Anointing (Hastings' Dictionary)

1. The application of unguents to the skin and hair as an act of the toilet is an ancient custom ; the oldest prescription extant is for this purpose, and professes to date from about B.C. 4200. Among the Jews a. was a daily practice (Mt 6"), the oil being applied to exposed parts (P8 104"), soothing the skm burnt by the sun. The eflfects of oil are more enduring than those of water, hence a. was practised after bathing (Ru 3', Ezk 16'). It was a mark of luxury to use specially scented oils (Am 6"), such as those Hezekiab kept in his treasure-house (2 K 20"). As a. was a sign of joy (Pr 27), it was discontinued during the time of mourning (Dn lO') ; so Joab instructed the woman of Tekoa to appear un- anointed before David (2 S 14^). On the death of Bathsheba's chUd, David anointed himself to show that his moumin" had ended (2 S 12-°). The cessa- tion of a. was to be a mark of God's displeasure if Israel proved rebellious (Dt 28", Mic 6"), and the restoration of the custom was to be a sign of God's returning favour (Is 61'). Anointing is used as a symbol of prosperity in Ps 92'°, Ec £?. 2. Before paying visits of ceremony the head was anointed ; so Naomi bade Ruth anoint herself before visiting Boaz (3'). OU of myrrh was used for this purpose in the harem of Ahasuerus (Est 2"). On monuments in Egypt the host is seen anointing his guest on his arrival ; and the same must have been customary in Pal., as Simon's failure of ho.'spitality in this respect is commented upon by our Lord (Lk 7"). This custom is referred to in Ps 23'. The Isr. showed their goodwill to the captives of Judab by anointing them before sending them back at the command of Oded (2 Ch 28"). Mary's anointing of our Lord was according to this custom. 3. Before battle, shields were oiled, that their surfaces might be slippeiy and sliining (Is 21', 2 S 1" BV). This practice is referred to several times by classical authors, and ia in use to this day among some African tribes. i. As a remedial agent a. was in use among the Jews in pre-Christian times; it was practised by tlie aposttes (Mk 6"), recommended by St. James (5'), mentioned in tlie parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10^), and used as a type of God's forgiving grace healing tlie sin-sick soul (Is 1', Ezk 16°, Rev 3"). In post-apost. times tlie oil was supposed to owe its virtue to its consecration liy prayer, which might be done by any Christian ; thus ANOINTING ANOINTING 101 Proculus anointed Severus, and healed him (Tertull. ad Scap. iv. ). 15y the 3rd cent, consecration of the oil could only be done by the bishop (Innocent, Decentio, viii.); although any Christian might apply the holy oil, and the oil from the church lamps was often taken for this purpose (Chrysostom in Alt 32). Oil was also consecrated by being taken from the tombs of martyrs (lA llumil. in Martyr, in.). liy the 5th cent, the priest alone could anoint (Labbe & Cossart, Concilia, i.\. 419, § 10). This a. was iut;nded as a means of oire even as late ais the days of Hede (in Marci, i. c. 24). The a. of the dying was a heretical practice of the Mar- cosians (Irenx-us, i. 21. 5) and the Heracleonites (Epiphanius, adv. Hcer. xxxvi. 2) for purposes of exorcism. Theodoret says that the Archontici also use oil and water, but apparently in a dillerent way (firi/SaXXouiri, see liirr. Fab. Compend. i. 11). In the Rom. Church by the Tith cent, the idea of healing had become ob.solete, and the a. was restricted to the dying (Council of Florence, 1439) and applied before the Viaticum (1st Council of Mainz, Can. xxvi,). It is called extreme unction by Hugo de St. \\t:toT>i(Summa Sententitxr. vi. 15), and its place a-s one of the seven sacraments of the Rom. Church was decided by the Council of Trent. Calvin calls it histrionica hypvcrisis {Inst. vi. 19, § 18). The ceremonial of anointing the leper when cleansed was not remedial, but a sign of reconsecra- tion. In Scripture the application of any soft material, as moistened clay, to a blind man's eyes, is called anointing (Jn 9"). 5. As in Egj'pt, the application of ointments and spices to the dead body was customary in Pal. (Mk 16', Lk 23''«, Jn 19") ; but they were onlj- externally aiiplied, and did not prevent dccomposi. tion (Jn ll). In later times the a. of the dead with holy oil is recommended (Dionys. Areopag. de Eccles. Hierarch. vii. § 8). 6. Holy things were by a. dedicated to God even in ancient times. Thus Jacob consecrated the stones at Bethel (On 28", 35') ; and God recog- nised the action (31'^). In Greece, Egj'pt, and other countries dedication by oil was practised, and is continued in the Rom. and Gr. rituals for the con.secration of churches. The tabernacle and it? furniture were thus consecrated (Ex 3C 40'", Lv 8"), and the altar of bumt-oflerine was re- consecrated after the sin-olTering (Ex 29"). Some periodic hostia honoraria were anointed with oil (Lv 2' etc.) ; but no oil was to be poured on the Bin-offering (Lv 6", Nu 5"). It is not said that the temple was con.secrated by a., but there was holy oil in the priests' charge at the time (1 K l"), as there was in the days of the second temple (1 Ch 9^). 