ANOINTING
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, for He has anointed me…
(Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18)
DEFINE: The word English word ANOINT comes from the Hebrew word that we transliterate “Messiah” or the Greek word “Christ/Christos”. It means, in all three languages;” to pour, to rub into, to smear on”. It refers to the oil used by Priests to signify special calling to service.
HISTORY: It was also used to refer to healing oil applied by doctors in ancient medical practices. In both cases the oil is typically olive oil, infused with other oils from herbs, plants, and fragrances. The medical oil was infused with plants and extracts that were believed to have medically beneficial properties. The Anointing Oil of the Priests was used infused with a specific formula known for it’s potent and pleasant fragrance. A person who was anointed would smelled entering a room, before he was even seen.
Anointing Oil:
Exodus 30:22
1 Shekel : 11.33781 Grams
1 Hin : 3.785412 Liters
500 Shekels/5500 Grams: Myrrh and Cassia
250 Shekels/2750 Grams of Cinnamon and Cane
1 Hin/About 4 Liters: Olive Oil
BASE of Understanding: We take a look then in Luke 4 and Isaiah 61 to find out more about this anointing Jesus referred to. Jesus is (and we are by extension as His body) anointed to:
- Preach the Gospel/Good Tidings/Good News to the Poor The Kingdom of God
- Heal the Broken Hearted The BLESSING
- Proclaim Liberty to Captives Forgiveness
- Recovery of Sight to Blind (Luke) Healing
- Set Prisoners Free/Set Oppressed Free Cast out Devils
By Looking throughout the Gospels, especially Luke, we find Jesus doing the very things he said he’d do, foretold in Isaiah 61. But what is the definition of the “Anointed” How does being specially called or gifted work? What makes one anointed?
Isaiah 10:27 shows us the single best definition,
“It shall come to pass in that day
that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder
and his yoke from you neck,
and the yoke will be destroyed
because of the anointing oil. “
Anointing:
Burden Removing, Yoke Destroying, Power of God.
FILLED WITH POWER: We see that Jesus didn’t receive this anointing until He was baptized. He didn’t do miracles before then. After being baptized he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1) and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to pass a test, then he came“In the power of the Spirit” to Galilee (Luke 4:14). So he was Filled, Led, and Came in Power. So we see that only a life filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit can come in power, and power is the true basis of the anointing. Even JESUS did not do miracles without being filled with The Holy Spirit.
What’s in a NAME? Jesus CHRIST. People in that day did not use last names. They went by parentage John son of Zacharias. Christ is not Jesus’ last name. If anything it is more of a title used by the New Testament Authors. English translators have never bothered to translated this word so they just “Transliterated” the word, which means to re-write a word from one language to make it easier to use in another language without actually translating it. Properly then CHRIST means Anoint/Anointed.
Therefore Jesus Christ should be written Jesus The Anointed One. When the word Christ is used without the word Jesus it depends upon the context of the text whether Anointing or Anointed One should be used. Of course it’s nearly impossible to refer to Anointing without referring to the Anointed One that was Anointed, likewise it’s nearly impossible to refer to the Anointed One without referring to the Anointing that he was anointed with.
So “Christ” can and should be translated in any occurrence. If one is not sure which translation fits based on context you could hit it all by saying: “Anointing of the Anointed One” or “Anointed One and His Anointing”. Both would hit the meaning well. So in Mark 1:1 The Beginning of the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ (Jesus the Anointed One and His Anointing). The good news of Jesus the Anointed One. That is the correct translation. That is how it should be read. Why is this important? Because when we understand that the POWER of God to remove burdens and destroy yokes, we get a new meaning to various verses.
Anointed to Remove Burdens and Destroy Yokes!
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me…
Among my favorite verses, for most of my life, is Philippians 4:13. I can do ALL THINGS… what a statement. Whether excited or depressed it’s meant much to me. But it wasn’t until I learned that Christ needs to be translated that I got totally thrilled about this verse.
I can do ALL THINGS through the Anointing of the Anointed One which strengthens me!
I am a partaker of His Anointing, because I am part of the Body of Christ (The Anointed One and His Anointing)! It is through the burden removing, yoke destroying power of God that I can do all things. I know how to abase and how to abound… not because I’m a doormat. I don’t bow to low circumstances! I take the power of God to remove burdens and destroy yokes and I break through that circumstance! King David got a hold of this and wrote in Psalms 23, even though I walk THROUGH (not camp out and live in) the valley of the shadow of death I fear NO EVIL for THOU art with me! The GREATER ONE is on the inside of me!
So take a look then at Philippians 4. Don’t be anxious, take joy! Ask God, Thank Him for the answer, and let His peace rule your heart and mind! That’s how you abase and abound. You are the same in any circumstance, because the answer is the same in any circumstance! GLORY!
“Prayers and Supplications” is an interesting study. This is better translated General Prayers and Specific Prayers. So, in general and specific prayers, let your requests be made known to God, then thank him as though it was already done!
See Matthew 21:22
“And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing you will receive.”
So what you ask for in prayer, you believe it’s already done. If you ask God in prayer, and than at any point say: “I didn’t got it” you negate what you asked for. You must call those things that are not, as though they are (Romans 4:17)! But you ask according to His Will (1 John 5:14-15). Asking according to his will brings the confidence to stand until it comes to pass. If you are not CONVINCED that it’s His will, you will be double minded and you will not receive! (James 1:2-8) The Word of God is the Will of God. (John 17:17, Joshua 1:8, Jeremiah 29:11-13)
Darrell G. Wolfe