The holy anointing oil and olive oil are still used among many Christians. Christians use the oil for several purposes, for example, to put – and consecrate someone into an office (ministry), sanctify houses, buildings, and objects, and to heal the sick. But is using anointing oil Biblical and is anointing oil part of the New Covenant? Or is this a custom that was practiced in the Old Covenant, which Christians have adopted and applied to the New Covenant? Does anointing oil have power? How do you use anointing oil? What does the Bible say about anointing oil? Let’s have a look at the lives of Jesus and the apostles and if Jesus and the apostles used anointing oil.
The holy anointing oil in the Old Covenant
In Exodus 30, we read about the composition and the purpose of the holy anointing oil. Moses was commanded by God to prepare the holy anointing oil and to anoint the tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. Moses had to sanctify them so that they would be most holy, and whatsoever touched them would be holy (however an unauthorized person was not allowed to touch them. Read also: The reason why Uzza died). Moses also had to anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, so that they could minister unto the Lord in the priest’s office. The holy anointing oil would be used throughout generations.
But God specifically commanded that this holy anointing oil could not be used to pour upon man’s flesh. Neither was it allowed to make any other like it, after the composition of it, because it was holy and therefore it would be holy unto them. If someone would compound any like it, or put upon a stranger (unauthorized person), he would be cut off from his people (Exodus 30:22-33)
This tells us, that the holy anointing oil was only allowed to be used for the sacred service of the Lord and to anoint (consecrate) the (high)priest(s), tabernacle, and the materials and objects, which were used for the Lord’s service.
The holy anointing oil was not allowed to be used to anoint the body of a person (a stranger) and it was prohibited to duplicate the anointing oil.
If these are the words of God, then why have people made a trade of the holy anointing oil and sell them to gain profit? They make a holy anointing oil after the composition, which is written in the Bible, and pretend that this oil has supernatural (healing) powers. Many Christians fall into the trap of this lie. They believe these words of man and buy anointing oil. They believe and buy the holy anointing oil, because they are ignorant because they don’t study the Bible for themselves. Therefore they believe everything that is preached.
They buy the oil and anoint everything and everyone, who comes their way. Because they believe, that the oil has supernatural (healing) powers, and that by using this miraculous oil they unleash special powers, that will heal the sick, deliver people, and cleanse houses, buildings, and objects from demonic powers. Because of false doctrines, they believe that when they anoint something or someone with oil, the devils will flee.
Did Jesus use anointing oil?
When we look at Jesus Christ, Who was the Firstborn of the new creation, and His life on earth, do we read anything about Jesus walking around with a bottle of anointing oil? Did Jesus use anointing oil to anoint people, objects, houses, and buildings? No. Jesus came in the Name of His Father; in the authority of His Father and spoke His words, and every word that proceeded out of Jesus’ mouth came to pass.
Did Jesus anoint His disciples with oil, before Jesus sent them forth two by two? No, Jesus gave His disciples authority and power over unclean spirits and to heal the sick (the weak). Jesus sent them to preach and bring the Kingdom of God to God’s people and call them to repentance. We don’t read, that Jesus commanded His disciples to take a bottle of oil with them to anoint houses or people (Matthew 10:1-15, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6).
However, although Jesus didn’t say anything about the anointing oil or anointing the sick with oil, we read in the gospel of Mark that the disciples anointed many that were sick (weak) with oil, and healed them.
The reason why they apparently anointed the sick with oil, was due to the fact that the anointing with oil was a regular custom in many cultures. In countries like Egypt, China, India, Greece, and Italy it was a regular custom to anoint or smear someone, who was sick, with oil.
As a matter of fact, we read about this custom in the parable of the Samaritan. When the Samaritan went to the wounded man, he bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine (Luke 10:30-35). Olive oil was used as a medical custom.
Anyway, Jesus didn’t anoint any houses, buildings, objects, or people with oil. Jesus didn’t anoint the sick with oil, nor did Jesus command His disciples to do so.
