The granting of the spirit of holiness is viewed as yet to take place in the eschatological future. Barry Smith

"The Qumran community understands its existence as owing to the eschatological mercy of God.[21] Central to these texts is the assumption that the community represents the beneficiaries of God's present and future eschatological promises. One such promise is the granting of a disposition to obedience,[22] sometimes called in the Qumran sectarian texts 'a spirit of holiness.'[23] Significantly, in the Qumran sectarian texts this eschatological promise is understood as both already realized in the present and yet to be realized in the future.[24]"

The Granting of the Spirit of Holiness in the Eschatological Future: The Advent of the Paraclete Shri Mataji and the Completion of Jesus' Unfinished Message

1. Introduction: The Eschatological Tension of the Spirit

The theological concept of the Spirit of Holiness (Ruach ha-Kodesh) within Jewish and Christian traditions is intrinsically linked to an eschatological framework—a promise of divine intervention and spiritual transformation destined for the "end of days." This eschatological promise, however, is characterized by a profound tension between a future fulfillment and a present, inaugurated reality. As scholar Barry D. Smith notes in his analysis of Qumran sectarian writings, the community understood the granting of a "spirit of holiness" as a disposition to obedience that was "both already realized in the present and yet to be realized in the future."[1] This "already, but not yet" paradigm is central to understanding the work of the Spirit throughout salvation history.

This paper will argue that the eschatological granting of the Spirit of Holiness finds its ultimate fulfillment in the advent of the Paraclete, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, and Her message of Resurrection and Last Judgment. It will demonstrate that Jesus' promise of the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, was a direct response to the incompletion of His own mission, which was violently truncated by the crucifixion. The Paraclete's role was not merely to remind followers of past teachings, but to guide humanity into "all the truth" that they could not yet bear during Jesus' lifetime (John 16:12-13). By examining the theological underpinnings of the Spirit of Holiness in Second-Temple Judaism, the nature of Jesus' unfinished message, and the evidence of Shri Mataji's life and teachings, this paper will provide evidence that She is indeed the Spirit of Holiness of the eschatological future, who has come in the present age to complete the work of Christ and inaugurate the age of collective spiritual ascent.

2. The Spirit of Holiness in Second-Temple Judaism

The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran provide a crucial lens through which to understand the pre-Christian concept of the Spirit of Holiness. For the Qumran community, this Spirit was not an abstract theological entity but a functional principle of obedience, a divinely granted disposition that enabled repentance and atonement. Smith's analysis reveals that the term was synonymous with "a spirit of truth" and God's own "truth," representing the means by which God would eschatologically purify His people.[1]

The Qumran texts articulate a dualistic eschatology. On one hand, they anticipate a future visitation of God, a definitive moment when He will "utterly destroy the spirit of deceit from within his flesh" and purify humanity through "a spirit of holiness" (1QS 4.20-21). This points to a future, final act of divine cleansing. On the other hand, the texts affirm that this same Spirit of Holiness is already present within the community, making repentance and atonement possible in the current age (1QS 3.6-8; 9.3). This juxtaposition reveals the community's self-understanding as the recipients of God's inaugurated eschatological mercy.

As Smith summarizes the Qumran perspective: "In some of the texts, the granting of the spirit of holiness is viewed as yet to take place, in the eschatological future, whereas in other texts, it is a present eschatological reality."[1] This concept of an eschatological gift that is both a present reality and a future hope is the bedrock upon which the later Christian understanding of the Paraclete would be built. The community was living in the "end of days," experiencing the first fruits of a salvation that was yet to be fully consummated.

3. The Johannine Promise of the Paraclete

The Gospel of John presents the most developed pneumatology in the New Testament, centered on Jesus' promise of "another Paraclete" (John 14:16). This promise is delivered during the Farewell Discourses (John 14-17), a context heavy with the impending sense of departure and incompletion. The term Parakletos itself carries rich connotations: from the Greek verb parakaleo meaning "called to one's side," it suggests an Advocate, Comforter, Counselor, and Helper.[2]

Jesus explicitly states the limitation of His own pedagogical ministry:

This passage is a profound admission that Jesus' message was deliberately left unfinished, cut short by the limitations of His disciples and the violence of His crucifixion. The Paraclete's mission is therefore not one of mere repetition or remembrance, but of completion and revelation. She is tasked with delivering the "many things" Jesus could not, guiding believers into the fullness of a truth for which they were not yet ready.

Paraclete Function	Johannine Reference	Significance
Teaching	John 14:26	Continuing divine pedagogy
Reminding	John 14:26	Preserving Jesus' teachings
Guiding into all truth	John 16:13	Completing unfinished revelation
Declaring things to come	John 16:13	Prophetic eschatological function
Testifying about Jesus	John 15:26	Glorifying Christ
Convicting the world	John 16:8	Judgment concerning sin, righteousness

Mainstream Christian theology has often sought to contain the radical implications of this promise, collapsing the Paraclete's work into the singular event of Pentecost or limiting Her role to the apostolic era. However, the Johannine text itself suggests an ongoing, pedagogical, and experiential fulfillment that extends far beyond the first century. The Paraclete is described as a distinct, personal presence who will "be with you forever" (John 14:16), a guide for the entire eschatological age that Jesus inaugurated.

