What gender does the pronouns have that denote ruach or pneuma?

Question

In Hebrew the word for wind/breath/spirit is ruach, which is feminine (like all nouns for body parts). However, some theologians use that as an argument for calling the Holy Spirit "she".

Pneuma in greek, though, is neutrum.

Regardless of the applications, I've heard that when there is a pronoun in the original text, denoting ruach or pneuma, it is in fact masculine, which may be more relevant, just like one would say "sie" (feminine) when talking about "Das Mädchen" (the girl) in German, even though the word is technically neuter.

Leaving the question about God and gender aside, can anyone confirm if what I've heard about pronouns in the biblical text is grammatically correct?

From memory I can only think of one instance (Eph 4:30) where the relative pronoun is in dative, which means one can not differentiate between masculine and neuter.

Answer 1

There are cases where masculine pronouns are used in reference to the Holy Spirit.

For example, John 16:13:

John 16:13

Greek text: ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς εἰς πάσαν τῆν ἀληθείαν οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα ἂν ἀκούσῃ λαλήσει καὶ τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν

English translation: But, when he, the Holy Spirit, comes, he will guide you to all truth, for he shall not speak of himself; but, whatever he hears, he shall speak, and he will show you the coming things.

The Greek word ἐκεῖνος is unequivocally masculine-gendered. If it was neuter-gendered, it would have been εκείνο.

See also John 16:14.

However, there are other times that neuter-gendered pronouns are used in reference to the Holy Spirit.

For example, Acts 5:32.

Greek text: καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν αὐτοῦ μάρτυρες τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα δὲ τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πειθαρχοῦσιν αὐτῷ

English translation: And we are his witnesses of these things, and also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him.

The Greek relative pronoun ὃ is unequivocally neuter-gendered.

So, the answer is both. But, had only neuter-gendered pronouns been used in reference to the Holy Spirit, I may have doubted the personality of the Holy Spirit (well, not really, since there are other factors attesting to the personality of the Holy Spirit). But, since masculine-gendered pronouns are used in reference to the word πνεῦμα, which is grammatically neuter-gendered, then it adds another proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit.