What does anointment mean?

Answer 1

In the New Testament anoint speaks of daily hair grooming (Matt. 6:17), treating injury or illness (Luke 10:34), and preparing a body for burial (Mark 16:1). Christians see Jesus as God's Anointed One, the Savior (Acts 10:38). Christians are also anointed by God for ministry (2Cor. 1:21; 1 John 2:27). Priests and kings were ceremonially anointed as a sign of official appointment to office and as a symbol of God's power upon them.

Answer 2

In the New Testament anoint speaks of daily hair grooming (Matt. 6:17), treating injury or illness (Luke 10:34), and preparing a body for burial (Mark 16:1). Christians see Jesus as God's Anointed One, the Savior (Acts 10:38). Christians are also anointed by God for ministry (2Cor. 1:21; 1 John 2:27). Priests and kings were ceremonially anointed as a sign of official appointment to office and as a symbol of God's power upon them.

Answer 3

To be anointed is to receive a religious ritual blessing. It suggests a conferred consecration and a subsequent state of grace.

To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil, milk, water, or other substances, a process employed ritually by many religions. People and things are anointed to symbolize the introduction of a sacramental or divine influence, a holy emanation, spirit, power or god. It can also be seen as a spiritual mode of ridding persons and things of dangerous influences, as of demons believed to cause disease or affliction.

Example : "In the sacrament of the Last Rites, one is anointed at death."

* Anointed may also mean chosen as if by divine intervention.

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Biblical

The origin of anointing was from a practice of shepherds. Lice and other insects would often get into the wool of sheep, and when they got near the sheep's head, they could burrow into the sheep's ears and kill the sheep. So, ancient shepherds poured oil on the sheep's head. This made the wool slippery, making it impossible for insects to get near the sheep's ears because they would just slide off. From this, anointing became symbolic of blessing, protection, and empowerment.

The New Testament Greek words for "anoint" are chrio, which means "to smear or rub with oil, and by implication to consecrate for office or religious service"; and aleipho, which means "to anoint." In Bible times, people were anointed with oil to signify God's blessing or call on that person's life (Exodus 29:7; Exodus 40:9; 2 Kings 9:6; Ecclesiastes 9:8; James 5:14). A person was anointed for a special purpose-to be a king, to be a prophet, to be an builder, etc. There is nothing wrong with anointing a person with oil today. We just have to make sure that the purpose of anointing is in agreement with Scripture. Anointing should not be viewed as a "magic potion." The oil itself does not have any power. It is only God that can anoint a person for a specific purpose. If we use oil, it is only a symbol of what God is doing.

Another meaning for the word anointed is "chosen one." The Bible says that Jesus Christ was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit to spread the Good News and free those who have been held captive by sin (Luke 4:18-19; Acts 10:38). After Christ left the earth, He left us the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). Now all Christians are anointed, chosen for a specific purpose in furthering God's Kingdom (1 John 2:20). "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee" (2 Corinthians 1:21-22).

Answer 4

Anointed is the past tense and past participle of "anoint" - to smear or rub over something with oil or some unctuous substance, or to pour water over something or someone as a sacred rite, especially for consecration.

Answer 5

To anoint is to dab with oil as part of a coronation.