Jibu Ninan/ Professor of Theology

NOTES ON PNEUMATOLOGY

Introduction

Pneumatology is the detailed study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Doctrine of
the Holy Spirit is an important doctrine in the Bible and is one of the foremost truths of
redemption. Therefore a student of the Bible should seek to know all he/she can of the
person, ministry and work of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the scripture. The Holy Spirit is
mentioned more than 90 times in the Old Testament with about 18 different titles. In the New
Testament the Holy Spirit is mentioned more than 260 times along with 39 different names
and titles. Out of the 27 books of the New Testament, only 2&3 John have no reference to the
Holy Spirit. In Old Testament times the spirit was only available to a selected few in Israel,
but this present age has been given over to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. These facts
emphasize the importance of the believer to know, understand and experience the person,
work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in his/her life. It is the spirit who brings to the heart the
revelation of the father and the son (John 14:15-26).

The third person of the Trinity is called the Holy Spirit to signify his nature. Pneuma (Greek)
means, “breath or wind”, which implies the concept of an unseen force. (Isa.40:7, Joh.3:5-8).
He is an immaterial substance, not confined to a place. As the air cannot be touched or seen so
is the spirit. We believe that air has power so also the spirit has infinite power. He has called
Holy Spirit because of his Sanctifying works (Rom.8: 13). He is called the Spirit of God,
Spirit of the Lord (Gen.1: 2), and Spirit of Christ. The Spirit is called the Spirit of God and
Spirit of Christ because of his relation to each other two person of the Holy Trinity.

I. PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Holy Spirit is not just an influence or power but He is a divine person.

1. Personal pronouns are used of Him. (Jn.14: 26, 16:13ff)
2. The title helper or comforter in the masculine gender ‘Paraklitos’ is used to Jesus
Christ and Holy Spirit (Jn.14:26, I Jn.2:1).
3. Personal characteristics are ascribed to Him.
Intellect (I Cor.2:11)
Sensibility (Rom.8:27, 15:13, Colo.1:8)
Will (Jn.15:26, Act.13:2)
4. Personal acts are performed by Him
a) The Spirit works (1Cori.12:11)
a. The Spirit teaches (Jn.14:26)
b. The Spirit regenerates (Jn.3:5)
c. The Spirit creates (Gen.1:2, Job.33:4)
d. The Spirit speaks (Rev.2:7)
e. The Spirit bear witness (Jn.15:26)
f. The Spirit convicts (Jn.16:8-11)

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g. The Spirit guides (Jn.16:12, Rom.8:14)

h. The Spirit glorifies (Jn.16:14)
i. The Spirit separates (Acts.8:29, Acts.13:2, 16:6ff)
j. The Spirit leads (Act.8:29)
k. The Spirit intercedes (Rom.8:26)
l. The Spirit restrains sin (Gen.6:3)
m. The Spirit search-out (I Cor.2:10)
n. The Spirit commands (Act.8:29)
o. The Spirit performs miracles (Act.8:39)

5. He relates to the father and son as a person (Mt.28:19, II Cor.13:14) and He

administrates the Church (1 Cor.12:46, Jude.12ff)
6. He can be treated as a person:
a. The Spirit can be obeyed (Act.8:19-21)
b. The Spirit can be tempted (Act.5:9)
c. The Spirit can be lied (Act.5:3)
d. The Spirit can be resisted (Act.7:51)
e. The Spirit can be grieved (Eph.4:30, Isa.63:10)
f. The Spirit can be blasphemed (Mt.12:31)
g. The Spirit can be quenched (I The.5:19)
h. The Spirit can be insulted (Heb.10:29)

The Spirit is in Himself a distinct living powerful intelligent divine person. The scripture tells
us that the Holy Spirit governs the church, appoints overseers of it, discerns and judges all
things, comforts the faint and strengthens the weak. He is grieved and provoked by sin, and
disposes all things according to the counsel of his own will.

11. THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Divine attributes are affirmed of Him

1. Omniscience: 1 Cor.2:10ff, Jn.14:26
2. Omnipotence: Lk.1:35
3. Omnipresence: Ps.139:7-10
4. Eternity: Heb.9:14

B. Works of Deity are performed by Him

1. Creation (Gen.1:2, Job.33:4, Ps.104:30)
2. Re-generation (Jn.3:5)
3. Raising of the dead (Rom.8:11)
4. Inspiration of the scriptures (2 Pet.1:21)
5. Interceding (Rom.8:26)
6. Sanctifying (2 The.2:13)
7. Conviction of men (Jn.16:8)

C. The words and the works of the Holy Spirit are considered as the words of God
(Jn.12:39-41, Act.28:25-27, Heb.3:7-9, Act.5:3ff)

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D. He is called God: Act.5:3, II Cor.3:17

E. Proved by Him equally associated with the other persons of Godhead
(Mt.28:19, II Cor.13:14)

III. THE SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Symbols are used in the scriptures to help us to understand more of his work.

1. The breath or wind: Act.2:1,2, Jn.3:8. Its work is invisible. Though it is invisible
We can see the results of its works. Likewise with the Holy Spirit.
2. The Dove Mt.3:16. The Holy Spirit has the characteristics of dove - gentleness,
tenderness love, grace, purity, consolation and innocence.
3. Oil: Lk.4:18, Act.10:38, 1 Jn.2:20. The Light in the Tabernacle was provided by the
Holy Oil in the lamp stands. Likewise today the Holy Spirit helps believers to
glorify Christ before others Jn.16:13-15, Oil was used to sanctify and cleanse priest
and lepers. Lev.14:17. Likewise the spirit sanctifies the believers today.
4. Fire: Act.2:3. The Spirit’s manifestation is descended like fire. Fire in the Old
Testament shows the presence of the Lord. Exo.3:2, the protection of the Lord
Exo.13:21, judging, sanctifying and cleansing Is.6:1-8. Fire in the NT refers
cleansing and judging of impure things (Lk.1:3-17, Mt.3:11-12)
5. Water: (Joh.7:38,39; 4:4, Isai.44:3, Exo.17:6 cf 1Cori.10:4). The Spirit symbolized
as water speaks of the life-giving flow, which refreshes and satisfies. It also speaks
of washing, cleansing and fruitfulness.
6. Dew: Psal:133:1-3, Hosea.14:5. Dew only comes in the stillness of the night,
bringing refreshing to the mown grass. So it is with the refreshing work of the Spirit
in the church.
7. The Seal: (Eph.1:13, 4:30, 2Cori.1:22, 2Tim.2:19). A seal is significant of
ownership, genuineness and security. This emphasizes the Spirit’s activity
confirming to us God’s ownership of us, His authority over us and our security in
Him.

1V. THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. In relation with the world generally

The work of creation has been ascribed to the Holy Spirit Gene.1:2, Scriptures clearly say that
things were created in the active involvement of the spirit. Job.33:4, 26:13, Ps.33:6,
Ps.104:30, Is.40:7. It is to be noted that phrase like breath and spirit have the same route
words in the original and they are interchangeably used.

2. In relation with the Old Testament:

It is often difficult to identify the Holy Spirit with in the Old Testament, for it reflects the
earliest stages of progressive revelation. The term Holy Spirit is rarely employed here. The
usual expression in the O.T is “the Spirit of God”. There are several major areas of the Holy
Spirit’s working in the O.T. times.
a. Creation. (Gene.1:2, Job.26:13, Isai.32:12).

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b. Giving of prophecy and Scripture. (Eze.2:2; cf 8:3, 11:1,24; Num:24:2,

1Sam.10:6,10; 2Pet.1:21, Acts.1:16, 4:25, 2Tim.3:16).
c. Conveying certain necessary skills for various tasks. (Exo.31:3-5,
Zech.4:6).
d. Administration. (Gene.41:38, Num.11:25, Deut. 34:9, Jud.3:10, 6:34).

