Vol. 1 No.

1-2
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One ol the most, il not ),- most, controversial teachings ol
the Branch is its position on oivine plurality. Much can ano will
be saio on this subject in later publications, but lor now, we'll be
aooressing just one aspect. Iirst though, let us brieny oenne
what we're talking about.
The vast majority ol purporteo Bible believers holo to
the ooctrine or beliel that there is only one Goo.
1
While the
three monotheistic laiths ,Juoaism, Christianity, ano Islam, oiller
in their unoerstanoings ol Deity, they all agree, with slight
variations, on this one point. Conversely, Branch Davioians, lor
reasons too multituoinous to oelineate in this paper, embrace the
ioea ol multiple Goos. What's more, is that they give creoence to
the Bible as the source ol this beliel.
Within the lramework ol monotheism, there are a number
ol theological constructs which allow lor some lorm ol oivine
plurality. Most noteo among these is trinitarianism, but also to
be incluoeo are binitarianism ano emanationism,
2
among others.
All these, though aomitting to various lorms ol plurality, are still
1 F%+*01 !'-0(2&" 3(2)(*"&08G 1-+= Monotheism
2 An example ol emanationism is the contemporary Kabbalistic view ol
Ein Sol ,!"# $%&, ano the ten Sephirot ,'"(%)#,. The ioea is that Ein Sol
is the one unoennable, incomprehensible Goo, ano the ten Sephirot are
oivine emanations which proceeo lrom Ein Sol into the worlo, allowing
its inhabitants to relate to the oivine.
1 DF May 30, 2013
connneo within the limitations ol monotheism. We say limit-
ations because the aoherent to monotheism is compelleo to
view the various persons, or aspects, within their plurality as still
constituting only one being. Branch theology, on the other hano,
takes liberty in recognizing the oivine persons as separate beings,
ano thus separate ano oistinct Goos.
One ol the most lrequently pointeo to evioences in
support ol this 1(/)("2) plurality is the Hebrew woro Elohim
,*%+,-./&,. This woro, commonly translateo Goo, is inoeeo
plural.
3
Though the plurality ol the woro is acknowleogeo by all,
the more eoucateo ol monotheists, in response to the woro's use
as evioence lor oistinct plurality, will oller this sort ol reply:
Well my lrieno, il only you knew Hebrew, you woulo know that
while the woro Elohim ,*%+,-./&, is grammatically plural, it is
really only a 'plurality ol majesty'
!
ano thus, when in relerence to
the Goo ol Israel, is to be unoerstooo only as a singular.
In justincation ol this reasoning, the monotheist may
point to a number ol passages in which the woro Elohim
,*%+,-./&, occurs with its corresponoent verbs, pronouns, ano
mooiners all being singular. A common example ol this is louno
in Genesis 1:1
In the beginning Goo createo
the heavens ano the earth.
'%0123&4567 &895:7 *%+,-./& ';<&
=>?@:&:- ';<&A" *B%0CD15E3C-

The woro here translateo createo is bara ,&896:7,, ano in

this lorm, it literally means ,-H20-&)-1. This oissonance ol a
plural noun with a singular verb is known as subject-verb
3 Elohim ,*%+,-./&, is baseo oll the root woro El ,F&,, meaning Goo
,singular masculine,, with the plural masculine enoing im ,*%,. The
letter hey ,-, is aooeo to El ,F&, to lorm the woro ElahEloah , -F& &
-"F,, which is the leminine lorm ol El ,F&,. In summation, Elohim
,*%+,-./&, is both masculine ano leminine as well as plural.
! 5670&6()8 *+ D&I-/)8 is the use ol plural pronouns in relerence to a single
inoivioual holoing high olnce, lor example: ),- 0*8&6 J@-=K
Throughout this article we will be using blue lont to ioentily the subject
ano yellow high-lighting lor verbs etc.
DF May 30, 2013 2
oisagreement, ano it is our aim in the remainoer ol this article
to examine how this works in the Hebrew language as well as
what the theological implications are as a result ol the nnoings
ol this stuoy.
901.$ 977#$$.,7.: (; !"#$%" <(#,: 4/01
=/,-#"%$ >.$3:? !$(,(#,:? %,) @()/A.$:
In oroer to better unoerstano how singular verbs,
pronouns, ano mooiners allect plural nouns we will neeo to look
at some more occurrences ol this sort ol linguistic oisagreement
in the Hebrew Bible. Let us keep in mino that we are examining
the truth-value ol the monotheist claim that a singular
corresponoent to a plural noun makes that noun act as though it
were singular.
Genesis 1:1!
Ano Goo saio, Let there be
lights in the nrmament ol the
heaven to oivioe the oay lrom
the night, ano let them be lor
signs, ano lor seasons, ano lor
oays, ano years:
*%G,-./& (HD&85I%J" %K,-A% L'MI&6D
$%;5<7 F%N5O67C-6F *B%PCD15E3C- CQ%8RS5,7
L'I'I&6F TK%:-A" -:FA%+5:FC- $%8<7T *U0VC-
=*%@BW1E3A" *%0,DX%6FT *%POYQU8D6FT
In this instance, the woro translateo let there be is y'hi
,%-%, ano literally means ,-H@(66H.-2*'- or ,-H@(66H-%(/),
o
the ,-
being in relerence to the lights. To translate the phrase ultra-
literally in English syntax, it woulo reao, Ano Goos, he saio,
'lights, he will exist,' the nrst ,- in relerence to Goos, ano the
secono ,- in relerence to lights.
Question: Is the woro lights in this passage to be
unoerstooo as being plural only insolar as its grammatical woro
o The author ol this passage coulo have useo the Hebrew woro y'hiu ,"%-%,,
meaning ),-8H@(66H.-2*'-.
3 DF May 30, 2013
lorm, or is it to be unoerstooo as being a real plural,
7
regaroless
ol the corresponoent singular pronoun? The immeoiate context
will give us the answer:
Genesis 1:1!-1o
Ano Goo saio, Let there be
6(;,)/ in the nrmament ol the
heaven to oivioe the oay lrom
the night, ano let them be lor
signs, ano lor seasons, ano lor
oays, ano years:
Ano let them be lor 6(;,)/ in the
nrmament ol the heaven to give
light upon the earth: ano it was
so.
Ano Goo maoe )@* ;0-&) 6(;,)/,
the greater light to rule the oay,
ano the lesser light to rule the
night: he maoe ),- /)&0/ &6/*.
The passage is quite clear that the lights being relerreo to
are the sun, moon, ano stars. Evioently then, the singular
pronoun ,- oio not inoicate that the plural noun ,lights, was to
act as a singular. Nor was there any intimation ol a L670&6()8 *+
'&I-/)8, but rather, the text leaves no room to ooubt that there is
more than one oistinct light in relerence. So we can see that the
monotheistic assumption that a singular corresponoent to a
plural noun makes that noun act as though it were singular is
inconsistent with this passage, ano as we shall see, with many
others. Moreover, woulo it not be equally lair to assume that a
7 The phrase real plural in this article is in relerence to nouns that
oescribe more than one oistinct item. This is in contrast to the phrases
grammatical plural ano true plural. A grammatical plural is a woro
that is plural by its grammatical woro lorm. A true plural is a woro
which itsell, along with its corresponoent verbs, pronouns, ano mooiners,
is plural.
DF May 30, 2013 !
plural noun with singular corresponoents makes those
corresponoents act as il they were plurals?
Il one holos that the Elohim ,*%+,-./&, ol Gen. 1:1,1!
relers to only one Goo because ol the singular pronouns, must
not that one also holo that the lights ol Gen. 1:1! relers only
to one light because ol its singular pronoun? Similarly, il one
aomits that the singular pronoun in relerence to the lights ooes
not suggest only one light, then that one must also aomit that the
singular pronouns in relerence to Elohim ,*%+,-./&, oo not
suggest only one Goo.
Now we shall consioer a number ol other examples ol
plural nouns with singular verbs, pronouns, ano mooiners.
These examples lollow the same lormat as the nrst with the
aooition ol a literal English translation ol the most relevant part
ol the passage below each example:
Genesis 3:11
Ano Goo saio unto him, I am
Goo Almighty: be lruitlul ano
multiply, a nation ano a
company ol nations shall be ol
thee, ano kings shall come out
ol thy loins,
L%5Z1[3 FK<& %\BWY& *%],-./& \UF ^(HD&5I%J"
F;C-_T %U`a -P<7ST -8456) *0B%Ua -8b%6-B%
=T&@<cd% e%;Hc:FYf<D *%0,g:F6DT 5e+5HD,D
a nation ano a company ol nations, he-will-exist ol you
8
Exoous 10:2!
Ano Fharaoh calleo unto
Moses, ano saio, Go ye, serve
the LORD, only let your nocks
ano your heros be stayeo: let
your little ones also go with you.
L(HD&\5I%J" -G1h3IDiFH& -]IQSC) &\9_5B%J"
*;HgAW&Ic j`k -PX"-A%i'H& T8l67,Q LTg6F
i*@5Cm m+5:cn% *0HgSo67T *0Hg56)Cp q;<Fd%
=*@Hg5:D,Q
your chiloren, he-will-walk with you
8 Scholars recognize that the ,- in this example is syntactically in relerence
to the nations. See M-/-"(7/N O-.0-@ M0&''&0 ,1!.
DF May 30, 2013
Exoous 1!:10
Ano when Fharaoh orew nigh,
the chiloren ol Israel lilteo up
their eyes, ano, beholo, the
Egyptians marcheo alter them,
ano they were sore alraio: ano
the chiloren ol Israel crieo out
unto the LORD.
i%@dW67 ^T&rs35B%J" 7%+t_,- -0IQSC)T
-;5dW,-A" *]H-%dW%<Qi'H& F\<&9rs3B%
*B%8k6c,D u CQ8<#IW LT&S%@5B%J" *GH-%4YfC&
iFH& F0<&9rs3B%i%@dW67 T;jYQ6c5B%J" lPI&6D
=-@X"-A%
Egyptians, he-marcheo
Exoous 20:18
Ano all the people saw the
thunoerings, ano the lightnings,
ano the noise ol the trumpet,
ano the mountain smoking: ano
when the people saw it, they
removeo, ano stooo alar oll.
'].UvC-i'H& *%\,&M ^*:Q:-iF:gA"
(P:)15I3C- FU8j L'<&A" *GO%5,)5CFC-i'H&A"
$+1w3:Q (0:-:-i'H&A" &SK5J%J" L*:Q:- TQPnW5X%J"
=j@If9@<D T0l6DCQ@5J%J"
the people, he-will-see
Deuteronomy 1:39
Moreover your little ones, which
ye saio shoulo be a prey, ano
your chiloren, which in that oay
hao no knowleoge between
gooo ano evil, they shall go in
thither, ano unto them will I
give it, ano they shall possess it.
^*Hg56)CpA" x8C7:F *]5h'SCDY& (\1h3Y& -Gb%6-B%
7U8p L*UVC- TKQyX%i&. (\1h3Y& *Hg%dW67zT
*8H-:FA" -5:D+1E3 T&8I7X% -5:D0<- QP9X"
=:-T1@39%B% *0<-A" -5XWPbW5s'H&
your little ones, *+ whom you saio, 'he-will-become a prey'
Joshua 2!:1o
Ano the people answereo ano
saio, lar beit that we shoulo
lorsake the LORD, to serve other
goos,
$CQK5J%J" L*:Q:- (HD&P5I%J" TWP5:F -:F%8,F:f
*%;,-./& l0I7YQCF -+X"-A%i'H& 70IxYQ<D
=*%@t<fY&
ano the people, he-answereo ano he-saio
DF May 30, 2013 o
Joshua 2!:21
Ano the people saio unto
Joshua, Nay, but we will serve
the LORD.
(HD&;5I%J" *0:Q:- %;5,g &N. CQ+1{3U-A%iFH&
=l@I7YQJW -0X"-A%i'H&
Job 12:7
But ask now the beasts, ano
they shall teach thee, Ano the
lowls ol the air, ano they shall
tell thee:
:|+?I'A" 'U8D<-67 &8XWiFC&6} *G:FT&@A"
!U;QA" *B%GCD:~C- lHaJ%A" =q@:Fi
the lowls ol the heavens, ano-he-will-tell you
1 Samuel 13:19
Now there was no smith louno
throughout all the lano ol
Israel: lor the Fhilistines saio,
Lest the Hebrews make ),-'
sworos or spears:
F0Ig6 &P<c:B% &8. L}9:fA"
i%@, F+<&96B% >?8H& (CD:& *%P,6},F6) $H
='%@BWYf U;& 7?0Hf *%Pt67,Q:- T8YQJ%
lor ),- Fhilistines, he-saio
1 Samuel 1!:32
Ano the people new upon the
spoil, ano took sheep, ano oxen,
ano calves, ano slew ),-' on the
grouno: ano the people oio eat
),-' with the blooo.
CQCVJ" L*:Q:- F:F:}iFH&
(0:7 %;dW67T (`:7T $&Ic T\f_,VJ"
iFCQ *0:Q:- FCg&;IVJ" -:cS+:&iTpYf6},VJ"
=*@:C-
ano the people, he-is-ooing to loot
2 Samuel 7:23
Ano what one nation in the
earth (/ like thy people... which
thou reoeemeost to thee lrom
Egypt, +0*' the nations ano
their goos?
E'%KO: (\H}Y& ... Le6CQ6g %K,DT
*B%Pk6c,,D Le6 *0B%Ua "%@:-.&d" =
nations ano his goos
7 DF May 30, 2013
2 Samuel 21:!
Ano the Gibeonites saio unto
him, We will have no silver nor
golo ol Saul, nor ol his house,
8UF T(6D&IVJ" *%GBWIQ67,aC- i$%@<& %,F !H#KH
"PI'%<i*,QA" FT8&:}i*,Q L7:-:xA"
ano the Gibeonites, they-are-saying to him, 'there is none ol
Saul's silver ano golo to-me'
1 Kings 9:9
Ano they shall answer, Because
they lorsook the LORD their
Goo, who brought lorth their
lathers out ol the lano ol
Egypt, ano have taken holo
upon other goos, ano have
worshippeo them, ano serveo
them: therelore hath the LORD
brought upon them all this evil.
]76x:Q (\H}Y& ^FCQ TG(6D:&A" T -8X"-A%i'H&
%<-./& GH- i'H& &%8,cU- (\H}Y& *
E'I7Y& * LTj\,xYfCV@J" *B%k6c,D >?8H&<D
*%Pt<fY& *%8,-.&< TfC6},VJ" *0H-:F
L-X"-A% &%K,7<- $G<iFCQ *+67CQCVJ"
='&@IC- -0:Q9:-iF: ';<& *PH-%<FYQ
because they... ano-he-is-worshiping
1 Kings 22:!8
Jehoshaphat maoe ships ol
Tharshish to go to Ophir lor
golo: but they went not, lor the
ships were broken at Ezion-
geber.
'U\VBW& (::Q p:):}U-A%
70:-:CF -9%`,)U& 'HgHF:F }%],}SC
i%@, q+:F:- &8.A" -966}BW 'U0VBW&
=(H7@:a $U;%6cHQ6
),- ships, she-is-broken
2 Kings 2!:10
At that time the servants ol
Nebuchaonezzar king ol
Babylon came up against
Jerusalem, ano the city was
besiegeo.
&%P,-C- '8<Q: -:F:Q %`67CQ
*,+:F:}T(A% F0H7:iqHF@HD (;C&bWyCg7AW
=(U@c:C (%0,Q:- &;I7:J"
),- servants... he-came-up
DF May 30, 2013 8
Isaiah 2:18
Ano the iools, he shall pass
away completely.
*%0,F%,F/&:-A" F%;,F: !@.YfJ% =
ano the iools, he-shall-pass-away completely
Jeremiah 2:1
The young lions roareo upon
him, &"1 yelleo, ano they maoe
his lano waste: his cities are
ravisheo without inhabitant.
T0Ws'XW *%Pt,)6g T8mY&6}B% L"%:F:Q
-P:C}6F LUcSC& T'%K,}:VJ" *+:FUj "%;9:Q
-E'6BW =7@<}I% %;,F6,D
his cities, she-is-ravisheo
Jeremiah 0:o
My people hath been lost sheep:
Their shepheros have causeo
them to go astray, they have
turneo them away *" the
mountains:
L'Ul67@I& $&KIc -X%:- %P,CQ *8H-%<QM
(KC-<D *%,7<7U} *%0t:- *TPQs',-
=*@:c67t T0f6g:} TgP:F:- L-:Q67,aiFH&
my people, he
9
-became lost
What is notable about each ol these passages is the lact
that regaroless ol the singular verbs, pronouns, ano mooiners,
the meaning ol the text is that there is more than one oistinct
item in relerence, as evioenceo by the plural nouns. One might
ask, Why then use singular verbs, pronouns, ano mooiners at
all? One consistent motil strung throughout all these examples
which may go a ways in answering this question is the ioea ol a
collective unit. That is, in each example, the inoivioual items,
whether persons, ships, lights, or some other, were either acting
9 It is apparent lrom a number ol these examples that the singular
masculine ,- is useo to oesignate groups ol multiple inoiviouals, not all ol
whom are male. In Hebrew, the grammatical genoer corresponos to social
genoer as lollows:
Grammatical Ieminine ~ Specincally Ieminine
Grammatical Masculine ~ Not Specincally Ieminine
Ior more on how genoer works in the Hebrew Language, see the works ol
Davio E.S. Stein ,http:oavioesstein.name,
9 DF May 30, 2013
or being acteo upon as a unit. Another example which amplines
this point is louno in Deuteronomy 28. In that passage, Moses
relers to the chiloren ol Israel in the 2
no
person masculine
singular over two hunoreo times, ano yet, there is no ooubt that
each being was oistinct lrom the others ano that they were not
all male.
10

