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Does The Bible Say The Holy Spirit Is A 3rd Person In A Trinity God?  

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Before we begin exploring the history of the Trinity consider this important point. The Holy Spirit as a “person”, in a Trinity God with the Father and Jesus, was not taught by the Apostles or early true Christian church. It was the Catholic church that created and developed the Trinity doctrine over many centuries. Is it possible that that the Catholic Church got this wrong? We need to know the truth rather than blindly accepting a teaching from a church that has influenced the beliefs of almost every Christian church today! 

Is the Holy Spirit a “person” in the Trinity or not?  The actual Greek word God inspired translated “spirit” 385 times in the Bible is πνεῦμα, (pneûma). It is mentioned 89 times in conjunction with the word “Holy”, ἅγιος (hagios), as in Holy Spirit. The inspired Greek word "pneuma" (πνεῦμα) does not mean a person or anything synonymous with person.  In the ancient Greek language, in which the New Testament was originally written, “pneuma” means “wind, breeze, breath, that which is breathed forth, air in motion". 

In the New Testament, pneuma is often used to describe the Holy Spirit, but it does not equate to a "person" in the sense of an individual being. Instead, it refers more broadly to non-material aspects, such as a life force. The term conveys the idea of a spiritual presence or force that God breathes upon a believer, often associated with God's active presence in a person. This spiritual presence of Gods power in a person plays a crucial role in the lives of believers, offering guidance, wisdom, and spiritual gifts.

If God had intended us to know the Holy Spirit is a “person” in a Trinity God, rather than a spiritual presence or force, He would have inspired one of these Greek words, used in conjunction with the word for Holy, to describe a third person of a Trinity. The Greek word hagios means– HOLY. It would have been added to one of these words to denote personage in a Trinity God.

ἄνθρωπος  (ánthrōpos). -  Person

οὐσία (ousia) – Being

ὄν (on), Entity

ἄτομον (átomon) – Individual

πρόσωπον (prosopon) – Persona

None of these words were used. What was used in every instance was πνεῦμα, "pneuma", wind, breeze, breath, that which is breathed forth, air in motion.

God did NOT inspire any word at any time for spirit with the word “Holy” that implies personage. He inspired a word that means a spiritual presence or force that is breathed upon a person like a breath of wind.  The Holy Spirit is sometimes described in terms that could be seen as symbolic of flowing power or energy, such as wind or breath, which leads to the understanding of the Holy Spirit as a force or power rather than a person. It can be described as a Holy Breath from God.  Just like the invisible wind, the Holy Spirit is often associated with the invisible power of God in a Christian, and the means through which God accomplishes His will. This association with divine power leads us to view the Holy Spirit as a channel of God's Spiritual Energy.

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to using the personal pronoun "he", causing much misunderstanding and confusion. The use of the pronoun "he" implies gender specific personhood of the Holy Spirit, but is in direct conflict with the actual God inspired Greek word for “spirit” in John 14:26, which is "pneuma," and is NEUTER, not masculine. The Greek word translated “he” is ἐκεῖνος (ekeînos), and is defined as “that”, or “thing”, “he”, or “it”. The masculine gender of parakletos is a Greek grammatical feature and does not necessarily imply masculinity or personality of the referent. Parakletos is derived from the Greek words "para" (beside/alongside) and "kalein" (to call). Literally, it means "called to one's side" or "summoned to assist". Parakletos is a verbal adjective in the masculine gender in Greek. The grammatical masculinity of parakletos explains why masculine pronouns are sometimes used in reference to the Holy Spirit in some passages, even though the Greek word for "spirit" (pneuma), when used as Holy Spirit, is neuter. Scholars emphasize that the use of masculine pronouns in these contexts is due to grammatical agreement with parakletos, not an indication of the Spirit's gender or personality. In the New Testament, parakletos is used to refer to BOTH the Holy Spirit (it), and to Jesus Christ (He), in various passages.

