Evad

Anointing With Oil

The Hebrew word sukh and the Greek aleipho are used to express the common practice in Bible times of greasing or the rubbing of oil on the head and body. (Daniel 10:3 / Ruth 3:3 / John 11:2) It was common to rub with oil to protect from the sun and keep the skin supple. Olive oil or oil of balsam or myrrh was generally used for this purpose and perfume was usually added. Usually done after bathing. (2 Samuel 12:20 / Esther 2:12) Oil was also used in preparing a person for burial. (Mark 14:8 / Luke 23:56)

Greasing the head with oil indicated favor. (Psalm 23:5 / 2 Chronicles 28:15) or a sign of mourning (2 Samuel 14:2 / Daniel 10:2-3) as well as an act of hospitality and courtesy to another. (Luke 7:38, 46) Anointing was also done in special cases where some appointment to office was confirmed, such as with priests and kings. (Leviticus 8:12, 30 / Judges 9:8, 15 / 1 Samuel 9:16 / 2 Samuel 19:10)

Ceremonial anointing involved pouring the oil on the head, and it would run down the beard and collar. (Psalm 133:2) Objects that were dedicated as sacred were also anointed, like the stone Jacob used as a pillow when he had an inspired dream or the tabernacle and its furnishings. (Genesis 28:18-19; 31:13 / Exodus 30:26-28)

Anointing didn't necessarily have to be literally applied with oil. The term could also be anointed without the ceremonial use of oil. The case of Hazael, Elisha, Moses, and Cyrus. (1 Kings 19:15-16 / 2 Kings 9:1-6 / Hebrews 11:24-26 / Isaiah 45:1) And of course, Jesus Christ, who was anointed with Jehovah God’s spirit. Jesus had the unique position of being anointed in all three appointed positions; Prophet, High Priest and King. (Psalm 2:2; 45:7 / Isaiah 61:1 / Luke 4:18 / Matthew 1:16; 3:16 / Acts 3:20-26; 4:26-27 / Hebrews 1:9; 5:5-6 ) In a similar way to Aaron's sons being anointed without oil, Jesus' followers are anointed with holy spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:21)

Messiah or Anointed

The Hebrew word mashach, from which mashiach, or Messiah comes is generally used in special ceremonial anointing. The Greek khrio, from which comes khristos, or Christ corresponds to the Hebrew mashach and mashiach. (Exodus 30:30 / Leviticus 4:5 / Luke 4:18 / Acts 4:26)

At John 1:41 the Hebrew Messias is transliterated into the Greek Khristos. Also see John 4:25.

The term mashiach, anointed one or messiah, is applied to many men, both in the official capacity of having literally been anointed with oil as well as without oil, the anointed of Jehovah. (2 Samuel 19:21; 22:51; 23:1 / Psalm 18:50 - 1 Samuel 2:10, 35; 12:3, 5; 24:6, 10 / 2 Samuel 1:14, 16 / 2 Chronicles 6:42 / Lamentations 4:20) The term is applied to the high priest, the patriarchs and Persian King Cyrus. (Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; 6:22 / 1 Chronicles 16:16, 22 / Isaiah 45:1)

The Greek Khristos is used sometimes without a personal name to apply to the messiah in a general way, or accompanied with the personal name of Jesus, as was most often the case. At other times the word is used without the personal name but implicating Jesus specifically as the Christ. (Matthew 2:4; 22:44 / Mark 13:21 / John 17:3 / Romans 5:8 / 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 16:24)

At Daniel 9:25-26 the Hebrew mashiach is in application exclusively to the coming Messiah. Many Hebrew scriptures are applied to the messiah but without exclusively doing so. Psalm 2:2, for example, first applied to David, but was later applied to Jesus at Acts 4:25-27.

