| by James Steinle (Swanville, Minnesota) |
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| Someone wants to know about the Holy Ghost. What is the name of the Holy Ghost? Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: My understanding at this time is that there is no name for the Holy Ghost or the set-a-part spirit. My understanding is that the spirit of the Heavenly Father could be likened to the electricity that flows through a power line. “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of Yehovah [the LORD] unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Yehovah of armies [the LORD of hosts].” (Zechariah 4:6) We will notice that greetings from the apostles never included greetings from the holy spirit. For example, in 1 Corinthians 1:3 Paul says “Grace be unto you, and peace, from Elohim [God; and singular in this sense] our Father, and from the Lord Yayshua Messiah.” (no greeting from the Holy Spirit). For many other similar examples from Paul see 1 Cor. 1:9; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 6:23; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:2; Philemon 1:3. The apostle James also gives like greetings in James 1:1. Peter also in 1 Peter 1:1. Jude the half-brother of Yayshua gives a similar greeting in Jude 1:1. Who is our fellowship with? The apostle John gives this answer, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Yayshua Messiah. (1 John 1:3) Notice, it does not say any fellowship with the Holy Spirit. What about 1 John 5:7-8 someone might ask? These two verses are often mentioned as “The Johannine Comma”, most scholars understand the words that show a trinity of Beings were added as margin notes in the medieval days and became incorporated in some later Bible versions. See for example: http://www.bible-researcher.com/comma.html. Verse 7 & 8 could be more properly rendered as, “For there are three that bear record, the spirit, the water and the blood; and these three agree in one.” The Father gave His spirit to our Savior Yayshua (Matthew 3:13-17). Water and blood were spilled by Yayshua (John 19:34-37). The KJV of Matthew 28:19 has, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” It is my personal belief this verse has been toyed with the same as 1 John 5:7-8. I believe it should read per indications from other Scriptures, “18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in My name; 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” As mentioned, the other Scriptures that correlates with Matthew 28:19 is Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:47-49, John 14:13 (“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”) and John 15:16 (“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”) What is interesting, and I believe supports my understanding regarding Matthew 28:19, is in Acts when people were recorded as being baptized in Yayshua’s name only. See Acts 2:37-38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5. Also see 1 Corinthians 6:11 and Galatians 3:27 (“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”). |
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