Many will argue that the Holy Spirit is a person in the Trinity because it is sometimes spoken of in the masculine gender, such as the word “comforter”, (Greek- παράκλητος, parakletos), and the pronoun “he” referencing this comforter, like in John 14:26 mentioned above.  "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, “he” shall teach you all things….".

The is another reason why the translators used “he” instead of the correct neuter form when referring to the Spirit, (pneuma). Catholic monks translated the New Testament into Latin as part of the Vulgate between AD 383 and 404. By this time the Trinity doctrine was well entrenched in Catholic theology. The Monks, being Catholic, , that there were 3 “persons” in one God. Believing the Holy Spirit to be a person in the Godhead, they naturally used the pronoun “he” when writing about the Holy Spirit, (pneuma) instead of the correct neuter gender “it”. It was just automatic for Catholic translators to use the male pronoun “he” to reference the parakletos. The Paraclete passages use masculine pronouns for the Spirit, (seriously breaking Greek grammar rules), which allowed them to emphasize the Spirit's personhood within the Trinity. The Latin Vulgate became a significant source for further translations into various languages throughout the Middle Ages, all with the same translation gender error.

It's important to note that the erroneous use of masculine pronouns for the Holy Spirit is not uniform across all translations of the Bible, or passages in the Bible, so don’t be confused when you see different pronouns used in other Bibles. Some did get it right!  For example, in some instances, such as Romans 8:16 “The Spirit (pneuma) itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God”, and also Romans 8:26 “but the Spirit (pneuma) itself maketh intercession for us”. In the King James Version, the Holy Spirit is referred to with neuter pronouns like "itself," correctly reflecting the neuter gender of "pneuma" in Greek. Most passages in the Bible where “he” is used in reference to the Spirit, “pneuma”, should be properly translated “iT” or “that”, not “HE”!

Jesus promised to send another comforter, (parakletos again), to His disciples after His departure. (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The term conveys a sense of support, an aid, a helper or something to assist. The ancient Greeks used parakletos to describe a kind of inner voice or conscience that guides and comforts an individual. Does the Bible actually say the Parakletos is a third person of a trinity who is our advocate, our intercessor, the one who speaks for us before the Father as is commonly believed? No!  So, let’s allow the Bible answer the question quite clearly itself rather than depend on erroneous translations by biased men.

1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [Parakletos] with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Who is it? The third person of a Trinity? No! This verse explicitly identifies Jesus Christ as our Parakletos (translated as "advocate" in many English versions) before the Father. The role of Jesus as our heavenly Advocate aligns with His ongoing intercessory ministry on behalf of believers. The Word of God itself plainly says that Jesus Christ Himself IS the Parakletos, our advocate, NOT the Holy Spirit. The idea of Jesus Christ, not a third person in a Trinity,  being our Comforter, our Mediator and our Intercessor before God appears throughout the New Testament.

Romans 8:34 “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He (Jesus) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Can it be clearer?  It is Jesus who is there for us, sitting right next to the Father Himself, making intercession for us, advocating for us.  He is the One who stands between us and God, helping us in all our interactions with Him.

Hebrew 9:24 says, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;”

Jesus is as our Advocate, our Lawyer as it were; the One who speaks for us. Please understand this truth, that the foundation for our understanding parakletos is that Jesus Christ is OUR Parakletos

Additionally, in John 14:16 Jesus promises to send "another parakletos", another comforter, to His disciples: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (This should be correctly translated, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that it may abide with you forever.”)  Jesus tells His disciples that He will send them another Parakletos. “Another” is the Greek word “allos”, meaning “another of the same kind.” So, when He says that He is going to send another spiritual comforter, He means another spirit just like Himself. It’s His own Spirit He is sending to them!  He would no longer be with them physically in the flesh, but then in Spirit. The use of "another" implies that Jesus Himself had been functioning physically as the disciples' first Parakletos during His earthly ministry. Now He would send His own Spirit, another Parakletos, to continue and expand His role of spiritual helper for believers.

