Comments on: Prayer sneak attacks.

By: Ariel

Ariel — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:56:28 +0000

The Holy Spirit is a He, not an it. Just thought I'd point that out.

Segues = love.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:15:09 +0000

I originally thought this said 'prayer snack attack'…I've had that happen, start praying and then I really want some doritos or something…oops!

By: Bubbleskid

Bubbleskid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:21:41 +0000

The concept of you being a horrible mailman is just hilarious!!! Especially going in to use someone's bathroom after a bad sandwich!!!

Although, our mail people are quite good – I wouldn't mind letting them in, if they were in need… in the HALL bathroom, not mine, of course (ew)

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:19:26 +0000

Hey Maria, how about becoming a Messianic Jew?

By: Bubbleskid

Bubbleskid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:15:41 +0000

That is SO hilarious!!!
"HEY! Have you heard about Jesus!"

…promptly bringing them to their knees…

By: Staci

Staci — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:49:43 +0000

I laughed really hard at this. Thanks for the smile!

By: Virgy

Virgy — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:06:27 +0000

Can i just say how hilarious this blog was? I was in a service recently, had my eyes closed, enjoying the worship ministry when BAM! out of the blue the preacher laid his hand on my forehead to pray for me and I was so caught off guard i jumped. I think he thought i had a demon because he prayed extra long and hard for me. I had to do everything in my power not to break out in laughter.

By: EmmyBee

EmmyBee — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:14:43 +0000

I'm glad I finally found you. Please deliver to me, at your earliest convenience, my Publisher's Clearinghouse winning entry, my invitation to Olivia Newton-John's birthday party, and the acceptance letter for publication of my first book, all of which I am quite sure you, personally, misplaced during your infamous, not-nearly-brief-enough tenure as a letter carrier. Yes, I am fully aware that none of these pieces of mail are still relevant after all this time, but at the very least they will give me something upon which to lay my hands in lieu of your scrawny neck while I pray, without segue, for all manner of ills to befall you.

Love your blog, BTW…

By: D.R. Randle

D.R. Randle — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:52:53 +0000

Just a thought, see my comments above after HT's first comment about Jon's use of "it". John the Apostle clearly uses ekeinos, a masculine pronoun to refer to the Holy Spirit on at least two occasions, one in reference to Paracletos, and one with no reference to it, and clearly in the vicinity of pneuma, a neuter noun. This makes a much stronger case than the one you make for Wisdom being feminine.

In Ephesians 1:17, the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of Wisdom. Spirit there is still neuter. Wisdom in describing the Holy Spirit, not naming Him. The same construction is used in James 1:17, describing God as the "Father of lights". There, Father is clearly masculine, but lights is neuter. Were we to apply your reasoning across the board, then the Father must be considered as an "it" as well – something that Scripture NEVER does.

By: D.R. Randle

D.R. Randle — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:43:16 +0000

Jon, as a pastor it did stick out in my mind when you referred to the Holy Spirit as "it", and in all honesty, it to some extent, scarred a great story. I do think you ought to go back and fix that.

For those who has responded to HT, let me just say that Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as "He" in John's Gospel. First, John chose the masculine title for Paraclete (as opposed to paracletia, the feminine form). Additionally, in 15:26, after Jesus clarifies that the Paraclete is the Holy Spirit (though Spirit is a neuter noun) of God, He goes on to use the masculine pronoun "ekeinos" even though it was not necessary (the pronoun is understood in the verb). This serves to emphasize and clarify that the Holy Spirit (though neuter) is masculine (ekeinos). This becomes even more clear in John 16:13, where the subject is the Spirit (again neuter), but ekeinos is used twice alongside of pneuma, clearly for emphasis and overriding the gender of pneuma. Finally, another masculine reflexive pronoun (eautou) is used to show possession (His 'own authority' or 'initiative').

All together, when looking at the Greek, this makes for a solid case for calling the Holy Spirit a "He" and not an "it." Regardless, He is the third Person of the Trinity, and as a Person, in English, we assign gender as a recognition of it.

Regardless, Jon, great story and prayer sneak attacks are something that especially us pastors need to watch out for and avoid doing ourselves. I promise to take your 3 points of advice to heart.