ANOINTING

by Dennis Murphy, and Roger Gibson

May 2006

Hebrew Terms:

1.      “moshchah” – to rub with oil. Both a religious consecratory action and a medicinal action.

Greek Terms:

1.  “aleipsantes”, from “aleipho” (Stong’s 218) – rub or apply ointment, meaning medicinal anointing.

2. “chrio” (5548), from chraomai (5530) to apply what is needed. Meaning religious sacramental sense of anointing.

Most common use of term today is “Anointing by Holy Spirit”.

I John 2:26-27 26 I write this to you about those who would deceive you; 27 but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.

 Anointing is a synonymous term used for different meanings such as: indwelling, living in, being filled with, and experiencing.

            By definition, a Christian can have multiple experiences or anointing of different aspects of the Spirit.

            This does not contradict having the one singular event of the Spirit residing in us when we come to faith.

Anointing may be given by the Holy Spirit:

a.      while praying –Acts 2

b.      during a message/sermon—Acts 10:44

c.       laying on of hands—2 Timothy 1:6

d.      not given to us upon demand—I Cor. 12:18

e.      beware of a formula--Acts 10:47

Evidence of Anointing by Holy Spirit is in “Fruit of Spirit”.

Galatians 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Anointing by Holy Spirit is a promise from baptism into Christ.

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

I Cor. 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own;

Acts 19: 2-6 Anointing occurred after water baptism.

While Apol'los was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 4 And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues* and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve of them in all

Anointing by Holy Spirit can occur before and separate from baptism.

Acts 10:44 Anointing occurred before water baptism. While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues*  and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 "Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

* tongues: Greek “glossais”-plural or multiple form of language meaning foreign language vs. Paul’s singular use of “glossa” in I Cor 142,4,13, 19, 26,27 as divine ecstatic utterance.

Other evidence of Anointing by Holy Spirit is in manifestations or expressions of Spiritual Gifts.

I Cor. 12:12-30 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single organ, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, 25 that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

* The whole thesis of Paul’s dialogue in I Cor 12, 13 & 14 is that no one should be using a gift in violation of the love and desire of God to destroy or divide the church.  It is not what gift one has, nor is it whether one speaks in an ethnic or divine ecstatic utterance, that is important, but whether or not one is expanding the love and His kingdom and being understood to that purpose.

Lack of manifestations of spiritual gifts does not mean lack of Anointing by Holy Spirit.

I Cor. 12:4-11 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Basic Truths about Manifestations:

2.      God “appoints” or distributes them according to His purpose. If we don’t have a particular gift it does not mean we are ineffective Christians nor lack an anointing.

3.      All of the gifts are equally significant to accomplish His ministry.

4.      The gifts must be in balance according to the Spirit’s intent.

5.      Each gift is dependent on others for maximum effectiveness.

OT Scriptures

Ex 25:6 -

oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,

Ex 29:7 -

And you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him.

Ex 29:21 -

Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron and his garments, and upon his sons and his sons' garments with him; and he and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.

Ex 30:25 -

and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; a holy anointing oil it shall be.

Ex 30:31 -

And you shall say to the people of Israel, 'This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations.

Ex 31:11 -

and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do."

Ex 35:8 -

oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,

Ex 35:15 -

and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle;

Ex 35:28 -

and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense.

Ex 37:29 -

He made the holy anointing oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

Ex 39:38 -

the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door of the tent;

Ex 40:9 -

Then you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture; and it shall become holy.

Ex 40:15 -

and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations."

Le 8:2 -

"Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;

Le 8:10 - Then Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

Le 8:12 - And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head, and anointed him, to consecrate him.

Le 8:30 - Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron and his garments, and also upon his sons and his sons' garments; so he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.

Le 10:7 -

And do not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." And they did according to the word of Moses.

Le 21:10 -

"The priest who is chief among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor rend his clothes;

Le 21:12 -neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

Nu 4:16 -

"And Elea'zar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual cereal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels."

Jud 9:15 -

And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

So 1:3 -your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is oil poured out; therefore the maidens love you.

Ho 8:10 -Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And they shall cease for a little while from anointing king and princes.

NT Scriptures

Jas 5:14 -

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

Greek: aleipsantes – from aleipho, meaning medicinal anointing vs. Greek “chrio” meaning religious sacramental sense of anointing.

1Jo 2:27 - but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.