1. bless somebody with oil: to rub oil or ointment on a part of somebody's body, usually the head or feet, as part of a religious ceremony, for example, in a Christian baptism... or preparation for the dead.
Many
people believe the book of Genesis begins with the fall of man… because of Eve
and her encounter with the serpent… better known as Satan.
Few I have met realize it also contains a promise given to Eve, of the
redemption of man from the affects of the fall…. which will come through one
of her descendants, who will be the first born from the dead.
This promise of redemption… is the first prophecy, which foreshadows
the coming Savior, Messiah of humankind, Jesus the Christ.
Christ means… the anointed One. Jesus means Jehovah saved.
nóynt
] (past a·noint·ed, past participle a·noint·ed, present
participle a·noint·ing, 3rd person present singular a·noints)
transitive verb
1. bless somebody with oil: to rub oil or ointment on a part of somebody's
body, usually the head or feet, as part of a religious ceremony, for example, in
a Christian baptism...
or
preparation for the dead.
2. ordain somebody: to install somebody officially or ceremonially in a
position or office
If you are like me, in the beginning
of your studies of the bible, you might wonder… how exactly was Jesus
anointed? Was it when John the Baptizer saw God’s Spirit descend upon Jesus,
remaining, in the second chapter of John, a part of the New Testament?
It was there He was referred to as the Lamb of God who was to take away
the sins of the world, foreshadowed in the Feast of Passover ordained by Moses
in Exodus. It was at that moment John recognized HIM as the Messiah who had been
promised by revelation and declared Him to be so.
In the 12th chapter of
John we are told; 6 days before Passover, during an intimate supper, Mary, the
sister of Martha and Lazarus, anointed the feet of Jesus with oil. Judas
Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus by handing him over to the religious rulers
of His day, motivated by covet ness wanted to know … why was this costly
ointment not sold for 3 hundred pence and given to the poor? Jesus rebuked
him with words similar to: There will always be an
opportunity to take care of the poor, but my death is coming and she is
preparing me for my time of burial… leave her alone.
Some
might wonder, about this custom of the day… to anoint their dead… why was
this a tradition? One might ask… did it have a mystical meaning as well as a
practical application during their age? Does it speak of an office Jesus is
holding, such as a prophet, a priest… their Messiah or their soon coming King?
Does Jesus speak of His death in advance… and His need for an anointing, that
God’s will might be recognized openly?
In Matthew chapter 26, we find Jesus
telling His closest followers, after 2 days is the
feast of the Passover and the Son of man… will be betrayed so He might be
crucified.
I have wondered what He means when HE calls
Himself the son of man… Is He declaring Himself to be a descendant of Adam and
Eve? Is He speaking of his identity with our flesh nature when doing so? A
nature that was corrupted and sentenced to death in the garden… but given hope
of redemption someday? A nature
which must die, so we might be restored to our place as a son of God, like
Jesus, who lives in the Presence of God and promises to go to prepare a place
for us, that we might join Him according to John 14. Does Jesus choose to call
Himself this because it is the death of the flesh nature that is being
foreshadowed here through His identification with us in joining us in the
consequence of our sin? Why must this nature die… and why must Jesus die, if
He is sinless and why on Passover in particular? Is it so our souls might be
resurrected from the dead and live again walking in the Presence of God, our
Father, restored? Is there
reference to this elsewhere to clarify or foreshadow? Is this the hidden meaning
within the 23rd Psalm and Isaiah 53? Over the years I have asked
Father God these questions and more… as I have chosen to follow Jesus to see
where HE might lead me.
I find it interesting to read in
context that immediately after Jesus prophesied His death on this occasion….
He is called the King of Israel by the people, in fulfillment of a prophecy of
their coming Messiah and how He will be recognized, foreshadowed in Zech 9:9,
and fulfilled as he rides into Jerusalem on a humble donkey… in John 12.
HE was called a King because He demonstrated His power over death, in the
raising of Lazarus a short time before. Was He anointed in recognition of His
role as a King who ruled over the flesh nature and death itself? Was He given
power over death as an sign of that which was to come to past… His own
resurrection from death because it had no hold on Him enabling Him to become our
redeemer?
In the 26th chapter of
Matthew we read that the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the
people, came to the place of the high priest, Caiaphas, and consulted together
as to how they might take Jesus by trickery and kill him….. but they decided
not to do it on the feast day… (Passover) due to a possible uproar of the
people. It seems to be God, in HIS infinite wisdom had already prepared their
hearts…. as part of HIS plan… of redemption, blinding their eyes to the
truth of their own Messiah so others might know of the Hebrew Messiah, the
Passover Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
This promise of this redeemer was given to Eve in the garden… when
Satan’s power over her was exposed for what it was and what it would become…
I will elaborate on this in another one of my writings for your
consideration, if requested to do so.
Immediately following this decision,
Jesus was anointed a second time. Apparently,
after His earlier anointing, Jesus again in Bethany, came to the house of a
leper, called Simon… and there came to Him a woman… (Was she sent by God?)
having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and she poured it on Jesus’
head as he sat to eat. This time,
when his disciples saw it they were indignant… saying to what
purpose is this oil poured out, it is such a waste because this ointment might
have been sold for much. Perhaps they thought Jesus had already been
anointed once… and this was unnecessary, missing the higher revelation of the
first anointing; for when Jesus was crucified above His head was a plaque
pronouncing HIM to be The King of the Jews.
Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering
this woman because of her good actions toward Me… The poor will be with you
always, but I will not be, she has poured this ointment on my body for my burial
and what she has done this day will be remembered when ever my death and
resurrection is spoken of."
The next thing we read, a plot to betray Jesus is formed between
Judas Iscariot and the chief priests, in fulfillment of that which was spoken of
by prophets of old in a cloaked language, a prophetic language, which we find
Jesus uses a lot.
It seems to be, the bible speaks to
us in a hidden language… a language of mystery… a language of imagery,
metaphors, parables… a prophetic
language… a spiritual language, which must be spiritually discerned, because
GOD is spirit… and only HE can reveal to us the true meanings hidden deep
within the message of HIS inspired writings…
May I suggest that you go to God Himself… and ask for His revelations
regarding His promises to you and seek His answers for your own life that you
might choose to follow HIM? After having done so…. Please I’d like to hear
what HE has spoken to your spirit as well.