He is the Anointed One, the Christ, the Messiah. Let’s find out how the Spirit worked in his life and ministry.

I use the NIV in this post. If you would like to see many others, please go to biblegateway.com.

This post is an expansion of the earlier one:

The Spirit in the Life of Christ

I use the outline format to organize the rich data.

I write to learn. Let’s see what I can learn.

This post is divided into these sections:

I. His Birth, Baptism, and Temptation

II. Beginning of His Ministry

III. His Ministry in the Fullness of the Spirit

IV. Jesus Teaches about the Spirit

V. His Death, Resurrection, and Exaltation

Personal Application

Addendum 1: The Holy Spirit Is a Person

Addendum 2: Total Number of Times “Spirit” Appears in NT

Let’s begin.

I. His Birth, Baptism, and Temptation

A. The Spirit conceived Jesus.

The Spirit came upon and overshadowed Mary (Matt. 1:18-19 Luke 1:34-35). The verb “overshadow” indicates God’s powerful presence on Mary. “Come upon” is the same verb used in Acts 1:8 (and elsewhere) for the Spirit coming upon the disciples.

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 1:18-19)

Luke’s version has Gabriel speaking to Mary.:

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

In Luke 1:35, it is said that he will be called the Son of God by people (and demons and even God himself, publicly). But this does not mean he was not the Son of God before he was born.

When Did Jesus “Become” the Son of God?

The baby Jesus never lost his divine attributes. They were submitted and governed by his Father.

For more discussion, see these links in a series:

3. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Was God Incarnate

4. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Took the Form of a Servant

Also, the Spirit created his human nature at conception, and the Spirit preserved it from sin. John 7:18 says there is no unrighteousness in him, and 1 John 3:5 says that in Christ there is no sin.

B. The Spirit surrounded his childhood and his relative John’s calling.

1. John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit before John was born.

He is the person behind the pronoun “he.”

¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. (Luke 1:15)

2.. Elizabeth

She was John the Baptist’s mother. After she was filled with the Spirit, she began to proclaim great things about Mary (vv. 42-45).

⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:41)

3.. Zechariah

He was John the Baptist’s father.

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: (Luke 1:67)

4.. Simeon

He was moved by the Spirit, and the Spirit revealed a promise to him about the child Jesus.

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26)

C. Jesus was filled with the Spirit at his water baptism.

When Jesus came up out of the water, the Spirit descended on Jesus “like” a dove (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; cf. John 1:32-34). Each passage in the four Gospels uses the hesitant language “like” or “as.” The Spirit was not a dove.

Let me quote Matthew’s version:

¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:16-17)

D. The Spirit remains on him.

Not only does the Spirit remain on Jesus, Jesus will baptize people with the Spirit. Jesus is the Baptizer with the Spirit, while John baptized with water.

³² Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. ³³ And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ (John 1:32-33)

E. The Spirit led him to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1 and Luke 4:1 say that the Spirit led him out to the desert. Mark 1:12 says the Spirit “compelled” or “thrust [him] forward” or “sent [him] out.” Whichever verb is used, he was duty-bound to go because the Spirit was leading him. He obediently followed and said yes.

Matthew’s version again:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. (Matt. 4:1)

Luke version adds that Jesus was full of the Spirit and was led out to the wilderness.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, (Luke 4:1)

II. Beginning of His Ministry

A. He proclaims that he is anointed to preach and liberate people.

When Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth, Galilee, he stood up and read a passage in Isaiah. The verses go on to promise vengeance from God on Israel’s sins, but when Jesus quoted it, he did not include those verses, but stopped before then. This stopping point indicates God was not going to take vengeance on the new people he was forming—Messianic Jew and Gentiles together in the Messiah Jesus (Luke 4:18-21).:

“¹The Spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, ² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Is. 63:1-2).

B. Interaction between his divine nature and the Spirit’s anointing.

1.. First, let’s recall that Matthew says that Jesus healed people by the Spirit’s anointing because God had promised in the prophet Isaiah that Jesus was God’s servant whom he had chosen, the one he loves and delights in, and on whom he would put his Spirit (Matt. 12:15-21; Is. 42:1-4).

2.. Jesus never lost his divine attributes, nor did he set or lay them aside.

3.. Rather, he kept them, but surrendered and submitted them to the Father.

4.. This truth is seen in verses that say the following:

a. He does only what he sees his Father doing (John 5:19).

b. He lives because of the Father (John 6:57). He stands with the Father (John 8:16).

d. The Father knows him, and he knows the Father who sent him (John 8:16).

e. He speaks only what the Father taught him (John 8:28).

f. The Father knows him, and he knows the Father (John 10:15).

g. The Father loves him because he lays down his life (John 10:17).

h. “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).

i. He does what he sees the Father does (John 10:37).

j. What Jesus says is just what the Father told him to say (John 12:49-50, 12:57).

k. Perhaps the most important verse about miracles and surrender: “I have shown you many miracles from the Father” (John 10:32).

