Further Study

Review Questions

These questions are designed to help you review important material covered in the lecture. You may record your answers in a personal journal.

1. Define the term “pneumatology” in both a broad sense and in Christian theology. Why did the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as a distinct, uncreated person of the Trinity take so long to develop?
2. List and explain several names the Old Testament uses to refer to God’s Spirit.
3. The lesson discusses four characteristics of God’s Spirit in the Old Testament that point to his divinity. Select one of these characteristics, and describe in detail how this characteristic indicates the Spirit’s divinity. Cite specific Scripture references to support your answer.
4. How does the Old Testament point to the personhood of the Holy Spirit? Include references from Scripture to support your answer.
5. Describe what Jesus directly taught about the Holy Spirit during his earthly ministry. Explain why the Jews of his day were so offended by these teachings.
6. Using specific examples from Scripture, demonstrate several ways that the apostles affirmed the Spirit’s full divinity and personhood.
7. How does the Apostles’ Creed reflect the early church’s belief that the Holy Spirit is a third distinct person within the uncreated Godhead?
8. How did the traditional definition of “Trinity” develop? Describe two of the opposing views that led up to this definition.
9. The original Nicene Creed, written in A.D. 325, said very little about the Holy Spirit. What changes did the First Council of Constantinople make to the Creed in A.D. 381, and how did this affect the church’s liturgy and worship?
10. Describe both the “ontological Trinity” and the “economic Trinity.” How do these two perspectives help us understand the nature of the Spirit’s relationship to the Father and the Son?

Application Questions

Application questions are intended for group discussions; however, you may also use them for personal reflection.

1. Systematic theologians traditionally define the Trinity by saying that, “God has three persons, but only one essence.” In your own words, how would you explain the Trinity to someone who is struggling to understand it?
2. In his book, The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity, B.B. Warfield compared the Old Testament to a room that is richly furnished but poorly lit. What did he mean?
3. Do Old Testament names like “Spirit of God” or “my Spirit” directly refer to the third person of the Trinity? Explain your answer.
4. What evidence do we have in the Old Testament that God’s Spirit is personal rather than just a force or power? Why is the Spirit’s personhood important for us in the church today?
5. In Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in John 14-16, Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Counselor.” This has also been translated as “the Comforter,” “the Helper,” or “the Advocate.” In what way has the Spirit been a Counselor/Comforter/Helper/Advocate in your own life?
6. What does it mean that the Spirit is both divine and personal? How might this fact be used as you teach and disciple others?
7. What happened at Pentecost? Does anything similar happen today? Explain your answer.
8. Do you think doctrinal statements such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed are still important for the church today? Why or why not?
9. Describe some of the worship practices in your church and whether they do or do not include the Holy Spirit. Should the way we worship the Holy Spirit be different from the way we worship the Father and the Son? Explain your answer.