It shoulo now be evioent that the woro Elohim
,*%+,-./&,, in instances where it is connecteo with singular
corresponoents, is still a real plural. Another important lacet ol
plural Goo-language which must be taken into consioeration is
the occurrences ol true plurals in relerence to Deity.
B$#. !"#$%": * C"(1/D E *%+,-./&F
There are a number ol instances throughout the Hebrew
Bible in which the woro Elohim ,*%+,-./&, occurs as a true plural.
These occurrences coulo be placeo into the two lollowing
categories: ,1, occurrences ol the woro with no corresponoent
verbs, pronouns, or mooiners,
11
ano ,2, occurrences ol the woro
with plural corresponoent verbs, pronouns, ano mooiners.
One example ol the nrst category is the phrase
commonly translateo man ol Goo. Throughout the Masoretic
Text
12
this takes a couple ol lorms, *%+,-./&:- }%8,& ,man ol ),-
Goos, which occurs o! times,
13
ano *%+,-./& }%8,& ,man ol Goos,
10 See Deuteronomy 28:o8. That verse, while still relerring to Israel in 2
no

person masculine singular, specines the auoience to be both male ano
lemale, ano thus oistinct beings.
11 Items in category ,1, must be true plurals since the noun itsell is the only
oetermining lactor.
12 The Masoretic Text ,MT, is the stanoaro lamily ol manuscripts which
compose the Hebrew Bible.
13 Dt 33:1, Jos 1!:o, Jog 13:o, 8, 1 Sa 9:10, 1 Ki 12:22, 13:!, , o, 7, 8, 11,
12, 1!, 21, 2o, 29, 31, 17:18, 20:28, 2 Ki 1:9, 11, 12, 13, !:1o, 21, 22, 2,
27, !0, :8, 1!, 1, 20, o:o, 9, 10, 1, 7:2, 17, 18, 19, 8:2, !, 7, 8, 11,
13:19, 23:1o, 17, Ezr 3:2, Ne 12:2!, 3o, 1 Ch 23:1!, 2 Ch 8:1!, 11:2,
2:9, 30:1o, Fs 90:1, Je 3:!
DF May 30, 2013 10
which occurs o times.
1!
In all seventy occurrences, there are no
corresponoent verbs, pronouns, anoor mooiners lor the woro
ha Elohim ,*%+,-./&:-,, or lor the woro Elohim ,*%+,-./&,.
Here are some examples ol Elohim as a true plural
with plural corresponoents ,2
no
category,:
Genesis 1:2o
Ano Goo saio, Let us make
man in our image...
(HD&8IVJ" *%P,-./& -;HYQ@JW *`:&
TW0<D6FCc6
Ano Goos saio, We-will-make
Genesis 3:22
Ano the LORD Goo saio,
Beholo, the man is become as
one ol us...
-8X"-A% u(HD&8IVJ" *%G,-./& $K<-
L-X%:- L*:&@:- TPH,D l8CfC&6
Goos saio, beholo, the man is become as ol us
Genesis 20:13
Ano it came to pass, when Goo
causeo me to wanoer lrom my
lather`s house, that I saio unto
her, This (/ thy kinoness which
thou shalt shew unto me, at
every place whither we shall
come, say ol me, He (/ my
brother.
(H}Y&C %,-A%J" T8Qs',- %G2'I&
*%,-./& -8Hx P:F (8CDI&X" %,7:& '%8<,D
iF: FKH& %+O:,Q %0,YQC (;H}Y& qP<6#Cf
i%t6D,& -:P:} &U87XW (8H}Y& L*Uj:C-
=&T@- %;,f:& %0,F
Goos, They-causeo- me -to-stray
1
1! 1 Sa 2:27, 9:o, 1 Ki 13:1, 17:2!, 2 Ki 1:10, !:9
1 The lormat ol woros- woro -woros is to illustrate that the woro in the
mioole is a separate woro lrom the woro on either sioe ol it. In this
example the Hebrew woro ,T8Qs',-, means they-causeo-to-stray ano
the woro ,%G2'I&, means me. It is written in this lormat to keep with
English syntax.
11 DF May 30, 2013
Genesis 3:7
Ano he built there an altar, ano
calleo the place El-beth-el:
because there Goo appeareo
unto him, when he neo lrom
the lace ol his brother.
L&9_,VJ" CfP<6x,D L*:} $H7K,VJ"
*G:} %8, F+<&i'%@< F0<& *UPj:CF TKF6mBW
L"%:F<& *%P,-./&@:- %;dW6,D "0IfS:76
="%@,f:&
the Goos, They-appeareo to him
Deuteronomy :2o
Ior who (/ ),-0- *+ all nesh, that
hath hearo the voice ol the
living Goo speaking out ol the
miost ol the nre, as we ,&4-, ano
liveo?
(8H}Y& (::iF:g %8,D %8,
^FUj Q8CD:} *%\,-./& *%],VCf (<Z6D
=%,f@HVJ" TW0ID: }`<&:-iqU,D
),-
PQ
Goos, ),- living-Ones
Joshua 2!:19
Ano Joshua saio unto the
people, Ye cannot serve the
LORD: lor he (/ an holy Goo, he
(/ a jealous Goo, he will not
lorgive your transgressions nor
your sins.
*G:Q:-iFH& CQ]}U-A% (HD&\IVJ"
i%@, -PX"-A%i'H& l8I7YQCF LTF6gT@' &K.
*%;,-./& *%0,}_ &U8oiF@<& &T+-
*0HgYQ6},)6F &;:B%i&@. &TP-
=*@Hg%w'"&ICf6FT
),- Goos, ),- Holy-Ones
1 Samuel 17:2o
...lor who (/ this uncircumciseo
Fhilistine, that he shoulo oely
the armies ol the living Goo?
LF4:Q@H- %K,6},F6C- %G,D %8,
'U0gSCQCD !P4<f %8, -PHC- *%;,-./&
*%@,VCf =
),- Goos, ),- living-Ones
1o In the the literal translation below each example, italics oenotes woros
supplieo lor syntactical purposes.
DF May 30, 2013 12
1 Samuel 17:3o
Thy servant slew both the lion
ano the bear: ano this
uncircumciseo Fhilistine shall
be as one ol them, seeing he
hath oeneo the armies ol the
living Goo.
-8:,- 7U0C-i*Ca %`tY&:-i'@H& *Ca
FK4:QH- %\,6},F6C- -X%:-z@A" e+H67CQ
!P4<f %8, *PH-<D l8CfC&6 L-HC-
'0IgSCQCD *%;,-./& *%@,VCf =
),- Goos, ),- living-Ones
2 Samuel 7:23
Ano what one nation in the
earth (/ like thy people, -4-" like
Israel, whom Goo went to
reoeem lor a people to himsell,
ano to make him a name, ano
to oo lor you
17
great things ano
terrible...
%U;a FP<&96B%6 Le6CQ6g %K,DT
(8H}Y& >?+:&: l0:fH& T@g6F:- i *%,-.z/&
'U@6),F *G<} 8UF *T:FA" *]:Q6F \UFi
'U\YQCFA" *]Hg:F L'U&9@IWA" -K:Tl6aC-
whom Goos, They-went to They-reoeem
Fsalm 8:11
So that a man shall say, Verily
),-0- (/ a rewaro lor the
righteous: Verily he is a Goo
that juogeth in the earth.
%8t6iqC& *:& (8CD&I%A"
i}d% q;C& j%+,CCF *%G,-./& *%;,p6)I}
=>?@:&:
Goos, Ones-juoging in the earth
Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD (/ the true Goo,
He (/ the living Goo, ano an
everlasting king: At his wrath
the earth shall tremble, Ano the
nations shall not be able to
abioe his inoignation.
'PHD/& L*%,-./& -KX"-%@J"
i&T@- *%;,-./& *%0,VCf *+:FUQ qHF8HDT
TF;,gX%i&@.A" >?P:&:- }8CQS, LU6c,v,D
="@ID6QCx *0B%Um
),- Goos, ),- living-Ones
17 Plural 'you.
13 DF May 30, 2013
Jeremiah 23:3o
Ano the buroen ol the LORD
shall ye mention no more: lor
every man`s woro shall be his
buroen, lor ye have perverteo
the woros ol the living Goo, ol
the LORD ol hosts our Goo.
%8, lU+QiT(66x2' &8. -0X"-A% &;:CDT
"PM:76 }%8,&6F L-b%6-@B% &G:CC-
L%467,i'H& *GH6gC)Y-J" *%8,-./& *%P,VCf
=TW%@<-./& 'U0&:76c -;X"-A%
),- Goos, ),- living-Ones
901.$ B$#. !"#$%": ;($ G./0H
Consioering the examples thus lar, even the strictest
monotheist shoulo be able to see that the woro Elohim
,*%+,-./&,, rather than acting as a singular, is oescriptive ol
multiple oistinct beings, ano that, regaroless ol whether or not
its corresponoents are singular, plural, or absent.
In broaoening our view ol oivine plurality, especially in
the present context, it will ooubtless be ol value to review some
more examples ol true plurals. This time, the passages listeo are
not centereo on any one particular oivine title.
Genesis 11:o-7
Ano the LORD saio, Beholo, the
people (/ one, ano they have all
one language, ano this they
begin to oo: ano now nothing
will be restraineo lrom them,
which they have imagineo to
oo.
Go to, let us go oown, ano there
conlouno their language, that
they may not unoerstano one
another`s speech.
(HD&8IVJ" -GX"-A% Ll:fH& *KCQ $8<-
*8:,fC- -0HxA" *P:g6F L'CfC& -K:):A"
*PH-<D (8<c:B%i&@. L-:CQA" 'U+YQCF
='U@YQ@CF T0D6xX% (;H}Y& F`I
-:7:- -PS@dW *+E':)6 *0:} -;:F67XWA"
';C)6 }%0,& TPQ6D6}B% &8. L(H}Y&
=T-@<Q4
Yahweh saio, ... We-shall-oesceno
DF May 30, 2013 1!
Exoous 33:1!
Ano he saio, My presence shall
go @(), ),--, ano I will give thee
rest.
(+CD&IVJ" %;JW: Tg0<Fd% %2';IfBWY-J"
=q@:F
my-laces, They-will-go
Exoous 33:1
Ano he saio unto him, Il thy
presence go not @(), '-, carry us
not up hence.
$%K<&i*,& "%+:F<& (HD&0IVJ" Le%\bW:
*%P,g6FI- =-@H,D TW0<FYQCiF@C&
your-laces, the Ones- not -going
Job 3:10
But none saith, Where (/ Goo
my maker, Who giveth songs in
the night,
-<VC& (GCD:&i&.@A" CU8F/& %+:IQ $0w'IW
=-:FA%@:C 'U8(,D6x
Goo,
18
Ones-making-ol-memy Makers
Fsalm 1!9:2
Let Israel rejoice in him that
maoe him: Let the chiloren ol
Zion be joylul in their King.
F8<&96B% f8CD6B% "%+:IQ6
=*@:6FCD67 TF%;,mX% $UGV,ci%@dW6
Israel, he-shall-rejoice in-Ones-making-ol-himhis
Makers
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember now thy Creator in
the oays ol thy youth, while the
evil oays come not, nor the
years oraw nigh, when thou
shalt say, I have no pleasure in
them,
i'H& L(Ig6xT e%PH&SU8 e%+h'MTf6 %0<D%,
-P:Q9@:- %8<DA% LT&\I7X%i&. (KH}Y& l8CQ
%;,Fi$%@<& (PCD&I (8H}Y& *%PBW:} TQ%8,a,-A"
=>H)@<f *0H-:7
remember your Creators
18 As explaineo in lootnote 3, Eloah ,CU8F/&, is the leminine lorm ol El ,F&,.
A leminine variation ol the same woro ,Eloah%<-./&, is correctly
translateo goooess in 1 Kings 11:.
1 DF May 30, 2013
Isaiah o:8
Also I hearo the voice ol the
Loro, saying, Whom shall I
seno, ano who will go lor us?
Then saio I, Here &' I, seno
me.
FUKji'H& QCD6}H&X" -;X"-A%
19
(P<DI&
iqHF@d% %8,DT f0CF6}H& %;,Di'H& TW+:F (0CDI&X"
=%BW@<f:F6} %;BWAW,-
Yahweh, saying... who will go lor-us
Isaiah !:
Ior thy Maker (/ thine husbano,
The LORD ol hosts (/ his name,
Ano thy Reoeemer the Holy
One ol Israel, The Goo ol the
whole earth shall he be calleo.
%K, LqB%\CFYQI7 qB%PCIQ 'U0&:76c -;X"-A%
%;<-./& FP<&96B% }U8l_ Lq<FY&@ImA" "+ID6}
=&@4:vB% >?0:&:-iF:g
lor ),- Ones-making-you, ),- Ones-possessing-youyour
Makers, your Fossessors
I(,7"#:/(,8
So, what have we louno? In short, we have learneo that
the prevalent theology ol monotheism has inlormeo our
unoerstanoing ol the text more than the text itsell has inlormeo
our theology. Il we only allow the text to say what it says, ano
allow ourselves to aomit to what it says, we are lelt with the
twololo realization that ,1, the monotheistic position is
untenable, ano ,2, oistinct oivine plurality, though unpopular, is
simply the truth.
The Branch
www.the-branch.org
19 This is one ol the 13! instances the Massorah lists where the name
Yahweh was changeo to aoonai. The Massorah is the set textual
notes maoe by the creators ol the Masoretic text ,the Masoretes,.
DF May 30, 2013 1o
!"#$%" '()*+%,-#%-. /, 01.
2.3$.4 5/3".
!" $%&'("&)(*" *+ ),- .&/(/ +*0 ),- 1*2)0("- *+ 3(4("- 5670&6()8 ("
90&"2, 3&4(1(&" :,-*6*;8
.8 :0-") <= >(61-
***
R'L6(2&)(*"/ <-;&01("; M-"1-0 &"1 S*0L*0-&6()8
6,0$()#70/(,8
It has been previously oemonstrateo
1
in this series ol
articles
2
that the Hebrew woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&, is inoicative, not
ol one being, but rather ol multiple beings. Herein we will
examine lurther implications ol this lact, particularly in relation
to genoer ano corporeality.
3

