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The Usage of Pneuma in the New Testament

   Pneuma = Spirit, is the Greek word corresponding with the Hebrew ruach in the Old Testament.
   The usage of the latter will be found in The usage of the word; Ruach or Spirit, and should be compared.

   As to the Greek word (pneuma): we must consider I. the occurrences, and II. the usage:

  1. Pneuma occurs in the Received Greek Text 385 times. Of these, all the Critical Texts see The Greek Text of the New Testament. vii agree in omitting nine1 (or in substituting another reading) and in adding three.2
       The occurrences are thus distributed :

      Received
    Text    		 To be
    omitted 1    		 To be
    added 2    		 Net
    result
    In the Gospels... 105 2 __ 103
    In the Acts... 69 1 1 69
    In the earlier Pauline 21 2 __ 19
    In the later Pauline 140 2 1 139
    In the Apostolic Epistles 27 2 __ 25
    In the Apocalypse 23 __ 1 24
      385 9 3 379

       The above 385 occurrences in the Received Text are thus rendered in the Authorized Version :

    "Spirit", 133; "spirit", 153; "spiritual", 1; "ghost", 2; "life", 1; and "wind", 1. 291
    In the Genitive Case, "spiritually", 1 ... 1
    With "hagion" (= holy) = "Holy Spirit", 4; "Holy Ghost", 89....... 93
    ___
    = 385

    In the margin :-
        "Breath" is given twice as an alternative for "spirit", and once for "life".
        "Of the spirit" is given as an alternative for "spiritually"; and "spirit" is given as an alternative for "spiritual".

    The usages given of pneuma. It is used for

  1. GOD. "God is pneuma" (John 4:24-). Not "a" spirit, for there is no indefinite Article in the Greek.
  2. CHRIST, as in 1st Corinthians 6:17; 15:45; and especially 2nd Corinthians 3:17, 18 (= the pneuma of verse 6-, etc).
  3. THE HOLY SPIRIT, generally with the Article, denoting the Giver, as distinct from His gifts. See Number 14. After a Preposition the Article is sometimes to be understood, as being latent.
  4. THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, in the bestowal of spiritual gifts, as in 1st Corinthians 12:4 - 11.
  5. THE NEW NATURE in the child of God, because "begotten" in us by God, as in John 3:3 - 7. 1 John 5:1, 4. See note on Matthew 1:1. This is more especially the Pauline usage: spirit as opposed to what is of the flesh (John 3:6. Romans 8:4). Hence called "pneuma Theou" (= Divine pneuma (Romans 8:9. 1st Corinthians 7:40; 12:3-), and pneuma Christou (= Christ pneuma) in Romans 8:9.
  6. MAN (psychologically), pneuma being imparted to man, making him "a living psuche" (= "a living soul", or being, as in Genesis 2:7. Psalm 104:29, 30. Ecclesiastes 12:7). When taken back to and by God, man, without pneuma, becomes and is called "a dead soul" in each of the thirteen occurrences rendered in Authorized Version "dead body", etc. See The Use of "Nephesh" in the Old Testament ix.
  7. CHARACTER, as being in itself invisible, and manifested only in one's actions, etc. Romans 8:15. (2nd Timothy 1:7, etc.).
  8. OTHER INVISIBLE CHARACTERISTICS (by Figure of Speech. Metonymy, Figures of Speech): such as feelings or desires (Matthew 26:41, etc.); or that which is supernatural.
  9. MAN (physiologically), pneuma being put by Figure of Speech. Synecdoche Figures of Speech for the whole person; a part for the whole (as in Luke 1:47, "my spirit" = I myself.) See The usage of the word; Ruach or Spirit VII.
  10. ADVERBIALLY. But this is only once, in the Authorized Version, where it is translated "spiritually" in Romans 8:6. Compare the Revised Version rendering.
  11. ANGELS, or SPIRIT-BEINGS. As in Acts 8:29. Hebrews 1:7, 14. 1st Peter 3:19. Revelation 1:4.
  12. DEMONS, or evil spirit-beings, as in Mark 7:25, 26. Luke 10:17, 20, etc.
  13. THE RESURRECTION BODY, as in 1st Corinthians 15:45. 1st Peter 3:18; 4:6.
  14. Pneuma hagion = holy spirit. This usage (without Articles) occurs 52 times in the New Testament, and is always wrongly rendered "the Holy Spirit" (with the definite Article, and capital letters). Consequently there is no stronger rendereing available when there are two Articles present in the Greek (to pneuma to hagion), which means "the Spirit the Holy [Spirit]". Hence, the English reader can never tell which of the two very different Greek expressions he is reading.
       Pneuma hagion (without Articles) is never used of the Giver (the Holy Spirit), but only and always of His gift. What this gift is may be seen by comparing Acts 1:4, 5 with Luke 24:49, where "the promise of the Father" is called (in the former passages) pneuma hagion, and in the latter is called "power from on high". This "power from on high" includes whatever gifts the Holy Spirit may bestow "according to His own will". What particular gift is meant is sometimes stated, that is to say, "faith", "power", etc. This will be found to be the case in every one of the 52 occurrences. See Acts 2:4 (the first occurrence subsequent to Acts 1:4, 5), where we read "they were all filled 3 with pneuma hagion, and began to speak with other tongues, as THE Spirit gave". Here the Giver and His gift are strictly distinguished.

   The following are the 52 occurrences of pneuma hagion. Those marked * are the subject of a various reading, and h.p. denotes hagion pneuma: Matthew 1:18, 20; 3:11. Mark 1:8. Luke 1:15, 35, 41, 67; 2:25; 3:16; 4:1-; 11:13. John 1:-33; 7:-39; 20:22. Acts 1:2, 5; 2:4-; 4:8, 31*; 6:3, 5; 7:55; 8:15, 17, 19; 9:17; 10:38; 11:16, 24; 13:9, 52; 19:2, 2. Romans 5:5; 9:1; 14:17; 15:13, 16. 1st Corinthians 2:13*; 6:19h.p.; 12:-3. 2nd Corinthians 6:6. 1st Thessalonians 1:5, 6. 2nd Timothy 1:14. Titus 3:5. Hebrews 2:4; 6:4. 1st Peter 1:12. 2nd Peter 1:21. Jude 20.
   

NOTES


   1 Luke 2:40; 9:55. Acts 18:5. Romans 8:1. 1st Corinthians 6:20. Ephesians 5:9. 1st Timothy 4:12. 1st Peter 1:22. 1 John 5:7.

   2 Acts 4:25. Philippians 4:23. Revelation 22:6.

   3 The Verb to fill takes three Cases after it. In the Active, the Accusative of the vessel, or whatever is filled; and the Genitive, of what it is filled with. In the Passive, the Dative, of the filler; and the Genitive, of what the vessel is filled with. In Ephesians 5:18 it is the Dative, strengthened by the Preposition (en pneumati), denoting the Holy Spirit Himself as being the one Who fills with other gifts than "wine".


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