There are numerous examples throughout the Hebrew scriptures which apply to the Messiah but don't use the word specifically. (Genesis 49:10) Alfred Edersheim found 456 of them that the ancient Synagogue referred to as Messianic and in most ancient rabbinic works there are 558 (See The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 1906, Vol. l I, p. 163; Vol. II, pp. 710-737)

The term Shiloh is also accepted by The Targum of Onkelos, Jerusalem Targums and the Midrash as also applying to the Messiah.

stephan huller

I don't understand what the purpose of this thread is. It should be noted that the modern Christian emphasis on 'the anointed one' in the scriptures should be qualified. It is usually the verb which is used to carry this meaning, not the noun. (“He has been anointed”, not “He is the Anointed”). You say that in Daniel chapter 9 "the Hebrew mashiach is in application exclusively to the coming Messiah." It should be noted that there are examples (a minority opinion) where this is applied to the high priest. The normative rabbinic interpretation is that this individual is Agrippa the king of the Jews. The PRIMARY CONNOTATION of the terminology in Daniel is that of is “legitimate TEMPORAL or SECULAR king”. This clearly excludes Jesus and it is why Origen avoids connecting the prophesy with Jesus.

stephan huller

At the risk of this degenerating into another (modern) version of the Disputation at Barcelona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disputation_of_Barcelona) only far less interesting - I'd be open to demonstrate that the term Shilo developed into the Christian interest in Chrestos (i.e. the alternative to 'Christos').

ApostateAbe

Evad, I don't think there is anything especially disagreeable about any of that.

Evad

Far less interesting than disputation? Is that even possible? At the risk of having to see the practical application of the simple writings of ancient people once again rendered unrecognizable by the quasi authoritative school of the overindulgent egomaniacs of the Waw Conservative?

Sounds dreadful.

Evad

And historical?

ApostateAbe

Sorry, what is the question?

Keith&Co.

May be a while before getting an answer. Dave started posting drunk again and has to sit in his corner for a while.

JoeWallack

So as to further my ambition of being hailed as THE messiah, I urge you to consider the following:

Why not hail me as your messiah? Well, why not? Consider my qualifications:

1. I definitely exist, so you who would worship me during my life (I do not claim to be immortal) need not waste time debating my existence.

2. I can predict many things about the future. All of my prophecies about the past (the fall of the USSR, the fall of Constantine's city to the Turk, the Gulf war, the stock market, the Yankees victory, the last twenty winning lottery numbers etc.) have come true, and none of my public prophecies has been shown to be false. I can tell you exactly when the next solar eclipse will be, and can foretell the fall of leaves from trees. So why not me as your messiah?

3. My motives are pure. I won't make you do stuff you do not want to do, I will not make you feel bad and, if you are reasonably young, female and very attractive, I might even make you feel good about worshiping me. And I promise you won't end up in a burning building on the prairie somewhere, or on a mountain top surrounded by federal agents. Your worship of me will never be worthy of note on the pages of our tabloid press. So why not me as your messiah?

4. I am a good role model, as I do not smoke anything, am kind to children, domesticated animals and obey all laws pertaining to currency transactions, firearms, and so forth.

5. I am well spoken and well spoken of. Indeed, you would be proud to have me as your messiah, no matter your pre-existing religious orientation. The worship of me as your messiah is perfectly compatible with all known standard religions of amenable people. Nothing to apologize for here!

6. I am not the devil, so by worshipping me, those who worship me would be at no risk of inadvertently worshipping the devil.

7. I can turn flour into bread and use it to feed humanity. I can walk on very cold water.

8. Suppose that I am the messiah and I posit that the only way to get to heaven after you die is to worship me in life. Further suppose that either the statement is true or there is no afterlife. If you worship me and there is no afterlife, well, nothing lost there, right? But suppose I am the messiah, and you have not hailed me as such? Where does that leave you? Exactly! Why take such a risk?

9. If a real messiah shows up, I'll hail him as such and quietly get out of the way.

10. So come on, worship me! I call upon all beautiful young women (of legal age, of course) to e-mail me with all sorts of personal information so we can get this Messiah adoration project underway. I tell you the truth; I promise you won't be sorry―honest!!!



Joseph

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