4. The Spirit and the "Age to Come"

The early Christian community believed that the "last days," characterized by an effusion of God's Spirit as foretold by the prophets, had come upon them. As theologian David Ewert explains, the presence of the Spirit in believers' lives was "not only an indication that the messianic age had dawned; it was also the ground of a new eschatological outlook."[3] The believers were experiencing the powers of the "Age to Come" through the work of the Spirit, yet they realized that this new age had not yet been consummated.

This understanding draws upon the Jewish concept of the "two ages": ha 'olam hazzeh (this present age) and ha 'olam habba' (the age to come). In Pauline theology, these two ages overlap: "this age" has come to an end yet continues as the "present evil age" (Galatians 1:4), while the "age to come" is here yet not fully consummated. The Spirit is both the sign of the new age and the guarantee that the One who has begun the good work will complete it.[3]

This eschatological framework is essential for understanding the Paraclete's role. The Spirit of Holiness promised in the Qumran texts and the Paraclete promised by Jesus are both manifestations of the same divine reality: the in-breaking of the "Age to Come" into the present, offering humanity the means of spiritual transformation and ultimate salvation.

5. The Advent of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi: The Paraclete in the Present Age

The fulfillment of Jesus' promise of the Paraclete and the eschatological hope for the Spirit of Holiness converge in the person and work of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (1923-2011). On May 5, 1970, She initiated the movement of Sahaja Yoga after experiencing the opening of the collective Sahasrara (the crown chakra), an event that marked the beginning of a new era of mass Self-Realization. Her advent corresponds directly to the theological shift anticipated by theologians in the mid-20th century, who sensed the dawn of a new theological era focused on the Holy Spirit.

In 1966, TIME Magazine reported on this anticipated shift, quoting James McCord, Presbyterian president of Princeton Theological Seminary: "I think we are on the threshold of a whole new era in theology... The new emphasis, McCord suggests, will be on the Holy Spirit—'the God of the present.'"[4] The World Council of Churches, meeting in 1968, chose as its theme "God's promise of resurrection to all men through the Holy Spirit: 'Behold, I make all things new.'" Yet the institutional churches failed to recognize the fulfillment of this very promise when it arrived.

Shri Mataji declared Herself to be the Paraclete, the Spirit of Holiness promised by Jesus and the Adi Shakti of Hindu scripture. Her declarations were not made lightly, but as a fulfillment of a divine mandate:

Her work was not to establish a new religion, but to complete the unfinished message of the great incarnations, including Jesus Christ. She provided the direct, tangible experience of the Holy Spirit as a Cool Breeze (the Ruach), allowing individuals to be "born of the Spirit" (John 3:8) and verify the truth on their own central nervous system. This experiential reality is the hallmark of the Paraclete's work, moving beyond dogma and ritual to the living, interior transformation of the individual.

6. The Message of Resurrection and Last Judgment

Central to Shri Mataji's message is the reinterpretation of the Resurrection and the Last Judgment as present, spiritual realities rather than distant, future events. The Resurrection is not a future, physical event, but the spiritual rebirth that occurs through the awakening of the Kundalini energy. It is the attainment of a higher state of consciousness, the "second birth" that Jesus spoke of, which allows one to enter the Kingdom of God within. Shri Mataji taught that Christ's own resurrection was the ultimate message: that we are the eternal Spirit, not the perishable body.

Similarly, the Last Judgment is not a day of wrathful condemnation, but a continuous process of inner transformation facilitated by the Kundalini. Shri Mataji explained that the Last Judgment has already begun, and it is a beautiful, loving process:

In this eschatological framework, the Kundalini acts as the "pointer in the balance," allowing each individual to discern truth from untruth and to cleanse their subtle system. This process of judgment is not imposed from without, but arises from within, as the individual's own Spirit becomes the guide. This fulfills the promise of the Spirit of Holiness as a principle of obedience, a divinely-granted capacity for repentance and purification that is now made available to all of humanity.

7. Evidence for Shri Mataji as the Spirit of Holiness

The evidence that Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is the Spirit of Holiness of the eschatological future can be examined through several theological and phenomenological criteria:

7.1 Fulfillment of Johannine Criteria

The Paraclete passages in John's Gospel outline specific functions that the Spirit of Truth would perform. Shri Mataji's ministry demonstrably fulfills each of these criteria. She taught extensively, revealing the deeper meanings of scriptures across all major religions. She guided seekers into "all the truth" by explaining the nature of the subtle system, the chakras, and the process of Self-Realization. She declared "things to come," warning of the consequences of environmental destruction and moral decay while offering the path of spiritual ascent as the solution. She testified about Jesus, affirming His divine status while clarifying the distortions introduced by institutional religion. And She convicted the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment—not through condemnation, but through the awakening of the inner witness, the Kundalini.