The great commission and the anointing oil
Before Jesus ascended to heaven and took His place on the throne at the right hand of the Father, Jesus gave the great commission to His disciples. This commission wasn’t only meant for the disciples, who were present, but also for the disciples of Jesus, who would come after them and would follow Jesus. Jesus commanded the believers to go.
When Jesus spoke to His disciples, Jesus didn’t mention the anointing oil or anointing someone or something with oil. Jesus didn’t command His disciples to anoint a person with oil to put into an office (ministry) and to sanctify or consecrate the person. Nor did Jesus command to anoint houses or buildings or to anoint a person, who was sick or weak, with oil. Jesus commanded His disciples to lay hands on the sick so that they would recover (Mark 16:18)
The apostles and the anointing oil in the New Covenant
Although Peter was one of the twelve disciples, who was sent by Jesus on a mission and apparently anointed the sick (the feebly, weak) with oil, when Peter had become a new creation, we don’t read anywhere that Peter anointed those, who were sick or weak with oil.
The first healing, which took place after Jesus ascended to heaven and after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, was the healing of the lame man, who laid at the gate of the temple. When the man asked them for alms, Peter didn’t grab his bottle of oil to anoint him. No, the man was healed by Peter’s faith in the Name of Jesus. Peter believed in the perfect work of redemption and the authority of Jesus Christ (Act 3:16).
When Peter was in Lydda, he didn’t use oil to anoint the sick, but He healed Eneas, who was sick of the palsy, by faith in the Name of Jesus. Peter did the same thing in Joppa, where Tabitha was raised from the dead by faith in the Name of Jesus (Act 9:40-41).
Paul and the others didn’t use oil either to anoint people (who were sick or weak), houses, buildings, or objects.
When Paul wrote all those letters to the churches, we don’t read anything about commanding the saints to anoint the elders, deacons, people, who were sick or weak, houses, buildings or objects with oil. Not even in the letters, which he wrote to the carnal church in Corinth.
That’s because, through regeneration, they had become a new creation, whose spirit was raised from the dead. Therefore, the church; the assembly of born again believers (new creations) had become spiritual. They didn’t need any natural resources or perform all kinds of visible religious rituals, to make the spiritual visible to the carnal man, like in the Old Covenant. They were connected in the spirit by the Holy Spirit with Jesus Christ and the Father, and that’s why they walked just like Jesus; Who’s the Firstborn of the new creation in His authority.
The only thing that they had to remember and keep was the communion, whereby they were partakers of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Anointing the sick with oil
Is any sick among you? 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: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up (James 5:14-15).
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The only time in the apostolic letters, where we read about the use of oil and anointing a person with oil is in the letter of James. James commanded the saints to call upon the elders when someone was sick and to pray over that person and anoint him with oil. But that the anointing oil didn’t have supernatural power and that the practice of anointing the sick with oil had nothing to do with healing is proven by the next verse. Because in the next verse, it is written, that the prayer of faith shall save and heal the person.
In other words, by faith in the Name of Jesus and by believing in His perfect work of redemption at the whipping post, where Jesus took all infirmities and diseases upon Him, at the cross, where Jesus took all the sins of the world upon Him, and after Jesus went into Hades and conquered death and was risen from the dead as Overcomer, Who has all authority in the heavens and on earth, the person was saved and healed (Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:24, Revelation 1:18).
The Word says, that we should become like our Lord and Master Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:25, Ephesians 4:15). If Jesus didn’t use anointing oil, we should earnestly ask ourselves if we should use anointing oil.
It is a sad thing, that many Christians have more faith in the oil and consider it a panacea than in the Name of Jesus.
If the believers would wake up and become aware of Who lives inside of them, and what position and authority they have received in Jesus Christ, then they would not touch any oil again. The faith should not be in the oil but in Jesus Christ and His Name. Only by faith in the Name of Jesus and the works that derive from that faith, will move mountains.
If people believe that the oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit dwells inside of them, then why do they need oil?
‘Be the salt of the earth’
