Search related sites

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Note (7.) to HS - "Is the Holy Spirit a Person, God or an Impersonal Force From God?"

7. For comparison we can see that the antecedent for "him" in John 6:8 is probably not "Philip" (6:7 and 6:5), but "Jesus" (earlier in 6:5). And "him" in John 11:16 probably refers to the antecedent "Jesus" (11:14) and not to "Lazarus" even though "Lazarus" is found closer to it (whereas the "he/him" found at Jn 11:17 obviously does not refer to Jesus nor even Thomas in the previous verse). Also see John 13:2 (note that AT, NIV, GNB, and Beck even add the word "Jesus" to clear up the ambiguity).

So we find the pronouns in John 14:17 actually referring to "the Spirit" as their antecedent, and, therefore, they are the neuter αὐτὸ ("it") and ὅ  ("which")! Most trinitarian Bibles ignore this truth, however, and translate them as "him" anyway. I find it very ironic that The NIV Study Bible translates John 14:17 as "the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him [ - neuter], because it neither sees him [αὐτὸ  - neuter] nor knows him. But you know him [αὐτὸ  - neuter], for he lives with you and will be in you."

To top off the irony, the NIVSB has this footnote for Jn 14:17 - "the Spirit of truth. In essence and in action the Spirit is characterized by truth. He brings people to the truth of God. All three persons of the Trinity are linked with truth."

But the inescapable truth is that 'Holy Spirit' is neuter and its pronouns are neuter in the original Holy-Spirit-guided writings of the New Testament. And the translation of the very scripture that this footnote "explains" has lied against the "Spirit of truth" by rendering "it" as "him" three times! Surely "the Spirit of truth" has not brought these trinitarian translators "to the truth of God" nor has it brought any trinitarians to the "truth of God"!

It is important that we read, analyze, and meditate on this scripture (Jn 14:15-17) very carefully. Then do the same with Jn 4:23, 24 and Jn 17:3.

When we know the truth about pronouns and their antecedents, we are prepared for trinitarian "evidence" in both the OT and the NT Bible languages. In Micah 2:7, for example ("Is the Spirit of Jehovah angry [or 'limited' - KJIIV]; does he do such things?"), the masculine pronoun certainly refers to "Jehovah," not "the Spirit" as a few trinitarian apologists insist. Grammar tells us, for instance, that the feminine pronoun would have to be used in the Hebrew if "Spirit" were the antecedent. Since the masculine pronoun was used, it must refer to "Jehovah." Also no trinitarian translation would pass up such an opportunity if the trinitarian translators thought there was any chance that the Spirit was really being called "he"! But these trinitarian Bibles translate it so that the Spirit is definitely not being called "he," but Jehovah himself is: NRSV, NEB, REB, NJB, NAB, GNB, BBE, ETRV, Byington, Moffatt, Beck, Darby. E.g., "Is the LORD's [Jehovah's] patience exhausted? Are these his doings?" - NRSV.

Entire Study File

Trinity Index

No comments: