It’s no mistake that the word ‘Spirit’, translated from the Latin ‘Spiritus’, comes from the word ‘breath’. We see it in similar words like respiration, aspiration, and inspiration. This has theological implications.

If the Son is God’s Word (Jn 1:1), the Holy Spirit is His Breath. Analogously, as with any verbal communication, one cannot receive a word apart from the speaker’s breath. Likewise, one cannot believe in the Son without the Holy Spirit. As Scripture states, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3).

In Hebrew, the OT word ‘Ruah’, which translates as breath, wind, and spirit, is used when God’s Ruah forms creation (Gn 1:2) and God breathes into Adam (Gn 2:7), creating a living human being, It is coupled with the NT Greek equivalent ‘Pneuma’ after Christ breathes on His apostles, forming the NT priesthood (Jn 20:22) and God gives birth to new Israel, the Church, by God’s “mighty wind” (Acts 2:4).