Holy Spirit: The Feminine Being of God

All English Bible translations refer to Holy Spirit with masculine pronouns. But is that really the truth?

Take a moment to ask Holy Spirit to open your mind, heart, and ears to understand and apply this word to your life.

One of the key principles of Biblical interpretation is The Law of First Mention which says that to understand something, you should study its first occurrence in the Bible as a foundational starting point.

So, let’s look at the first time Holy Spirit appears in the Bible. We don’t have to look far! Holy Spirit appears in only the second verse, even before Jesus!

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” - Genesis 1:1-2

Now from the rest of the Bible we clearly see that God reveals himself to us as a personal being. And He uses gendered, personal pronouns to refer to himself. God the Father refers to himself as “he”.

So in order to know and have a relationship with Holy Spirit, the first thing we should know is what is the Holy Spirit’s gender?

Holy Spirit’s Gender

In Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament, Spirit of God is Ruach Elohim. And the full name of Holy Spirit, which first appears in Psalm 51:11 is Ruach HaKodesh.

Now prepare yourself: in Hebrew Ruach is feminine.

That’s right, the gender of Holy Spirit as revealed in the Bible is female.

So why in the world does all our English Bible’s refer to Holy Spirit as “he”?! Well that’s a good question. Let’s follow the trail of language translation.

In Old Testament Hebrew, Holy Spirit is female. In the original Aramaic New Testament manuscripts, which is the language Jesus spoke, Holy Spirit is also female. So we have a clear foundation of Holy Spirit being female, but this concept becomes muddied when we go to the Greek which are the primary manuscripts for English translations. In Greek, the word for spirit is pneuma which is genderless. Now what happened when they translated Greek to Latin and to English? Surprise! They added masculine pronouns which were not in the Greek. Can you see the problem?

I want to emphasize that Holy Spirit is female in Aramaic. This means that when Jesus was speaking of Holy Spirit, he was literally using “she” to refer to her.

Does Anyone Else Actually Believe This?

If you’ve believed all your life that Holy Spirit is male, you’re probably having a bit of belief crisis right now. This might sound like total heresy. But in fact, this concept is not new at all.

We have a record of many people throughout the ages who have held this belief (in addition to those who spoke Aramaic):

• At least two early Church fathers, Theophilus of Antioch (d. 180) and Irenaeus (d. 202/3).

• Many Hebrew scholars say Holy Spirit cannot be identified with “He” (source)

• Many Messianic Jews.

• The fourth century Makarios who heavily influenced early Protestants such as John Wesley.

• The Moravians.

• Here’s an in-depth study of many other peoples and texts which support a female Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit as feminine: Early Christian testimonies and their interpretation

• I personally know a lot of brothers and sisters who believe this today

Ruach HaKodesh

Before going into further explanation, I want to explain why I’m going to use Ruach HaKodesh instead of Holy Spirit.

When you are with people who speak a different language, would you be happy if they took the meaning of your name, translated that meaning into their language and then called you by the words in a foreign language? Probably you wouldn’t like that very well. If your name is Brandon, you want to be called Brandon regardless of which language is being spoken.

So that’s why I use Ruach HaKodesh. Pronounced roo-ahk ha-co-desh

But also doesn’t Ruach HaKodesh just sound so much more personal and beautiful than Holy Spirit? I sure think so!

Does The Rest of The Bible Support This?

First, consider that many of the Biblical titles and descriptions of Ruach HaKodesh are feminine such as teacher, counselor, and comforter. And the majority of all references to her in the New Testament use feminine words.

If Ruach HaKodesh is female, then that means she is our mother and the mother of Jesus. Let’s see if this holds up.

It holds up at the virgin conception of Jesus. Notice how both Father God and Ruach HaKodesh, as the mother, are present.

And the angel answered and said to her, "Ruach HaKodesh will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:35

Now let’s look at this passage in Ephesians where Paul is talking about marriage. He quotes from Genesis 2:24 about a man leaving his father and mother which obviously applies to a marriage. But then he makes a very peculiar statement. He says, “this is a great mystery”, and “I speak concerning Christ and the church”. So what he’s saying is that Jesus left his father and mother in heaven to come to earth and marry his bride, which is the church. This is amazing! Ruach HaKodesh is the mother of Jesus.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. - Ephesians 5:31-32

So this means that the Trinity is the original family unit! Father, Mother, and Son. Isn’t that awesome?!

Another small point is in Genesis 1:27 we see that both male and female are specified as being created in the image of God: “God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them”.

Ruach HaKodesh is Wisdom

The person of Wisdom makes a strong appearance in the book of Proverbs and the Apocryphal book Wisdom of Solomon. In both books Wisdom is clearly female and is referred to as “she” in all English translations (as far as I know).

So we should immediately pick up a possible link between Wisdom and Ruach HaKodesh. Let’s explore these books and see what we find.

The first major connection is Proverbs 1:3.

To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity.
- Proverbs 1:3 NKJV

Based on the original Hebrew words, an equivalent or better translation is “To receive the instruction (correction & chastisement) of Wisdom, righteousness, judgment, and uprightness”. Now for the fun part. Notice how this exactly parallels John 16:8 where Jesus talks about Ruach HaKodesh, “And when She has come, She will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”.