5.. So what happened in Jesus’s ministry is that he surrendered and submitted his divine attributes to the Father, and the Spirit worked through the Son, the Anointed One, but even the Spirit submitted and surrendered to the Father. The Father hid his Son’s divine attributes behind his humanity, and sometimes we catch a glimpse of them when the Father willed to allow them to shine forth, as Peter, James, and John did on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-13).

6.. So the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—worked together to lead humanity towards repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and salvation, and the infilling of the Spirit.

Once again, see these links for more information.

3. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Was God Incarnate

4. Do I Really Know Jesus? He Took the Form of a Servant

III. His Ministry in the Fullness of the Spirit

A. Jesus is anointed to reach the nations (eventually.)

During his earthly mission, he is called to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 10:6). However, he will reach out to all peoples, as the next verses show.

The context of the next passage shows Jesus just healing a man with a withered hand and scolding the Pharisees about his healing on the Sabbath. They plotted to kill him, but he withdrew (Matt. 12:9-14). This wonderful summary passage projects Jesus’s ministry into the future. God put his Spirit on him. Jesus will give people of the nations a second chance (v. 20).

¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
²¹     In his name the nations will put their hope.” (Matt. 12:15-21; Is. 42:1-4)

B. He expels demons by the Spirit of God.

The Pharisees heard that he expelled a demon and claimed that he did this by the prince of demons. He rebuked them and said a house divided against itself will not stand (Matt. 12:25). Then he clarified the issue with this pronouncement:

²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Matt. 12:28).

Yes, the kingdom has come, as evidenced by the demon expulsion.

C. God gave the Spirit to him without limit.

Now Jesus can minister powerfully.

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. (John 3:34)

D. Summary verse describing his entire Spirit-filled ministry.

In a summary verse in the Book of Acts, Luke records Peter saying to the Roman centurion and Gentile (non-Jew) Cornelius that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Spirit and power, so that he went about delivering and healing people of demons and diseases (Acts 10:38). So let it never be said that because the Spirit is not mentioned in every other verse in the Four Gospels that the Spirit is not there with Jesus ministering through him.

³⁸ […] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

IV. Jesus Teaches about the Spirit

A. The Spirit causes rebirth or being born again.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5)

B. The Spirit will flow like water through people.

At the Festival of Tabernacles, during tense times, when the authorities wanted to arrest him, and some wanted to kill him, Jesus stood up and proclaimed:

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (John 7:38-39)

C. Jesus said we must worship in Spirit and truth.

He is speaking to a Samaritan woman who had been married five times. She gets into a theological discussion about the true place to worship, to deflect his healing questions about her past. He replies:

²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” […] (John 4:23)

D. God is Spirit.

Jesus continues his private dialogue with the Samaritan woman. God the Father does not have human or any other kind of flesh.

²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

E. The Spirit gives life.

He gives life to believers and Jesus’s own words.

⁶³ The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life. (John 6:63)

F. Jesus promises the Advocate.

The Advocate is the Holy Spirit. The advocate is the Paraklete, a Greek term which literally means someone who is “called alongside” (para = alongside and klete = called). It could be translated as the Encourager, the Strengthener, the Comforter, The Exhorter, the Defender / the Attorney (related to advocate), the Counselor, or the Helper. All of those meanings can be bundled up together in one Greek word!

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever (John 14:16)

G. He is the Spirit of truth

¹⁷ the Spirit of truth […] (John 14:17a)

H. Though the world does not accept the Spirit, he will live in believers. Let’s continue the verses from the previous letter.

[…] The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:17b-18)

I. The Father will send the Holy Spirit in Jesus’s name, and he will teach and remind believers.

For who the Advocate is, see letter F.

²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)

J. The Spirit of Truth is sent by Jesus, yet proceeds from the Father.

Once again, for who the Advocate is, see letter F.

²⁶ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.  (John 15:27)

K. The Spirit testifies about Jesus.

²⁶ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.  (John 15:27)

L. The Spirit of truth will guide believers into all truth.

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  (John 16:13)

M. The Spirit of truth will speak only what he hears from the Son (see v. 14).

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13).

N. The Spirit of truth will speak of what is to come.

Presumably this future refers to Pentecost and even the end times and whatever else Jesus tells him (see v. 14).