'.,).$ 6DJ"/7%0/(,:
The woro M*1, as commonly louno in English transla-
tions ol the Hebrew Bible, comes lrom the Hebrew woro $6 ,F&,
ano its various morphological
!
lorms. The lollowing table gives
the basic lorms ol the woro as well as their relevant properties
accompanieo by examples.
1 See article publisheo as 3(4("- 5670&6()8 D&8 TUC VUPT, titleo: 5670&6 M*1W
X&";7&;- (" ),- O-.0-@ 9(.6- - === W 5670&6 ?*7"/ @(), A(";76&0 B-0./C 50*"*7"/C &"1
D*1(E-0/ - http:www.scribo.comooc1!o1o910Flural-Goo-
Language-in-the-Hebrew-Bible-by-Trent-R-Wiloe
2 Series on 3(4("- 5670&6()8C titleo: 3(4("- 5670&6()8 ,DF,.
3 >-./)-0N/ 3(2)(*"&08 oennes 2*0L*0-&6 as consisting ol material substance,
material, physical, tangible.
! >-./)-0N/ 3(2)(*"&08 oennes '*0L,*6*;8 as the branch ol linguistics that
oeals with the internal structure ano lorms ol woros: with syntax, it lorms
a basic oivision ol grammar.
1 DF Oct. 10, 2013
!"#$"%
&'$()
+$,-)./01
"$,0/'-
2
3"-4"$ 56(#"$ 78,(9.")
F& El masc. sing. Gen. 31:13,
Deut. 32:!
*%F& Elim masc. plur. Ex. 1:11, Fs.
29:1
-"F&-F& ElahEloah lem. sing. Deut. 32:1,
17, Job :17
'"-"F& Elohot lem. plur. !Q287 l2:8
*%-F& Elohim lem.
masc.
plur. Gen. 1:1, Ex.
20:!
In lurthering our unoerstanoing ol the inoivioual
meanings ol these lorms, it behooves us to consioer the
particulars ol each ano thus gain a comprehensive perception ol
their relations one to another, as well as the theological
signincance ol the variations. To start, we shall oenne the parent
root:
C" E F&F8
F<& n.m. ,also, in n.pr. FH& , %,F/& , goo, but with
various suboroinate applications to express ioea ol
might, haroly ever in prose exc. with oenning woro
,aoj. or gen.,
o
F<& m. - ,1, prop. Fart. ol the verb FT& , F%,&
No. 2, /)0*";C '(;,)8C & '(;,)8 *"-C & ,-0*
7
>-./)-0N/ 3(2)(*"&08 oennes )0&"/6()-0&)- as to write or spell ,woros, etc., in
the alphabetical characters ol another language that represent the same
souno or sounos.
o :,- !.0(1;-1 90*@"W30(4-0W90(;;/ O-.0-@W$";6(/, X-%(2*" *+ ),- F61 :-/)&'-")G
1-+= F<&
7 M-/-"(7/N O-.0-@ &"1 S,&61-- 6-%(2*" )* ),- F61 :-/)&'-") A20(L)70-/G 1-+. F<&
DF Oct. 10, 2013 2
$6 ,F&, is the masculine singular root, simply meaning:
mighty one, lolty one, ,G,goo, etc. ano particularly signines a
single male goo. Now to unoerstano the sulnxes:
C"/D E*%F&F8
Masculine plural nouns are usually markeo
by the *% -"1(";=
Y
By aooing the (' ,*%, enoing to $6 ,F&,, the woro
becomes inoicative ol multiple male goos rather than just one
,see examples,.
C"%1KC"(%1 E -"F&K-F&F8
9
The most common leminine enoing is the -
enoing.
10
Il, rather than aooing (' ,*%,, one aoos the leminine
enoing ,-8 ,-,, the resultant woro points to a single lemale goo,
or goooess. Here is an example ol an accurate translation ol this
lorm:
1 Kings 11:
Ior Solomon went alter
Ashtoreth the goooess ol the
Zioonians, ano alter Milcom
the abomination ol the
Ammonites.
%84YfC& -PID.6} qHF8<VJ"
'?PI6}CQ 0<-./& %
11
%84YfC&A" *%+BW,c
=*%@BWICQ >0v,} *PI6F,D
8 9-;(""("; 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ L PZG D&/276("- 5670&6 ?*7"/
9 The oillerence in the two spellings here is most likely oue to the lact that
the letter @&@ ,",, which was anciently useo as a vowel, was later replaceo
by the 2,*6-' , I , ol the Masoretic pointing system.
10 9-;(""("; 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ L PYG [-'("("- A(";76&0 ?*7"/
11 The aooitional letter 8*1 ,%, is here useo as a possessive sulnx, translateo
ol in this passage.
3 DF Oct. 10, 2013
C"(1(0 E '"-"F&F8
Ieminine plural nouns are usually markeo by
the 'U -"1(";=
12
To arrive at this lorm, the leminine plural sulnx *) ,'", is
aooeo to the base $6*&, ,-"F&,. This woro literally translates as
;*11-//-/. Though this lorm is not louno in the Hebrew Bible, it
ooes occur in one ol the Qumran
13
scrolls:
!Q287 l2:8
...),- name ol your glorious
goooesses...
... l"7g *3 '& '"-"F& ...
C"(1/D E *%-F&F8
Occurring over two thousano times, this is by lar the
most common lorm ol the woro in the Hebrew Bible.
Notwithstanoing its commonality, the grammatical lorm is
somewhat irregular. The woro is lormeo lrom the leminine
singular base $6&,\$6*&, ,-"F&-F&, with the masculine plural
enoing (' ,*%,. The woro, then, is both plural in number as well
as in genoer ,leminine masculine plural,, ano is inoicative ol
multiple goos, male ano lemale, that is, at least one male ano
one lemale.
In objection to this, one might propouno the ioea that
$6*,(' ,*%-F&, must be male because ol the secono-person
masculine singular he that commonly accompanies it. An
example ol this is
12 9-;(""("; 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ L VUG [-'("("- 5670&6 ?*7"/
13 Qumran is a region on the western shore ol the Deao Sea. Between
19!7-19o a large number ol scrolls were louno in the caves ol Qumran,
these are commonly relerreo to as :,- 3-&1 A-& A20*66/.
DF Oct. 10, 2013 !
Genesis 1:1
IN the beginning Goo createo the
heavens ano the earth.
'%0,}&46 &89: *%+,-./& ';<&
=>?@:&:- ';<&A" *B%0CD:~C-
Goos ,$6*,(',, He-createo
We have alreaoy seen that the singularity ol the pronoun
ooes not alter the plurality ol the subject.
1!
With this in mino we
know that multiple Goos are in view. But now the pertinent
question is, Does the masculinity ol the pronoun 'he' ameno
the leminine-masculine nature ol the subject to being only
masculine, thus making the multiple beings all male? To begin
our oeouction ol the correct answer to this question, we will
examine the usage ol the secono-person masculine singular
aooress in the Hebrew Bible with its relation to social genoer as
our locus.
=.7(,)*!.$:(, @%:7#"/,. =/,-#"%$8
Our nrst example ol this usage is louno in Deuteronomy
28. Within this passage, Moses relers to the chiloren ol Israel in
the secono-person masculine singular over two-hunoreo times.
The last verse is ol particular interest.
Deuteronomy 28:o8
Ano the LORD shall bring thee
into Egypt again with ships, by
the way whereol I spake unto
thee, Thou shalt see it no more
again: ano there ye shall be solo
unto your enemies lor bonomen
ano bonowomen, ano no man
shall buy 8*7.
67%@,}/-@b" \e 'UVBW&: *B%k6c,D u-;X"-A%
6F %@,S8CD:& (8H}Y& Lq?\HC Pe !%;,#I'i&.
*:} *\HSCCDs',-A" +E'I&S,F lU0Q
%`H7A%I&6F e $%;<&A" 'U0f:)6},FA" *%;O:7YQCF
=-@bW
1! See 3(4("- 5670&6()8 D&8 TUC VUPT
DF Oct. 10, 2013
As pointeo out by Davio E. S. Stein,
1
this passage leaves
no question that both men ano women are here aooresseo by
the secono-person masculine singular pronouns.
1o
It can be seen
with clarity that the masculine genoer ol the pronouns in this
passage ooes not nullily the real social genoer ol those relerreo
to by the nouns translateo as bonomen ano bonowomen.
Our next nve examples also oemonstrate that 2 masc.
sing.
17
language is useo in biblical Hebrew, at times, to oenote
multiple persons ol both genoers.
Exoous 20:10
But the seventh oay (/ the sabbath
ol the LORD thy Goo: (" () thou
shalt not oo any work, thou, nor
thy son, nor thy oaughter, thy
manservant, nor thy maioservant,
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that (/ within thy gates:
-8X"-%CF u'80:C} %]P,Q%,76~C- L*U\%A"
%G+H-./& e -]:g&:F6DiF:g -\8HYQ['i&8@.
-8:C& AW,7T u 8@e GH,7zTi e 667CQ \Ke
s'@:DY&J" L]e GPH6DH-67T e S<mA" L0e (8;H}Y&
%P@?:Q6}, e =
Leviticus 10:1!
Ano the wave breast ano heave
shouloer shall ye eat in a clean
place, thou, ano thy sons, ano thy
oaughters with thee: lor ),-8 .- thy
oue, ano thy sons` oue, @,(2, are
given out ol the sacrinces ol
jU8} u'8<&A" -]:)TW6C- -\<xYf ^'<&A"
(UP-:p *U8j:D6 LTF6g&@I -G:DT(6C-
-N:C& %;bW:7T e %0h'IW67T e +:,& q i%@,
_:f Ke %\bW:ij:fA" Le %;<f67,,D TPW6BW
=F@<&96B% %;dW6 %0<D6FC}
15 Davio E. S. Stein has serveo as general eoitor ano revising translator lor
:,- :*0&,] ! D*1-0" S*''-")&08C <-4(/-1 $1()(*" ,200,, revising eoitor ano
translator lor 5&),@&8/ :,0*7;, ),- 9(.6- ,JFS, 2002,, project manager lor
$)^ O&8('] :*0&, &"1 S*''-")&08 ,2001,, ano managing eoitor lor the _5A
O-.0-@W$";6(/, :&"&`, ,1999,. - http:www.jewishpub.orgauthor.php?
io~78
Iurther inlormation concerning genoer in the Hebrew language can be
louno at his personal website: http:oavioesstein.name
1o :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L Y
17 We will be using the lollowing abbreviations: 1-3 ~ grammatical person,
masc.lem. ~ genoer, sing.plur. ~ number.
DF Oct. 10, 2013 o
peace ollerings ol the chiloren ol
Israel.
Numbers 18:11
Ano this (/ thine, the heave
ollering ol their gilt, with all the
wave ollerings ol the chiloren ol
Israel: I have given them unto
thee, ano to thy sons ano to thy
oaughters with thee, by a statute
lor ever: every one that is clean in
thy house shall eat ol it.
6i-HxA" e *GXW:CD '8CDT(6
6F F<&96B% %8dW6 'I)TW6iF:g6F 8e
%bW:76FT *%G,['AW e %`h'IW67,FA" e 6,& 0e
s'%<76 (U;-:piF: *+:FUQij:f6F 0e
=@U'I& F;Cg&I%
Deuteronomy :1!
But the seventh oay (/ the sabbath
ol the LORD thy Goo: (" () thou
shalt not oo any work, thou, nor
thy son, nor thy oaughter, nor thy
manservant, nor thy maioservant,
nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor
any ol thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that (/ within thy gates, that thy
manservant ano thy maioservant
may rest as well as thou.
u'80:C} %P],Q%,76~C- L*U\%A"
%G+H-./& -80X"-%CF e iF:g -8HYQ[' &8.
-:g&:F6D -8:C& AW,7T @e 8H,7Ti e
667CQA" @e h':DY&zJ"i e SU}A" \e S@IDYfJ" ]e
GH6DH-6iF:gA" e S@<mA" Le (8H}Y&
%P?:Q6}, e 667CQ CfT`WX% $CQGCD6F ;e
s':DY&J" 0e U+@D: e =
Deuteronomy 12:18
But thou must eat them belore the
LORD thy Goo in the place which
the LORD thy Goo shall choose,
thou, ano thy son, ano thy
oaughter, ano thy manservant,
ano thy maioservant, ano the
Levite that (/ within thy gates: ano
thou shalt rejoice belore the LORD
thy Goo in all that thou puttest
thine hanos unto.
%]H-./& -\X"-A% ^%dW6),Fi*,& %, e
(]Cf67B% (\H}Y& L*Uj:C TGHF6g&I
%H-./& -8X"-A% e U -\:C& AW,7T Ke
\H,7T Le 667CQA" 8e Ph':DY&J" e %0B"<C-A"
%+?:Q6}, (8H}Y& e L%dW6),F G:6fCD:A"
%PH-./& -8X"-A% e @X% f;CF6},D F0Ig6 e =
7 DF Oct. 10, 2013
Concerning the above examples, Stein states:
The other nve cases |in aooition to Deut.
28:o8| ,Exoo 20:10, Lev 10:1!, Num 18:11, Deut
:1!, 12:18, involve a listing ol householo members
in which one must account lor the wile`s conspicuous
absence. Ironically, in those constructions ano
situations, it is by the very lack ol explicit aooress to
women that one can oemonstrate that they are
present in the mino ol the speaker who employs 2
masc. language.
18
To move beyono the 2 masc. sing., we reler to the
introouctory paragraph ol the article just quoteo ,:,- M0&''&0
*+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@,:
The investigation locuses on what the biblical
text seems to expect ol its reaoers with regaro to
construing the social-genoer import ol three
linguistic usages: secono-person masculine singular
aooress, thiro-person masculine singular relerences,
ano male nouns ,i.e., those with specincally lemale
counterparts,,
19
incluoing f:& , 7:& , 3%,& , ano $<. R)
E"1/ ),&) @*'-" '&8 .- (" 4(-@ ;(4-" &"8 *+ ),-/- )8L-/ *+
6&";7&;-.
20
B1/$)*!.$:(, @%:7#"/,. =/,-#"%$8
Since the lessons oeriveo lrom this usage are the same as
that oeriveo lrom the usage ol the secono-person aooress, we
18 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L Y +**)"*)-
a ,emphasis in original,
19 In a vioeo presentation ,see ln. 23, at 1:07-1:19 Stein also incluoes
masculine nouns with no leminine counterparts.
20 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L b
,emphasis aooeo,
DF Oct. 10, 2013 8
shall give only one example.
21
Exoous 3:
Take ye lrom among you an
ollering unto the LORD:
whosoever (/ ol a willing heart,
let him bring it, an ollering ol
the LORD, golo, ano silver, ano
brass,
-PX"-%@CF L-:DT(6 *KHg6,&@<D T\f_ FI
PI,F 7%8OAW " A% '8CDT(6 '0<& :-NH&%,7
='H}@IfAWT !H#0HgX" 7;:-:x -+X"-A%
Exoous 3:22
Ano they came, both men ano
women, as many as were willing
hearteo, &"1 brought bracelets,
ano earrings, ano rings, ano
tablets, all jewels ol golo: ano
every man that ollereo *++-0-1 an
ollering ol golo unto the LORD.
iFCQ *%0,}XWY&:- T&;I7:VJ"
f8:f T&%,7z<- 7G<F 7%8OAW uF8I *%+,}:C-
7P:-:x %8,F6iF: Lx:DTgA" 'CQKCCpA" *Hx]bWX"
70:-:x ';C)TW6 !%`BW<- (;H}Y& }%N,&iF:gA"
=-@X"-%CF
By comparing these two passages, we can see that the
thing which was commanoeo, though spoken as il to a single
male, was unoerstooo as applying to multiple persons ol both
genoers. In summation ol the lesson so lar, we have learneo that
masculine singular language, whether secono-person or thiro-
person,
22
is sometimes useo in biblical Hebrew to reler to
multiple persons ol both genoers.
The misapprehension that grammatical genoer has a 1:1
correlation with social genoer in biblical Hebrew, is what causes
most ol the conlusion on the issue. The chart below accurately
conveys the relation between grammatical genoer ano social
genoer in Hebrew.
21 This example ano others are given in :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 ("
9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L PPWPV
22 This same principle also applies to nrst-person masculine singular
language as seen in 2 Samuel 21:! where the Gibeonites say, I ,1 masc.
sing., will have no silver or golo.. It woulo be incoherent to assume that
the Gibeonites mentioneo were all male.
9 DF Oct. 10, 2013
3$,((,0/:,. 3"-4"$ ;':/,. 3"-4"$
Ieminine Specincally Womanly
Masculine Not Specincally Womanly