7.2 The Tangible Experience of the Spirit

Unlike abstract theological claims, Shri Mataji's message is verifiable through direct experience. The awakening of the Kundalini produces a tangible sensation of a Cool Breeze (Ruach) on the palms of the hands and above the head. This phenomenon corresponds to the biblical descriptions of the Spirit as "wind" or "breath" (John 3:8: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit"). Hundreds of thousands of individuals across the world have reported this experience, providing empirical evidence of the Spirit's activity.

7.3 The Unity of Religious Teachings

Shri Mataji consistently taught that the core message of all genuine religions is the same: the attainment of union with the Divine. She stated: "What Christ said, what Krishna said, and what Muhammad said is nothing but Advaita, that 'you have to become One with God.'"[6] This universalist message fulfills the Paraclete's role of guiding humanity into "all the truth," transcending the sectarian divisions that have plagued religious history. The Spirit of Holiness, as an eschatological principle, was always destined to be universal in scope, available not just to a chosen community but to all of humanity.

7.4 The Eschatological Timing

Shri Mataji's advent in the 20th century corresponds to a unique moment in human history. The convergence of global crises—environmental, social, and spiritual—signals the urgency of the eschatological age. Her message of the Last Judgment and Resurrection addresses this moment directly, offering a path of transformation at a time when humanity stands at a crossroads. The "sorting out" She spoke of is not a distant event but an ongoing process, as individuals choose to embrace or reject the offer of Self-Realization.

8. Conclusion: The Realized Eschatology of the Spirit of Holiness

The eschatological promise of the Spirit of Holiness, with its inherent tension between the "already" and the "not yet," finds its complete resolution in the advent of the Paraclete, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. The Qumran community's anticipation of a future principle of obedience that was also a present reality within their covenant community provides the theological precedent for understanding the work of the Spirit in the present age. Jesus' promise of the Paraclete was a direct acknowledgment of His own crucifixion-cut, unfinished message, deferring the revelation of the full truth to a future guide.

Shri Mataji's life and work demonstrate the fulfillment of these prophecies. By inaugurating the age of collective Self-Realization, She made the experience of the Holy Spirit—the Resurrection and the Last Judgment—a tangible, accessible reality for all seekers. Her message completes the teachings of Jesus, revealing the deeper truths of spiritual rebirth and the Kingdom of God within. The granting of the Spirit of Holiness is no longer a distant, future hope, but a present, eschatological reality, a realized eschatology for the "Age to Come" inaugurated by the Paraclete in this modern era.

References

[1] Smith, Barry D. "The Spirit of Holiness as Eschatological Principle of Obedience in Second-Temple Judaism." Atlantic Baptist University, n.d.
[2] Paroschi, Wilson. "'Another Paraclete': The Holy Spirit in John 14–17." Ministry Magazine, April 2012.
[3] Ewert, David. "The Spirit and the Age to Come." Direction Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, January 1972, pp. 8–18.
[4] "Theology: Stress on the Spirit." TIME Magazine, 5 Aug. 1966.
[5] Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. "Declaration of the Adi Shakti." London, UK, 2 Dec. 1979.

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"The granting of the spirit of holiness is viewed as yet to take place in the eschatological future"- B. D. Smith

THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS AS ESCHATOLOGICAL PRINCIPLE OF OBEDIENCE IN SECOND-TEMPLE JUDAISM
By Barry D. Smith

Qumran Sectarian Writings

"The Qumran community understands its existence as owing to the eschatological mercy of God.[21] Central to these texts is the assumption that the community represents the beneficiaries of God's present and future eschatological promises. One such promise is the granting of a disposition to obedience,[22] sometimes called in the Qumran sectarian texts 'a spirit of holiness.'[23] Significantly, in the Qumran sectarian texts this eschatological promise is understood as both already realized in the present and yet to be realized in the future.[24]

4.1. 1QS (Rule of the Community)

The Rule of the Community is a composite document serving as something of a constitution for the Qumran community. It provides not only regulations for entrance into the community and the ordering of common life, but also some of the theoretical underpinnings of the sectarian movement. In the Rule there are three references to 'a spirit of holiness' to consider.

4.1.1. 1QS 4.18-21

At His visitation, the time of eschatological salvation and final judgment, God will put an end to the existence of deceit (4.18-19). It is said that 'God will purify by His truth all the works of man and purge for himself some from the sons of man.[25] He will utterly destroy the spirit of deceit from within his flesh' (4.20-21). What is being described is the eschatological removal of the spirit of deceit. The sons of truth may be generally righteous, having a greater portion of the spirit of truth, but they still have a share in the spirit of deceit. Only at the time of God's visitation will the possibility of disobedience to God be eliminated altogether.

