Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: cadence!stevep@uunet.uu.net (Steve Peterson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Deity of Christ, H.S. etc. Message-ID: Date: 4 Apr 91 06:18:13 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Lines: 25 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article c9037544@cc.newcastle.edu.au (David Williams) writes: >This is in response to some questions about the deity of Christ, and the > >THE PERSONALITY OF THE SPIRIT. > D. Proven by unusual grammar. > In spite of the fact that the Greek word for Spirit is neuter in gender, > several times masculine pronouns are used to replace the neuter noun, > contradicting all normal rules of grammar, but indicating the personality > of the Spirit (John 16:13-14; 15:26; 16:7-8). Jesus personalized the holy spirit when speaking of that spirit as a "helper" (which in Greek is the masculine substantive parakletos). Properly, therefore, John presents Jesus' words as referring to that "helper" aspect of the spirit with masculine personal pronouns. On the other hand, in the same context, when the Greek "pnuema" is used, John employs a neuter pronound to refer to the holy spirit, pnuema itself being neuter. Hence, we have in John's use of the masculine personal pronoun in association with parakletos an example of conformity to grammatical rules, not an expression of doctrine (John 14:16, 17; 16:7, 8). Steve Peterson stevep@cadence.com