23

This chart is proven true by the heretolore siteo examples
ano will be all the more establisheo by that which lollows. The
above oisplayeo relation ol grammatical genoer to social genoer
extenos beyono 1-3 masc. sing. language ano into common
nouns, but belore enoeavoring to elucioate upon that, here are
Stein's oistilleo rules lor 2-3 masc. sing. language lor the
grammar ol social genoer:
1. Reaoers can assume that 2 masc. aooress
rules out solely lemale social genoer, yet we cannot
assume that it specines solely male social genoer.
,>*'-" '&8 .- (" 4(-@=,
2. Reaoers can assume that 3 masc. language
rules out solely lemale social genoer, yet we cannot
assume that it specines solely male social genoer.
,>*'-" '&8 .- (" 4(-@=,
2!
,Critical to notice is the lact that women may be in view.,
I(DD(, @%:7#"/,. <(#,:8
On the previous page we quoteo lrom the introouctory
paragraph ol Stein's article ,:,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 ("
9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@, in which he listeo lour common Hebrew woros
23 Similar chart louno in vioeo presentation R'L0*4("; &" $";6(/, 3(2)(*"&08N/
S,&0&2)-0(^&)(*" *+ ),- M-"1-0 <-L0-/-")&)(*" *+ 5-0/*"&6 ?*7"/ (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@
,9 Nov. 2011 oralt lor preview purposes, to be presenteo on 20 Nov. 11 to
the SBL Biblical Lexicography Section, .8 3&4(1 $= A= A)-(". Vioeo
presentation can been seen at http:meoia.shinywhitebox.comoavio-e-
s-steinstein-sbl-lexicography-paper-2011c0
2! :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L VV
,emphasis in original,
DF Oct. 10, 2013 10
as examples ol grammatically masculine nouns with genoer-
inclusive meaning. Here are the nouns ano their commonly
accepteo English equivalents:
(/, 3%,& Man
&4 7:& Iather
&2, f:& Brother
.-" $< Son
The lollowing tables
2
list the oillerent usages ol these
woros ano oemonstrate that, in their most common contexts,
they are not conveying male-exclusive social genoer.
2 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L PaWPZC
VQ= Here are the tables in the oroer here given ano the specinc pages
upon which they occur in Stein's article:
Table Woro Fage
1 3%,& 19
2 7:& 2o
3 $< 2o
! f:& 18
11 DF Oct. 10, 2013
To expouno upon the intricacies ol these tables woulo
leno to a more verbose explanation than is suitable lor this
article.
2o
We will though, brieny analyze a lew extractable lessons
lrom the example woros ol tables 1 ano 2. Our purpose will be
to oerive lessons proncient to inlorm our unoerstanoing ol the
2o Ior a more thorough examination ol the tables see Stein's article ano his
other works on genoer inclusive translation. ,see ln. 1 lor links,
DF Oct. 10, 2013 12
principles ol the Hebrew language in oroer to ascertain how
those principles apply to the overall subject at hano.
6:1 E 3%,&F8
The nrst table has alreaoy lurnisheo us with the
necessary inlormation to unoerstano that (/, ,3%,&, is olten
genoer-inclusive. Therelore, we shall locus our attention upon
instances where (/, ,3%,&, is useo to reler to whomever it may
concern within a particular categorization or class.
Whenever masculine woroing or a male
noun points to a class, its relerence is to be construeo
as socially genoer-inclusive by oelault. In those cases,
reaoers can oetermine the relerent`s social genoer
only lrom "*"W;0&''&)(2&6 clues in co-text ano
context.
27
An instance ol this is louno in
Genesis 2:2!
Therelore shall a man leave his
lather ano his mother, ano shall
cleave unto his wile: ano they
shall be one nesh.
i7:xYQ@J% L$<iFCQ }%P,& i'H&A" "%0,7:&i'H&
6 j8C7A" "+I,& PU6},& (;::76F T0%:-A"
=l@:fH&
Here, (/, ,3%,&, is useo to point to an unspecineo person
or persons to whom these conoitions might apply. By this alone,
one must concluoe that the genoer ol the relerent is lelt in
ambiguity. However, aooitional inlormation, in this case the
woro lor wile ,PU6},&,, supplies by co-text the epistemic lack
resulting lrom the unspecincity ol the grammar. In this case, the
co-text makes it apparent that the subject (/, ,3%,&, is socially
male.
27 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L VT
,emphasis in original,
13 DF Oct. 10, 2013
LM E 7:&F8
The woro &4 ,7:&,, though grammatically masculine,
28
has
been shown to be inclusive ol leminine social genoer in its
singular lorm, unless male exclusiveness is oemanoeo by context.
In its plural lorm, &4 ,7:&,, like $6*,(' ,*%-F&,, becomes both
masculine ano leminine. This comes about by aooing the
leminine plural enoing *) ,'", to the parent root, lorming the
woro &4*) , 7& '" ,. It is wioely recognizeo that the social genoer ol
those oesignateo by &4*) , 7& '" , is both masculine ano leminine.
29
One scripture example will sulnce to prove the case.
Numbers 20:1
How our lathers went oown
into Egypt, ano we have owelt
in Egypt a long time, ano the
Egyptians vexeo us, ano our
lathers:
TKlS<VJ" \w'I7Y& 7H};<J" -:DA%Pk6c,D LTW%
TW`:F TQ;4:VJ" *%+,k *%8,DX% *B%0k6c,D6
CFA" *B%0k6c,D @w'I7Y& =TW%
It is without question that those who went into Egypt ano
were oppresseo by the Egyptians were ol both sexes, ano a
number ol translations
30
recognize this lact by using the woro
ancestors rather than lathers.
28 $",&"2-1 90*@"W30(4-0W90(;;/ O-.0-@ &"1 $";6(/, X-%(2*"G 1-+= 7:&
29 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L bC VT
30 See NIV, NLT, ISV, NET, GWT, CJB
DF Oct. 10, 2013 1!
N.7%J/0#"%0/(, %,) LJJ"/7%0/(,8
In summarizing his article on the grammar ol social
genoer, Stein enumerateo three implications ol the nnoings ol
his article on translation ano exegesis.
31
We shall only quote the
nrst point.
X()-0&6 $";6(/, )0&"/6&)(*" (/ *+)-" '*0- J'&6-K ),&"
),- O-.0-@ *0(;("&6. Ior those Biblical Hebrew
grammatical constructions that leave the social
genoer unspecineo ,regaroless ol the connotation,, il
I represent 3 masc. sing. innections via the English
pronouns hehishimhimsell, or il I translate or
gloss the nouns f:& , 7:& , 3%,& , ano $< with male
terms ,such as man, lather, brother, ano
son,, then I am *4-0W0-L0-/-")("; the maleness ol
the Hebrew woroing. ,This is because those English
woros convey a maleness that the constructions in
question have suppresseo in the Hebrew woros.,
Unless I as translator or glossator avoioor at least
oisclosethe male-amplilying impact ol such a
renoition, the Bible will come across in English as
being more anorocentric ,male-orienteo, than the
ancient Israelites themselves actually perceiveo it.
32
To put it in layman's terms, 1-3 masc. sing. language, as
well as common masculine nouns, are inclusive ol the lemale
social genoer unless masculine exclusiveness is specineo.
The object ol setting lorth the inlormation in the
preceoing pages has been to, again, inlorm our unoerstanoing ol
the principles ol the Hebrew language in oroer to ascertain how
31 >-./)-0N/ 3(2)(*"&08 oennes -%-;-/(/ as the exposition, critical analysis, or
interpretation ol a woro, literary passage, etc., especially ol the Bible.
32 :,- M0&''&0 *+ A*2(&6 M-"1-0 (" 9(.6(2&6 O-.0-@ .8 3&4(1 $=A= A)-(" L VT
,emphasis in original,
1 DF Oct. 10, 2013
those principles apply to the overall subject at hano. As
previously stateo, our purpose has been to nno out whether or
not the masculinity ol the language so olten in relerence to
$6*,(' ,*%-F&, amenos the meaning ol that woro lrom being
leminine ano masculine to being masculine only. To this point,
Stein remarks:
In sum, the use ol masculine Hebrew
woroing ooes not necessarily mean that a particular
relerent was believeo to be male. The Torah`s use ol
masculine Goo-language means only that Goo was
not thought ol as a /*6-68 lemale being.
33
To itemize what we have learneo thus lar, we shall restate
the relation ol grammatical genoer to social genoer in Hebrew,
then list the core linguistic principles we have acquireo sioe by
sioe with their application to the woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&,.
Relation ol grammatical genoer to social genoer:
1. grammatical leminine corresponos to specincally
womanly social genoer
2. grammatical masculine corresponos to not-specincally
womanly social genoer
<":,9/06.,0/'- =99./:,0/'-
1. 1-3 masc. sing. language is
genoer-inclusive by oelault.
1. 1-3 masc. sing. relerences to
$6*,(' ,*%-F&, are impotent
to alter the lem. masc. genoer
ol the woro to being masc.
only.
33 F" 9-8*"1 M-"1-0] <-L0-/-")&)(*" *+ M*1 .8 3&4(1 $= A= A)-(" L T ,emphasis
aooeo,
DF Oct. 10, 2013 1o
2. Common masc. nouns are
genoer-inclusive by oelault.
2. Common masc. nouns in
relerence to $6*,(' ,*%-F&,
are impotent to alter the lem.
masc. genoer ol the woro to
being masc. only.
3. Language which is genoer-
inclusive by oelault must have
its social genoer inlormeo by
co-text anoor context.
3. The woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&,
must inlorm the social genoer
ol corresponoent masc.
language rather than vice
versa.
!. Flural nouns compriseo ol
both masculine ano lemin-ine
components convey both
masculine ano leminine social
genoer.
!. The woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&,
conveys both masculine ano
leminine social genoer.
Evioently, it is the plurality ol the woro Elohim ,*%-F&,
which allows lor its ouality ol genoer, which, as we have seen,
ooes convey real social genoer. This real social genoer must
necessarily incluoe both male,s, ano lemale,s,
3!
since that is the
oistinctive nature ol this lorm ol the woro.
3! It is beyono the range ol this article to present all the oata regaroing the
lemale aspects ol the gooheao. Though, it is worth mentioning some ol
the categories which these evioences may lall into with a couple examples
ol each:
1. Flain scripture evioence Rom. 1:20, Gen. 1:2o-27
2. Hebrew grammar $6*,('C $6*&,C <7&,C S,*`'&,
3. Types ano anti-types A&0&, ,Gal. !:22-31,, D&08
!. The sacrincial system :,- 0-1 ,-(+-0 ,Num. 19,, -@- 6&'./
. History See :,- O-.0-@ M*11-// .8 <&L,&-6 5&)&(
o. Frophecy Rev. 12:1, Fs. !,
17 DF Oct. 10, 2013
I($J($.%" 6DJ"/7%0/(,:
The oillerentiation ol the various lorms ol the woro $6
,F&,, the oistinct plurality ol the lorm $6*,(' ,*%-F&,, ano the
real social genoer which $6*,(' ,*%-F&, conveys, may all be
vieweo as unintelligible in the light ol immateriality. This same
thought can be arriveo at, ano with a broaoer unoerstanoing,
when consioering the lollowing questions ano assessing their
answers by means ol simple logic.
Il Goo is immaterial ano thus incorporeal:
3