The Bible plainly says in 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit...”  Jesus is the Spirit making intercession for us and advocating for us, and comforting us, not some third person in a Trinity.

John 14:17-18 says, "The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”

(This should be correctly translated, "The Spirit of truth which the world cannot receive, because it neither sees it nor knows it; but you know it, for it dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”)

The easiest way to understand this is by what Jesus plainly says in verse 18, "I will come to you." When He sends the paraklete to us, He is saying that, "I will come to you and spiritually be with you." And, not only will He be with us, He will be in us.  Jesus Himself, and the Father live in us by HIS Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the essence, the mind, the power of God in us. It is what Jesus could give of Himself to us for our use, for our advantage, living in the flesh, apart from Him physically. Remember that Jesus said that He had to go away in order to give us the Spirit, Him living in us spiritually. And it was to our advantage that He did this, because He could be so much more effective by living His life in each one of us, and not just being physically with us.

Some will point to the "Comma Johanneum" in 1 John 5:7-8 as proof of a Trinity.  The phrase "Comma Johanneum" refers to a specific textual variant in 1 John 5:7-8.  “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”  The KJV translators included these verses despite their absence from ALL early Greek manuscripts of 1 John, and does not appear in ANY Greek manuscripts before the 14th century. This decision was based primarily on its presence in the Textus Receptus, the Greek text used as the basis for the KJV.1 John 5:7-8.  The translators had access to fewer Greek manuscripts than modern scholars do, and the manuscripts they did have access to were generally later texts that included the Comma.  The Comma was not included in Erasmus’ first two editions of his Greek New Testament.  He only added it to his third edition in 1522 AFTER facing pressure from the Catholic Church.  The passage first appeared in Latin manuscripts, likely as an allegorical interpretation, before being translated back into Greek much later. Modern scholars generally view the textual authenticity of the Comma Johanneum as highly questionable.  It is correctly excluded from most modern translations of the Bible because it was not part of the original God inspired text written by the Apostle John!  This absence in early texts significantly undermines its authenticity as part of the original epistle.  The passage provides an explicit Trinitarian formula not found elsewhere in the Bible.

Consider this important fact.  The Trinity doctrine is not explicitly stated in the New Testament. It was slowly developed from the second through fourth century by the Catholic church, influenced by Greek philosophy, particularly Platonic thought, as theologians sought to understand the relationship between Jesus and God as depicted in scriptural texts. There is little debate as to whether the earliest Church Fathers in the first century believed in the Trinity as defined in modern Christianity. They did not! They were not even originally looking for a third person in a trinity.

The development of the concept of the Trinity in Christianity was a gradual process that spanned several centuries and involved significant theological reflection and debate by men influenced by other pagan religious traditions.  Some early Christian writings contain references to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but not in the Trinitarian sense we have today.   Early Catholic Church Fathers like Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Justin Martyr contributed to the development of Trinitarian thought. They emphasized the unity and distinct roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, although their ideas were not fully formed into the doctrine of the Trinity at that time.  In the early church there was significant debate over the nature of Christ and his relationship to God the Father. The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) was a pivotal moment in the development of the Trinity. It declared that Christ was "of one substance with the Father," which was a significant step towards the formalization of the Trinity, although the Holy Spirit's role was not defined even at this time.

In early Christian debates, several main arguments were presented against the doctrine of the Trinity. Some theologians argued that the traditional doctrine of the Trinity was not part of the original Christian teachings and did not exist until centuries after the early New Testament period.  TRUE!  They also pointed out that the New Testament does not explicitly teach the Trinity. TRUE! They argue that the New Testament does not articulate a triune deity or contain Trinitarian statements or speculations about a triune deity in any way. TRUE!  Early Catholic theologians did not clearly assert the doctrine as it is understood today. TRUE!

