Names of the Holy Spirit in Scripture
The Holy Spirit is identified by numerous names and titles throughout Scripture, each highlighting a particular aspect of his nature or work. One of the most common and direct names is "Holy Spirit" itself, appearing in both the Old and New Testaments [1]. For instance, Psalm 51:11 mentions "thy holy spirit," and Luke 11:13 refers to the "Holy Spirit" given to those who ask [1]. This name emphasizes the Spirit's divine purity and his sanctifying work.
Beyond this primary designation, the Spirit is frequently called "the Spirit" [1]. This simple title underscores his essential spiritual nature, as seen in passages like Matthew 4:1 and John 3:6 [1]. The Spirit's divine identity is also affirmed by calling him "God," as in Acts 5:3-4, where Peter tells Ananias that by lying to the Holy Spirit, he has lied to God [1].
Several names connect the Holy Spirit to the other persons of the Trinity. He is called the "Spirit of God" (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4), indicating his shared divine essence with God the Father [1]. Similarly, he is referred to as the "Spirit of the Father" (Matthew 10:20) and the "Spirit of Christ" (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11), or the "Spirit of the Son" [1]. These titles highlight the Spirit's intimate relationship with both the Father and the Son, emphasizing their unity in divine operation. Augustine, in On the Holy Trinity, discusses how the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, noting that the Father gave the Son this procession by begetting him [2].
Other names describe the Spirit's functions and characteristics:
- Comforter/Advocate: Jesus refers to the Spirit as the "Comforter" (John 14:16, 26; 15:26) [1]. This title, from the Greek Paraclete, conveys the idea of one who comes alongside to help, counsel, and console.
- Breath of the Almighty: Job 33:4 speaks of the "breath of the Almighty" giving life, linking the Spirit to divine creative power [1].
- Eternal Spirit: Hebrews 9:14 calls him the "Eternal Spirit," emphasizing his timeless and unending nature [1].
- Free Spirit: Psalm 51:12 refers to a "free Spirit," which can be understood as a willing or generous spirit [1].
- Good Spirit: Nehemiah 9:20 and Psalm 143:10 use the title "Good Spirit," highlighting his benevolent nature and guidance [1].
- Power of the Highest: In Luke 1:35, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that the "power of the Highest" will overshadow her, referring to the Holy Spirit's role in the incarnation [1].
The Holy Spirit is also identified as "the Lord" in 2 Thessalonians 3:5 [1]. Irenaeus, an early Church Father, noted that neither the Lord nor the Holy Spirit would be named as God unless they were truly God [5]. Tertullian also provides abundant testimonies from both the Old and New Testaments regarding the Holy Spirit, including his descent upon Christ and his role in enabling believers to call Jesus Lord [3].
Augustine further discusses the Holy Spirit as the "Gift of God" [4]. He explains that when the Scriptures speak of the "gift of the Holy Spirit," they refer to the Holy Spirit himself as the gift [4]. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, elaborates on this, stating that "Gift" is a proper name for the Holy Spirit, understanding a gift as a gratuitous donation motivated by love [9]. Aquinas notes that while there are two processions in God (the Son from the Father, and the Spirit from both), the procession of love, which characterizes the Holy Spirit, lacks a proper name, leading to the use of descriptive titles like "Gift" [8].
Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, emphasizes that the titles given to the Holy Spirit demonstrate how believers become members of Christ through the Spirit's grace and energy [7]. The descent of the Holy Spirit on the fiftieth day after Christ's resurrection, as mentioned in the New Testament, is also connected to Old Testament observances, further underscoring the Spirit's continuous work throughout salvation history [6].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Titles and Names of the Holy Spirit — Breath of the Almighty -- Job 33:4. Comforter -- Joh 14:16,26; 15:26. Eternal Spirit -- Heb 9:14. Free Spirit -- Ps 51:12. God -- Ac 5:3,4. Good Spirit -- Ne 9:20; Ps 143:10. Holy Spirit -- Ps 51:11; Lu 11:13; Eph 1:13; 4:30. Lord, The -- 2Th 3:5. Power of the Highest -- Lu 1:35. Spirit, The -- Mt 4:1; Joh 3:6; 1Ti 4:1. Spirit of the Lord God -- Isa 61:1. Spirit of the Lord -- Isa 11:2; Ac 5:9. Spirit of God -- Ge 1:2; 1Co 2:11; Job 33:4. Spirit of the Father -- Mt 10:20. Spirit of Christ -- Ro 8:9; 1Pe 1:11. Spirit of the Son --”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 17.--HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CALLED LOVE, AND WHETHER HE ALONE IS SO CALLED. THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN THE SCRIPTURES PROPERLY CALLED BY THE NAME OF LOVE. (part 3): from whom the Word is born, and from whom the Holy Spirit principally proceeds. And therefore I have added the word principally, because we find that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son also. But the Father gave Him this too, not as to one already existing, and not yet having it; but whatever He gave to the only-begotten Word, He gave by begetting Him. Therefore He so begat Him”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. III.--ON THE HOLY SPIRIT. (part 2): and by Daniel, where it is Said, "The Holy Spirit which is in thee."(2) And in the New Testament we have abundant testimonies, as when the Holy Spirit is described as having descended upon Christ, and when the Lord breathed upon His apostles after His resurrection, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit;"(3) and the saying of the angel to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon thee;"(4) the declaration by Paul, that no one can call Jesus Lord, save by the Holy Spirit.(5) In the Acts of the Apostles”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 19.--THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CALLED THE GIFT OF GOD IN THE SCRIPTURES. BY ThE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MEANT THE GIFT WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SPECIALLY CALLED LOVE, ALTHOUGH NO (part 4): sins: and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."(1) And we read likewise in the same book, that Simon Magus desired to give money to the apostles, that he might receive power from them, whereby the Holy Spirit might be given by the laying on of his hands. And the same Peter said to him, "Thy money perish with thee: because thou hast”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. VI -- THE HOLY GHOST, THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES, MADE MENTION OF NO OTHER GOD OR LORD, SAVE HIM WHO IS THE TRUE GOD. (part 1): 1. Therefore neither would the Lord, nor the Holy Spirit, nor the apostles, have ever named as God, definitely and absolutely, him who was not God, unless he were truly God; nor would they have named any one in his own person Lord, except God the Father ruling over all, and His Son who has received dominion from His Father over all creation, as this passage has it: "”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. XVI. -- 29. The fiftieth day is also commended to us in Scripture; and not only in the Gospel, by the fact that on that day the Holy Spirit descended, but also in the books of the Old Testament. (part 2): of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 56: 462 CHAPTER 1. THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST MADE AVAILABLE TO US BY THE SECRET OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. The three divisions of this chapter are,—I. The secret operation of the Holy Spirit, which seals our salvation, should be considered first in Christ the Mediator as our Head, sec. 1 and 2. II. The titles given to the Holy Spirit show that we become members of Christ by his grace and energy, sec. 3. III. As the special influence of the Holy Spirit is manifested in the gift of faith, the former is a proper introduction to the latter, and”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of the Person of the Holy Ghost, Art. 1: Article: Whether this name "Holy Ghost" is the proper name of one divine person? I answer that, While there are two processions in God, one of these, the procession of love, has no proper name of its own, as stated above (Question [27], Article [4], ad 3). Hence the relations also which follow from this procession are without a name (Question [28], Article [4]): for which reason the Person proceeding in that manner has not a proper name. But as some names are accommodated by the usual mode of speaking ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of the Name of the Holy Ghost, as Gift, Art. 2: Article: Whether "Gift" is the proper name of the Holy Ghost? I answer that, Gift, taken personally in God, is the proper name of the Holy Ghost. In proof of this we must know that a gift is properly an unreturnable giving, as Aristotle says (Topic. iv, 4)---i.e. a thing which is not given with the intention of a return---and it thus contains the idea of a gratuitous donation. Now, the reason of donation being gratuitous is love; since therefore do we give something to anyone gratuitously forasm”