What is the purpose ol oescribing $6*,(' ,*%-F&, as
multiple oistinct beings?
By what means woulo $6*,(' ,*%-F&, be oistinct?
Why oillerentiate between male ano lemale among
$6*,(' ,*%-F&,?
The two thoughts, one ol $6*,(' ,*%-F&, being a single
immaterial Goo, ano the other ol $6*,(' ,*%-F&, being multiple
oistinct beings ol both social genoers, are clearly incompatible.
In attempt to oo away with the evioences in support ol oistinct
multi-genoereo plurality, one might simply assert immateriality.
This, however, woulo be nought but begging the question,
3o
which, in reality, ooes nothing to either oisprove material
plurality or to prove immaterial monotheism. In lact, such an
assertion, without bearing its own evioence ano aooressing the
evioences in lavour ol oistinct plurality, woulo only serve to
renoer supernuous the meaning ol the text as well as the
structure ol the language.
3 >-./)-0N/ 3(2)(*"&08 oennes ("2*0L*0-&6()8 as without a booy... not consisting
ol matter, not having a material booy or substance, immaterial.
3o Latin: L-)()(* principii assuming the initial point. This is a lorm ol logical
lallacy which assumes its conclusion as its premise, either in part or in
whole.
DF Oct. 10, 2013 18
Insteao ol starting with one or the other prelerreo
conclusion, one must examine the evioence lrom the grouno up
in oroer to oetermine the logical ano theological outcome. Let
us start with the implications ol the alreaoy acquireo
inlormation.
The two paramount conclusions to which all ol the
evioence thus lar has pointeo are ,1, the woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&, is
inoicative ol multiple oistinct beings, ano ,2, those oistinct
beings have real social genoer ol both sexes. The implications ol
the nrst conclusion are quickly seen when consioering that what
oennes oistinct being cannot be immaterial, lor immaterial .-(";/
woulo not possess any properties whereby to oistinguish them.
The implications ol the secono are yet more obvious, namely,
the social genoer ol an inoivioual is oetermineo by the physical
reproouctive system ontologically inherent in each member ol
the sex. As is commonly unoerstooo, an immaterial being woulo
have no such system whereby to oetermine genoer.
37

In light ol all these lacts, what evioence ooes the
immaterialist have to oller in support ol an incorporeal Goo?
The one text which, in the mino ol the immaterialist, clearly
states their theology is
O(1, P8QP R '() /: % =J/$/08
Though this article's attention is primarily locuseo on the
37 That the members ol the gooheao were conceiveo ol by the Jews ol
antiquity to have such reproouctive systems is revealeo in the A,(!70
c*'&, texts. A,(!70 c*'&,C meaning d:,-e D-&/70-'-") *+ d:,- 3(4("-e
9*18CK is a collection ol ancient Hebrew texts which oescribe in
meticulous oetail the oimensions ol the various booy parts ol the
members ol the gooheao. Here are a couple examples ol such systems
being attributeo to the gooheao in the A,(!70 c*'&, corpus:
The name ol His genitals is Asam Gig Vahu - A-+-0 O&/,(!70 30
The name ol His genitals is Alasesaghuoariah - A(1170 <&..&, oo
Ior more examples in A,(!70 c*'&, see A(1170 <&..&, 102, D-0`&4&,
<&..&, 70, ano A-+-0 O&ff*'&, o3. Ior biblical examples see $^-`(-6 1:27,
8:2.
19 DF Oct. 10, 2013
Hebrew Bible, oue to the lact that the majority ol those who
proless laith in it also proless laith in the New Testament, we
must aooress this single pivotal text.
John !:2!
Goo (/ a Spirit: ano they that
worship him must worship ,('
in spirit ano in truth.
avcu o 0co, kui tou
apookuvovtu uutov cv
avcuuti kui uq0ci oc
apookuvcv.
Fresently, the normative view ol this verse, ano in
particular the phrase Goo is a Spirit, is that it teaches that
Goo is an ontologically immaterial ,non-physical, being.
38
In
coming to a clearer unoerstanoing ol this most controversial
text, we must nrst compreheno what the woros themselves
convey, then proceeo to examine the verse's immeoiate context
as well as relateo passages. The nrst phrase ol the text, L"-7'& ,*
),-*/ ,avcu o 0co,, is olten translateo Goo is & spirit.
However, the inoennite article ,&, is missing lrom the Greek ano
therelore the text literally translates as Goo (/ spirit. Wesley
Williams
39
expounos on this particular as lollows:
38 See 9&`-0 $"2826*L-1(& *+ S,0(/)(&" !L*6*;-)(2/ L VUC VYaG 9&`-0 $"2826*L-1(& *+
),- 9(.6- L PUPYG [*7"1&)(*"/ *+ 5-")-2*/)&6 :,-*6*;8 L gaC PVTG D&)),-@ O-"08N/
S*''-")&08 *" ),- >,*6- 9(.6-] S*'L6-)- &"1 h"&.0(1;-1 (" F"- B*67'- L PZTbG
:,- ?-@ 9(.6- 3(2)(*"&08C :,(01 $1()(*" L aPYG A8/)-'&)(2 :,-*6*;8 L QgG
39 A native ol Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Muhammao |Wesley Williams|
receiveo his Fh.D. lrom the University ol Michigan in Islamic Stuoies in
2008. He has taught at the University ol Michigan, Michigan State
University ano the University ol Toleoo, ano has presenteo or lectureo at
the University ol Mainz, Germany, the University ol Chicago, Duke
University, Emory University, Morehouse College, Spelman College ano
Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Muhammao has several publications ano his
oissertation, entitleo "Tajalli wa-Ru'ya: A Stuoy ol Anthropomorphic
Theophany ano Visio Dei in the Hebrew Bible, the Qur'an ano Early
Sunni Islam," argueo that the Islamic sources ,Qur'an, Haoith, Sunni
textual traoition lor the 9th-12th centuries, give evioence ol a traoition ol
transcenoent anthropomorphism ano visual theophany not unlike that
louno more clearly articulateo in the Hebrew Bible. -
DF Oct. 10, 2013 20
John !:2!, which has Isa. 31:3
!0
as its
backgrouno, is no exception. The Greek reaos:
avcu o 0co ,L"-7'& ,* ),-*/, Latin /L(0()7/ -/) 1-7/,.
This is best translateo 'Goo is spirit' rather than
Goo is & Spirit.' The absence ol the inoennte article
here is grammatically small but theologically
signincant as it inoicates that John !:2! is not
attempting an ontological oescription ol Goo, i.e.
Goo is & spirit as opposeo, lor instance, to & man.
This is connrmeo by 1 John 1:, 'Goo is Light' ,not &
light, ano 1 John !:8, 'Goo is Love,' where the same
constructions are useo. Goo is spiritual, but not &
spirit.
!1

