‘The Spirit of Jesus’ in Acts 16.7: An Ethnographic Reading

‘The spirit of Jesus’ (τὸ πνεῦμα Ἰησοῦ) is an uncommon phrase found only in Acts 16.7. Most scholars presume it to be a variant description of the Holy Spirit without any special significance. Garnering insight from ethnographic studies on spirit possession, this article seeks to overturn this presu...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Christopher, Dany 1977- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2023
In: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Year: 2023, Volume: 46, Issue: 1, Pages: 3-18
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Apostelgeschichte 16,7 / Exorcism / Paul Apostle
IxTheo Classification:AF Geography of religion
HC New Testament
NBG Pneumatology; Holy Spirit
Further subjects:B Spirit Possession
B coming into presence
B traveling spirit
B python spirit
B spirit of Jesus
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:‘The spirit of Jesus’ (τὸ πνεῦμα Ἰησοῦ) is an uncommon phrase found only in Acts 16.7. Most scholars presume it to be a variant description of the Holy Spirit without any special significance. Garnering insight from ethnographic studies on spirit possession, this article seeks to overturn this presumption. In particular, the notion of the traveling spirit suggests that τὸ πνεῦμα Ἰησοῦ deliberately emphasizes the expansion of the ‘presentness’ of Jesus to a new geographical area, namely Macedonia. The significance of the coming into the presence of Jesus in Macedonia is also shown by the account of the divine direction of Paul and his companions to pass by other areas on their way to Macedonia, as well as an allusion to Alexander the Great, the conversion of Lydia, and the clash with another specific spirit that wishes to announce its presence—the python spirit.
ISSN:1745-5294
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the New Testament
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0142064X231166949