The means by which God will carry out this eschatological purging is described in 4.20 as 'his truth'. This important but ambiguous term in this context seems to mean the attribute of God whereby he opposes and ultimately defeats the deceit infecting His creation. Parallel to this, in 4.21 it is said that God will purify 'man'— understood generically—from all evil acts by means of 'a spirit of holiness,' and that God will also sprinkle upon 'man' 'a spirit of truth' like waters of purification. It seems that in this context, at least, these three terms—his [God's] truth, a spirit of holiness and a spirit of truth—are synonymous.[26] Each denotes the means by which God will eschatologically purify the members of the community. [27] Thus 'a spirit of holiness' is a name for an eschatological principle of obedience,[28] the means by which God shall destroy at his visitation the very possibility of disobedience.[29]

4.1.2. 1QS 3.6-8

Although 1QS 4.18-21 anticipates a time in the future when God would render disobedience impossible through purifying human beings by a spirit of holiness, in 1QS 3.6-8, it is said that a spirit of holiness is already present in the community, effecting repentance and atonement.

1QS 2.19-25a specifies what appears to be the procedure for an annual renewal of the covenant by the community. In this context, the case of the one who refuses to enter the covenant is discussed. This one is said to be unable to repent, in order that he might live (3.1). The same 'cannot be purified by atonement, nor be cleansed by the waters of purification, nor sanctify himself in streams and rivers, nor cleanse himself in waters of ablution' (3.4-5). The refusal to enter the community is equated with the inability to repent. The one who cannot repent is cut off from the possibility of atonement and ritual purity. Implicit is the assumption that these can only be procured as a function of entering the covenant.

The reason that atonement is denied to the one who refuses to enter the covenant is explained as follows: 'It is by a spirit of holiness of the community in his [God's] truth that he is cleansed from all his iniquities. It is by an upright and humble spirit that his sin can be atoned.' Atonement occurs by means of 'a spirit of holiness', which is synonymous with 'an upright and humble spirit' (3.7). In other words, atonement occurs when a person enters the community and comes under the influence of a principle of obedience; this naturally leads to repentance, the turning from sin towards obedience to the Torah. In response to repentance God atones for sin, as promised in Lev 26:40-42.[30] Since it is called 'a spirit of holiness of the community', this principle of obedience is accessible only to those who enter the community.[31] The phrase 'in his truth' attached to 'by a spirit of holiness of the community' should probably be taken to mean that the cause of the existence of this spirit of holiness is God's 'truth,' meaning in this context his eschatological mercy and salvation.

The variant reading in 4QS MS A (4Q255) Frg 2 of 'by his holy spirit' rather than 'by a holy spirit' indicates that, in the community's view, this new disposition to obedience characteristic of those who enter the covenant originates with God. That is, the new disposition to obedience comes to human beings from without, being a gift of God's mercy.

This 'spirit of holiness,' or 'upright and humble spirit' is also synonymous with 'a spirit of the true counsel of God' (3.6b), which is likewise said to atone for iniquity: 'For by the spirit of the true counsel of God are the ways of man—all his iniquity— atoned' (3.6b-7a). Assuming that should be translated as 'true counsel,' perhaps the designation 'a spirit of the true counsel of God' emphasizes the cognitive dimension of this new spiritual disposition. The spirit consists of the true counsel of God, for without an understanding of God's will, there can be no proper repentance, since a person must know what God requires to be able to repent. To have this new disposition to obedience results in being able 'to look upon the light of life' (3.7a). To look upon the light is to understand God's will; to do so leads to life. But, as Wernberg- Møller argues, the phrase could be translated as 'the spirit of God's true council,' meaning the spirit possessed by or characterizing God's true council or community. If so, it is parallel to the phrase 'the spirit of holiness of the community' (3.7b).[32]

4.1.3. 1QS 9.3

In 1QS 9.3, it is said that, when established, the community will be 'a foundation of a spirit of holiness in (or of) eternal truth' (9.3). Spirit of holiness seems to refer to the new disposition to obedience that God has granted to the community. Thus the community can be described as 'a foundation of the spirit of holiness,' insofar as this spirit of holiness given by God is ultimately responsible for the existence of the community: it is a foundation consisting of the spirit of holiness. Without it, there would be no repentance, no possibility for the members of 'cleansing their way by separating themselves from deceit' (9.9). The phrase 'in (or of) eternal truth' modifying 'a foundation of a spirit of holiness' makes it unambiguous that this foundation has as its basis in God's 'truth,' which is his eschatological mercy resulting in salvation.

