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Topic:
Thoughts And Things Of The Bible -- Anointing
In Holy Scripture, anointing is either,
I. Material--with oil--or
II. Spiritual--with the Holy Ghost.
MATERIAL ANOINTING -
Ordinary Anointing. Anointing the body or head with oil was a common
practice with the Jews, as with other Oriental nations. (28:40; Ruth
3:3; Micah 6:15) Anointing the head with oil or ointment seems also to
have been a mark of respect sometimes paid by a host to his guests.
(Luke 7:46) and Psalm 23:5
Official Anointing. It was a rite of inauguration into each of the
three typical offices of the Jewish commonwealth. (a.) Prophets were
occasionally anointed to their office, (1 Kings 19:16) and were called
messiahs, or anointed. (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15) (b.) Priests,
at the first institution of the Levitical priesthood, were all anointed
to their offices, (Exodus 40:15; Numbers 3:3) but afterwards anointing
seems to have been specially reserved for the high priest, (Exodus
29:29; Leviticus 16:32) so that "the priest that is anointed,"
(Leviticus 4:3) is generally thought to mean the high priest. (c.)
Kings. Anointing was the principal and divinely-appointed ceremony in
the inauguration of the Jewish Kings. (1 Samuel 9:16; 10:1; 1 Kings
1:34,39) The rite was sometimes performed more than once. David was
thrice anointed. (d.) Inanimate objects also were anointed with oil, in
token of their being set apart for religious service. Thus Jacob
anointed a pillar at Bethel. ((Genesis 31:13; Exodus 30:26-28)
Ecclesiastical Anointing -- Anointing with oil is prescribed by St.
James to be used for the recovery of the sick. (James 5:14) Analogous to
this is the anointing with oil practiced by the twelve. (Mark 6:13)
SPIRITUAL ANOINTING -
In the Old Testament a Deliverer is promised under the title of
Messiah, or Anointed, (Psalms 2:2; Daniel 9:25,26) and the nature of his
anointing is described to be spiritual, with the Holy Ghost. (Isaiah
61:1) see Luke 4:18 In the New Testament Jesus of Nazareth is shown to
be the Messiah, or Christ or Anointed, of the Old Testament, (John 1:41;
Acts 9:22; 17:2,3; 18:4,28) and the historical fact of his being
anointed with the Holy Ghost is asserted and recorded. (John 1:32,33;
Acts 4:27; 10:38) Christ was anointed as prophet priest and king.
Spiritual anointing with the Holy Ghost is conferred also upon
Christians by God. (2 Corinthians 1:21) " Anointing "expresses
the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon Christians who are
priests and kings unto God.
Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries
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