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Wesrock
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I placed this in Sacred Scripture as it relates to translating or understanding Logos and Pneuma, as these terms are the ones used in the New Testament.
This will be a short post on a short reflection I had today on the Greek words λόγος (logos) and πνεῦμα (pneuma). It may not be helpful to everyone, and I’m not looking for a particular response. I just wanted to share. λόγος and ἁγιο πνεύμα are the Biblical Greek words for two members of the Holy Trinity, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
λόγος is traditionally translated as “Word” (another English name for the second person of the Trinity) and πνεύμα as Spirit. What strikes me is how, as is often the case, the translation from Greek concept to English concept is not one-to-one. I am not disputing the translation. It’s accurate. But λόγος in Biblical Greek can also mean discourse, an argument, order and knowledge, reason. And while it’s not a translation, the second person is also associated with Wisdom in the Old Testament. πνεύμα can be translated also as soul or breath.
I feel as if I’ve become very accustomed to “Word” and “Spirit” such that it’s easy to miss their impact. That I’ve been desensitized to them.
λόγος, the λόγος is Reason and Order. God’s Reason. God as Reason. The ἁγιο πνεύμα is the Holy Breath of God, God’s Breath, the Breath. The idea of Breath in this context certainly connects to my understanding of breath being the animating principle of life. We have imagery of God’s Breath over the waters of creation. Of God breathing life into Adam. Of Jesus breathing on his disciples to give them the Holy Breath and new life in God. When we are receiving the Holy Spirit, we are receiving the Divine Breath of God, lifting us up to share in the Divine Life.
I was just thinking of the Trinity in this way today, and it felt revealing to me. Not new, exactly, I’ve known the meanings for some time, but it just felt enlightening at the time. Or maybe I should say I had a moment of deeper appreciation of the concepts.
This will be a short post on a short reflection I had today on the Greek words λόγος (logos) and πνεῦμα (pneuma). It may not be helpful to everyone, and I’m not looking for a particular response. I just wanted to share. λόγος and ἁγιο πνεύμα are the Biblical Greek words for two members of the Holy Trinity, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
λόγος is traditionally translated as “Word” (another English name for the second person of the Trinity) and πνεύμα as Spirit. What strikes me is how, as is often the case, the translation from Greek concept to English concept is not one-to-one. I am not disputing the translation. It’s accurate. But λόγος in Biblical Greek can also mean discourse, an argument, order and knowledge, reason. And while it’s not a translation, the second person is also associated with Wisdom in the Old Testament. πνεύμα can be translated also as soul or breath.
I feel as if I’ve become very accustomed to “Word” and “Spirit” such that it’s easy to miss their impact. That I’ve been desensitized to them.
λόγος, the λόγος is Reason and Order. God’s Reason. God as Reason. The ἁγιο πνεύμα is the Holy Breath of God, God’s Breath, the Breath. The idea of Breath in this context certainly connects to my understanding of breath being the animating principle of life. We have imagery of God’s Breath over the waters of creation. Of God breathing life into Adam. Of Jesus breathing on his disciples to give them the Holy Breath and new life in God. When we are receiving the Holy Spirit, we are receiving the Divine Breath of God, lifting us up to share in the Divine Life.
I was just thinking of the Trinity in this way today, and it felt revealing to me. Not new, exactly, I’ve known the meanings for some time, but it just felt enlightening at the time. Or maybe I should say I had a moment of deeper appreciation of the concepts.
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