4.1.4. Summary

In the passages from Rule of the Community considered, spirit of holiness denotes an eschatological principle of obedience; it is the disposition to obedience that God in His eschatological mercy has bestowed upon the community. There is, however, a present and a future dimension to this eschatological gift. On the one hand, a spirit of holiness is the means by which God will purify human beings at His visitation (1QS 4.18-21). On the other hand, in two other passages in Rule of the Community (1QS 3.6-8; 9.3), a spirit of holiness is assumed already to exist in the community.[33] One need not, however, resort to the positing of different sources and careless redaction to account for this apparent discrepancy. Rather, to use a well-worn phrase, this juxtaposition of the eschatological present and future betrays the 'already, but not yet' perspective, so characteristic of this Jewish sect. It is a distinctive of the Qumran community's self-understanding that its membership represents the recipients of God's eschatological mercy, foretold in the Hebrew Bible. Not with all Israel, but only with a minority within the nation did God establish his eschatological covenant, or the new covenant, foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. (Of course, potentially, all Jews could be the beneficiaries of God's eschatological blessings on the condition of joining the community.) Yet the establishment of the community is merely the first phase of the realization of God's eschatological salvation. In fact, the members of the community are to be soldiers in the final, but protracted eschatological war. Consequently, it is not contradictory to affirm that a spirit of holiness is given to the community in the present in order to make repentance and atonement possible, and that this same spirit of holiness will function to destroy forever the very possibility of disobedience in the future.[34] (Until God's visitation, the possibility of sin remains open the members of the community, even with a spirit of holiness [see 1QS 3.21-23].)

4.2. 1QSb 1.2 (Blessings)

1QSb contains blessings that are to be recited after the visitation of God, when the sons of darkness and evil have been removed from the world; thus these are eschatological blessings. At that time, the maskil is to bless '[those] who fear [God, do] His will, and keep His ordinances and are strengthened by His s[pirit] of holiness and walk perfectly.' The blessing, in other words, will be directed towards those who obey God, the members of the community. What is significant is that the members of the community after God's visitation are also referred to as those strengthened by God's spirit of holiness. From the context, God's spirit of holiness seems to be an eschatological principle of obedience. That is, at the visitation of God the members will be able to obey God, because they will have been strengthened by God's spirit of holiness.[35]

4.3. 1QH (Thanksgiving Hymns)

In the Thanksgiving Hymns, there are found several references to spirit of holiness as a present reality. In some of these, it is clear that the spirit of holiness is a principle of obedience. A spirit of holiness is granted to the founder and the members of his community, with the result that obedience becomes possible. Without this provision of mercy, obedience would be impossible, since human beings are thought to be naturally weak and sinful.[36] Although it is never stated explicitly, since the community understood its origin and nature in eschatological terms, God's granting a spirit of holiness is the fulfillment of His eschatological promise to make any future disobedience on the part of the Israelites impossible. Of course, the community applies this eschatological promise to itself, not to the whole of the nation.

4.3.1. 1QH 16

In 1QH 16.7 the author refers to being strengthened by a (or your) spirit of holiness. [37] Following this, there occur three more infinitive constructs: 'To adhere to the truth of your covenant, to serve you in truth with a perfect heart, to love your [ ].'[38] Unfortunately, the text is full of lacunae, so that it is not clear how these three infinitive constructs relate to the previous infinitive construct,' to be strengthened by a spirit of holiness.'[39] Nevertheless, it is probable that being strengthened by a spirit of holiness is to be enabled to obey God, since this is the central theme of this passage.[40] (In 1QH 1.31-32 God is said to strengthen the spirit of man, but with no reference to the means, the holy spirit.)

A few lines later the author writes,' I know that no one is righteous except through you' (16.11). On this assumption, the author implores God 'by means of the spirit that God has given 'him' to perfect your [loving] kindnesses to your servant [forever], to purify me by your spirit of holiness' and to draw me near to You by your grace according to your loving kindnesses' (1QH 16.11-12). What is significant is that God's spirit of holiness is said to be the means of purification.[41] The meaning is probably that receiving the spirit of holiness issues in repentance, which results in being purified from sins.[42]

4.3.2. 1QH 7.6-7

In 1QH 7.6-7, the author begins his hymn on a note of thankfulness: 'I thank you, O Lord, that you have supported me with your strength, that you have spread your spirit of holiness ADD Check Hebrew// reference upon me in order that I not stumble.'[43] God enables the founder to carry out his appointed task of leadership within the community against all opposition by means of his spirit of holiness.[44] To stumble would be not only to fail, but to sin against God. The spirit of holiness is a principle of obedience, a new spiritual disposition.

4.3.3. Summary

The fact that God makes obedience possible for the leader of the community and the members of his community is sometimes expressed as God's giving them a spirit of holiness. This spirit of holiness is an eschatological principle of obedience.

