Lesson 2: The Basic Meaning of Spirit
Biblical scholars typically begin their discussion of “spirit” by cautioning that there is no consistent meaning throughout the Bible. They then most often describe how wind and breath are used at the most basic level.
This relatively simple perspective uses the wind to describe the presence of God. The first creation story in Genesis begins, “The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In the third chapter of John, Jesus says. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.”
This wind bestows the breath that is the spirit or the vital stuff of life. The spirit is the source of life that animates the body. Humans come to life when they begin to breathe and die when their breath leaves.
This is illustrated in Ezekiel 37, where dry bones come to life. “The Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.”
It appears again in Genesis’ second creation story where, “The Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
We should be clear that this does not mean the body is simply a container for the spirit. The ancient Hebrews believed the human person is always a unity of body and spirit. This picture is meant to show at even the most basic level, the human is bound to God. In some sense, and we should be careful here, as the human spirit is made of divine material.
This goes beyond “bestowing” to “sharing.” For instance, John places the Pentecost experience on Easter evening when the resurrected Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit'” (John 20: 22). The story is meant to show the risen Lord shares his spirit with his followers. And the early Christians perpetuated this idea when they shared the peace in their worship by blowing into each other’s mouths.
So much for any thought that reality is solely material. The physical is important, but it cannot be used to explain in its entirety the mystery of life.
This has all sorts of relevance for current issues. Consider the discussion of abortion that has come to a stalemate in our society. If life begins when the child breathes, there is a difference between the quality of life at conception and birth. There is no question if a decision has to be made that the mother’s life has higher value than an unborn fetus.
On the other hand, all life should be protected after birth. Any call to “kill them all,” even if voiced by the highest officials, should be opposed. And anyone who opposes abortion, but sanctions the neglect or destruction of other life, should be challenged.
Let me emphasize that I have been examining “spirit” at its most basic level. Other parts of scripture and tradition build on this, sometimes in a rather free fashion. I’ll take that into consideration as I discuss the idea of soul, heart, and even mind. At his point I just want to acknowledge the Bible believes reality itself is intrinsically related to God.
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