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‘breath’ and ‘spirit,’ a point which cannot be preserved in English; but at
least ‘spirit’ is better than ‘Ghost’."
5. States The W. Hall Commentary --
"The use of the verb ejnefuvshsen to describe the action of Jesus here re-
calls Gen 2:7 in the LXX, where 'the LORD God formed man out of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man be-
came a living being.' This time, however, it is Jesus who is breathing the
breath/Spirit of eternal life, life from above, into his disciples."
6. Notice what the Adam Clarke Commentary states:
"He breathed on them -- Intimating, by this, that they were to be made
new men, in order to be properly qualified for the work to which he had
called them; for in this breathing he evidently alluded to the first creation of
man, when God breathed into him [Adam] the breath of lives, and he be-
came a living soul: the breath or Spirit of God (אלהים רוח ruach Elohim )
being the grand principle and cause of his spiritual and Divine life.
"Receive ye the Holy Ghost -- From this act of our Lord, the influences of
the holy spirit on the souls of men have been termed his inspiration;
from in, into, and spiro, I breathe. Every word of Christ which is received in
the heart by faith comes accompanied by this Divine breathing; and, with-
out this, there is neither light nor life. Just as Adam was before God
breathed the quickening spirit into him, so is every human [Israelite] soul till
it receives this inspiration. Nothing is seen, known, discerned, or felt of
God, but through this. To every private Christian [Israelite] this is essen-
tially requisite; and no man ever did or ever can preach the Gospel of God,
so as to convince and convert sinners, without it."
From Adam to Abraham, Adam’s pure line contained the breath of
life. Through Abraham and Sarah, YEHOVAH God was restoring the spir-
itual power for Abraham’s posterity.
7. Why was YEHOVAH God restoring the spiritual power for Abraham’s
seed? John 1:12.
COMMENT: To “become the Sons of God”. YEHOVAH was making a new
beginning with Abraham. None other than the seed of Abraham, through
the child of promise, Isaac, has this opportunity or potential.
8. What are we told in Hebrews11:18?
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