Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward 1 Samuel 16:13
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
Anointing with holy, pure olive oil is not widely understood in today’s Western culture. Modern Christianity views anointing as a metaphor for receiving the Holy Spirit. Yet, it’s an ancient religious practice, restored in our day, with deep spiritual meaning. Scripture uses anointing to represent several ideas: setting apart, healing, and spiritual strength. It’s a tangible expression of Heavenly Father’s love.
Reflecting on its meaning boosts faith and increases our gratitude for what happens spiritually during sacred ordinances. These ordinances include consecrating in temples and healing the sick.
“Let the anointing of thy ministers be sealed upon them with power from on high”
Doctrine and Covenants 109:35
Word Origin
Hebrew: Anoint is mashach (משת) and its primitive root meaning was to rub, daub, or smear with oil for private or religious purposes, by implication, to mark. It occurs sixty-eight times in the Old Testament. The word Messiah, mashiyach (משיח) is derived from mashach and refers to a person who has been anointed.
There appears to be an ancient correlation between anointing and temples. The earliest instance of anointing in the Bible is the stone which Jacob anointed to dedicate as an altar (Genesis 28:18). He did so after he awoke from his dream in which he saw a ladder ascending to Heaven.
Elder Marion G. Romney taught that the steps on the ladder [in Jacob’s dream] represent covenants we make with God that bring us closer to Him. He also said, “Temples are to us all what Bethel was to Jacob” (“Temples—the Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, Mar. 1971, 16). Early rabbis say Jacob anointed the stone on Mount Moriah (Talmud Hullin 91b), making his anointing the stone, the first marking of the future Temple site.
Greek: The Greek word for anoint is chrió (χρίω). The Greek translation of mashiach, a person who has been anointed, is christos (χριστός), which is transliterated as “Christ.” We may think that “Christ” is a last name, but Jesus’ last name is “of Nazareth,” indicating his hometown. “Christ” is, of course, a title that means the anointed one, or Messiah, in Greek.
There is another Greek word for “anoint”. For example, in Luke 7:36-50, the more commonplace aleipho (ἀλείφω) is used when the woman anoints Jesus. Aleipho is a broader term for anointing, which can include non-religious practices such as personal care. It shares a root with “oil” and “fat” and is related to body rubbing for comfort. It’s not the word that corresponds to the Hebrew word for anoint.
Anointing in Temples
Anointing is intertwined with temples. “On May 4, 1842, Joseph Smith introduced the temple endowment to a group of nine close associates in an upper room of his Nauvoo store. Over the next two years, Joseph administered this ordinance to more than 50 additional men and women. This group received a ceremonial washing and anointing as part of the endowment, and were later called the ‘anointed Quorum’” (“Anointed Quorum,” Church History Topics).
“The endowment is received in two parts. In the first part, a person receives preliminary ordinances called the initiatory. The initiatory comprises three ordinances: washing, anointing, and clothing” (General Handbook 27. 2).
Why anointing? In temples, blessings like oil, are poured out on those who participate. President Oaks wrote: “The Old Testament frequently mentions anointing with oil as part of a blessing conferred by priesthood authority Anointings were declared to be for sanctification and perhaps can also be seen as symbolic of the blessings to be poured out from heaven as a result of this sacred act” (“Healing the Sick,” Ensign, May 2010).
“Throughout the ancient Near East, anointing with oil indicated a change in status” (Frankel and Teutsch, Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols, 122). One commentator pointed out that the anointing is an essential preparatory rite for those whom God lifts to the exalted stations of king, priest, or prophet (The Ancient Tradition). C. S. Lewis summed up the idea of anointing Christians. “Every Christian is to become a little ‘christ’” (Mere Christianity, 177).
Hugh Nibley explains that the anointing has several purposes: 1) It was used for setting apart and marking for divine use and service. For example, the tabernacle and its sacred vessels were consecrated by anointing. Jacob consecrated the stone of Bethel by anointing it. 2) It demonstrates God’s choice and commission for leadership. 3) It signifies that God empowers the anointed person to accomplish His specific tasks (e.g., Samuel 10:6; 16:13).
“Oil in the Bible isn’t just symbolic. It’s functional. It was used for healing, cooking, lighting, and warfare. So, when someone was anointed, they were marked by something useful, costly, and powerful. God didn’t choose random people to be anointed. He chose kings to lead, prophets to speak truth, and priests to stand in the gap between heaven and earth. And He marked them all the same way, with oil” (“Why Kings, Prophets, and Priests Were All Anointed with Oil”).
