Anointing with Oil: Defining the Important Terms

Anointing with Oil in Scripture: Defining the Important Terms.

Oil in Scripture: The oil from the olive has been a blessing to humanity since Day One. It has always been seen as a valuable part of society because it is so versatile and has so many uses. Creator God has used olive oil for so many important biblical purposes: an effective healing agent; a soothing medicinal ointment and cleanser; an ingredient in food and in cooking; a health supplement; in perfumes and fragrances; a fuel for lighting lamps; to soothe and refresh weathered, dry skin after too much time outside in the sun; for skin care and cosmetics; to rub on battle shields to make them slippery, shiny, more effective; to use for embalming and with spices in burial practices. And in God’s eyes it had supreme importance in being used in sacred ceremonies as God’s special anointing oil for priests, prophets and kings, and for dedicating special furniture for the Tabernacle and Temple. In Deuteronomy 11:14, Moses noted three “blessings of the land:” grain, wine, and olive oil. Olive oil is made by a couple of different methods. It could be produced by bruising the olives with mortar and pestle and then extracting the juicy oil. Or one can use a huge stone press, a large roller used to crush the olives to a pulp, and then after removing the impurities, one can collect the oil for use. Isn’t it poignant that the word “gethsemane,” the garden in the Mount of Olives that saw so many momentous events in the life of Jesus, actually means “olive press?” There He is in the Garden of Gethsemane, being pressed, like an olive in a gigantic stone press, and His life will soon be pressed out.

A Health Food. God has created the fruit of the olive tree to be a tasty and versatile source of food and a supply of life-giving nutrition. Olives are rich in vitamin A and E, antioxidants, copper, calcium and iron. Olives can strengthen the bones, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce chronic inflammation, and even regulate blood sugar levels. More recently, olives are being used to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases such as dementia. No wonder olives have been such a popular food since ancient days even before the Flood.

Oil as Biblical Symbols: Olive oil represented abundance, prosperity, and blessing because owning it in large amounts was considered a luxury; the oil of joy and gladness because of its many benefits and because one’s face became radiant and shiny when oil was rubbed onto the skin; a symbol for death because of its use in burial practices; a sign of gracious hospitality that respects visitors because of its soothing  and rejuvenating effects on the skin and the delicious fragrances a visitor would enjoy; a sign to use when celebrating God’s restoration and favor, and intentionally not used during a time of mourning. Perhaps most importantly, oil was a sacred symbol of the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture from beginning to end, in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

Oil as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit: Olive oil was used throughout Scripture as a symbol for the Spirit of God, for the presence of the Holy Spirit being poured onto those who sought God’s blessing, approval, empowerment and transformation. The Holy Spirit doesn’t partially come to the person being blessed, not in bits and pieces. The Holy Spirit isn’t dribbled, drop by drop, but instead is poured till overflowing. Whenever we see the Holy Spirit being applied, He is poured like the holy oil in Scripture:

• “...till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high.” (Isaiah 32:15);
• “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” (Joel 3:1, Acts 2:17);
• “Exalted to the right hand of God He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33);
• “They were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” (Acts 10:45);
• “God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:5);
• “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:5-6)

Anointing with Oil: Applying olive oil to someone or something by pouring, rubbing in, smearing, dripping upon, or sprinkling. In a sacred ceremony, selected persons were anointed with oil to officially set them apart for a special responsibility; to dedicate them to God’s service; to consecrate them for duties that are in service to His will; to sanctify them in preparation for godly purposes; to separate them from the dishonorable, the profane, the common; to formally assign them to a godly purpose; to designate them for a sacred function; to enable them to be completely distinctive in character and role. Often enough in the Bible, physical objects were also anointed with oil to dedicate those items for sacred use, such as all the furniture in the Tabernacle and Temple. As in the case of Jacob at Bethel, one might anoint with oil a special place to commemorate a uniquely sacred event and place, which he did twice in Gen. 28:18 and 35:14. In Jacob’s case, the anointing of the stone was an act of worship and commitment and set Bethel apart from any ordinary place.

“Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with great power. He did wonderful things for others in His acts of kindness, and divinely healed all who were under the tyranny of the Devil; He traveled through the country helping people, doing good, and healing everyone who was harassed by the Devil.” (Acts 10:38).

Jesus the Christ: Jesus (Yeshua) is His name, and Christ is His title. In the New Testament, “Christ” means “Anointed One,” as does “Messiah” in the Hebrew Bible. There were three official biblical roles in the Hebrew Bible that required an anointing with oil… prophet, priest and king. All three were anointed for their godly responsibilities by a sacred oil. In Jesus’ case, He was anointed for all three God-ordained positions, the only person to weave together the roles of prophet, priest and king into one Person’s identity. Jesus was the Anointed One in His heavenly nature as He was conceived in mother Mary. And He was anointed in His humanity by the Father to complete His preparation for God’s mission on earth of redemption and deliverance. All the anointing by oil in the Hebrew Bible anticipates the coming of the Anointed One, the Messiah, who fulfills the prophetic meaning of anointing. Anointing looks like this: The Father poured the oil of the Holy Spirit onto the Anointed One, who in turn anoints with His Spirit all the anointed ones who choose to follow Jesus Messiah.

Christians: Since Christ means “Anointed One,” then it follows that “Christian” means “anointed ones.” All who follow Jesus are anointed ones who are hidden “in” Christ the Anointed One. All Christian believers who are “inside” Jesus share His anointing and partake of His nature. We are anointed by the Spirit of the Holy One, and are what C. S. Lewis called “little Christs,” or little anointed ones. Our identity as anointed ones enable us to assume the roles of little prophet, little priest, and little king, miniature versions of those three roles, as we live into our identity as Christ-followers. “You have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error] … This anointing you received from God remains permanently in you so then you have no need for anyone to be teaching you these deceptions. His anointing teaches everything you need to know, for the anointing will continue to lead you into truth, not falsehood. So just as your anointing has taught you, abide in Him and remain rooted in Him.” (1 John 2:20, 27 Amplified Bible).

Saint. The basic meaning of the term saint is “holy one,” one who has been set apart for God’s special purposes. Other ways of saying this would include: someone who has been anointed by the Holy Spirit; one who is dedicated to God in order to increase one’s usefulness to Him; one who has officially declared an intention to remain loyal and faithful to the Anointed One; one who has been formally separated in identity and chooses to be distinctive in personal character and life purpose; one who has confirmed the separation of one’s behavior from the common and worldly, and pursuing instead the gospel values of Jesus Messiah, the Anointed One. So what is a saint, a holy one, an anointed one? A willing member of the holy priesthood of all believers; someone who is determined to be in the Lord’s sanctification process; a follower of Jesus who is intentionally living into holiness, set apart for service to God; an apprentice to the Anointed One who accepts being assigned by God for a sacred purpose; a humble student of Jesus who wisely reminds others of God’s presence in the world; an imperfect person who is designated to represent a perfect God; a spiritually anointed one whose behavior is increasingly separate from the sinful and worldly; a Christ-follower who is engaged in the process of being cleansed and purified in order to increase one’s usefulness to God; a believer whose life is marked by growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Messiah. “It is God Himself who has anointed us. And He is constantly strengthening us in joint fellowship with the Anointed One, in union with Christ. He knows we are His since He has stamped His seal of love over our hearts and has given us the Holy Spirit as the security deposit, His guarantee of the fulfillment of His promise.” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, TPT and Amplified Bible).