For example, 1 Corinthians 8:6 is often cited to show a distinction between God the Father and Jesus Christ as Lord, without suggesting a triune unit. “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”  There is absolutely no mention of a 3^rd person of a Trinity here, just the Father and Jesus as one God. No Holy Spirit.

The term "Trinity" is often attributed to Tertullian (155 – 240 AD). There is ongoing debate regarding whether Matthew 28:19 was part of the original Greek manuscript or added later. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". Some scholars, like F.C. Conybeare, have questioned the originality of the Trinitarian formula, suggesting it might have been inserted later, around the time of the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325.   Some early church fathers, particularly Eusebius of Caesarea, are noted for quoting an alternative version of Matthew 28:19.  Eusebius, in several of his writings, often cited the verse as "Go and make disciples of all the nations in my name," rather than using the Trinitarian formula, "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". This alternative phrasing has led to debates about whether Eusebius was quoting from an earlier manuscript. 

How did early Christian theologians interpret the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Early theologians grappled with understanding the relationship, which eventually led to the development of the doctrine of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit's role was less defined in the earliest theological discussions, often seen as God's ACTIVE FORCE or PRESENCE rather than a distinct person.  It was not until later that the Holy Spirit was personified and incorporated into the Trinity.

Some theologians viewed the Trinity as a later development, influenced by Greek philosophy, particularly Platonic thought, rather than a doctrine rooted in the original Christian message and being a purely biblical concept.   The argument suggests that divine threesomes in other religious traditions might have influenced Christian thought. Is it just coincidence that the Catholics happened to create and develop a doctrine that was common among multiple pagan religions at that time in history, that believe in the concept of a triune or trinity-like deity?

Here are some examples.

Hinduism: The concept of the Trimurti in Hinduism is somewhat analogous to the Christian Trinity. It comprises three major deities: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer). These deities represent different aspects of the divine and are seen as manifestations of the ultimate reality, Brahman.

Buddhism: In Mahayana Buddhism, the Amitabha Triad consists of Amitābha, Avalokiteśvara, and Mahāsthāmaprāpta. This triad represents a grouping of significant figures in the Buddhist tradition.

Taoism: The Three Pure Ones are the highest deities in Taoism, representing different aspects of the divine and cosmic order.

Ancient Egyptian Religion: The Egyptian Trinity consisted of Amun, Re, and Ptah, representing different aspects of divinity. This formulation bears some resemblance to later Christian Trinitarian concepts.

Babylonian Religion: The Babylonians recognized a trinity of gods, often represented by a composite god with three heads, symbolizing a unity in trinity.

Zoroastrianism: The Ahuric Triad includes Ahura Mazda, Mithra, and Apam Napat, with a similar grouping in Achaemenid times of Mazda, Mithra, and Anahita.

Greek Religion: In ancient Greece, the concept of trinity was reflected in the grouping of Zeus, Poseidon, and Adonis, among others.  Some historians, like Adolf von Harnack, argued that the doctrine of the Trinity was strongly influenced not just by Zeus, Poseidon, and Adonis, but by other  Greek philosophical concepts as well.

Is the Holy Spirit ever mentioned as a person, or being God, in the Old Testament?  No, it does not explicitly personify the Holy Spirit as a distinct person. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit is often depicted as God's spirit, power, or presence, involved in various activities such as creation, empowerment, and prophecy. The Holy Spirit is often associated with the power of God, as seen in various scriptural references. This power is manifested to fulfill God's will.

For example, the Holy Spirit's power was evident during the creation of the world and in the miraculous works of God.  The Spirit is described as participating in creation (Genesis 1:2) and giving life to humanity and other creatures (Psalm 104:29-30). The Spirit came upon certain individuals, such as judges, warriors, and prophets, to empower them for specific tasks. Examples include Joshua (Numbers 27:18), Gideon (Judges 6:34), and David (1 Samuel 16:13). The Spirit played a significant role in prophecy, as seen in the experiences of prophets like Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:2) and David (2 Samuel 23:2). The Spirit also inspired holiness and was involved in the process of regeneration, as suggested by passages like Ezekiel 36:26-27, which promise a future indwelling of the Spirit that would lead people to follow God's statutes.