http:orwesleymuhammao.comhome
!0 Since Isa. 31:3 neeos some explanation, we here quote lrom Wesley's
article: Isa. 31:3 contrasts mortal nesh ano oivine spirituality: 'The
Egyptians are human ,dm, ano not oivine ,l,, ano their horses are
nesh ,bsr,, ano not spirit ,ru!,.' Here the two contrasting sets, human
,dm, vs. oivine ,l, ano nesh ,bsr, vs. spirit ,ru!, are parallel ano
therelore dm ,human, is synonymous with bsr ,nesh, ano l ,oivine,
with ru! ,spirit,. These terms are useo aojectivally to contrast the
corruptible, mortal sphere with the eternal, powerlul, ano creative oivine
sphere. 97) ),-8 1* "*) 1-/20(.- M*1 &/ & /L(0():
'The Spirit is not ioentical with Goo but is the agency ol his
historical activity in the worlo...i:j,- 1*2)0("- *+ ),- i-%267/(4-j
/L(0()7&6()8 *+ M*1 ,&/ "* L6&2- (" ),- iF61 :-/)&'-")j. The apparent
exception is Isa. 31:3...Even here, however, the issue is not the
spirituality ol Goo in opposition to anything material, but that
ol his vitality as opposeo to the creaturely weakness upon
which an alliance with Egypt rests ,cl. vs. 1,. Yahweh is not
pure spirit, lor his Spirit, like his Woro, is the agency ol his
activity.' - Anoerson, 'Goo, OT view ol,' :,- R")-0L0-)-0N/
3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- 9(.6-C ! vols. 3:!22l. - R/ ),- M*1 *+ 9(.6(2&6
:0&1()(*" & [*0'6-// AL(0()k .8 >-/6-8 >(66(&'/ L P ,emphasis aooeo,
lootnotes ol original note incluoeo,
!1 R/ ),- M*1 *+ 9(.6(2&6 :0&1()(*" & [*0'6-// AL(0()k .8 >-/6-8 >(66(&'/ L V
21 DF Oct. 10, 2013
To this, Raymono E. Brown,
!2
commenting on John !:2!,
agrees:
2!. M*1 (/ AL(0(). This is not an essential oennition ol
Goo, but a oescription ol Goo's oealings with men,
it means that Goo is Spirit towaro men because He
gives the Spirit |xiv. 1o| which begets them anew.
There are two other such oescriptions in John's
writings, 'Goo is light' ,I John i ,, ano 'Goo is love' ,I
John iv 8 ,. These too reler to the Goo who acts,
Goo gives the worlo His Son, the 6(;,) ol the worlo
,iii 19, viii 12, ix , as a sign ol His 6*4- ,iii 1o,.
!3
42 ,born May 22, 1928, New York, N.Y.oieo Aug. 8, 1998, Reowooo City,
Calil.,, American theologian who, was a highly regaroeo Roman Catholic
biblical scholar. His rigorous examination ol the Gospels resulteo in the
publication ol such works as the two-volume :,- M*/L-6 !22*01("; )* _*,"
,19oo, 1970,, :,- 9(0), *+ ),- D-//(&, ,1977,, ano :,- 3-&), *+ ),- D-//(&,
,199!, as well as more than 3 other books. Brown`s centrist stance
sometimes angereo conservative Catholics, especially in 1971, when he
questioneo whether Mary`s virginal conception ol Jesus coulo ever be
proven historically. Alter receiving both a B.A. ,19!8, ano M.A. ,19!9,
lrom the Catholic University ol America, Washington, D.C., Brown
entereo ,191, the Society ol St. Sulpice lor seminary teaching ano was
oroaineo ,193, in the St. Augustine, Ila., oiocese. In Baltimore, Mo., he
earneo ooctorates in sacreo theology ,19, lrom St. Mary`s Seminary
ano in Semitic languages ,198, lrom Johns Hopkins University. While a
lellow at the American Schools ol Oriental Research in Jerusalem, Brown
workeo on a Deao Sea Scrolls concoroance, ano in 19o3 he was an
aoviser to Bishop Joseph Hurley at the Secono Vatican Council. Brown
taught at St. Mary`s Seminary lrom 199 until 1971, then spent the
majority ol his teaching career at Union Theological Seminary in New
York City until his retirement in 1990. He was the nrst Roman Catholic
prolessor given tenure at the historically Frotestant institution ano built a
reputation as an eruoite ano spellbinoing lecturer. -
http:www.britannica.comEBcheckeotopic81o11Raymono-
Eowaro-Brown
43 :,- M*/L-6 &22*01("; )* _*," i(W%((j, Anchor Bible 29 ,New York: Doubleoay--
Anchor Bible, 19oo,, 172.
DF Oct. 10, 2013 22
It being establisheo that the text says Goo (/ spirit
rather than Goo is & spirit, it is now incumbent upon us to see
what the woro spirit, in Greek L"-7'& ,avcu,, actually
means. Iirst, let us consioer the meaning ol the term in the
Greek worlo outsioe ol the New Testament:
Deriveo lrom *avc|e, the verbal noun avcu
means the -6-'-")&6 "&)70&6 ano 4()&6 +*02- which, '&))-0
ano process in one, acts as a stream ol air in the
blowing ol the wino ano the inhaling ano exhaling ol
breath...
1. Wino... avcu is useo in the macrocosm
L,8/(2&668 lor the breath ol wino in its movement as a
blowing lorce ano also acc. to its oistinctive invisibly
rareneo '&)-0(&6()8 as an -6-'-")...
3. X(+-. Breath may be oiscerneo only in
movement, ano it is also a sign, conoition ano &;-") *+
6(+-, which seems to be esp. tieo up with breathing.
Hence it is natural that 4(& the sense .0-&), *+ 6(+-
,avcu iou, Aesch. Fers., 07, avcino ()/-6+ /,*761 )&`-
*" ),- 1(0-2) /-"/- *+ J6(+-K or living creature,...
. Translerreo Meaning: Spirit. In the
'-)&L,*0(2&6 speech ol poetry in particular, 2*"20-)-
"&)70&6 L0*2-//-/ such as the blowing ol the wino or
breathing express corresponoing experiences ol mental
or spiritual reality...
By way ol analogy the lit. ano transl. usage
constantly interluses, so that even in the most
oevelopeo spiritual sense one can better unoerstano
the ng. use ol avcu the more closely one takes into
account ),- 2*"20-)- 0-+-0-"2-...
In the transl. employment ol avcu lor mental
ano spiritual realities prolane Gk. nrmly maintains the
basic etym. ioea ol a powerlul, '&)-0(&6, moving breath
with its many lunctions in man ano the cosmos.
!!
!! B*6= Q] :,-*6*;(2&6 3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- ?-@ :-/)&'-") L TTaWTTb ,emphasis aooeo,
23 DF Oct. 10, 2013
As can be gathereo lrom the alore-quoteo statements, the
woro L"-7'& ,avcu, in its usage in the ancient Greek worlo,
oenotes that which is physical, material, natural, etc. ano carries
with it a particular sense ol 6(+-, or 6(+-W;(4(";. It is rather
consequential that we keep this societal context in view while
consioering the use ol the woro as louno in the New Testament:
The constitutive lactor ol avcu in the Greek worlo
(/ &6@&8/ ()/ /7.)6- &"1 L*@-0+76 2*0L*0-&6()8. Because ol
its '&)-0(&6 character () (/ "-4-0 /L(0()7&6 (" ),- /)0(2) /-"/-,
as in the NT. It is never wholly outsioe the realm ol
sense. Whether in terms ol Aristotelian noeticism,
mooern ioealism *0 ),- ?: 7"1-0/)&"1(";, () (/ "-4-0 /-) ("
&")(),-/(/ )* '&))-0 as the supernatural, wonoer-
working spiritual gilt or manilestation ol a
transcenoent personal Goo...
Il along the lines ol scientinc ano philosophical
oevelopment avcu as a L,8/(2&6 or physiological
term thus remains essentially '&)-0(&6(/)(2 &"1 4()&6(/)(2,
in its poetic, mythico-religious oevelopment, in
which again, especially in manticism, () (/ "-4-0 @,*668
+0--1 +0*' '&))-0, it is an exceptional phenomenon
imparteo only in special circumstances to the elect,
ano it thus bears a very oennite enthusiastic ano
ecstatic character.
!
Thus we see that in the New Testament, as in the ancient
Greek worlo overall, the term L"-7'& ,avcu, (/ "-4-0 /-) ("
&")(),-/(/ )* '&))-0= This will become all the more pronounceo as
we consioer the New Testament usage in the light ol an even
more oominating innuence than the surrounoing Greek worlo,
namely, the Olo Testament along with the Hebrew language ano
culture.
! B*6= Q] :,-*6*;(2&6 3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- ?-@ :-/)&'-") L TgbWTgY ,emphasis aooeo,
DF Oct. 10, 2013 2!
I($J($.%"/0H (; =J/$/0:8
To restate our aim ano methooology belore continuing
on, we are enoeavoring to ascertain the meaning ol the woro
L"-7'& ,avcu,, particularly in connection with the phrase
L"-7'& ,* ),-*/ ,avcu o 0co,, translateo Goo is spirit, in John
!:2!. Our '*17/ *L-0&"1( in meeting this aim is to analyze the
woro's usage in a wioe range ol contexts ano use the acquireo
inlormation to oetermine ,1, the truth value ol the claim that
L"-7'& ,avcu, ioentines a thing which is immaterial, ano ,2,
what the woro actually signines.
Let us start with the angelology ol the New Testament
ano its Olo Testament innuence:

Hebrews 1:7
Ano ol the angels he saith,
Who maketh his angels spirits,
ano his ministers a name ol nre.
kui apo cv tou ucou
cci o aoicv :o oyy/oc
o:oi avcno:o koi :o
ci:ocoyo o:oi acoo oyo,
Hebrews 1:13-1!
But to which ol the &";-6/ saio
he at any time, Sit on my right
hano, until I make thine
enemies thy lootstool? Are they
not all ministering /L(0()/, sent
lorth to minister lor them who
shall be heirs ol salvation?
apo tivu oc tev ucev
cpqkcv aotc ko0oc /k ocicv
noc, /c ov 0c :o /,0oo
ooc aoaooiov :cv aoocv
ooc, oui auvtc cioiv
citoupiku avcuutu ci
oiukoviuv uaootcocvu oiu
tou covtu kqpovocv
oetqpiuv;
In the above verses, angels are clearly ioentineo as
spirits.
2 DF Oct. 10, 2013
Matthew !:-o
Then the oevil taketh him up
into the holy city, ano setteth
him on a pinnacle ol the
temple, Ano saith unto him, Il
thou be the Son ol Goo, cast
thysell oown: lor it is written,
He shall give his angels charge
concerning thee: ano in their
hanos they shall bear thee up,
lest at any time thou oash thy
loot against a stone.
Totc aupuuuvci uutov o
oiuoo ci tqv uiuv aoiv
kui cotqocv uutov cai to
atcpuiov to icpo
kui cci uut( ci uio ci to
0co, uc ocuutov kute
cpuatui up ti :oi oyy/oi
o:oi /v:cci:oi acoi ooi koi
/ai ,ciocv oooioiv oc, npao:c
aoooko,q aoo i0ov :ov aooo
ooc.
In this text, angels are saio to have hanos with which
they are able to lilt booies. Clearly then, it is presupposeo by the
Matthian author that these angels are corporeal. This ioea ol
the corporeality ol angels oio not originate with the New
Testament however. Consioer the lollowing scriptures lrom the
Olo Testament:
Genesis 18:1-!, 8
Ano the LORD appeareo unto
him in the plains ol Mamre: ano
he sat in the tent ooor in the heat
ol the oay, Ano he lilt up his
eyes ano lookeo, ano, lo, ),0-- '-"
stooo by him: ano when he saw
them, he ran to meet them lrom
the tent ooor, ano boweo himsell
towaro the grouno, Ano saio,
My Loro, il now I have louno
lavour in thy sight, pass not away,
I pray thee, lrom thy servant: Let
a little water, I pray you, be
letcheo, ano wash your leet, ano
rest yourselves unoer the tree...
DF Oct. 10, 2013 2o
Ano he took butter, ano milk,
ano the call which he hao
oresseo, ano set () belore them,
ano he stooo by them unoer the
tree, ano ),-8 1(1 -&).
In this passage you see three men come to Abraham, one
ol which is calleo Yahweh ,Gen. 18:13,, ano the other two are
ioentineo as angels ,Gen. 19:1,. Since they ate material looo,
they must have material booies. Note too that this text is not
alone in aovancing the ioea that angels eat.
Fsalm 78:2!-2
Ano hao raineo oown '&""&
upon them to eat, Ano hao
given them ol the corn ol
heaven. Man oio eat &";-6/l +**1:
He sent them meat to the lull.
2 Esoras 1:19
I pitieo your groanings ano gave
you manna lor
looo, you ate the .0-&1 *+ &";-6/.
In aooition to angelic oepiction, the Olo Testament is
consistent in oescribing all other spirits as corporeal. Take
Eliphaz's account:
Job !:1-17
Then a spirit passeo belore my
lace, The hair ol my nesh stooo
up: It stooo still, but I coulo not
oiscern the lorm thereol: An
image @&/ belore mine eyes,
A" CfT(
!o
!+.YfJ% %8JW5:)iFCQ
=%@trE3567 ';kYQr@[3 (G5<DC#5s'
(%5,gC&i&.@A" ulKIDYQJ% T-G<&SCD
-XWTD5s' -0:D:D5y %+XW%<Q lHm8bW6F
=Q@:D1s3H& FU8jX"
!o CfT( is the Hebrew equivalent ol avcu ,See B*6= Q] :,-*6*;(2&6 3(2)(*"&08 *+
),- ?-@ :-/)&'-") L TgZ,
27 DF Oct. 10, 2013
:,-0- @&/ silence, ano I hearo a
voice, /&8(";, Shall mortal man
be more just than Goo? Shall a
man be more pure than his
maker?
*;,& j+56cB% C-U8F/&<D }UW/&@C-
=(H7@5:mi(C-6pB% T-Grw3IQ<D
This narrative is particularly signincant in view ol the
antiquity ol the work. In lact, the 9**` *+ _*. is helo by many to
be the oloest book ol canonical scripture.
!7
To broaoen our
view, we will now quote lrom what R.H. Charles calleo, ...the
last noble utterance ol Juoaism belore it plungeo into the oark
ano oppressive years that lolloweo the oestruction ol
Jerusalem.
!8
2 Baruch o:3-!
Ano lo suooenly a strong /L(0()
raiseo me, ano bore me alolt
over the wall ol Jerusalem. Ano
I behelo, ano lo lour &";-6/
stanoing at the lour corners ol
the city, each ol them holoing a
torch ol nre in his ,&"1/.
We can see that lrom the earliest lorm ol Hebrew religion
to the latest Juoaism ol antiquity, the corporeality ol spirits was
clearly assumeo. Our next example shoulo sulnce to locus our
attention back to the overall subject. The text is lrom Ezekiel
chapters one ano eight, wherein is louno a oescription ol a
traveling throne, upon which rooe One with a human
appearance. The below image, oue to its similarity to Ezekiel's
oescription in chapter one, shoulo aio the reaoer in gaining a
visual unoerstano ol what he saw.
!7 A7''&0(^-1 9(.6-] S*'L6-)- A7''&08 *+ ),- F61 :-/)&'-") L PUV
!8 5/-71-L(;0&L,& *+ ),- F61 :-/)&'-") B*6= VC L abU iR")0*172)(*" )* V 9&072,j
DF Oct. 10, 2013 28

!9
Ezekiel 1:2o-28 Ezekiel 8:2-!
Ano above the nrmament that
@&/ over their heaos @&/ the
likeness ol a throne, as the
appearance ol a sapphire stone:
ano upon the likeness ol the
throne @&/ the likeness &/ ),-
&LL-&0&"2- *+ & ,7'&" above upon
it. Ano I saw as the colour ol
amber, as the appearance ol nre
rouno about within it, lrom the
appearance ol his loins even
upwaro, ano lrom the
appearance ol his loins even
oownwaro, I saw as it were the
appearance ol nre, ano it hao
brightness rouno about. As the
appearance ol the bow that is in
the clouo in the oay ol rain, so
@&/ the appearance ol the
brightness rouno about. :,(/
@&/ ),- &LL-&0&"2- *+ ),- 6(`-"-// *+
Then I behelo, ano lo a
likeness as the appearance ol
nre: lrom the appearance ol
his loins even oownwaro, nre,
ano lrom his loins even
upwaro, as the appearance ol
brightness, as the colour ol
amber. Ano ,- L7) +*0), ),- +*0'
*+ &" ,&"1, ano )**` '- by a
lock ol mine heao, ano ),-
/L(0() lilteo me up between the
earth ano the heaven, ano
brought me in the visions ol
Goo to Jerusalem, to the ooor
ol the inner gate that looketh
towaro the north, where @&/
the seat ol the image ol
jealousy, which provoketh to
jealousy. Ano, beholo, the
glory ol the Goo ol Israel @&/
there, accoroing to the vision
49 B(/(*"/ *+ m&,@-, &"1 A-&6 !0)] ! ?-@ R")-0L0-)&)(*" *+ ),- D&I-/)(2 5*0)0&8&6/ ("
R/& QC $^ P &"1 PUC &"1 n-2, a .8 F),'&0 o--6= See also
http:www.sitchiniswrong.comezekielnotes.htm
29 DF Oct. 10, 2013
),- ;6*08 *+ ),- XF<3. Ano when I
saw (), I lell upon my lace, ano I
hearo a voice ol one that spake.
that I saw in the plain.
Iirst among our observations is the lact that both
passages, among others in Ezekiel, reler to one ano the same
thing, namely, the chariot-throne
0
ano its rioer. Next we notice
that the rioer, the one who sat on the throne, is oistinctly
corporeal ,Eze. 8:3,. The question is, Who is this one with a
human appearance that sat on the throne? Within the text, this
one is ioentineo with ,1, the Spirit,
1
ano is thus a corporeal
spirit, ,2, the glory,
2
alluoing to the A,-`("&,,
3
,3, A,&11&(,
!
marking this one as a oivine leminine ngure,

ano ,!, Yahweh.

