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The “Blessed Trinity”—Is It in the Bible?The Watchtower—1987 | June 15
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Is the Holy Spirit a Person?
The fact that the Bible gives no indication of the holy spirit’s having a personal name at least suggests that it may not be a person. You might ask also, ‘Has the holy spirit ever been seen?’ Well, at Jesus’ baptism it was manifested as a dove and at Pentecost as tongues as if of fire. (Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:3, 4) If it is a person, why did it not appear as a person? And if the holy spirit is not a person, what is it? Undoubtedly, it is the active force from God that at Pentecost was ‘poured out’ on the disciples. (Acts 2:17, 18) By this active force, Jehovah performed his acts of creation—“God’s active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) The same active force inspired the writers of the Bible.—2 Timothy 3:16.
One of those inspired writers was the prophet Daniel. In Daniel chapter 7 he describes a wonderful vision Jehovah gave to him: “the Ancient of Days” on his heavenly throne, with a multitude of angels ministering to him. Daniel saw also “someone like a son of man [Jesus],” who was given “rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” (Daniel 7:9, 10, 13, 14) What, though, about the holy spirit? It is not mentioned as a person in this celestial scene.
The final book of the Bible—Revelation—describes other remarkable heavenly visions. The Supreme Being, Jehovah, is depicted there on his throne, and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is with him. But, again, the holy spirit is not mentioned as a distinct person. (Revelation, chapters 4–6) So even the final Bible book does not reveal that there are three persons in one god.
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The “Blessed Trinity”—Is It in the Bible?The Watchtower—1987 | June 15
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As you can check in your own Bible, the apostle Paul in the opening of his letters often used expressions like this: “May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:7) Why did he not mention the holy spirit as a person? Because Paul knew nothing of the “Holy Trinity.” James, Peter, and John used similar phrases in their letters where they likewise do not mention the holy spirit. Why? Because they were not Trinitarians either. The holy spirit is not a person as are God and his Son.
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The “Blessed Trinity”—Is It in the Bible?The Watchtower—1987 | June 15
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[Pictures on page 7]
The holy spirit appeared as a dove and as tongues of fire—never as a person
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