conduct in the midst of hardships and difficulties. In 1 John, the
Holy Spirit is the agent of the new birth and also the work of the Sprit is
described as bringing assurance to the believers. It is the knowledge of the
indwelling Spirit that gives the believers assurance of his or her membership
in the family of God. In Jude 20, the reference to the Holy Spirit in relation
to the prayer is mentioned. This leads the believers towards spiritual
strength, discipline and experiential realities of spiritual life, growth and
perseverance.
The function of the Spirit in Revelation
is to represent God and Christ to the people of the earth in order to make
God’s work effective on earth, to bring the light of truth to the world, to
search the hearts and minds of people and to bring conviction of truth
forcefully to the mind. It is also seen that the Spirit is the one who gives
life to the dead. The Spirit is called the Spirit of Life in Revelation that is
to say that He is life and gives life (Rev.3:1). The Spirit is also represented
several times in Revelation in its functions of communicating a prophetic
message through visions and auditions of the mind of the prophet. We can see a
work of comforting and consolation, of reminding and convicting, of guiding and
teaching, of doing the work of Christ in His absence to help to prepare His
followers for the Judgment and for Christ’s return to reward those who have
been faithful to Him.
CONCLUSION:
It
is noteworthy that the Spirit plays a significant role in the whole of the
Bible right from the beginning of Genesis till Revelation. The importance of
the Holy Spirit is seen in the fact that the first appearance of the Spirit in
Scripture is seen in the second verse of Genesis 1 and at the same time the
last is found in the early verses of the closing paragraph of the book of
Revelation 22. The importance of the functions and works of the Holy Spirit is
also seen and referred many time in between Genesis and Revelation. Right from
the beginning of the Bible itself, the Spirit began its works in the creation
of the world and everything that is in it. The Spirit’s role in the wisdom
literature is more of restoration and giving hopes to the people of God. It is
also seen that the Spirit transmit the message of God to the prophets and it
can be said in one way or the other that the Spirit is the spirit of prophecy
especially in the prophetical writings. The main
role and function of the Spirit in the time of Judaism was cleansing and
purifying the covenant people or community. It cleanses the sectarian group in
order for them to have a close connection and relationship with the Almighty.
The Spirit in the New Testament is more of personified with the person and work
of Jesus Christ especially in the Gospels. It functions as a guide, teacher,
advocate, sustainers, encourager, consoler, life giving etc. The Spirit also
represents God and Christ to the people of the earth in order to make God’s
work effective on earth. The Spirit is involved in the works of calling,
regeneration, uniting the believer with Christ, indwelling, filling, teaching,
guiding, gifting, empowering, and sanctifying the believer. His primary
ministry is to mediate the presence of Christ and the knowledge of God to the
believer. Therefore, the works of the Holy Spirit in the Bible as a whole plays
a great and significant part in the growth and building up of the people of God
and the church.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Packer, James I. “Holy
Spirit.” In New Dictionary of
Theology. Edited by Sinclair B. Ferguson,
David F. Wright, and J. I. Packer. Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity, 1988. 312-323.
Tunchapbo. Jesus
Tradition in Paul and Pauline Circle. Kolkata: ESPACE, 2015.
[1] James I.
Packer, “Holy Spirit,” in New
Dictionary of Theology (eds. Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J.
I. Packer; Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity, 1988), 316-19.
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