o

!" #$%&'() +,)-.)/ 0123 '45 0"10 6.78 9.(':8 ;<1=
1 Eze. 1:12, 20, 2:2, 3:12, 1!, 2, 8:3, 11:1,
2 Eze. 1:28, 3:12, 23, 8:!, 9:3, 10:!, 18, 19, 11:22, 23
3 Shekhina ,/,N`,("&,, is a Hebrew abstract noun oeriveo lrom the Biblical
verb /,&`,&" oiscusseo above ano means literally the act ol owelling. -
:,- O-.0-@ M*11-// .8 <&L,&-6 5&)&( L ZZ Shekhina is a lrequently useo
Talmuoic term oenoting the visible ano auoible manilestation ol Goo's
presence on earth... the Shekhina concept stooo lor an inoepenoent,
leminine oivine entity. - :,- O-.0-@ M*11-// .8 <&L,&-6 5&)&( L ZQ A
carelul perusal ol the passages relerring to the manilestation ol Goo in
the sanctuary shows that the nouns 'clouo' ano 'glory' are useo
interchangeably, ano that the 'clouo' was unooubteoly regaroeo as the
visible lorm taken by the 'glory' ol Yahweh when He wisheo to inoicate
His presence in His earthly abooe, the sanctuary. - :,- O-.0-@ M*11-// .8
<&L,&-6 5&)&( L Zb
A comparative analysis ol Ex. 2:1, 8, 21-22, !0:3!-38, Num. 7:89, ano
2 Ki. 19:1 will oisclose the lact that the A,-`("&, is 'the glory,' the one that
owelt between the cherubim. The picture ol a nery clouo with cherubim
in Ezekiel's vision is clearly an allusion back to the A,-`("&, in the earlier
perioo ol Israelite history. See also :,- D*),-0 *+ ),- XF<3 B*67'- P] :,-
X&18 (" ),- :-'L6- .8 D&0;&0-) 9&0`-0 L VTa
! Eze. 1:2!, 10:. A,&11&( ,%l3, is commonly translateo Almighty in these
verses.
See :,- D*),-0 *+ ),- XF<3 B*67'- P] :,- X&18 (" ),- :-'L6- .8 D&0;&0-)
9&0`-0 L PVQWPTZ
o That it was the Spirit who sat upon this chariot-throne is Yahweh can be
seen by reaoing the passages lollowing the ones alreaoy quoteo, namely
DF Oct. 10, 2013 30
The ioentity ol this chariot-throne rioer, being what it is,
is quite signincant. Not only have we seen that this entity is a
corporeal spirit, but that that corporeal spirit is Yahweh. This, as
well as Genesis 18
7
ano other scriptures which tell ol the
corporeality ol the Israelite Goos,
8
leaves no question that any
innuence the Olo Testament coulo have hao on the New
Testament in regaros to immateriality or materiality is clearly in
lavor ol the latter, ano that, both in relation to spirit,s, in
general, ano in relation to Deity.
Since the two primary cultural innuences upon the New
Testament, ano thus the Johannine author ano gospel, are both
materialist in their views ol spirit, one must conless that there
is no justincation lor the immaterialist interpretation ol L"-7'&
,* ),-*/ ,avcu o 0co, ol John !:2!.
The Goo ol biblical traoition is spiritual, but
he is not a lormless spirit. The very concept ol
'lormless spirit' is completely loreign to the Semitic
ano biblical >-6)&"/2,&77"; ,worlo view,. 'Hebraic
antiquity always imagineo Yahweh ,Goo, as human-
Eze. 2, 8:-o. In Eze. 8:ob Yahweh says, ...that R shoulo go lar oll lrom
'8 sanctuary.... Clearly then, this Yahweh is the One who owelt in the
sanctuary. In the Fsalms we are tolo:
m&,@-, reigns, let the people tremble: ,- /()/ .-)@--" ),- 2,-07.(', let the
earth be moveo. - Fs. 99:1
See also 1 Sam. !:!, Ex. 2:21-22, Num. 7:89-8:1
That the A,-`("&, is also oistinct lrom Yahweh is seen lrom this utterance
spoken )* m&,@-, while She, the A,-`("&,, was owelling between the
cherubim on the mercy seat in the wiloerness: Look oown lrom thy holy
habitation, lrom heaven... - Deut. 2o:1
In this, it is establisheo that there was a Yahweh on earth between the
cherubim while at the same time, there was a Yahweh in heaven. ,See also
:,- O-.0-@ M*11-// .8 <&L,&-6 5&)&( L PUgWPUb=j
Ior more on the ioea ol multiple Yahwehs see :@* 5*@-0/ (" O-&4-" .8 !6&"
[= A-;&6 ano 9X !7;= VbC VUPT [*70 m&,@-,/ .8 :0-") <= >(61-
7 See p 2o-27
8 Gen. 1:2o-27, 3:8, 28:12-13, 32:30, Ex. 2!:10, 33:11, 18, 20-23, Num.
1!:1!, Deut. :!, 1 Sam. 3:10, 1 Ki. 22:19-21, Jer. 1:9, Dan. 7:9,
31 DF Oct. 10, 2013
like. The notion ol the oeity as a lully spiritual being,
without booy, woulo have been totally
incomprehensible to the ancient Hebrew.' Herman
Gunkel, the great biblical scholar ol the last century,
rightly pointeo out lurther: 'The notion ol Goo's
incorporeality... was nrst attaineo by the Greek
philosophers.' R. Renehan has oemonstrateo that
the very notion ol 'immateriality' is the brainchilo ol
Flato.
9

o0
This is not because the ancient Hebrews
ano pre-Hellenic Near East were incapable ol
thinking abstractly about Goo. On the contrary, they
thought holistically, integrating the spiritual,
material, ano ethical into a unineo whole. This is
true ol their view ol man as well as Goo.
o1

'() /: =J/$/0#%" R B1. B$#01 (; O(1, P8QP
It has now been oemonstrateo that ,1, the normative
view ol John !:2! is lallacious, ano that ,2, both spirits ,L"-7'&)&,
as well as Goos ,$6*,(', are material ,corporeal, accoroing to
both Olo ano New Testaments, as well as in the minos ol the
ancient Hebrews. All that saio, we still have the phrase Goo is
Spirit in John !:2!. Just what ooes this phrase mean? To
commence this area ol oiscussion, we'll start by quoting linguists
9 See F" ),- M0--` F0(;("/ *+ ),- S*"2-L)/ R"2*0L*0-&6()8 &"1 R''&)-0(&6()8 .8 <=
<-"-,&"
60 Even Flato, the lather ol immateriality, useo the term L"-7'& (avcu)
only in a material context, ano this, ooubtless, oue to the alreaoy
establisheo use ol the woro. To this, B*6= Q] :,-*6*;(2&6 3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- ?-@
:-/)&'-") L TaT says, Flato still uses the oloer term caiavoiu lor oivine
inspiration, avcu is lor him a woro useo only in natural science.
o1 R/ ),- M*1 *+ 9(.6(2&6 :0&1()(*" & [*0'6-// AL(0()k L= P .8 >-/6-8 >(66(&'/
DF Oct. 10, 2013 32
Barclay M. Newman
o2
ano Eugene A. Nioa
o3
on the translation
ano meaning ol the text in question:
Ferhaps the most oilncult expression in verses
23 ano 2! is the clause Goo is Spirit. It is relatively
easy to speak about the spirit ol Goo or his
Spirit, but to say that Goo is Spirit may cause
oilnculty, lor to use spirit essentially as a
oesignation ol quality ano character (/ 7"7/7&6.
o!

o2 :0&"/6&)("; ),- 9(.6- L VU relers to Newman as the Senior Translation
Olncer ol the American Bible Society ano long-time associate ol Nioa...
Newman has been involveo in projects with ano organizeo by Nioa since
at least the early 1970s, such as ! S*"2(/- M0--`W$";6(/, 3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- ?-@
:-/)&'-") ,Lonoon: Uniteo Bible Societies, 1971,, as well as co-authoring a
number ol books such as Uniteo Bible Societies Hanobooks to various
biblical books.
63 Born on November 11, 191!, in Oklahoma City, OK, Eugene Nioa ano
his lamily moveo to Long Beach, Calilornia when he was years olo. He
began stuoying Latin in high school ano was alreaoy looking lorwaro to
being able to translate Scripture as a missionary. By the time he receiveo
his Bachelor`s oegree in 193o lrom the University ol Calilornia at Los
Angeles, he was well on his way. Having earneo his oegree in Greek,
summa cum lauoe, he enrolleo in the Summer Institute ol Linguistics
,SIL, ano oiscovereo the works ol such linguists as Eowaro Sapir ano
Leonaro Bloomnelo. Nioa then pursueo a Master's oegree in Greek New
Testament at the University ol Southern Calilornia. In 19!1 he began a
FhD in Linguistics at the University ol Michigan ano completeo it in two
years. His oissertation, ! A8"*L/(/ *+ $";6(/, A8")&%C was at that time, the
only lull-scale analysis ol a major language accoroing to the immeoiate
constituent theory...
Although his initial hiring at the American Bible Society was
experimental, Nioa was maoe Associate Secretary lor Versions lrom 19!!-
!o, ano lrom then until he retireo in 198!, he was Executive Secretary lor
Translations. His contribution to Bible translation oio not only incluoe
theoretical ones. He spearheaoeo ellorts to create better source texts lor
the Greek New Testament ano the Hebrew Bible. He launcheo journals
lor practical oiscussions ol translation ano cultural problems. Ano
together with Johannes Louw he proouceo a now stanoaro relerence
work, M0--`W$";6(/, X-%(2*" *+ ),- ?-@ :-/)&'-") 9&/-1 *" A-'&")(2 3*'&("/. -
http:www.nioainstitute.orgeugene-nioa
o! :0&"/6&)*0/ O&"1.**` )* ),- M*/L-6 *+ _*," L PVV
33 DF Oct. 10, 2013
That Goo's Spirit is a 6(+-W;(4("; AL(0() is a
concept lrequently met in the Olo Testament ,Gen.
2:7, o:3,17, 7:1, Job 3!:1!-1, Fs. 10!:29-30,
Ezekiel 37:-o,9,
o
&/ (" ),- ?-@ :-/)&'-"). Ano in
particular () (/ &" -'L,&/(/ +*7"1 (" _*,"N/ M*/L-6, lor
example, it is the Spirit which brings about the new
birth ,3:,8,, ano in 7:38,39 the Spirit is the source ol
6(+-W;(4("; water...
Among the major language translations only
the GN
oo
has seriously attempteo a oynamic
equivalent restructuring ol !:23-2!. In the GN the
restructuring has been accomplisheo by placing the
two verses together: '232! But a time will come,
ano it has alreaoy begun, when the Spirit who
reveals Goo's truth, will enable men to worship the
Iather in every place. Goo is Spirit, ano ),*/- @,*
@*761 @*0/,(L ,(' '7/) .- .*0" &"-@ .8 ),- AL(0() *+ :07),.
By such men the Iather will be worshipeo. The
translators ol the GN have taken the Greek phrase
'spirit ano truth' with the meaning 'Goo's Spirit who
o B*6= Q] :,-*6*;(2&6 3(2)(*"&08 *+ ),- ?-@ :-/)&'-") L TQUWTQP says: :,- 50("2(L6-
@,(2, M(4-/ X(+- )* ),- 9*18, ! 3o8, 23 ll.
*%5B%Cf CfT( is also saio ol the beast, Gn. o:17, 7:1. A sign ol the CfT(
inowelling ano giving lile to the booy is -:D1E3AW ),- .0-&), *+ 6(+-, "%5:)C&567 ,cl.
Gn. 7:22, ano TW5<)C& CfT( as a term lor the king in Lam. !:20, also Job
27:3,, CfT( par. -:D1E3AW Is. !2:, iools have no lile, Hab. 2:19. The entry ol
CfT( gives 6(+-: *h'%B%6fB" CfT( *Hg:7 %52'['XWA" Ez. 37: l., il Goo ,'UfT(:- %<-F/&
(rE35:7iF:g6F Nu. 1o:22, 27:1o, takes away ,CfT( !#& Fs. 10!:29, or it returns
to Goo ,7"3 Qoh. 12:7, they oie, the spirit ol 6(+- or 6(+-W+*02- is sustaineo
,(D3, Job 10:12, revives ,-%f,. Gn. !:27, , , 7"3 1 S. 30:12, Ju. 1:19,
vanishes ,&c%, Fs. 1!o:!, laoes away ,-Fg, Fs. 1!3:7, languishes par.
,-:D1E3AW, !pQ Is. 7:1o, oies out ,-:F5:7f %,fT(, Job 17:1, loss ol vital lorce
CfT(567 (H71h3 Frv. 1:!, it became powerless ,through astonishment, -X%:-i&FA"
CfT( lUQ :7 1 K. 10:. Then lile Fs. 31:, par. }H)bW Job 12:10, Mal. 2:1
l. ,on CfT(567 (CD1s3BW to take care one ooes not lose one`s lile cl. (CD1s3BW
}H)bW567 Jer. 17:21, }H)bW6F (CD1s3BW Dt. !:1, Jos. 23:11,, %,fT( %5d%Cf ,though text
uncertain, Is. 38:1o.
oo M**1 ?-@/ :0&"/6&)(*"\9(.6-
DF Oct. 10, 2013 3!
reveals Goo's truth', ano at the same time they have
maoe explicit the 6(+-W;(4("; L*@-0 *+ M*1N/ AL(0(), @,(2,
(/ &" ('L*0)&") -'L,&/(/ (" ),(/ M*/L-6. Moreover, they
have maoe explicit the implieo contrast between
worshiping Goo at a given locality ,whether the
Jewish temple or the Samaritan temple, ano the gilt
ol worshiping Goo in any place by incluoing the
inlormation 'will enable men to worship the Iather
in every place.'
The translators ol the GN must be
commenoeo lor the step lorwaro that they have
taken in the translation ol this verse. However, there
remains one serious problem, ano that is the part
that reaos 'Goo is Spirit.' Recently the present
author was in Inoonesian New Guinea lor a
translators' institute ano hao occasion to get
responses to this statement. It is obvious that lor
many peoples with animistic backgrounos the
translation will be unoerstooo to mean either 'an
animistic spirit' or 'a spirit ol a oeparteo ancestor.'
One might argue that it is only natural lor these
primitive people to misunoerstano the woros, ano
that their unoerstanoing will have to be guioeo by
missionaries. 97) & '*0- /-0(*7/ L0*.6-' -%(/)/C &"1 ),&) (/
),- ('L6(2&)(*" 2*"4-8-1 )* ),- (")-66(;-") $";6(/, 0-&1-0. At
the same translators' institute several ol the non-
biblical stall ,men with Fh.D.'s or near Fh.D.'s in
linguistics anoor anthropology, were askeo how
they unoerstooo the woros as native speakers ol the
language, ano in each instance they inoicateo that
the woros meant to them that Goo was 'spirit' as
opposeo to matter. Doubtless this renects the
unoerstanoing ol the majority ol English reaoers
who have occasion to reao these woros, .7) ),(/ (/
-4(1-")68 "*) ),- @&8 ),&) ),- _*,&""("- &7),*0 (")-"1-1 +*0
),-' )* .- )&`-". Barrett is certainly correct in pointing
3 DF Oct. 10, 2013
out that lor John ),- -'L,&/(/ (/ *" ),- N20-&)(4- &"1 6(+-W
;(4("; L*@-0 *+ M*1N/ AL(0()N, ano that he is not
combating 'unspiritual' views about Goo.
Il the above observations ano juogments are
correct, then some serious thought neeos to be given
to clarilying the meaning ol this verse lor English
ano other reaoers. The recently completeo Common
Malay New Testament attempteo to come to grips
with this problem, ano so translateo !:23-2! in the
lollowing way: '23 The time is coming, ano is
alreaoy here, when Goo's Spirit will enable men to
worship Goo as he really is. These are the
worshipers the Iather wants to worship him. 2! M*1
(/ ),- /*702- *+ 6(+-, ano men can only worship him as
he really is @,-" ,(/ AL(0() -"&.6-/ ),-' )* 1* /* .8 ;(4(";
),-' "-@ 6(+-.' This exegesis lollows essentially that ol
the GN, except that the translator has attempteo to
make explicit his unoerstanoing ol 'Goo is Spirit',
while he has lelt implicit the contrast between
worshiping Goo at any place ano worshiping him at
a specineo sanctuary.
o7
AL(0() (" ),- F61 :-/)&'-") (/ 0-;76&068 "*) &" *01-0 *+ .-(";
*4-0 &;&("/) '&))-0C .7) 6(+-W;(4(";C 20-&)(4- &2)(4()8C &"1 () (/
(" ),(/ /-"/- ),&) _*," 2*''*"68 7/-/ ),- @*01 L"-7'& ,see
especially 3:-8, o:o3, 7:38l, 1!:17-19,. It is natural
to suppose that it is so useo here, ano that John is not
so much combating 'unspiritual' views ol Goo as
asserting his creative ano 6(+-W;(4("; power. On any
other interpretation it is oilncult to unoerstano the
combination in this passage ol the two sets ol ioeas
true ano lalse water, true ano lalse worship. They
are bouno together by the lacts that the living water
Christ gives is the Spirit ,7:38l,, ano that Goo who is
worshipeo is himsell Spirit .... en pneumati |in
o7 :0&"/6&)*0/ O&"1.**` )* ),- M*/L-6 *+ _*," L QgVWQgQ
DF Oct. 10, 2013 3o
spirit| oraws attention to the supernatural lile that
Christians enjoy, ano en al theia |in truth| to the
single basis ol this supernatural lile in Christ
through whom Goo's will is laithlully lulnlleo.
o8
In the context ol the Johannine gospel then, there is no
question that the phrase Goo is Spirit is aimeo at getting
across the ioea that Goo is Lile-Giving. Though, some may look
at the more immeoiate context ano say that it still carries with it
the ioea ol an immaterial Goo. This they oo with particular
locus on verse 21:
John !:21
Jesus saith unto her, Woman,
believe me, the hour cometh,
when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem,
worship the Iather.
It is saio that Christ, in these woros, in connection with
the phrase Goo is Spirit ol John !:2!, is teaching that the
Iather no longer oemanoeo worship in a particular place oue to
His immateriality. But il this is so, why oio He ever oemano
worship in a particular place?
o9