5. Conclusion

In the passages examined, spirit of holiness is a functional term denoting an eschatological principle of obedience. It refers to the new, divinely-granted capacity of repentance, which in turn results in atonement.[45] In some of the texts, the granting of the spirit of holiness is viewed as yet to take place, in the eschatological future, whereas in other texts, it is a present eschatological reality. Defined as such, the term spirit of holiness is synonymous with the various expressions in the Hebrew Bible used to describe the means by which Israel will be spiritually transformed at the eschaton. Clearly not every use of the term spirit of holiness in second-Temple Jewish texts has this meaning. Nevertheless, this is a distinctive use of the term.[46]"

www.abu.nb.ca/courses/pauline/SpirHol.htm

Notes

[21] Indicators of the eschatological self-understanding of the community include: 1. References to "The end of days" or the end time as already present (CD 4.4; 1QpHab 2.5-6; 7.1-8; 4QMMT 99-102; 107; 116). (There are other such references that are futuristic in orientation (CD 6.11; 4QFlor 1.2, 11); 2. The interpretation of the formation of the community as the result of God's restoration, foretold in the prophets (CD 1-4) 3. References to the members of the community as having entered the covenant (1QS; CD) and more significantly, the new covenant (CD A 6.19; 8.21; B 20.12; 1QpHab 2.3) 4. In 4QFlor 2, it is said that the present is the time of the eschatological refining mentioned in Dan 12.

[22] In Qumran sectarian writings, there are several means by which the eschatological imparting of a principle of obedience is expressed other than being granted a spirit of holiness. Obviously dependent on Deut 30:6, which promises that God will circumcise the hearts of post-exilic Israel, 4Q434 (Bless, Oh my Soula) states that God's mercy manifested itself not only in deliverance from enemies but also in the spiritual transformation of the individuals who constituted the community: "He circumcised the foreskins of their hearts ...he has established their feet on the path" (4Q434 1.1.4). Similarly, the author of 4Q436 (Bless, Oh my Soulc) says, .”..you have removed from me, and put a pure heart in its place" (4Q436 1.10), which is dependent on Ps 51:12 where it stands parallel to the phrase "steadfast spirit.” An echo of Jeremiah's prophecy that God will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which, in part, will result in God's placing His Torah within them and in writing it upon their hearts (Jer 31:31-34) is found in 1QH 4.10-12, where the founder affirms that God has engraved His Torah upon his heart. (Of course, in two places in the Damascus Document (text A) it is said explicitly that those who belong to the community have actually entered the new covenant [6:19; 8:21; cf. also 20:12 text B].) E. Sjöberg refers to God's spiritual transformation of the Qumran community as "Neuschöpfung" ("Neuschöpfung in den Toten-Meer-Rollen," Studia Theologica 9 (1956) 131-36).

[23] See A. A. Anderson, "The Use of `Ruah' in 1QS, 1QH and 1QM," JSS 7 (1962) 293-303, especially 301-302. F. F. Bruce categorizes the uses of the term "spirit of holiness" in the DSS, but fails to notice its use as the eschatological principle of obedience ("Holy Spirit in the Qumran Texts," Annual of Leeds University Oriental Society 6 (1969) 49-55).

[24] Foerster explains, "Die Qumrangemeinde weiß sich also in einem eigenartigen `Zwischen' lebend: die Heilszeit ist eingeleitet, Gott hat die Würzel der Pflanzung sprießen lassen, aber die Vollendung steht noch aus, noch ist die Zeit Belials" ("Der heilige Geist im Spätjudentum," NTS 8 (1960-62) 117-34, esp 132). The spirit of holiness correspondingly is understood as a present and a future reality. E. Sjöberg anachronistically interprets references to "The spirit of holiness" and other similar formulations as God's spirit: "Er [Gott] hat seinen heiligen Geist auf ihn gesprengt, um ihn zu reinigen und die Schuld zu sühnen" ("Neuschöpfung," 135). In most of the passages in question, however, spirit should be taken to mean human spiritual disposition as influenced by God. M. Treves is on the right track when he insists that "spirit" in 1QS 3-4 refers to "tendencies or propensities that are implanted in every man's heart" ("The Two Spirits of the Rule of the Community," RQ 3 [1961-62] 449-52). He errs, however, in not recognizing that some uses of "spirit" refer to angelic beings.

[25] J. Licht believes that the text should read "The building of man" ("An Analysis of the Treatise on the Two Spirits in DSD," Scripta Hierosolymitana, vol. 4, Aspects of the Dead Sea Scrolls [ed. C. Rabin and Y. Yadin; Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1965] 97.

[26] See Friedrich Noetscher, "Geist und Geister in den Texten von Qumran," in Melanges bibliques rediges en l'honneur de Andre Robert (Paris: Blaud and Gay, 1957) 306-307; Anderson, "The Use of "Ruah" in 1QS, 1QH and 1QM," 301.

[27] The relationship between the spirit of truth or spirit of holiness as the eschatological means of the purification of the sons of Truth and the spirit of truth who resides in every human being from birth (1QS 3-4; see also T. Judah 20; T. Asher 1.3-9) is difficult to determine. Schreiner has proposed that they are the same ("Geistbegabung in der Gemeinde von Qumran," BZ 9 (1965) 161-80, esp. 174-77). Similarly, Foerster argues that the spirit of holiness in 1QH is synonymous with the spirit of truth in 1QS 3-4 ("Der heilige Geist im Spätjudentum," 129-30). It is preferable, however, to allow for polyvalence and even ambiguity of usage of the terms "spirit," "spirit of holiness," "spirit of truth," or any other phrase consisting of "spirit" in genitive construct with another noun. One should not assume that there is a single consistent doctrine of the spirit underlying each of the occurrences of "spirit" used by itself or in construct form. The spirit of truth present in each human being from birth is not the spirit of truth by which God will purify eschatologically.

