God is a Spirit，更好的理解应该是God is Spirit。
必须说明，无论是小要理问答，还是信条，或者大要理问答，都是God is a Spirit，因为无论是信条，还是要理问答，这里都是直接引用的KJV的翻译：God is a Spirit（Jn.4:24，KJV）。然而，这个翻译却是错误的。
Daniel Wallace在他的《希腊文语法进深》一书中（这本书目前几乎是所有北美的福音派神学院，包括改革宗神学院，学习进深希腊文的标准教材），他在270页如此说：
In John 4:24 Jesus says to the woman at the well, πνεῦμα ὁ θεός. The anarthrous PN comes before the subject and there is no verb. Here, πνεῦμα is qualitative– stressing the nature or essence of God (the KJV incorrectly renders this, “God is a spirit”).
简单翻译一下：在约4:24，耶稣在水井旁对妇人说，πνεῦμα（灵） ὁ θεός（神）。这里没有带定冠词的谓语性主格出现在主语之前，并且没有动词连接。这里，πνεῦμα（灵）强调的是本性上的，强调神的本性或本质（KJV错误的翻译为：神是个灵）。
需要说明一下，这里涉及到过去对希腊文语法的一种错误认识，即认为当没有带定冠词的谓语性主格出现时，一般会认为应当加上一个不定冠词来说明，KJV就是这样理解的。但这种理解是有问题的。后来随着对希腊文语法的理解更加深入，基本已经纠正了过来。比较后期的权威译本，如ESV，NIV，NASB等，都将这句经文翻译为“God is Spirit”，比较著名的约翰福音注释（如D.A.Carson，J.Ramsey Michaels等）也是如此来理解的。
实际上，自19世纪以后，长老会的神学家们也都是如此来解释要理问答的这个第四问答。比如，十九世纪后期苏格兰长老会的著名牧师Alexander Whyte在其著名的《小要理问答注释》中，如此解释这一问题：
God is a Spirit, or better, both in grammar and theology,"God is Spirit." "God is pure Spirit, perhaps better not a Spirit,' since it is His essence, not His personality, which is here spokenof" (Alford). Compare the two other definitions found in I John" God is light," and "God is love" with which this present definition must, in Westcott's words, he "compared and combined."
（翻译如下：神是个灵，或者从语法上或神学上，更好的是“神是灵”。“神是单纯的灵，也许更好的，不是一个灵，因为这里所谈及的是祂的本质，而不是祂的位格。”(Alford）比较其他两个在约翰一书中的定义，“神是光”，和“神是爱”，用Westcott（一位著名的希腊文专家）的话说，当前的定义必须与以上相比较和结合。）
另一位更早一点的美国长老会牧师FrancisR. Beattie在其著名的《威斯敏斯特准则注释》（这本书直到今天仍然是一本经典）中如此说：
In regard to the nature of God, the Standards further assert the spirituality of the divine essence. God is Spirit. This is, perhaps, the chief description of the nature of God which the Scriptures, and the Standards also, contain.
（考虑到神的本性，准则进一步断言神圣本质的属灵性。神是灵。这也许是圣经，包括准则，所教导的神的本性的最首要的描述。）
从神学上来说，神是灵，或神的属灵性，是神的本质属性，而非指向其位格。就神的本质属性而言，所有的属性都应当是“无限、永恒、不变”的，不可以有任何的有限性，以至于可以用任何数字来划分。所以，神是灵，在神学上，比“神是个灵”更正确。“神是灵”所强调的，是神的本性。
实际上，虽然过去的长老会神学家们，因为译本的限制（只能使用KJV）和对希腊文语法的错误认识，仍然坚持说“神是个灵”，但在他们的注释中，都不约而同的将其理解为神的本质属性，而非神的位格。某种意义上，他们从错误的译文，却在教导正确的教义。可以参看以下个早期的要理问答注释：
比如，清教徒Thomas Boston如此解释这一问题：
Now, a spirit is an` immaterial substance, Luke 24:39; and seeing whatever God is, he is infinitely perfect in it, he is a most pure spirit. Hence we may infer,
1. That God has no body nor bodily parts. Object. How then are eyes, ears, hands, face, and the like, attributed in scripture to God ?Answ. They are attributed to him not properly, but figuratively; they are spoken of him after the manner of men, in condescension to our weakness; but we are to understand them after a sort becoming the Divine Majesty. We are to consider what such bodily parts serve us for, as our eyes for discerning and knowing, our arms for strength, our hands for action, &c. and we are to conceive these things to be in God infinitely, which these parts serve for in us. Thus, when eyes and ears are ascribed to God they signify his omniscience;his hands denote his power, and his face the manifestation of his love and favour.
2. That God is invisible, and cannot be seen with the eyes of the body, no not in heaven; for the glorified body is still a body, and God a spirit, which is no object of the eyes, more than sound, taste, smell,&c. 1 Tim. 1:17.