70
To be consistent, woulo not
one have to reason that il Goo's non-locateo worship equateo to
His being immaterial, then His locateo worship woulo equate to
His being material?
Now the all-important question to ask is, Il it was not
Christ's purpose to reveal the Iather as an immaterial Goo, what
o8 :0&"/6&)*0/ O&"1.**` )* ),- M*/L-6 *+ _*," L QQU
o9 Deut. 12:, 11, 1!, 18, 21, 2o, 1!:23-2, 1:20, 1o:2, o, 7, 11, 1, 1o,
17:8, 10, 18:o, 23:1o, 2o:2, 31:11, 1 Ki. 8:!!, !8, 11:13, 32, 3o, 1!:21, 2
Ki. 21:7, 23:27, 2 Ch. o:o, 3!, 38, 12:13, 33:7, Neh. 1:9, Fs. 132:13, Zech.
1:17, 2:12, 3:2
70 Connecteo with this is the !"2(-") ?-&0 $&/) presupposition that goos owell
in a particular place or places. See Gen. 11:, 18:21, 1 Ki. 19:11-12, Fs.
1!:2, 102:19
37 DF Oct. 10, 2013
was His purpose? We have alreaoy seen the answer to this in
part by examining the tenor ol the phrase L"-7'& ,* ),-*/
,avcu o 0co,, meaning Goo is SpiritLile-Giving.
71
The
vitality ol the lesson will become all the more lucio upon a
review ol the immeoiate context ol the passage.
B1. 6DD.)/%0. I(,0.S0 R O(1, P8QP
The lourth chapter ol John begins with Jesus oeparting
lrom Juoaea ano travelling to Samaria. On his way there, at the
city calleo Sychar, he stoppeo at Jacob's well. While resting, a
Samaritan woman came to oraw water ano Jesus askeo her to
give him some to orink. Due to oillerences between the
Samaritans ano the Jews at the time, there was a large oivision
between the two nations. The woman was supriseo that Jesus, a
Jew, woulo ask her lor water, so she askeo him:
John !:9-1!
Then saith the woman ol
Samaria unto him, How is it that
thou, being a Jew, askest orink ol
me, which am a woman ol
Samaria? lor the Jews have no
oealings with the Samaritans.
Jesus answereo ano saio unto her,
Il thou knewest the gilt ol Goo,
ano who it is that saith to thee,
Give me to orink, thou wouloest
have askeo ol him, ano he woulo
have given thee 6(4("; @&)-0.
71 In aooition to the inlormation alreaoy provioeo oemonstrating that Spirit
~ Lile-GivingIull ol Lile, one can stuoy the lollowing passages: Gen.
2:7, o:3, 17, 7:1, Job 12:10, 27:3, 33:!, 3!:1!-1, Fs. 10!:29-30, Ecc.
3:19-21, Isa. !2:, Eze. 37:-o, 9, Tob. 3:o, 1 En. 1:!, o, Lk. 8:, Jn. 3:,
8, o:o3, 7:38-39, Rom. 8:2, o, 10, 1 Cor. 1:!, 2 Cor. 3:o, Jas. 2:2o, Rev.
11:11
DF Oct. 10, 2013 38
The woman saith unto him, Sir,
thou hast nothing to oraw with,
ano the well is oeep: lrom whence
then hast thou that 6(4("; @&)-0?
Art thou greater than our lather
Jacob, which gave us the well, ano
orank thereol himsell, ano his
chiloren, ano his cattle? Jesus
answereo ano saio unto her,
Whosoever orinketh ol this water
shall thirst again: But whosoever
orinketh ol the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst, but the
water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well ol water springing
up into -4-06&/)("; 6(+-.
Alter hearing his woros, the woman wanteo the water
Christ spoke ol. He tolo her to go call her husbano, but she
replieo saying, I have no husbano. Evioently, Christ was
alreaoy aware ol the lacts concerning her past nve husbanos
ano her then current partner. Alter making his knowleoge ol her
past aware to her, she perceiveo that he was a prophet. It is
worth noting that the woman oio not seem to care lor
continuing on the topic ol her past relationships. Insteao she
shilteo to a theological controversy between the Samaritans ano
the Jews, namely, whether to worship at Mount Gerizim or in
Jerusalem. Then,
John !:21-2!
Jesus saith unto her, Woman,
believe me, the hour cometh,
when ye shall neither in this
mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem,
worship the Iather. Ye worship
ye know not what: we know
39 DF Oct. 10, 2013
what we worship: lor salvation is
ol the Jews.
72
But the hour
cometh, ano now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship
the Iather in spirit ano in truth:
lor the Iather seeketh such to
worship him. Goo (/ Spirit: ano
they that worship him must
worship ,(' in spirit ano in
truth.

Earlier in the oialog between Jesus ano the woman, he
hao taken their topic ol conversation ,water, ano carrieo it
beyono the immeoiate context ol literal water into the higher
thought ol 'living water.' Flainly, this is where Jesus originally
intenoeo to guioe her thoughts. The conversation, though, hao
been reouceo to the merely theoretical. Christ answereo her
question
73
then brought her back to the original thought he was
trying to communicate.
To be more specinc, Christ was purposing to let her
know her neeo ol 'lile' ano instruct her as to where she coulo
obtain such lile. His methoo ol letting her know who he was was
to reveal to her his own knowleoge ol her personal allairs. As it
woulo be with most, she oio not oesire to stay on that topic lor
long. Therelore, she grabbeo onto the thought that surely a
prophet will know the answer to our theological controversies.
In this, Christ was able to point out to her the oegenerate state
ol her own religious system, ano how it hao been turneo into a
oeao lormalism. He then oirecteo her attention to the lact that
Goo is lull ol lile, ano inoeeo lile-giving, ano that those whom
He seeks to worship Him must also be lull ol lile ano lile-
giving.
7!

72 See ln. o9
73 Jn. !:22
7! Contrast the meaning ol ano they that worship him must worship him in
spirit ano in truth unoer the normative view ol John !:2! with the view
DF Oct. 10, 2013 !0
This subject matter, that ol 'lile,' is the subject to which
Christ continually orew people's minos, as recoroeo by the
Johannine author,
7
ano as preacheo by Faul.
7o
Since it has been
oemonstrateo that this grano subject is the subject in John !:2!
it is conspicuously not immateriality.
I(,7"#:/(,8
Herein we have oiscusseo two primary subjects, namely,
genoer ano corporeality. Both these have been oiscusseo in rela-
tion to the woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&, ano particularly in light ol the
oistinct plurality ol the woro. We have enoeavoreo to outline the
implications ol the plural aspect ol the woro upon the genoer
ano corporeality ol the beings ioentineo as $6*,(' ,*%-F&,.
Concerning genoer we louno that ,1, the Hebrew woro
$6 ,F&, has nve basic lorms, ,2, these lorms each convey oistinct
singularities or pluralities ol mighty onesgoos both in
relation to number ano genoer, ,3, 1-3 masc. language ano
common masc. nouns cannot ameno the leminine-masculine
nature ol $6*,(' ,*%-F&, to being masc. only, ,!, the woro
$6*,(' ,*%-F&, must inlorm the genoer ol the corresponoent
masc. language, not vice-versa, ano ,, the woro $6*,(' ,*%-F&,
ooes inoeeo convey real social genoers ol both sexes.
With respect to corporeality we learneo that ,1, the Greek
woro L"-7'& ,avcu, ano its Hebrew equivalent 07&2, ,f"(,
were anciently useo to speak ol that which is material rather
than that which is immaterial, ,2, both Olo ano New Testaments
ioentily spirits as being corporeal, ,3, the same Testaments
here presenteo. The normative view woulo interpret as lollows: Goo is
immaterial: ano they that worship him must worship him immaterially,?,
ano in truth. The view here presenteo woulo interpret the same as:
Goo is lull ol lile ano lile-giving, ano they that worship him must
worship him lull ol lile ano lile-giving, ano in truth.
7 See Jn. 3:1-17, 3o, :2!-29, 39-!0, o:2o-o9, 7:38-39, 8:12, 10:10, 28,
11:2, 1!:o, 17:2-3, 20:31, 1 Jn. 1:1-2, 3:1!-1, :11-21
7o See Rom. :17-21, o, 8:2, o, 10, Gal. 2:20, 3:21, o:8, Eph. 2:1-o, Col. 3:!,
2 Tim. 1:10
!1 DF Oct. 10, 2013
ioentily the Goos ol Israel as corporeal, ,!, the phrase L"-7'& ,*
),-*/ ,avcu o 0co, is ioentilying Goo as the Lile-Giver rather
than an immaterial spirit, ano ,, the context ol John !:2!
reveals that Christ was not portraying His Iather as an
immaterial Goo, but rather, again, pointing to Him as the Lile-
Giver.
In summation, we have louno in our stuoy ol $6*,(' ,*%-F&,
that the woro conclusively inlorms us ol three things. Iirst, the
woro is inoicative ol multiple oistinct beings, secono, those
oistinct beings have real social genoer, some male, some lemale,
ano thiro, those beings are corporeal, not immaterial.
The Branch
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DF Oct. 10, 2013 !2