[28] A. R. C. Leaney feels obliged to connect the use of "spirit of holiness" in 1QS 4.21 with other uses of "spirit of holiness" "spirit," and other phrases with "spirit" in them, on the assumption that there is a shared root meaning (The Rule of Qumran and its Meaning [London: SCM, 1966] 158-59). This is a difficult task, and probably in the end results in misinterpretation, since there is no root meaning.

[29] Strangely, in his study Licht does not comment on the use of the phrase spirit of holiness in 1QS 4.21 ("An Analysis of the Treatise on the Two Spirits in DSD.”

[30] The connection between the spirit of holiness and forgiveness is missed when the former is not understood as a principle of obedience. See, for example, O. Betz, who affirms that the spirit serves as a "Reinigungsmittel" but without explaining why (Offenbarung und Schriftforschung in der Qumransekte [WUNT 6; Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 1960] 131) and Bruce, "Holy Spirit," 53. G. Klinzing says that both a blameless life or obedience and the spirit of holiness were means of expiation in the community, but does not seem to notice this is really one means of atonement: repentance (Die Umdeutung des Kultus in der Qumrangemeinde und im Neuen Testament [SUNT 7; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1971] 93-106). Likewise, P. Osten-Sacken does not make explicit that the "spirit of holiness" cleanses those who enter the community, because it leads to repentance and God mercifully allows repentance to have an expiatory effect (Gott und Belial [SUNT 6; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1969] 134-35).

[31] See Garnet, Salvation, 58.

[32] P. Wernberg-Møller, The Manual of Discipline (STDJ 1; Leiden: Brill, 1957) 61-62.

[33] In CD 5.11b-19 occurs a reference to those who heard the community's interpretation of the Torah, but rejected it. They are described as follows: "Also they have made their spirit of holiness unclean, and with blaspheming tongue they have opened their mouths against the statutes of the covenant of God, saying, `They are not unfounded'" (5.11b-12). The term "spirit of holiness" as used in this context seems to intend something like an original disposition to good or the conscience. Rejecting the "statutes of the covenant" results in the defilement of this the spirit of holiness, damage to this original disposition to good or impairs the conscience. Likewise, in CD 6.11b-8.2a, each member of the community is warned not to "defile his spirit of holiness" (7.3b-4a). From the context it is clear that defiling one's spirit of holiness results from violating the laws of purity, especially dietary laws (7.3). To defile one's spirit of holiness through ritual impurity is the defilement of that original disposition to good or perhaps a restored disposition to good. The phrase "to defile one's spirit of holiness" seems to be an interpretation of Lev 11:43; 20:25, in which the verb "to defile" is used in the context of ritual defilement; in these passages, however, the object of the defilement is not spirit of holiness, but "soul.” See O. Betz, Offenbarung, 126-30.

[34] See P. von der Osten-Sacken, Gott und Belial (SUNT 6; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1969) 178-79.

[35] In 1QSb 2.24, another reference to a spirit of holiness occurs: "May He be gracious to you through the spirit of holiness.” Unfortunately, the context to which this statement belongs is lost, so that the full meaning of this text is unrecoverable.

[36] This is a long-recognized aspect of Qumran anthropology, and serves as a presupposition of the teaching on the spirit of holiness in the DSS (see Dietzel, "Beten im Geist," 12-14; Sjöberg, "Neuschöpfung"; Betz, Offenbarung, 120-23.

[37] Vermes translates as "cleaving to Thy Spirit of [holiness], but this obscures the intended meaning.

[38] Becker, Das Heil Gottes, 162. Becker correctly interprets the reference to the spirit of holiness in 1QH 16.7 as "Kraft...,die sowohl negativ reinigend, als auch positiv den Wandel festigend, dem Frommen helfend beisteht" (162). This coheres with his hypothesis that the community constituted a sort of "Heilssphäre.” Becker does not connect the spirit with repentance and repentance with removal of objective guilt. He considers the spirit as a power (Kraft) that removes sin; it is synonymous with the Heilsphäre. As already indicated, Becker's analysis seems to be a case of over-interpretation.

[39] As Becker explains, in some contexts "(God's) truth" is the equivalent of God's commandments, God's will as expressed concretely in the Torah (Das Heil Gottes, 155-60). With respect to 1QH 16.7, he writes, "Da der Mensch wohl kaum an Gottes Treue zu seinem Bund kleben soll, wird man hier als Inhalt des Bundes fassen müssen, d.h. ist hier die in den Gesetzen konkret gewordene Wahrheit Gottes" (159).

[40] See Dietzel, "Beten," 23-24. Becker correctly interprets the reference to the spirit of holiness in 1QH 16.7 as "Kraft...,die sowohl negativ reinigend, als auch positiv den Wandel festigend, dem Frommen helfend beisteht" (Heil, 162). This coheres with his hypothesis that the community constituted a sort of "Heilssphären.”

