Brothers : The Holy Spirit and Jesus
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Holy Spirit Life
The word for "Spirit" in the Old Testament may also be translated as "breath." The breath of God was the divine way of giving human beings something of himself. "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." 1 Derek Kidner writes "Breathed is warmly personal, with the face to face intimacy of a kiss and the significance that this was an act of giving as well as making, and self giving at that." 2 Later, Jesus bestows the Holy Spirit by breathing on his disciples.
Spirit Creation
The Holy Spirit gives life to those who inhabit the earth, the realm of God's creation." Thus says God, the Lord.... who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it."3 Martin Luther writes, "God breathes his Spirit into the body of man. And this Spirit is life and makes man alive. God creates other life through his Word; where man is concerned he gives of his life, of his Spirit. Man as man does not live without God's Spirit. To live as man means to live as body in Spirit. Escape from the body is escape from being man and escape from the spirit as well. Body is the existence form of spirit, as spirit is the existence form of body."4
Spirit Insight
Understanding and wisdom come from the Holy Spirit in a person, rather than any effort of his or her own. "But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty who makes him understand." 5 In this way, God wants humans to be like himself. "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea... '"6
We are created by God. "God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."7 Once the Holy Spirit is given to us we are given authority over the creation on earth. Genesis 1.28 says that God blessed them and this was the divine seal of approval on humanity.
Questions for Discussion
One of the particular functions of the Holy Spirit is to sustain life. He is responsible in creation for "finishing off." He is also responsible for the continuance of the nature cycle, the seasons of the year as they come and go. Discuss this and also that the Holy Spirit brings understanding to humans and gives them authority.
Notes
1Genesis 2.7 2c.f. John 20.22 3Isaiah 42.5 4Martin Luther "Creation and Fall" p.34 5Job 32.8 6Genesis 1.26-28 7Genesis 2.7
"God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."
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