3. In relation with Non-believers specifically:

There are incidents in the OT were gentile kings were at times moved by the Spirit of God to
accomplish the special purpose of God for His people. Isa.44:28-45. The work of the spirit
among the unbelievers may be divided into four.
(a). Convicting (Jn.16:8) (b). Witnessing (Act. 5:32, Jn15:24), (c). Restraining (II The.2:6-8),
(d). Striving (Gen.6:3).
4. In Relation With The Christ:
a. Spirit’s work in the birth of Christ (Lk.1:35, Mt.1:19-20) Holy Spirit
overshadowed Mary and out of the substance of the womb of Mary, Holy Spirit
formed the body of Lord Jesus Christ.
b. Spirit’s work in the earthly life of Christ
1) He was anointed by the Spirit (Isa.61:1, Heb.5:9, Act.4:27,10:38)
2) He was filled with Holy Spirit from the time of His conception (Isa.11:2, 42:1,
Lk.4:1)
3) He was led by the Spirit (Mt.4:1)
4) He was empowered by the Spirit. Mt. 12:28, Lk.4:14, 15:18
c. Spirits work in the death of Christ, Heb.9:14
d. Spirit’s work in the Resurrection of Christ. Rom.8:11, 1:4, I Pet.3:18.
From the birth till the ascension we see the close association of the spirit with Christ,
while He was on earth.
5. In Relation With The Scripture:
The Holy Spirit is both the author and interpreter of the scripture, 1 Pet.1:21. I Tim.3:15,
Rev.2:7-11, Act.1:16, 28:25. The scripture, which are spoken by the spirit are to be
interpreted by the illumination of the same.
6. In Relation With The Believer:
The work of the spirit in the OT has been cited different from the manifestation of the same in
the NT. Besalel, Otniel, Jiphthah etc. were anointed by the spirit for certain special ministries.
Exo.31:2ff, Jud.3:9ff, 11:29. In the NT the spirit abides with the believer forever and is very
closely associated with him in every sphere of spiritual growth.
a) The believer is regenerated by the Spirit. Jn.3:3-8, Tit.3:5
b) The spirit indwells the believer’s spirit. Rom. 8:9-11, I Cor.3:16
c) He baptizes. Acts.2:4,10:44-46, I Cor.12:13
d) The Spirit seals the believer as a token of the abundance life blessings. II
Cor.1:22, Eph.1:13ff, 4:30, Rom.8:16
e) Believer is filled by the spirit Eph.5:18, Act.6:3, 11:24, 9:17, 4:8, 13:9
f) The HS guides and leads Jn.16:13, Ga.5:16,25 Rom.8:29,12,2,15:28.
g) He empowers. Eph.3:16, Zech.4:6, Ga.5:17
h) The HS distributes the spiritual gifts (I Cor.12: 4, 7:11, Rom.12: 6-8, I Pet.4:10ff)
i) The Spirit intercedes for the believer. Rom.8: 26.
j) The Spirit Speaks to the believer.(Acts.8:29,1Tim.4.1).

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k) The Spirit opens the believer’s understanding to the things of God (I Corinthians
2:12).
l) The Spirit enables the believer to pray (Jude 20; Romans 8:26-28).
m) The Spirit enables the believer to put fleshly deeds to death (Romans 8:13).
n) The Spirit empowers the believer to witness (Acts 1:8).
o) The Spirit will bring about the resurrection and immortality to the believer’s
bodies in the last day (Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:47-51; I Thessalonians 4:15-
18).

The believers are cautioned not to grieve. Eph.4:30, not to lie (Act.5:9); not to quench (1
Thess.5:19), not to insult (Heb.10:29, and not resist (Act.7:51) the spirit.

V. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

For many centuries “the gifts of the spirit” have been passed over in comparitative silence by
the churches, but since the rise of Pentecostal movement in twentieth century, and its spread
in to the main Christian denominations, the subject has come into great prominence wherever
the Holy Spirit is discussed. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the means and instruments of
power to carry out successfully the operation and administration of God’s work in his church.

There are nine gifts, set out for believers. They are “the word of wisdom, the word of
knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, different kind of tongues
and interpretation of tongues (1Cori.12:8-10). They can conveniently be divided into the
following three groups.

1. The gifts of revelation.

a. The gift of the word of the wisdom.
b. The gift of the word of the knowledge.
c. The gift of discerning of Spirit.

2. The Vocal gifts.

a. The gift of tongues.
b. The gift of interpretation of tongue.
c. The gift of prophecy.

3. The gifts of power.

a. The gift of faith.
b. The gift of healing.
c. The gift of working of miracles.

The gifts of revelation deal with supernatural communication revealed through the Holy Spirit
to the heart of one who has received this gift. The vocal gifts deal with supernatural
communication that the Holy Spirit reveals by using the human voice. The gifts of power are
mighty gifts in which the power of God appears so as to manifest a miraculous answer
through a supernatural, creative intervention. All of these gifts are distributed to believers by
the Holy Spirit in accordance with his own will for the benefit and growth of the church.

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1. The gift of the word of Wisdom: The Greeks were always inclined to think of
God in terms of wisdom, and there was a strong tendency to do the same in later Judaism
where wisdom was personified and even seen as the consort of Yahweh (1Cori. 1:22, 2:6).
God’s wisdom is different from the wisdom of this world. The world in all its wisdom never
arrived at a knowledge of God.

