In their book Reasoning From the Scriptures, 1989, pp 406,407, the Watchtower address the personhood of the Holy Spirit:
'Some individual texts that refer to the holy spirit (“Holy Ghost,” KJ) might seem to indicate personality. For example, the holy spirit is referred to as a helper (Greek, pa·raʹkle·tos; “Comforter,” KJ; “Advocate,” JB, NE) that ‘teaches,’ ‘bears witness,’ ‘speaks’ and ‘hears.’ (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13) But other texts say that people were “filled” with holy spirit, that some were ‘baptized’ with it or “anointed” with it. (Luke 1:41; Matt. 3:11; Acts 10:38) These latter references to holy spirit definitely do not fit a person. To understand what the Bible as a whole teaches, all these texts must be considered. What is the reasonable conclusion? That the first texts cited here employ a figure of speech personifying God’s holy spirit, his active force, as the Bible also personifies wisdom, sin, death, water, and blood. (See also pages 380, 381, under the heading “Spirit.”)
'The Holy Scriptures tell us the personal name of the Father—Jehovah. They inform us that the Son is Jesus Christ. But nowhere in the Scriptures is a personal name applied to the holy spirit.
'Acts 7:55, 56 reports that Stephen was given a vision of heaven in which he saw “Jesus standing at God’s right hand.” But he made no mention of seeing the holy spirit. (See also Revelation 7:10; 22:1, 3.)'
How strong are these arguments?
The Spirit doesn't have a personal name?
Stephen didn't see the Spirit alongside the Father and the Son?
You can't be baptised with a person?
Is Scripture using a personification of an abstract, an active force?
What is fascinating here is they give two sets of evidence then choose one over the other without actually explaining their choice.
'Some individual texts that refer to the holy spirit (“Holy Ghost,” KJ) might seem to indicate personality. For example, the holy spirit is referred to as a helper (Greek, pa·raʹkle·tos; “Comforter,” KJ; “Advocate,” JB, NE) that ‘teaches,’ ‘bears witness,’ ‘speaks’ and ‘hears.’ (John 14:16, 17, 26; 15:26; 16:13)’
But other texts say that people were “filled” with holy spirit, that some were ‘baptized’ with it or “anointed” with it. (Luke 1:41; Matt. 3:11; Acts 10:38) These latter references to holy spirit definitely do not fit a person.’
Why can the person of the Holy Spirit not fill someone? Why can’t someone be baptised and anointed in the Holy Spirit? Because Jehovah’s Witnesses, surely among the most poorly educated Bible ‘scholars’ in the world, simply deny the supernatural.
Indeed, I have searched and can find only a steady and solid refutation of the supernatural and the miraculous in JW literature. Look up ‘modern miracles’ in the Reasoning book (pp 156-161) and there is a litany of prevarications and flat out denials. Jehovah himself, it seems, is bound to the ‘let’s be sensible’ of the Watch Tower.
Parakletos
They point out the Holy Spirit is a parakletos, a helper. They fail to exegete the whole text in John 14, where Jesus promises his followers ‘another Helper.’ Another translates the Greek allos, Latin allus, meaning one besides what has been mentioned. You find many examples of this use in the New Testament, 157 in total. Here are three:
‘...if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.’ Mt.5:39
‘He told them another parable…’ Mt.13:14, 31, 33
‘Now some cried out one thing, some another…’ Acts 19:32; 21:34
Right cheek, another cheek besides what has been mentioned.
One parable, another parable besides what has been mentioned.
One thing cried out, another thing cried out besides what has been cried out.
One comforter, another comforter besides what has been mentioned.
John writes in his first letter, ‘My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’ 1 John 2:1
‘Advocate’ in this passage translates parakletos. So, what is the parakletos of which the Holy Spirit is ‘another’ (allos)? Look at the John 14 text – in context.
Jesus begins by speaking of his departure ‘to prepare a place for you’ (v2) telling them, ‘Let not your hearts be troubled.’ (v1). Jesus is returning to the Father and charges them, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforter (parakletos), even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.’ (vv15-17)
Jesus is the parakletos who is going back to the Father, the Spirit is the parakletos who is being sent by the Father, the ‘other’ besides the first, another of the same kind. Remember:
Right cheek, another cheek besides what has been mentioned.
One parable, another parable besides what has been mentioned.
One thing cried out, another thing cried out besides what has been cried out.
One comforter, another comforter besides what has been mentioned.
Can this comforter indwell us? Well, if we are comparing one parakletos with another of the same kind, one might profit by looking at Romans 6.
‘Do
you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by
baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of
life.’ Romans 6:3,4
If we can be baptised into Jesus, the first comforter, baptised into his death no less, surely we can be indwelt by the Spirit, the second comforter. Can you see where this gets us if we embrace the world of the supernatural? Can you see the peril of rejecting that world and simply bending Scripture to our finite minds?
The mind of a Jehovah’s Witness is as far from truth as anyone you run into on the street, and with a Bible in their hands no less. It is our privilege to patiently take them through a biblical explanation of the incredible supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and invite them to know that work for themselves.
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