7. Priests were set apart by a. In the case of Aaron, and probably all hit'li priests, this was done twice : first by pouring the holy oil on his head after his robing, but before the sacrifice of consecration (Lv 8", Ps 133') ; and next by sprinkling after the •acrifice (Lv 8°). The ordinary priests were only sprinkled with oil after theaiiiilication of the blood of the sacrifice. Hence the nigh priest is called the anointed priest (Lv 4'- ' and 6"). The holy oil for this purpose was made of olive oil, cinnamon, cas.sia, flowing myrrh, and the root of the sweet cane (Acurtis Calamus). It was to be used only for these ceremonials, and its unauthorised com- pounding was strictly forbidden (Ex SO''). In Egypt there were nine sacred oils for ceremonial use. A. in the ordination of presbyters and deacons came into use in the 8th cent., but was not practised in the early Church. 8. Of designation to kingship by a. wo have examples in Saul (I S 10') ami Daviil (1 S Hi"). This act was accompanied by the gift of the Spirit ; so, when David was anointed, the Spirit descended on him, and departed from Saul ; and llazael was anointed over Syria by God's command (I K 19'"). Kings thus designated were called the Lord's anointed. David thus speaks of Saul (1 S26") and of himself (Ps 2-). This passage is used by the apostles as prophetic of Christ (Ac 4^). 9. Uj' a. Kings were installed in office. David was again anointed when maile king of Judah, and a third time when made king of united Israel (2 S 2' 5'). Solomon was anointed in David's life- time, and he refers to the a. in his dedication prayer. It is not said that those who succeeded by right of primogeniture were anointed ; but when the succession was disputed, Jehoiada anointed Joash (2 K 11"). Jehoahaz the younger son ol Josiah was anointed (2 K 23™) in place of his eldei brother Jehoiakim (see 23"- "'l. Kings of othei lands were anointed. This was early known to the Israelites, as we learn from Jolham's parable (Jg 9). The kings of Egypt were anointed, and the a. is said to have been done by the goda (Uiimichen, Hist. Inschri/t, i. 12); hence they are called the 'anointed of the gods.' The kin" oi Tyre is also called the ' anointed ' (Ezk 28'^). Jehu was anointed as beginning a new d3'nasly (2 K 9'-). Zedekiah is referred to as anointed (La 4'-^'). liritisb kings were anointed in pre-Saxon days (Gildas, de excidio Brit. i. 19), as were the Christianised Saxons ; but the first mention of a. at coronation elsewhere in Europe is in a.d. C3i in the Acts of the Gill Council of Toledo. Charlema''ne, A.I). 800, was the first emperor anointed (by Pope Leo III.). A. is now a part of the ceremonial of coronation in most Christian kingdoms. 10. A. is used metaphorically to mean setting apart to the prophetic ollice ; so Elijah is told to anoint Elisha. This does not a|i|iear to have been literally done (1 K 19'«). In Ps 105" the words anointed iind prop/icts are used as .synonyms. The Servant of the Lord calls himself anointed to preach (Is 61'), and Christ tells the people of Nazareth that this prophecy is fulfilled in Him (Lk 4"). IL Similarly in a metaphorical sense any one chosen of God is called an anointed one; thus the patriarchs are called God's Mes.siahs (Ps 105"), and Israel as a nation (Ps 84», Hab 3'", Ps SQ"^- »'), being promised deliverance on this account (Is lO", 1 S 2'"). Cyrus is akso called a Messiah (Is 45'). The name Christ is the Gr. equivalent of the Heb. Messiah=' anointed.' The anointing of Ps 45' is taken in He I" as prophetic of the Saviour's anointing. In this sense, as a chosen people, believers are .said to be God's anointed (2 Co 1^, 1 .In 2-'»-»'), the unction being the gift of the Holy Spirit. In post- apost. times these words gave ri.so to the practice of anointing with oil at baptism. This was done by way of exorcism before the washing in the E. (Jliurcli in the days of Cyril {Caferh. Afi/stai;. ii. I)), as it seems from St. Augustine to have been the jiractice in Africa (see Tr. 44 in Juainiis, § 2, refer- ring to anointing the blind man's eyes before the washing). UutTertullian puts the a. after the wash- ing (J^e resurr. Carnis, § viii.), as does Optatus, who says that Christ was anointed by the dove aftrr baptism {de Si-/iism. Donat. iv. 70). Ul>on these texts, quoted above, couiiled with the 'scaling' men tioned in Ei>h 1" 4" and 2 Co l-'''', the jiost-aposlolic Church baseil the ceremony of coulini.aiioii, in connexion with which in the W. Church another anointing became customary in the 5th cent. LlTBRATcnil. — Besidea the refcrencoa given fthovp, st-c for fuller details cotirL-rninif the above section!) — 1. l'aj>yr\u Khrrn, p, flU ; Ernmn. .r.:}yptni. l.K.S.'i, p. 318. 4. Marteiie. ./<• A nl. Keel, int., Roiion, 1700, i. 7; Oulluiim, df duohua Ijulinorum SaerO' iiirntig, Oenevo, ltI6I> : lJrcrrl.u}n Kuaetiii 1 1', de Srpt, Eeel. Sticram., Ixiuvain, 15.'>7. 6. Arnobiiis, adv. (lent. t. 31H ; Fubri. cius, da Tempt. (Christ , Ueuiutodl, 17U4 ; Pausaiiios, vif. '.:2 of apology or defence (Gr. diroXoyla) in 1 Co 9" mine %. (RV 'my defence') to them that do examine 7. TheodulluB, Epise. Aurel. Capit. de Presb., cd. Migne, 193 ; Ito CarnotenBis, Uecret. vi. 121. A. MaCALISTEE. ANON, a contraction for ' in one,' is used in AV for ' in one moment ' (R V ' straightway '). Mt 13™ 'a. with joy receiveth it' ; Mk 1^ 'a. they tell him of her'; Jth 13" 'a. after she went forth' (RV ' after a little whUe she went forth '). J. Hastings. ANOS CApus), 1 Es 9".— One of the descendants of Baani, who agreed to put away his ' strange ' wife : corresponding to Vaniah (n;)i), Ezr IC.