Next look at Proverbs 1:23 where Wisdom is speaking, “Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” Wow, notice how that happened at Pentecost with Ruach HaKodesh.

So if Wisdom here is indeed Ruach HaKodesh, then we can replace “Wisdom” with “Ruach HaKodesh” and it should accurate. In fact, I strongly urge you to read Proverbs chapters 1, 2, 3, and 8 replacing wisdom with Ruach HaKodesh. It totally blew my mind and provides deeper insight into who She is. Then do the same thing for Wisdom of Solomon in the Apocrypha which has a ton of really amazing things.

So let’s do that with one passage:

Happy is the man who finds Ruach HaKodesh,
And the man who gains understanding;
For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.
- Proverbs 3:13-18

Isn’t that awesome?! Also notice that “she is more precious than rubies” which is exactly what Proverbs 31:10 says about virtuous women. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Now look at Proverbs 8.

Does not Ruach HaKodesh cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?
She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things;

For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; For Ruach HaKodesh is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

“I, Ruach HaKodesh, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Yahweh is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. hBy me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.

“Yahweh possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old.
I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth; While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from Yahweh; But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
- Proverbs 8

Now let’s move on to Wisdom of Solomon which has the most amazing things about Wisdom/Ruach HaKodesh.

Ruach HaKodesh is radiant and does not fade away, and easily is she beheld by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. She forestalls those who desire to know her, making herself first known. He who rises up early to seek her shall have no toil, for he shall find her sitting at his gates. For to think upon her is perfection of understanding, and he who watches for her sake shall quickly be free from care. Because she goes about herself seeking those who are worthy of her, and in their paths she appears to them graciously, and in every purpose she meets them. For her truest beginning is desire for instruction, and the care of instruction is love of her, and love of her is observance of her laws, and to give heed to her laws confirms immortality, and immortality brings near to God; so then desire of Ruach HaKodesh promotes to a kingdom. If therefore you delight in thrones and sceptres, you princes of peoples, honor Ruach HaKodesh, that you may reign forever.
- Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-21

Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called upon God, and there came to me a spirit of wisdom (Ruach HaKodesh). I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and riches I esteemed nothing in comparison of her. Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all the gold of the earth in her presence is little sand, and silver shall be accounted as clay before her. Above health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her bright shining is never laid to sleep. But with her there came to me all good things together, and in her hands innumerable riches. And I rejoiced over them all, because Ruach HaKodesh leads them, though I did not know that she was the mother of them.
- Wisdom of Solomon 7:7-12

For there is in her a spirit quick of understanding, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, freely moving, clear in utterance, unpolluted, distinct, unharmed, loving what is good, keen, unhindered, beneficent, loving toward man, steadfast, sure, free from care, all-powerful, all-surveying, and penetrating through all spirits that are quick of understanding, pure, most subtle. For Ruach HaKodesh is more mobile than any motion; yeah, she pervades and penetrates all things by reason of her pureness. For she is a vapor of the power of God, and a clear effluence of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled can find entrance into her. For she is an effulgence from everlasting light, and an unspotted mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. And she, being one, has power to do all things, and remaining in herself, renews all things; and from generation to generation, passing into holy souls, she makes men friends of God and prophets. For God loves nothing save him who dwells with Ruach HaKodesh. For she is fairer than the sun, and above every arrangement of stars, Being compared with light, she is found to be foremost, for to the light of day succeeds night, but against Ruach HaKodesh evil does not prevail. But she reaches from one end to the other with full strength, and orders all things graciously.
- Wisdom of Solomon 7:22-30

Isn’t that so awesome?!! And notice how it perfectly aligns with James 3:17-18 which says that, “wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gently, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy”.

More Reading

• The Feminine Imagery of God in the Hebrew Bible

• The Holy Spirit as feminine: Early Christian testimonies
  and their interpretation

• Wisdom is the Holy Spirit

What Does This Mean?

It means that not only do we receive masculine love from Hashilush Hakadosh (Hebrew for “Holy Trinity”), we also receive feminine love!! How incredible is that?!

It means that just as men have the Father and Jesus as masculine role models, Ruach HaKodesh is the perfect model for women to live by. And isn’t it striking that Ruach HaKodesh is treated like women in the world — often ignored and suppressed?

This also really highlights how much God values women. Jesus said in Matthew 12:31-32, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Lastly it means you can have much more intimacy with Ruach HaKodesh now that you know her true gender. My relationship with her is infinitely better and more real than before. Before she was a total mystery, like a black box. But now I see her in living color.

Ruach HaKodesh is the one who is with us today. Father and Jesus are in heaven, but she is here on earth with us. So we should talk about her and talk with her at least as much as we talk about the Father and Jesus! We must have a balanced relationship with all three beings of the Trinity. A three-stranded cord is not easily broken.

Activation

Father, thank you for showing me the truth about who Ruach HaKodesh really is. I repent for all the times I have ignored her and forgot about her. I repent for not seeking her above the things of this world. Father I want to know her. I want intimacy with her. Ruach Hakodesh, I want to know you. I honor you. I love you. And I repent of relying on men to teach me. As the Bible says, I choose you to be my teacher instead of humans. Thank you that you live with me and in me. I choose to hear you speaking to me. Teach me your voice and teach me your ways. I surrender myself to you.