Good idea KSA!
Just as we have discovered that there is a big difference between teaching that the Lord Jesus "became THE life giving Spirit" - (an erroneous teaching/interpretation that the Greek word PNEUMA here refers to the Holy Spirit, when a different article "A life giving spirit" was used) - so here again we see the jumping to an erroneous conclusion in interpreting John 7:39. In this case Witness Lee has intentionally brought an erroneous teaching to the table, and this time it was not by changing an article from "a" to "the", rather his interpretation is erroneous because he intentionally leaves out the completed thought of the author as given in the original language.
There is a very good reason that most translators completed the author's thought for us English readers by adding the word "given"...."the Spirit had not been given". The reason is, that to us English readers, the phrase "not yet", if left in it's uncompleted form in English, conveys the meaning that the Holy Spirit either did not exist, or did not exist in a completed state. When one does even a cursory check to the sentence construction in the Greek, it is more then obvious that the complete and correct translation is "the Spirit had not been given".
Please take a look at the sentence structure as clearly laid out in Greek:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-b...version=KJV#39
Also, here is a partial list of all the reputable translations of John 7:39
KJV
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
NIV
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
ESV
Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
NASB
But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet {given,} because Jesus was not yet glorified.
RSV
Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
ASV
But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet [given]; because Jesus was not yet
glorified.
Webster
(But this he spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet [given], because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)