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.  (John 16:13)

O. The Spirit of truth will glorify Jesus and will receive what he is to make known to believers.

¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. (John 16:14)

P. He will convict the world of three things.

⁸ When he [the Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, because people do not believe in me (John 16:8)

Q. He breathed on his disciples in private to receive the Holy Spirit.

²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22)

R. He believed in the inspiration of Scripture by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is speaking to Pharisees. He proclaims that David called him (Jesus) Lord, so how can Jesus be the Son of David (beyond his genealogy)?.

⁴³ He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 

⁴⁵ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” (Matt. 22:43-45)

V. His Death, Resurrection, and Exaltation

A. Jesus offered himself to God through the Spirit.

The blood of goats and other animals did not cleanse permanently, so God needed a new offering, an eternal one. He ordained that Jesus offer himself through the eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14). Now Christ’s sacrifices can cleanse our consciences permanently, for eternity.

¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Heb. 9:14)

B. He was raised by the Spirit.

The Spirit raised Jesus to life, and the same Spirit lives in us and empowers our mortal body in the future resurrection (Rom. 8:11). Some teach that this verse includes divine health  in our present bodies right now. The future tense is used, so I prefer to keep the verse in context: the verse is about the future.

¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Rom. 8:11)

Jesus appeared in the flesh and was vindicated by the Spirit; in other words, his ministry was proven and declared victorious by the Spirit by his resurrection (1 Tim. 3:16).

¹⁶ Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:

Jesus suffered only once for sins, meaning his death on the cross was sufficient for all times, a sacrifice of the righteous for the unrighteous. But he was raised to life by the Spirit (1 Pet. 3:18).

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)

C.. He promised the Spirit.

Jesus said that the Advocate whom he would send from the Father will testify about Jesus (John 15:26). For more information about the Advocate, the Paraklete, see Roman numeral IV, letter F.)

²⁶ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. (John 15:26)

Jesus said he was going to send the promise of the Father, and his disciples would receive power.  (Luke 24:49). Jesus repeats this promise when he was discussing the kingdom of God. He clarifies that the promise is the Holy Spirit.

⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

D. He sent the Spirit at Pentecost.

The Spirit came at Pentecost, and all 120 in the upper room received him (Acts 2:1-14). Some teach that only the twelve apostles received the Spirit, but Acts 1:11-15 names or identifies some of the 120: the twelve apostles, along with the women, Mary, the mother of Jesus, with his brothers. They were all gathered together in prayer. Then Acts 2:1 says that they were all together in one place. After the Spirit fell with power and fire, Peter said this was the promise fulfilled (Acts. 2:33). Then he said the promise is for the people to whom he was preaching, and their descendants, and for those afar off in the distance—you and me.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)

Did 12 or 120 Speak in ‘Spirit-Inspired Languages’ (‘Tongues’) at Pentecost?

E. The Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.

It is not that the Spirit and Jesus are one person, but they share the same ministry, and the Spirit proceeds from the Son and the Father. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit share the same essence, but are distinct persons. The Triunity is united and one.

Paul and his team intended to go into Asia, but the Holy Spirit prevented them. Then they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus prevented them (Acts 16:6-7). Jesus and the Holy Spirit share the same essence or nature, but they are different persons. The phrase “Spirit of Jesus” shows the close unity between the two persons.

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.  (Acts 16:6-7)

Paul writes that if the Spirit of God lives in you, and then switches over to the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9).

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Rom. 8:9)

Paul writes that God sent the Spirit of his Son into the Galatians’ hearts, but then just says he is the Spirit (Gal. 4:6). Abba is an intimate Aramaic term for Father.

⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[c] Father.” (Gal. 4:6)

Personal Application

The Spirit is not mentioned every fifth verse–very often. However, let no one believe that the Spirit was not present during Christ’s earthly ministry. He was the Anointed One. That is, the Spirit was on and him every second of every day. Also, the Father and the exalted Son sent the Spirit at Pentecost and directed the Church to minister in the Spirit. We can do this even today.

We Renewalists can minister in the same anointing and power of the Spirit, but we have this anointing in a limited portion. Only to Jesus did the Father give the Spirit without limit (John 3:34). But that is not to deny a lot of God’s power and Spirit in our lives. We share in Christ’s anointing. And though the Spirit we can do greater works because we are many and united, after Jesus ascends to the Father, and we offer the call to salvation after Pentecost (John 14:12). But we must follow the Spirit, or else we will be filled with arrogance and self-rule. “I can do it on my own!”

What Is the ‘Anointing’?

What Does ‘Greater Things’ Mean in John 14:12?

What we need is more of him, as we live life in the Spirit, just as Galatians 5 and Romans 8 teach us.

Addendum 1: The Holy Spirit Is a Person

Theologian Elmer L. Towns (p. 195) has a short list (items 1-12) to show that the Spirit is a person or has personality or personhood. I add many other characteristics that also reveal his personhood. (Of course, some of the items inevitably overlap with the items in the above outline.) To do the things on the list shows that he has a mind, will, emotions, and consciousness. These are the attributes, at a minimum, that make a person.

