SPECIAL TOPIC: ANOINTING IN THE BIBLE (BDB 603)

SPECIAL TOPIC: “ANOINTING” IN THE BIBLE (Hebrew
verb, BDB 602, KB 643 I; noun,
BDB 603)

A. Used for beautification (BDB 691 I. cf. Deut. 28:40; Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 12:20;
14:2; 2 Chr. 28:15; Dan. 10:3; Mic. 6:15)

B. Used for guests (BDB 206, cf. Ps. 23:5; Luke 7:38,46; John 11:2)

C. Used for healing (BDB 602, cf. Isa. 61:1; Mark 6:13; Luke 10:34;
James 5:14) [used in hygienic sense in Ezek. 16:9]

D. Used in preparation for burial (cf. Mark
16:1; John 12:3,7; 19:39-40; note 2 Chr. 16:14, but without the
verb “anoint”)

E. Used in a religious sense (of an object, BDB 602, cf. Gen. 28:18; 31:13 [a
pillar]; Exod. 29:36 [the altar]; Exod. 30:26; 40:9-16; Lev. 8:10-13; Num. 7:1
[the tabernacle])

F. Used for installing leaders

1. Priests

a. Aaron (Exod. 28:41; 29:7; 30:30)

b. Aaron’s sons (Exod. 40:15; Lev. 7:36)

c. standard phrase or title (Num. 3:3; Lev. 16:32)

2. Kings

a. by God (cf. 1 Sam. 2:10; 2 Sam. 12:7; 2 Kgs.
9:3,6,12; Ps. 45:7; 89:20)

b. by the prophets (cf. 1 Sam. 9:16; 10:1;
15:1,17; 16:3,12-13; 1 Kgs. 1:45; 19:15-16)

c. by priests (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:34,39; 2 Kgs. 11:12)

d. by the elders (cf. Jdgs. 9:8,15; 2 Sam. 2:7; 5:3;
2 Kgs. 23:30)

e. of Jesus as Messianic king (cf. Ps. 2:2; Luke 4:18
[Isa. 61:1]; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9 [Ps. 45:7])

f. Jesus’ followers (cf. 2 Cor. 1:21; 1 John 2:20,27
[chrisma])

3. possibly of prophets (cf. 1 Kgs. 19:16; Isa. 61:1)

4. unbelieving instruments of divine deliverance

a. Cyrus (cf. Isa. 45:1)

b. King of Tyre (cf. Ezek. 28:14, where he uses Garden
of Eden metaphors)

5. term or title “Messiah” means “an Anointed One” (BDB 603),
cf. Ps. 2:2; 89:38; 132:10

Acts 10:38 is a verse where all three persons of the Godhead are involved
in anointing. Jesus was anointed (cf. Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38).
The
concept is widened to include all believers (cf. 1 John 2:27). The Anointed One
has become the anointed ones! This may be parallel to Antichrist and antichrists
(cf. 1 John 2:18). The OT symbolic act of physical anointing with oil (cf. Exod.
29:7; 30:25; 37:29) relates to those who were called and equipped by God for a
special task (i.e., prophets, priests, and kings). The word “Christ” is a
translation of the Hebrew term “the anointed one” or Messiah.