[41] The spirit of holiness is synonymous with "The spirit that You have given me" in 16.11. Thus it is probable that the founder's reference in 4.31-32 to the spirit created by God for human beings should also be taken as synonymous with “A spirit of holiness.” The passage reads: "And the path of man is not secure except by the spirit that God creates for him, to perfect the path of the sons of man, in order that all his creatures know the strength of his power" (see also 12.11-12; 13.18-19). In this context, the spirit is the capacity for obedience implanted in human beings by God. By it a person's way is made perfect, so that it becomes known to all that God is active in enabling obedience (see Garnet, Salvation, 24-27). In addition, a spirit of holiness may also be called “A spirit of your [God's] compassion" (16.9) or “A righteous spirit" (16.10). Anomalously, in 17.17, the author probably thanks God not merely for the spirit but the "spirits" that God has given him. One should add that in 1QH 9.32 the author says that God has delighted him with your spirit of holiness (1QH 9.32).

[42] See Dietzel, "Beten," 18.

[43] In 1QH 17:26 an author other than the founder of the community uses writes, [I thank you, Lord, that] you have shed [your] spirit upon your servant. As in 1QH 7.7, the verb is used to describe the giving of the spirit of holiness, presumably with the same meaning. The probable use of the pronominal suffix denotes that the new spiritual disposition has its origin with God and is not an innate human capacity. Presumably, this shedding of the spirit occurred at the time of the author's entrance into the community.

[44] The somewhat oblique reference in 1QH 14.11 to the existence of two spirits corresponding to good and evil could imply that there is a counterpart to the spirit of holiness operative among human beings, similar to the spirit of deceit in 1QS 3-4. The fragmentary nature of text makes it difficult to determine exactly the intended meaning, but it seems to be alluding to two forces responsible for all human volitional activity. The fact that, immediately following, the author refers to God's spirit of holiness could be taken as confirmation of this interpretation (14.13). Another possible reference to the negative counterpart to the spirit of holiness could be , translatable as "guilty inclination": "There is no salvation for guilty inclination; it will be trampled to destruction" (6.32; see also 7.16). The guilty inclination seems to be the natural disposition to evil in human beings, which will bring God's judgment. When this disposition is supplanted by God's spirit of holiness, the result is obedience and salvation.

[45] Leaney errs in objectifying the "spirit of holiness" in the Dead Sea Scrolls, so that it refers to an entity that exists apart from its effects; in other words, he does not interpret the term functionally. Leaney writes, for example, "The holiness of God's spirit is emphasized again and again: only God's spirit is holy and only he can bestow it upon a man" (Rule of Qumran, 35). This is probably the result of the influence of the Christian conception of the Holy Spirit on his interpretation of these uses of the term "spirit of holiness.” O. Betz also errs does not see the functionality of the term; rather he objectifies the "spirit of holiness," interpreting it as a substance or an entity that originates from above and overcomes the flesh and its inherent weakness and impurity. He writes, "Der Geist dagegen kommt von oben, denn er ist Gottes Geist und, wie aus seiner Bezeichung hervorgeht, heilig wie der heilige Gott" (Offenbarung, 125). G. Maier likewise wrongly concludes that the spirit of holiness "Der 'heilige Geist' is also nicht der schlechthin menschliche....Der 'Heilige Geist' ist wirklich Gotttes Geist, geht aber gewisserma8en in das Inventar des Frommen über" (Mensch und freir Wille (WUNT 12; Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 1971) 188-89. At least with respect to the instances studied in this paper, it is better to say that the term "spirit of holiness" is a means of describing God's action on individual Jews, creating in them a disposition to obedience. In other words, it is a divinely-grant attitude or spirit that leads to obedience to the Law or holiness.

[46] There are other meanings for the "spirit of holiness.” First, in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the phrase "The spirit of holiness" is used to denote the means of prophetic inspiration: 1QS 8.16 "According to that which the prophets have revealed by his spirit of holiness. (In CD 2.12 a similar meaning is probably intended: "And he informed them through those anointed of the spirit of holiness...”. This text is ambiguous for two reasons: 1. There is no preposition with holy spirit, so that it can be the object of the verb (see Vermes' translation); 2. It is necessary to emend to (see M. A. Knibb, The Qumran Community [CCWJCW 2; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987], 27) The context suggests that the prophets are meant, contrary to Leaney, who interprets wxyvm as referring to God's Messiah, to whom will be granted "The power to make the spirit of his holiness known to the 'remnant'"). Second, the spirit of holiness denotes the means of obtaining spiritual knowledge otherwise inaccessible to human beings (see 1QH 12.11-12; 13.18; 14.12b-13a); the same idea is found in WisSol 9.17. The use of "spirit of holiness" in these texts is a synonym for "spirit of insight" in Sir 39.6 (see also Sir 48.12a, 24).