3. That God is the most suitable good to the nature of our souls, which are spirits; and can communicate himself, and apply those things to them, which only can render them happy, as he is the God and Father of our spirits.
4. That it is sinful and dishonorable to God, either to make images or pictures of him without us, or to have any image of him in our minds, which our unruly imagination is apt to frame to itself, especially in prayer. For God is the object of our understanding, not of our imagination. God expressly prohibited Israel to frame any similitude or resemblance of him, and tells them, that they had not the least pretence for so doing, in as much as they'saw no similitude of him, when he spake to them in Horeb,' Deut. 4:12, 15, 16.And says the prophet, To whom will ye liken God ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? ' Isa. 40:18. We cannot form an imaginary idea, of our own souls or spirits, which are absolutely invisible to us, and far less of him who is the invisible God, whom no man hath seen or can see. Therefore to frame a picture or an idea of what is invisible, is highly absurd and impracticable:nay, it is gross idolatry, prohibited in the second commandment.
5. That externals in worship are of little value with God,who is a spirit, and requires the heart. They who would be accepted of God must worship him in spirit and in truth, that is, from an apprehension and saving knowledge of what he is in Christ to poor sinners. And this saving knowledge of God in Christ is attainable in this life: for it is the matter of the divine promise, 'I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord,' Jer. 24:7.'it is written in the prophets, They shall be all taught of God, John 6:45. And therefore it should be most earnestly and assiduously sought after by us, as,unless we attain to it, me must perish for ever.
That we may know what sort of a spirit God is, we must consider his attributes, which we gather from his word and works, and that two ways:
1. By denying of, and removing from God, in our minds, all imperfection which is in the creatures, Acts 17:29. And thus we come to the knowledge of his incommunicable attributes, so called because there is no shadow or vestige of them in the creatures, such as infinity, eternity, changeableness.
2. By attributing unto him, by way, of eminency, whatever is excellent in the creatures, seeing he is the fountain of all perfection in them, Psal. 94:9. And thus we have his communicable attributes, whereof there are some vestiges and small scantlings in the creature, as being, wisdom,power, &c. amongst which his spirituality is to be reckoned.
另一位清教徒John Flavel在他的要理问答注释中如此说：
Q. 2. How many ways are there by which men may know and describe the nature of God?
A. There are two ways of knowing God in this Life. First, Byway of affirmation; affirming that of God by way of eminence, which is excellent in the Creature; as when we affirm him to be Wise, Good, Merciful,etc. Secondly, By way of Negation, when we remove from God in our Conceptions all that is imperfect in the Creature: so we say God is immense, Infinite,Immutable; and in this sense we also call him a Spirit, (i.e.) He is not a gross corporeal Substance.
Q. 3. How many sorts of Spirits are there; And of which sort is God?
A. There be two sorts of Spirits, created and finite; as Angels, and the Souls of Men are. Secondly, Uncreated, and Infinite; and such a Spirit God only is, infinitely above all other Spirits.
Q. 4. If God be a Spirit, in what sense are we to understand all those Scriptures, which speak of the Eyes of the Lord, the Ears and Hand of God?
A. We are to understand them as Expressions of God, in condescension to the weakness of our understandings; even as the Glory of Heaven is expressed to us in Scripture by a City, and the Royal Feast. These shadows are useful to us whilst we are in the Body; but we shall know him in Heaven after a more perfect manner.
Q. 5. What may be inferred from the Spiritual Nature of God?
A. Hence learn, that it is both sinful and dangerous to frame an Image or Picture of God. Who can make an Image of his Soul? which is yet not so perfect a Spirit as God is? And as it is sinful to attempt it, so it is impossible to do it; Deuteronomy 4:15-16. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of Similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb out of the midst of the Fire; lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven Image, the similitude of any figure, etc.
另一位著名的要理问答注释家James Fisher如此解释：
Q. 12. Why is he said to be a Spirit?
A. Because he is necessarily and essentially a living intelligent substance; incorruptible, incorporeal, without flesh, or bones, or bodily parts, Luke 24:39.
马太亨利在他的要理问答注释中如此说：
1. Is God a Spirit? Yes: for Christ himself has said, God is a Spirit, John 4:24. Is he a pure Spirit? Yes: for God is light, and with him is no darkness at all, 1 John 1:5. Has he a body as we have? No: Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as a man seeth? Job 10:4. Can he be seen with bodily eyes? No. For he is one whom no man hath seen, or can see, 1 Tim. 6:16. Are not the angels spirits? Yes: He maketh his angels spirits, Ps. 104:4. Are not the souls of men spirits? Yes: for he formeth the spirit of man within him, Zech.12:1. But is God a Spirit like unto them? No:for he is the Father of spirits, Heb. 12:9.
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