There are three kinds of wisdom. The first comes to us naturally. The second comes from
learning, so it is something we can be taught. But the highest kind of wisdom comes directly
from God and is associated with the particular work of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Merrill C. Tenney
defines this gift as “the ability to make correct decisions on the basis of one’s knowledge”.

God has not called the men who recon themselves wise, on the contrary, he has called those
who know they are fools, not confound the wise (1Cori.1:26), because the only source
of wisdom is God. (Eph.1:17, 3:10).It springs from Christ in whom all wisdom is
hidden (Colo.2:3). It is a gift that God promises to the believer who asks in faith
(Jas.1:5).

The Bible calls it the gift of the “word of wisdom”, instead of the “ gift of wisdom”, which
would have meant that all-round wisdom given at all times. Though God is always
with us, he does not speak at all times but speaks only incase of need. It is clear in the
life of Jesus (Matt. 22:15-22, John.8:4,5,7).

2. The Gift of the Word of Knowledge: Gnosis is the Greek word for
knowledge and gnosticism sought salvation by knowledge. This pagan idea of salvation by
knowledge was a particular problem at Corinth. But the divine wisdom is the gift from the
Spirit which shows us how to use knowledge (Mk.13:11). The capacity to apply what we learn
to actual situation comes directly from the Holy Spirit.

The gift of the word of knowledge is not the knowledge that can be studied and learned. This
knowledge, which reveals the hidden truth of things and matters and solves problems at a
certain time and place for the glory of God according to His special revelation, comes only by
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (I Sam.9:20, 2Kings 6:8-12, Acts. 5:3-4).

3. The Gift of Discerning of Spirit: Many people confuse the gift of discerning
of spirits with mind reading. There are spirits belonging to God and spirits belonging to devil;
and there are instances when words are spoken by the spirit of man, which is distinguished
from the Holy Spirit or the spirit of Satan. We discern the spirits by the manifestation of the
Holy Spirit, judging whether the spirit is from God, man or Satan. Apostle John wrote of the
importance of discerning of spirits. (1John.4:1).

4. The Gift of Tongues: This is the ability to speak in language that the speaker has
not learnt, that he does not understand and that is in comprehensible to the hearer. It should
be placed into two categories: as a sign and as a gift. It is clear that all the instances of
tongues recorded in Acts are the external sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. God gives the
gift of tongues abundantly to accomplish several goals of faith. The purposes of this gift are:

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a. The tongues enable a man/woman to speak to God in prayer (I Cori.14:2). The gift
of tongues opens a new dimension to a man’s prayer life. The gift of tongues
produces a genuine liberty in prayer.
b. The tongues enable a man/woman to praise God at a depth unknown previously. In
the house of Cornelius the new converts “spoke with tongues and glorified God”
(Acts. 10:46). On the day of Pentecost this was very much the same (Acts. 2:11-13).
It is an undeniable fact when men/woman receive the gift of tongues they find
themselves free to praise and glorify their heavenly father as never before.
c. The tongues edify the individual “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth
himself” (I Cori. 14:4). The word edify originally meant to lay bricks one by one in
building a house. The tongue becomes the instrument by which one’s own house of
faith is built up.
d. The tongue is a sign to unbelievers (I Cori. 14:22).

When the new wave of theology was shouting “God is dead,” the miracle of the vocal gifts,
Speaking in tongues by the Holy Spirit, came as a judgment or challenge to those heretics

5.The gift of Interpretation: It is the ability to give the sense of what has been said
in an unknown tongue, when this has been exercised in the congregation. Those who have the
gift of speaking in tongues are exhorted by Paul to pray for the gift of interpretation (I
Cori.14:13). It seems clear form I Corinthians 14:5 that although tongues is an inferior gift to
prophecy because it edifies only the individual and not the church; nevertheless tongues and
Interpretation together are the equivalent of prophecy. Tongues, along with interpretation, can
be a genuine gift of the spirit of God to certain people, and Paul expected the gift to be used in
private devotions for the edification of the believer, and in public when the two gifts could be
employed together.