1. He teaches (John 14:26).

2. He testifies (John 15:26).

3. He guides (Rom. 8:14).

4. He speaks (1 Cor. 12:13).

5. He enlightens (John 16:13).

6. He strives (Gen. 6:3).

7. He commands (Acts 8:26).

8. He intercedes (Rom. 8:26).

9. He sends workers (Acts 13:4).

10. He calls (Rev. 22:17).

11. He comforts (John 16:7).

12. He works (1 Cor. 12:11).

I add:

13. He distributes gifts as he determines or wills (1 Cor. 12:11).

14. He encourages (Acts 9:31).

15. He advocates (John 14:16).

16. He hears and speaks (John 16:13).

17. He grieves (Eph. 4:30).

18. He can be resisted (Acts 7:51).

19. He can be tested (Acts 5:9).

20. He understands all things (1 Cor. 2:10).

21. He knows the thoughts of God (1 Cor. 2:11).

22. He can be quenched (1 Thess. 5:19).

23. He inspires prophecy (2 Peter 1:21).

24. He reveals truth (John 16:14-15).

25. He receives truth from the Son (John 16:14-15).

26. He can prove the world to be wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).

27. He helps believers (John 14:16).

28. He reminds believers what Jesus said (John 14:26).

29. He leads (Matt. 4:1).

30. He inspires believers what to say during trials (Mark 13:11).

31. He gives life (John 6:63; Rom. 8:10).

32. He can be lied to (Acts 5:3).

33. He oversees councils (Acts 15:28).

34. He prevents wrong direction and redirects Christians (Acts 16:6-7).

35. He compels (Acts 20:22).

36. He warns (Acts 20:23).

37. He makes overseers (Acts 20:28).

38. He circumcises the heart of its sin nature (Rom. 2:20).

39. He lives in believers (Rom. 8:9).

40. He bears witness in our spirits that we are God’s children (Rom. 8:16).

41. He has a mind that can be searched (Rom. 8:27).

42. He searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10).

43. He sanctifies believers (Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 6:11).

44. He washes sinners (1 Cor. 6:11).

45. He justifies the repentant (1 Cor. 6:11).

46. He makes our bodies temples (1 Cor. 6:19).

47. He enables people to say “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12:3).

48. He has a ministry (2 Cor. 3:8).

49. He gives liberty (2 Cor. 3:17).

50. He provides fellowship for believers (2 Cor. 13:14).

51. He calls out “Abba Father!” in our hearts (Gal. 4:6).

52. He produces fruit in believers (Gal. 5:22-23).

53. He seals us (Eph. 1:13)

54. He grants access to the Father (Eph. 2:18).

55. He wields a sword, the word of God (Eph. 6:17).

56. He enables believers to serve God (Phil. 3:3).

57. He gives wisdom and understanding to believers, so he is wise and understands things (Col. 1:9).

58. He gives psalms, hymns, and songs (Col. 3:16).

59. He gives joy during severe suffering (1 Thess. 1:6).

60. He vindicated Jesus (1 Tim. 3:16).

61. He gives believers power, love, and self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:7).

62. He can be insulted (Heb. 10:29).

63. He rests on believers (1 Peter 4:14).

64. He is the truth (1 John 5:6).

Addendum 2: Totals Number of Times “Spirit” Appears in NT

I added them up the best I could, using a concordance and distinguishing between a human spirit or an evil spirit or the Holy Spirit. I did not sort out the parallel passages in the synoptic Gospels. I counted “advocate” in John’s gospel. It’s a sure thing I may have omitted a verse or two or added one or two, but I believe the totals reflect a reasonably accurate number. I did not keep track of when a pronoun (he) referred to the Sirit.

Matthew: 12

Mark: 6

Luke: 17

John: 19

Gospel Total: 54

Acts: 53

Narrative Total: 107

Paul’s Epistles

Romans: 29

1 Corinthians: 22

2 Corinthians: 11

Galatians: 18

Ephesians: 11

Philippians: 3

Colossians: 1

1 Thessalonians: 3

2 Thessalonians: 1

Titus: 1

Pauline Total: 100

General Epistles

Hebrews: 7

1 Peter: 4

2 Peter: 1

1 John: 7

Jude: 2

General Total: 21

Revelation (excluding “seven spirits” 7x): 12

Grand Total: 240

RELATED

Do I Really Know God? He Is Spirit

The Spirit in the Old Testament

The Spirit’s Deity and Divine Attributes

The Personhood of the Spirit

Titles of the Holy Spirit

Images of the Holy Spirit

The Spirit in the Life of Christ

The Spirit in the Church and Believers

SOURCES

Works Cited