Purpose of Anointing

Ordinary . With the Jews and Eastern nations, anointing the body or head with oil was common practice. Anointing the head with oil or ointment seems to have also been a mark of respect sometimes paid by a host to his guests (28:40; Ruth 3:3; Micah 6:15). Psal 23:5 and Luke 7:46

Official . This was a rite of inauguration into each of the three typical offices of the Jewish state. a. Prophets were sometimes anointed to their offices ( 1 Kings 19:16 ) and were called messiahs. ( 1 Chronicles 16:22 ; Psalms 105:15 ) b. During the first institution of the Levitical priesthood, all priests were anointed ( Exodus 40:15 ; Numbers 3:3), but thereafter this was reserved for the high priest ( Exodus 29:29 ; Leviticus 16:32 ) so that "the priest that is anointed," ( Leviticus 4:3) is generally taken to mean the high priest. c. Royalty. During the inauguration of Jewish Kings, the anointing was the main and divinely appointed ceremony. The rite was performed multiple times in the Bible ( 1 Samuel 9:16 ; 10:1 ; 1 Kings 1:34 1 Kings 1:39 ). King David was anointed three times. d. As a token of being set apart for religious purposes, inanimate objects were also anointed with oil. At Bethel, Jacob anointed a pillar with oil. ( Genesis 31:13 ; Exodus 30:26-28 )

Ecclesiastical . St. James prescribes anointing with oil for the healing of the sick. James 5:14 compares this to the anointing with oil practiced by the twelve. Mark 6:13. SPIRITUAL.

A Deliverer is promised in the Old Testament, called Messiah, or Anointed (Psalms 2:2; Daniel 9:25; Daniel 9:26), and his anointing is described as spiritual, with the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, Jesus of Nazareth is shown to be the Messiah ( Isaiah 61:1 ) or Christ or anointed of the Old Testament ( John 1:41 ; Acts 9:22 ; Acts 17:2 Acts 17:3 ; Acts 18:4 Acts 18:28 ) and the historical fact of his being anointed with the Holy Ghost is asserted and recorded. Christ was anointed as a prophet, priest, and king (John 1:32 John 1:33 ; Acts 4:27 ; 10:38 ).

Christians can also be anointed with the Holy Ghost by God. In 2 Corinthians 1:21, " Anointing "reflects the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon Christians who are priests and kings before God.