6. The Gift of Prophecy: Christian prophecy could be delivered by men or women

(Acts 21:9, Rev.2:20, 1 Cori. 11:5). The four prophesying daughters of Philip the evangelist
made a tremendous impact on the church at large. Prophecy was very widely disseminated in
the early centuries (Act.11:27, 13:1, Rom.12:6, 1Thess.5:19,20). It was a very highly valued
gift, because through it God spoke directly to his people. New testament prophecy was clearly
marked by encouragement rather than judgment, which was the major emphasis of Old
Testament prophets.

7. The Gift of Faith: Faith is the treasure without which man cannot live. Faith given
as a gift is itself the direct and immediate work of the Holy Spirit, and it means that divine
faith is deposited in the heart of the believer. Noah and Abraham had this gift of faith. Hudson
Taylor had this gift of faith in founding and maintaining one of the world’s biggest missionary
societies on a complete absence of financial backing, a refusal to ask for funds, and an
unshakeable conviction about the will of God. The Faith that moves mountains is a gift of the
Spirit, and it is closely allied to action in the power of the Spirit. It is not the same as the fruit
of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, faith and others.

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8. The Gift of Healing: Jesus healed people; and he commissioned his disciples to do
the same (Mk.1:38, Lk.4:43; 10:9). Both Peter and Paul together with John and the apostles
in general, were agents of divine healing in the early church (Acts. 3:7, 9:34, 28:19). Irenaeus
distinguishes true Christian teachers from false by their ability to heal. It is a real gift of God
to be exercised in and for the Body of Christ (Jas.5:14; I Pet. 2:24).
9. The Gift of Miracles: A miracle is the temporary suspension of the usual laws of
nature and the intervention of supernatural and divine power. Miracles were common in the
Old Testament in the life of Jesus and in the Acts of the Apostles. Paul reckoned the ability to
work miracles as one of the gifts of the Spirit. John.14:12 is adduced to indicate that Jesus
expected his followers to do greater things than he had himself accomplished.

VI. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

God the Holy Spirit uses the word fruit frequently in scripture to denote what He expects of
His people in the way of character. Unlike the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is not
divided among believers. Instead, all Christians should be marked by all the fruit of the
Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is God’s expectation in our lives. It is interesting that the Bible
talks of the fruit of the Spirit rather than fruits. Holy Spirit is the source of all fruits in our
lives and we cannot produce godliness apart from the Spirit (Colo. 3:5,12).

Galatians 5: 22,23 say about nine fruits, which the Holy Spirit brings to our lives. They are
“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. For
a better understanding, we can divide these nine gifts in to three “clusters” of fruit.

1. Love, Joy and Peace - Upward (God ward) relationship

2. Patience, Kindness and Goodness - Outward relationship
3. Faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - Inward relationship

At the same time, of course, these three “clusters” are all related to each other, and all should
characterize our lives. And all will characterize our lives when we abide in Christ and allow
the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. Manford George Gutzke compares the fruit of the Spirit
to light: “All the colours of the rainbow are in every beam of sunlight. They all are there at
any one time. They may not always come into vision, but they are all present. It is not
necessary to think of them as being so many separate colours. Just as these colours of the
rainbow are present in light, so these traits of personal conduct are in the working of the Holy
Spirit.”

Study Questions.

1. Have you ever been especially aware of the Holy Spirit’s empowering in a specific
situation of ministry? (This could have been while doing evangelism or counseling Bible
teaching or preaching, prayer or worship, or in some other ministry situation.) How did you
perceive the presence of the Holy Spirit at that time, or what made you aware of his presence?

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2. Trace the work of the Holy Spirit during the Old Testament era. What do you learn about
the Spirit from his action during that era?

3. How does the Holy Spirit work in the life of the Christian believer? Consider the
experience of the new birth and the growth toward maturity.

4. Trace the doctrine of the Holy Spirit from the early church, through the Middle Ages, into
the Reformation, through the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, and into the twentieth
century.

5. What is the purpose for which the gifts were bestowed upon the church?

Questions for Personal Applications

1. Do you have a sense from time to time of the pleasure or displeasure of the Holy Spirit at
some course of action that you are taking? Is there anything in your life right now that is
grieving the Holy Spirit? What do you plan to do about it?

2. In your own experience, in what ways does the guidance of the Holy Spirit come to you?
How do you know when this is happening? If the Holy Spirit’s guidance has come to you in
other ways in addition to speaking through the words of scripture, what have those other ways
been?

3. Is the presence of spiritual power in someone’s ministry a guarantee that the Holy Spirit is
pleased with all of that person’s life?

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