I'm writing a series of articles on the book of Romans, which, as you know, is one of the more difficult and controversial books of the New Testament. This is not going to be a verse-by-verse analysis by any means, but I will write a lengthy article on each chapter of this sixteen-chapter book. I hope that you find this helpful.
I'm going to spend a little more time on chapter eight, being that it is the most challenging of all sixteen chapters, in my opinion...
The most difficult part of Romans 8 is this passage concerning the intercession of the spirit. Let's read the passage together first and then discuss the different interpretations afterwards. Paul says in verses 26-27, "Likewise the spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts know what the mind of the spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
As with yesterday's article, I'd like to first of all establish what is clear in this text. It is clear that, as Christians, we often struggle in prayer. That is, we have trouble articulating to God what it is that we're trying to say. "We do not know what we should pray for as we ought" (vv. 26). It is also clear that, despite our imperfections, intercession is somehow made so that in the end, God knows our needs and He attends to our needs.
These things are clear.
The difficulty comes in trying to determine the meaning of the word spirit.
It is commonly understood that Paul is talking about the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit intercedes between us and Christ, and Christ intercedes between us and the Father. In other words, the Holy Spirit, in some mysterious way, intercedes by groaning.
Another interpretation is that Paul is speaking of our spirit, not the Holy Spirit. Even though we don't know what to pray for and how to articulate our needs to God, Christ, our intercessor knows our needs and what we're trying to say and He conveys that to the Father.
These are the two primary interpretations of Romans 8:26-27, but which one is accurate? I'll admit to you that I've gone back and forth between these two positions in the last several years, but the position that has most occupied my mind, and which currently occupies my mind, is the latter position. Yes, I believe that the spirit here is our own spirit, not the Holy Spirit.
It is often assumed that the word spirit here MUST be the Holy Spirit. After all, the word is capitalized in most translations (e.g. Spirit), and furthermore, it does say that the "Spirit HIMSELF," and so therefore this must be an individual being. Others simply run with the traditional position of the text, while others, desperate to assign some work to the Holy Spirit, take this position.
First of all, the word spirit is not capitalized in the Greek. It was capitalized by translators who perceive it as the Holy Spirit. Second, the word Himself in verse 26 is a poor translation of the text, as I understand it. The Greek actually says, "the same spirit." So really, Paul is pointing back to the same spirit he mentioned earlier in the verse. This doesn't rule out the Holy Spirit, but at the same time, the "Himself argument" is weak. Third, we cannot hold to the traditional interpretation of a text if the traditional interpretation is wrong, and finally, we cannot declare that the spirit here is the Holy Spirit simply because we are desperate to assign to Him some work. That is not a good reason at all!
So far, we haven't settled anything, but we have at least addressed some of the arguments used to justify the "Holy Spirit interpretation" of Romans 8:26-27. Having said these things, I want to now set forth my reasoning as to why the spirit here is OUR own spirit, not the Holy Spirit.
First of all, context is key. Let's connect what is said in verse 26 to what is said earlier in verse 23. In verse 26, Paul says that "the [same spirit] makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Back in verse 23, the inspired apostle said, "Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves..." While many assume that the Holy Spirit groans on our behalf, the context of Romans 8:26 indicates that we groan within ourselves. This is not a literal, outward groaning, but a groaning that occurs in our spirit. One might say that our spirit is groaning. Paul also says in 2 Corinthians 5:2, "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven."
Also, consider with me 1 Corinthians 2:11: "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." The language here is similar to that of Romans 8:26-27. The spirit of man is, in a way, distinguished from the man himself, and the point is made that our spirit knows our thoughts and what is in our mind. Does this not fit the wording of Romans 8:26-27 very well? Even though we sometimes cannot express to God what it is that is in our mind, our spirit knows and Christ, who knows our spirit and deals with us on a spiritual level understands the groanings of our spirit and intercedes for us!
Doesn't this make more sense than saying that the Holy Spirit groans to Christ who then interprets the groanings of the Spirit...as if Christ couldn't understand our thoughts and our intentions to begin with? It just seems superfluous, doesn't it?
Maybe I'm wrong. If you disagree, I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or email me at KYBibleQuestions@yahoo.com.
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