Anointing the Sick
Administering to the sick uses the same priestly power as temple ceremonies but is available outside the temple for the ill. Temple anointings and anointing the sick are linked to the concept of renewal—either preparing the body for eventual resurrection and glory or providing immediate, miraculous physical restoration.
The correlation between anointing for healing the sick and anointing performed in temples is profound, as both practices relate to consecration, spiritual and physical renewal, and the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Great High Priest and “Anointed One”.
Through anointing the sick, God’s restorative power is immediately displayed, bringing physical and spiritual strength. In the New Testament, anointing with oil was used in Christ’s ministry for healing the sick.
For example, an early source states that Adam specifically sought “oil of mercy” (from the Tree of Life/Olive Tree) to anoint himself, linking sacred oil to healing from the Fall (Apocalypse of Moses 9:3). Hugh Nibley noted in Temple and the Cosmos that the “oil of healing” refers to a sacred substance, often associated with anointing rites, believed to possess restorative and protective powers, particularly concerning physical and spiritual revival.
Many times, the oil of anointing is described as imparting health and life. The Spirit of Elijah, which seals families eternally through temple ordinances, is specifically described as both a sealing power and a divine healing power, transforming the hearts of the alienated.
In early Christian tradition, anointing was part of the process of cleansing and preparing the soul for resurrection, healing wounds received in life and death. “They will wash and anoint them, healing them of their wounds of hell, and clothe them with beautiful pure garments and bring them into the presence of God” (Bradshaw, In God’s Image, Excursus 52).
Temple ordinances, including anointing, promise the faithful that they “are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:33). This renewal applies both in an initiatory sense (preparing the physical body in mortality) and in an ultimate sense (the glorious resurrection).
“The final culmination of the whole plan of salvation, according to a very old Judeo-Christian writing, will be when Michael opens the gates and bestows the healing oil on the righteous as ‘the hundred-fold reward of those who have worked and toiled diligently’” (Nibley, The Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri, 459).
Anointed and Chosen
The process of salvation and exaltation is viewed as a path toward becoming truly “chosen” (the elect) and “anointed” (a messiah, christos or son of God) in the ultimate sense.
The relationship between being “anointed” (Messiah/Christ) and being “chosen” (Elect) is deeply interwoven throughout ancient ritual and scripture, signifying a divine selection, consecration, marking, and eventual exaltation to eternal kinship with God. The concepts are primarily connected through the idea that those who are chosen by God are formally set apart and empowered through a ritual anointing, leading to a specific divine identity and commission.
Ancient Israelite kings were anointed on the head with a perfumed olive oil that was kept in a horn in the sanctuary (1 Kings 1:39; Psalm 89:20; Psalm 23:5). Put simply, being chosen means God selected you, while anointing is the ritual that empowers the chosen person for their specific divine role, helping them grow spiritually and eventually exalting on high.
An Illustration
Anointing both prepares us and restores us. This account from President Eyring illustrates the power of anointing the sick.
“A man surrounded by his family. He and his wife were chatting quietly as my son and I entered [the room]. I had known them for many years. I had seen the Atonement of Jesus Christ work in their lives and in the lives of their family members.
“They had together chosen to end medical efforts to prolong his life. There was a quiet feeling as he spoke to us. He smiled as he expressed gratitude for the gospel and its purifying effects on him and the family he loved. He spoke of his happy years of service in the temple. At this man’s request, my son anointed his head with consecrated oil. I sealed the anointing. As I did, I had a clear impression to tell him that he would soon see his Savior, face-to-face.
“I promised him that he would feel happiness, love, and the Savior’s approval. He smiled warmly as we left. His last words to me were ‘Tell Kathy I love her.’ My wife, Kathleen, over many years had encouraged generations of his family to accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him, make and keep sacred covenants, and so qualify for the happiness that comes as a result of that greater holiness.
“He died hours later. Within weeks of his passing, his widow brought a gift to my wife and me. She smiled as we talked. She said pleasantly, ‘I expected that I would feel sad and lonely. I feel so happy. Do you think that’s all right?’
“Knowing how much she loved her husband and how both of them had come to know, love, and serve the Lord, I told her that her feelings of happiness were a promised gift because she had, by her faithful service, been made more holy. Her holiness had qualified her for that happiness” (“Holiness and the Plan of Happiness,” Ensign, November 2019).
