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It’s a stretch, but: Matthew uses the word pneuma 19 times, and uses the word with reference to the Holy Spirit 12 times (1:18, 20; 3:11, 16; 4:1; 10:20; 12:18, 28, 31, 32; 22:43; 28:19). That’s neat: A twelvefold Spirit for the twelve tribes of Israel.

But then there’s the ambiguous 27:50. When Jesus dies, He lets go of, sends out His pneuma. This could simply be a way of describing death, but in the presence of references to Elijah it seems plausible that Matthew intends more. The verb (aphiemi) might also suggest something more deliberate.

If so, then we’ve got 13 references to the Spirit, rather than 12. Number 12 is at 27:50, when Jesus dies as King of the Jews and releases His Spirit. Use number 13, which breaks out of the twelve tribes, is in the great commission, the command to disciple all the ethnoi in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, with the assurance that Jesus, who yielded His Spirit, is with them to the end of the age.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 11:48 am

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Bible - NT - Matthew: Spirit in Matthew

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Bible - NT - Matthew: Spirit in Matthew

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