The Sacrament of Holy Oil. The physical elements such as water, oil, bread and wine, as well as the physical union of marriage, are the raw materials used in the Christian Church by the Holy Spirit to bring God’s very presence to us on earth. The actual word “Sacrament” is a legal term, “sacramentum,” which in Latin means “sacred vow.” It referred to the solemn vow a man would make when entering the Roman military, as well as the oath of honesty one would declare in the Roman courts. The early Christians adapted the term to designate the vows a person would take when being baptized into the Faith in a faith community. The Latin Bible translated the Greek word “mysterion”, or mystery, for the Latin word “sacramentum” in various passages in the epistles. The Church then identified many special acts of commitment and discipleship as sacred mysteries of the Faith, or sacraments. The proper name for the sacramental use of holy oil is “chrismation.” This sacrament completes the sacrament of baptism and cooperates with Christ’s words that we need to be baptized in “both water and the Spirit” (John 3:5). Because chrismation activates the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is often called “the personal Pentecost.”

Holy Oil as a Part of Baptism. “Eternal Father, whose blessed Son was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be the Savior and servant of all, we pray you to consecrate this oil, that those who are sealed with it may share in the royal priesthood of Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever… And now, brother/sister, you are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. Amen.” (Anglican BCP, Baptism, pages 307 and 308).

Holy Oil Used for Healing. “O Lord, holy Father, giver of health and salvation; Send your Holy Spirit to sanctify this oil; that, as your holy apostles anointed many who were sick and healed them, so may those who in faith and repentance receive this holy anointing be made whole… As you are outwardly anointed with this holy oil, so may our heavenly Father grant you inward anointing of the Holy Spirit. Of His great mercy, may He forgive you your sins, release you from suffering, and restore you to wholeness and strength. May He deliver you from all evil, preserve you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Anglican BCP, Healing of the Sick, pages455-456).  

Sacraments in the Christian Church involve material elements like wine, bread, oil, water and even the human body to bring God’s presence into our lives. The physical elements of the sacraments are the means that God has provided, through the working of the Holy Spirit, to enable believers to grow in our faith and become more like Jesus. Depending on the church’s tradition, the sacraments include: Marriage (holy matrimony), Communion (Eucharist, Lord’s Supper), Baptism (with water), Chrismation (with oil), Confession (spiritual reconciliation), Healing (motional and physical), Confirmation (affirming faith), and Ordination (receiving call to priesthood).  “Sacrament” has been described in literally hundreds of ways. Because there is a mystery involved, there may be no perfect definition to the idea of sacrament, but perhaps these descriptions will help us get a handle on what a sacrament is in the life and ministry of the Christian faith:

• Outward signs of inner grace;
• Sacred mysteries to convey grace to our souls;
• Material forms of grace for our spiritual benefit;
• Visible symbols of the reality of God;
• Vehicles of God’s grace to enable believers to grow in being sanctified;
• Earthly materials by which divine life is given to us;
• A physical sign of a spiritual reality;
• When God’s grace transforms created nature;
• The material elements that unite us into a spiritual union with Christ;
• God’s gifts of Himself in created matter for our transformation;
• When God’s grace elevates nature into being vehicles of God’s presence;
• When God’s gift of the Holy Spirit transforms matter for our own transformation;
• When God’s Spirit brings divine life to tangible elements for our benefit;
• The physical elements that are inspired by the Spirit to bring God’s influence upon us.
• Material objects that are channels for God’s energy and power to believers in the Church;
• Tangible elements that bring sanctifying grace to believers;
• Created elements that usher us into participation in the divine life;
• Signs of grace entrusted to the Christian Church by which spiritual life is strengthened and empowered.

Jesus the Anointed One is Himself the Great Sacrament for us, the ultimate physical sign of God’s love for us, who enables us to dwell in God and He in us. Jesus  is the material channel that conveys God’s transforming work in our lives through His Holy Spirit. Jesus is the visible demonstration of God’s desire to reconcile with us in our sinfulness, and it was Jesus, the Son of God, who was anointed and set apart by the Father and the Spirit to take away the sin of the world. The human body of Jesus, now in the heavenlies, is our supreme  Sacrament, Grace in the flesh, the Church’s greatest sacred mystery in human form.