📖 Biblical Definition
Greek pneuma, spirit / breath / wind, the principal NT term for spirit. The semantic range is broad: pneuma covers (1) the wind of weather (John 3:8, the wind bloweth where it listeth, the Lord Jesus's wordplay teaching Nicodemus about Spirit-birth); (2) the human spirit (Romans 8:16, the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit); (3) the angelic-spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14, ministering spirits); (4) the unclean or demonic spirits (Mark 1:23-27); (5) supremely, the Holy Spirit (to Pneuma to Hagion), the third Person of the Trinity. The NT doctrine of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology) is rich and extensive: the Spirit hovered over the waters of creation (Genesis 1:2, Hebrew ruach); came upon prophets, kings, and craftsmen in the OT; descended on the Lord Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16); was poured out at Pentecost on the apostolic church (Acts 2); regenerates the elect (John 3:3-8); indwells the believer (Romans 8:9); produces the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); intercedes for the saints (Romans 8:26); seals the believer for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30); equips the church with gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11); applies the work of Christ to the elect. The Reformed-confessional doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Westminster Confession II; Larger Catechism Q. 9-11 on the Trinity; Owen's massive Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit) articulates the substantive NT teaching against both unitarian denial of His Person and modern charismatic distortion of His work.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Greek pneuma (G4151), spirit / breath / wind; supremely the Holy Spirit (to Pneuma to Hagion), third Person of the Trinity; regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, seals, equips the church.
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PNEUMA, Greek noun (G4151; spirit, breath, wind) Principal NT term for spirit. Semantic range: (1) wind (John 3:8); (2) human spirit (Romans 8:16); (3) angelic spirits (Hebrews 1:14); (4) demonic spirits (Mark 1:23-27); (5) supremely, the Holy Spirit (to Pneuma to Hagion), third Person of the Trinity. NT pneumatology: Spirit hovered over creation; came on prophets, kings, craftsmen in OT (Hebrew ruach); descended on Christ at His baptism; poured out at Pentecost; regenerates the elect (John 3:3-8); indwells the believer (Romans 8:9); produces fruit (Galatians 5:22-23); intercedes (Romans 8:26); seals (Ephesians 4:30); equips with gifts (1 Corinthians 12). Reformed-confessional doctrine: Westminster II; Owen's Discourse Concerning the Holy Spirit.
📖 Key Scripture
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."
Romans 8:9 — "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Galatians 5:22-23 — "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Acts 2:1-4 — "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Unitarian denial of the Spirit's personality and modern charismatic distortions of His work are the two principal contemporary errors; Reformed-confessional doctrine retains the NT substance.
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The two principal contemporary errors in the doctrine of the Holy Spirit are opposite. The unitarian denial of the Spirit's distinct personality (Socinians, Unitarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, theological liberalism in various forms) treats pneuma as merely God's active power rather than as the third Person of the Trinity. The modern charismatic distortion treats the Spirit's work as primarily ecstatic-experiential and the gifts as ongoing apostolic-era miraculous signs (cessationism vs. continuationism remains a Reformed in-house dispute, but the more extreme charismatic excesses cross into doctrinal corruption). The Reformed-confessional response retains the NT substance: the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, co-equal, co-eternal, co-essential with the Father and the Son; His work applies Christ's redemption to the elect through ordinary means of grace; the extraordinary gifts characterized the apostolic foundation-laying era and are not the ordinary continuing pattern.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
G4151; from pneo, to breathe; NT principal term for Spirit; supremely the third Person of the Trinity.
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['Greek', 'G4151', 'pneuma', 'spirit, breath, wind']
['Greek', 'G4154', 'pneo', 'to breathe, blow']
['Hebrew', 'H7307', 'ruach', 'spirit, breath, wind (OT equivalent)']
Usage
"Pneuma: spirit; supremely the Holy Spirit, third Person of the Trinity."
"Regenerates, indwells, sanctifies, seals, equips with gifts."
"Reformed-confessional doctrine retains the NT substance against both unitarian and excess-charismatic distortions."