ANEMOS/PNEUMA
Noel Fitzpatrick
njfitzpatrick at eircom.net
Thu Jul 4 13:22:29 EDT 2002
Is there an area of meaning overlap between ANEMOS (wind) and
PNEUMA (spirit) in New Testament Greek? Or are they separate
words with different meaning?
One question that particularly interests me is the use of
ANEMOS/PNEUMA for wind/spirit.
It seems to me that in the NT ANEMOS is used for literal
wind/storm only, with the exception of Eph 4:14 (PANTI ANEMW
THS DIDASKALIAS), while PNEUMA is never used for wind, with
the possible exception, depending on the translation (eg AV and
NRSV) of Hb 1:7 (hO POIWN TOUS AGGELOUS AUTOU
PNEUMATA), which is based on Psalm 103(104):4.
I would consider breath closer to spirit than to wind (2 Th 2:8, AV
and NRSV).
I note from BDAG that PNEUMA is used for wind in many
works, including the LXX, but only (possibly) in the NT in Hb 1:7,
as noted above.
Thus ANEMOS, used 31 times in the NT, seems to me to be
always used for wind/storm and never for spirit/breath. In fact
even outside the NT it is apparently given the same meaning.
Also out of 379 occurrences there is only one possible use of
PNEUMA as wind in the NT.
This view seems to be supported by Liddell-Scott (Perseus site).
Thus is it correct to claim that PNEUMA is never used for wind in
the NT always for "spirit/breath" and ANEMOS is never used for
spirit, but always for wind/storm?
Thus, if the focus is the GNT, wind and spirit are separate words,
with separate areas of meaning and no overlap.
I would appreciate comments and suggestions where there might
be similar meanings between the two words in the GNT.
Many Thanks,
Noel J Fitzpatrick.
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Noel Fitzpatrick
16 Granville Park
Blackrock
Co Dublin
Ireland
Phone: 353 1 2893851
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