From: Albert Collver, III (Collver@msn.com)
Date: Sun May 26 1996 - 14:52:11 EDT
While it is certainly true that to pneuma and auto are neuter, to translate
the pronoun as "it" depersonalizes the Holy Spirit. Grammatically, the words
are neuter. In Greek there are nouns that have a masculine understanding but
are feminine in form. These words would be translated masculine even though
the pronouns are feminine. So it is with pneuma and auto. While they are
grammatically neuter they refer to the third person of the Trinity and thus
should be translated "he." A person is not an it.
Al Collver
Luther Memorial Chapel
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From: Wes C. Williams
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 1996 10:37 PM
To: b-greek
Subject: Holy Spirit and "it"
"Mr. Timothy T. Dickens" wrote:
>> The question is why are Christians over looking this obvious
FACT (John 14:16-17,26;15:26) and believe John meant "It"
instead when he did not use that pronoun once??? To say the
author did not know the Greek grammar is to say ignore what is <<
I'm not entirely certain I understand the question since John does use the
pronoun "it" in John 14:17:
to pneuma ths alhqeias, ... hoti ouv qewrei auto oude ginwskei
the spirit of the truth, ... because it (the kosmos) neither beholds it nor
knows ...
The greek "auto" is neuter and refers to "to pneuma", also neuter.
Some english translations translate "auto" as "him" in this verse, but should
be "it." Romans 8:16 and 8:26 also use "it" in connection with the holy
spirit.
Interestingly, the KJV translates "auto" as "it" in 8:16 and 26, but "him" in
John 14:17. It should be "it".
So the statement that Christians are overlooking this obvious fact is
unfounded,
if I understand the question/ assertion correctly.
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