In Genesis 1:2, it is stated that "the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters".  Some people believe this indicates a third “person” of a Trinity was there and did the creating. Genesis 1:2 simply states that God’s creative force and power was over the waters, that God was ready to begin creating, but who actually did the creating?  The Holy Spirit? Not according to what is plainly written in God’s Word!

In John 1:1 the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”  This verse introduces the "Word" (Greek: Logos), which is identified as Jesus Christ in John 1:14. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" 

So, according to what the Bible actually says, it was the creative power of the “Word”, Jesus’ spirit, that was hovering over the waters as He prepared to create “All things”.  The Bible plainly says “All things were made” by Jesus.  There no mention here, or anywhere in the Bible of a third person of a Trinity creating anything in the beginning.

The argument can be made that the Holy Spirit is not mentioned in certain descriptions of the Godhead in the Bible, which can be evidence that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct person. For instance, in descriptions of the throne of God, the Holy Spirit is not explicitly mentioned alongside the Father and the Son, leading us to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a person.  In the Book of Revelation for example, Jesus and the Father are mentioned together in several contexts, highlighting their distinct roles and relationship, but not a separate person of a Trinity.

Revelation 22:1 describes a vision seen by John, where an angel shows him a river of the water of life. This river is as clear as crystal and flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” There is no mention of a third person of a Trinity.

Revelation 22:3 speaks of "the throne of God and of the Lamb," indicating a shared authority. “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”  There is no mention of a third person of a Trinity.

In Revelation 3:21 Jesus speaks of sitting with His Father on His throne: "To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne".  This passage indicates that Jesus shares the throne with the Father but there is absolutely no mention of a third person of a Trinity, a Holy Spirit, being there as well.

Many people believe a third person of a Trinity is mentioned in Revelation and is referred to as "the seven Spirits which are before His throne" in Revelation 1:4. This is incorrect.  Revelation 5:6 clearly shows the seven spirits are the seven eyes OF THE LAMB, not a third person of a Trinity.  It says, “in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” The seven spirits are not a third person of a Trinity, but the eyes which are the seven spirits of JESUS.

So, the early church fathers did not believe or assert the Trinity doctrine, with no mention of it in Christian writings during the first three centuries. It did not exist until after the New Testament period when it was inserted later, possibly around the time of the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325.  The Holy Spirit's role was not fully defined in the earliest theological discussions and had not yet fully formed into the doctrine of the 3 in 1 God Trinity concept.  It was not until later that the Holy Spirit was personified and incorporated into the Trinity.  The doctrine was not rooted in the Bible or the original Christian message, but developed through a gradual process by the Catholic church, inspired by pagan religions, and was not part of the Apostles teachings. The Holy Spirit's role was seen as God's ACTIVE FORCE or PRESENCE rather than a distinct person.  Jesus Christ, the Word, IS our Parakletos, who is our intercessor and advocate with the Father. Masculine pronouns for “Spirit” were due to Greek grammatical agreement with parakletos, not an indication of the Spirit's gender. The Greek word "pneuma," is NEUTER, not masculine and should never be translated “he”.  The Catholic translators broke Greek grammar rules because they had a religious bias. They used the pronoun “he” because they already believed the Trinity doctrine. Overall, the doctrine of the Trinity developed through a complex interplay of scriptural interpretation, philosophical and religious influence, and theological debate.

So, to answer the original question, “Is it possible that that the Catholic Church got this wrong?”  The answer would be YES! The Trinity doctrine is a false teaching contrary to what the Bible actually says in the original, God inspired Greek text!

Many of the false teachings that are commonly accepted by almost all Christian churches today came out of the doctrines developed and taught by the early Catholic church fathers. You can find the proof of more of them on this site.

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