How do non-trinitarians interpret John 14:26?
Upvote:0
There are several forms of non-trinitarianism, I can only comment on LDS doctrine.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches a Godhead comprised of three distinct persons (or beings since persons is an overloaded term in trinitiarian doctrine) working together as one. So for LDS, this scripture is simply interpreted as that - the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father in Jesus name. Nothing mysterious going on, just emphasizing the unanimity/oneness of the Godhead. Sent by the Father, but acts on behalf of Jesus (just like Jesus acts on behalf of the Father).
Upvote:3
One thing to remember when translating is that the original Greek didn't use upper and lower case or punctuation, and that (like French and Spanish) nouns have gender, so the word for "it" is the same as the words for "she" and "he". (French has "il" and "elle" for "he" and "she", but no word for "it".)
So the first part of this verse could have been translated as "But the helper, the holy spirit, …".
Most translations are made by people that either believe in, or accept for translation purposes, the doctrine of the Trinity. So it is natural for them to treat the words as referring to a person and capitalize them.
If the verse instead said:
But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.
there is no reason (other than doctrinal eisegesis) to treat the sentence any differently than:
But the Bible, the Holy Book, which the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.
Most Christians would accept that sentence as true, without ever thinking that "Bible" and "Holy Book" are meant to refer to a person. It's only when one is already aware of the Trinity doctrine that the other interpretation arises.
To those that have no reason to believe that "holy spirit" refers to a specific person, God's holy spirit is literally that: the spiritual power through which God works. It has no more individual personality than does air or water.
Christians receive some of this spirit at baptism, and combined with their own human spirit it provides them with intimate contact with God.
The Power of the Holy Spirit | United Church of God is an example of this doctrine.
More post
- 📝 What does the Bible say about being a witness to sin?
- 📝 What did the Earliest Church Fathers teach about the Woman of Revelation 12?
- 📝 Does Christianity have any dietary guidelines?
- 📝 Why is it more difficult for a Mormon woman to control whom she is eternally sealed to?
- 📝 Mormonism or LDS?
- 📝 Why did God create the great flood?
- 📝 Are there any Biblical passages that say that devil is able to make you doubt your faith?
- 📝 History of the age restrictions in the Priesthood in the LDS Church
- 📝 How does our work on this earth transfer into the new earth when God returns?
- 📝 How is free-will formally defined as distinct from determinism, randomness and determinism-randomness hybrid to support moral responsibility?
- 📝 What is the difference between Arminianism, Molinism, and Calvinism?
- 📝 Did God's essence enter time and space?
- 📝 How do believers in post-mortal consciousness respond to objections by the Jewish Encyclopedia article on the immortality of the soul?
- 📝 Is God accountable for all things - good AND bad?
- 📝 Did Jesus preach One God and follow the commandments to the Jews, and another message to the Romans?
- 📝 Does anyone know where CS Lewis said (or maybe implied) the following...?
- 📝 Why aren't the Apostles called the Church Fathers?
- 📝 What is the difference between man's soul and spirit?
- 📝 Should Mark 16:9-20 be in the Bible?
- 📝 Why did Martin Luther change his surname from ‘Luder’ to ‘Luther' very early in his career?
- 📝 Do Mormons have Sunday services?/What does the regular Mormon liturgy look like?
- 📝 What are the origins and history of the practice of holding massive healing crusades in large stadiums or arenas?
- 📝 Reward in Heaven? What is it? (Catholic)
- 📝 What is considered to be free choice in the context of "choosing to go to hell"?
- 📝 What is the Biblical Basis against the use of profanity?
- 📝 History of the "three" wise men
- 📝 How do Latter-day Saints explain testimonies of profound experiences with the Holy Spirit in other denominations?
- 📝 How do non-Trinitarians who do not believe Jesus is God Almighty explain how Jesus can effect atonement for all of humanity?
- 📝 Do Calvinists rejoice in the destruction of sinners?
- 📝 Can all Catholic sacramentals be re-consecrated after being desecrated?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How do Trinitarians interpret John 3:35?
- 📝 How do trinitarians interpret John 8:58?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians interpret John 14:10?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians explain John 17:3?
- 📝 How do Modalists interpret John 14:28?
- 📝 How do Calvinists interpret 1 John 2:2 in light of Limited Atonement?
- 📝 How do Unitarians interpret John 1:1?
- 📝 John 1:18 - "No one has ever seen God" - How do Trinitarians reconcile this scripture with the belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is God?
- 📝 How did Swedenborg interpret 1 John 2:2: "He is the propitiation for our sins"?
- 📝 How do those who interpret John 10:30 as a claim to full divine equality by Jesus also interpret John 10:29, which says the Father is greater?
- 📝 How do deniers of the personal pre-incarnate existence of the Son of God interpret John 3:31-32?
- 📝 How do deniers of Jesus' preincarnate existence interpret John 17:5?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians interpret Jesus's statement that "I live because of the Father"?
- 📝 How do Cessationists interpret John 14:8-14, especially verses 11 and 12?
- 📝 How do non-trinitarians interpret John 14:26?
- 📝 If "God is spirit" then how can the incarnation be possible? How does Nicene theology interpret John 4:24?
- 📝 How do Christians who believe that salvation can be lost interpret John 6:37-44 and John 10:11-30?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians who argue the 'ego eimi' at John 8:58 ought to be translated 'I AM' explain the lack of reactions to the same phrase?
- 📝 How do Lutherans interpret John 5:24?
- 📝 How does the Catholic Church interpret "you are gods" in John 10:34?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians explain that Jesus himself claims He is a man who has heard things from God at John 8:40?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians explain James 1:17, John 4:24 and John 17:3?
- 📝 How do believers in modern-day miracles interpret John 20:29 & 2 Corinthians 5:7 (faith without sight)?
- 📝 How do Christian denominations interpret scriptures where Jesus said John is Elijah as anything other than indicating reincarnation?
- 📝 How do Trinitarians interpret Acts 2:22 in terms of St. Peter's beliefs?
- 📝 How is Jesus not lying in John 7?
- 📝 How do Mormons interpret the warning in Revelation about adding to the book?
- 📝 How do Christians in support of gay marriage interpret anti-gay Bible verses?
- 📝 How do Protestants interpret Matthew 16:13–20?
- 📝 Did the early Church Fathers have a complete agreement on how to interpret 1 Peter 3:18-20?