Q - concerning the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John

[Deacon]

I'm reading this article:
Letham, Robert. 2013. "How the Triune God Transforms Worship.[LINK] "Credo: The Trinity & The Christian Life (April 2013).

Referring to the Gospel of John the author writes (on page 44):

"Every reference to pneuma (spirit) in this gospel, bar two, is to the Holy Spirit."

What are the two references that do not concern the Holy Spirit?

Rob

 

[Deacon]

Every reference to pneuma (spirit) in this gospel, bar two, is to the Holy Spirit. ...

John 11:33 (NASB 2020)
Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,

John 13:21 (NASB 2020)
When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”

 

[Charlie24]

Every reference to pneuma (spirit) in this gospel, bar two, is to the Holy Spirit. ...

John 11:33 (NASB 2020)
Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,

John 13:21 (NASB 2020)
When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”

The human spirit of Christ has always been interesting to me.

The spirit of man is the means of contact and communication from God to man, or that's the way I understand it.

Paul said the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God.

I can't help but to believe the communication between the Holy Spirit and the spirit of Christ was above and beyond anything we could imagine.

 

[atpollard]

The NASB lists these "spirit" [G4151: pneuma] in John with a small 's' rather than a capital 'S':

[John 4:23-24 NASB]
"But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit[G4151] and truth; for such people the Father seeks [to be] His worshipers. "God is spirit[G4151], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit[G4151] and truth."

[John 11:33 NASB]
Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her [also] weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit[G4151] and was troubled,

[John 13:21 NASB]
When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit[G4151], and testified and said, "Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

[John 19:30 NASB]
Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit[G4151].

 

[Charlie24]

The NASB lists these "spirit" [G4151: pneuma] in John with a small 's' rather than a capital 'S':

[John 4:23-24 NASB]
"But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit[G4151] and truth; for such people the Father seeks [to be] His worshipers. "God is spirit[G4151], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit[G4151] and truth."

[John 11:33 NASB]
Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her [also] weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit[G4151] and was troubled,

[John 13:21 NASB]
When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit[G4151], and testified and said, "Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

[John 19:30 NASB]
Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit[G4151].

In John 4:24 the KJV renders "God is a Spirit," capitol S.

" God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

 

[Charlie24]

In John 4:24 the KJV renders "God is a Spirit," capitol S.

" God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

I think the KJV translators recognized the presence of deity, and acknowledged it.

 

[Deacon]

The NASB lists these "spirit" [G4151: pneuma] in John with a small 's' rather than a capital 'S':

I noticed that the capitalization (and translation) of the word, pneuma (spirit) in John 4:24 varies between versions

AV 1873 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

NASB 2020 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

ESV 2016 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”


Rob

 

[atpollard]

I noticed that the capitalization (and translation) of the word, pneuma (spirit) in John 4:24 varies between versions

AV 1873 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

NASB 2020 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

ESV 2016 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”


Rob

For the sake of argument, set aside the first “Spirit” as the Holy Spirit (which makes “God is Holy Spirit” a whole topic of its own) … the second “spirit” in John 4:24 is the same word … does John really mean “those who worship (God) must worship in Holy Spirit and truth”?

 

[Ascetic X]

For the sake of argument, set aside the first “Spirit” as the Holy Spirit (which makes “God is Holy Spirit” a whole topic of its own) … the second “spirit” in John 4:24 is the same word … does John really mean “those who worship (God) must worship in Holy Spirit and truth”?

Yes.

The necessity of worshiping God is a central theme throughout the Bible. Worship is not merely a ritualistic practice, but a fundamental, highly personal response to God's nature and actions.

In the historical context, both Jews and Samaritans had specific locations, rules and rituals for worship, but Jesus is pointing to a deeper, more intimate form of worship. This phrase underscores the idea that worship is not confined to a place or a special set of actions, but is a supernatural interior practice of those who genuinely love and follow God.

“In Spirit and truth” vs. “in a building on a certain mountain or in false religiosity based on pretense”.

• Worship in spirit: This is worship that comes from your innermost being, as guided by the Holy Spirit Himself, and is rooted in genuine love and passion for the triune God. It is not about superficial, perfunctory, pretentiously sanctimonious, outward rituals, but an authentic, heartfelt connection that involves your whole personality: heart, soul, mind, and strength.

• Worship in truth: This means that your worship is based on the reality of God as He has revealed Himself through the Bible. And not as an imagined, institutionalized, or theological version of Him. We need the Holy Spirit to pray within us with groaning that cannot be uttered by us and we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide our worship.

• True worship: This combination means that external actions of worship, like singing or prayer, must be connected to an internal, sincere commitment to God, and that this commitment deep within is guided by the truth of His Word. Worshiping God as revealed in Jesus Christ: the Holy One who heals, loves, and liberates from fear and sin. It transcends physical location, special garments, installed hierarchies, vain repetitions, or traditional ceremony.

 

[Jerome]

KJB John 3:8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

 

[Ascetic X]

KJB John 3:8 "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

This states that we who are born of the Spirit “blow” or move where we will, and people hear us, but cannot tell where we came from, or where we are going. We move mysteriously, because we are recipients of the new birth and are children of God. The world cannot understand “where we are coming from”.