1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Need help on Anointing with Oil

Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by GodsRealTruth, Jun 18, 2007.

  1. GodsRealTruth

    GodsRealTruth New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2006
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hey Guys and Gals,

    Need some help. I am a pastor of a church whom a sick member has requested to be anointed with oil. I have no problem doing this at all, but I have noticed every church wants it done differently.

    In the past the procedure I have taken is I anoint the sick person with the oil on their forehead in the sign of the cross while stating I anoint them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do this in keeping with the scripture in James 5:12-14. Then I have the deacons circle the member and lay hands on them while I say a prayer for Jesus will to be done in their life.

    Am I doing this correctly?

    I just want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.

    Thanks God Bless You :praying: :godisgood:
     
  2. His Blood Spoke My Name

    Joined:
    May 18, 2006
    Messages:
    1,978
    Likes Received:
    0
    Scripture does not say anoint them with the sign of the cross.

    Sounds Catholic to me.

    Read back in the Old Testament. The anoint oil was poured over one's head until it dripped. (Ref. Psalm 133:2)

    Best to anoint according to Scripture if you are going to anoint at all.
     
  3. Scarlett O.

    Scarlett O. Moderator
    Moderator

    Joined:
    May 22, 2002
    Messages:
    11,384
    Likes Received:
    944
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Well, I could tell you what I think, but I found someone who makes a whole lot more sense than me.

    Here is an outstanding commentary on anointing the sick with oil.

    http://layhands.com/AnointingWithOil.htm

    It's by David Root from Houston, Texas. It's not copyrighted. He does anoint the sick with oil and he has some very sound teachings on it. He says that the word for "anointing" in James is more of a medicinally "rubbing".

    He says to just be careful that you don't do anything that would constitute a ritual.

    Read the whole thing. It's lengthy, but very, very good. I've never seen such a common sense approach toward anointing with oil.
     
  4. rbell

    rbell Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    11,103
    Likes Received:
    0
    "The sign of the cross" has no healing power in itself. If you do that to remind you of Christ's sacrifice for us and His ultimate power over sin and death, fine. The mechanics takes second place to the heart's condition.

    You sound like you are sincerely trying to follow God and submit to His will. If that is the case, God will be honored.
     
  5. GodsRealTruth

    GodsRealTruth New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2006
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks Guys. I appreciate your insights.
     
  6. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2006
    Messages:
    7,373
    Likes Received:
    0
    Great question into a difficult text. I view this passage in two ways: 1. Maybe the oil had medicinal value (Mark 6:13; Lk 10:34). 2. Or maybe it was done wholly for ceremonial purposes.

    Leviticus 14:10-20 is a better background text than Psalm 133:2. Psalm 133 has nothing to do with the sick. Rather, it deals with "anointing" for ministry.

    At any rate, it seems to be more culture now than anything. So if your church is going to do it, establish a tradition. Nothing is wrong with making a sign of the cross, keeping in mind it adds nothing to the healing. But if it is symbolic of the merits of the cross of Christ, then so be it.

    The Greek word for "anointing" in James 5:14 is aleipho, which appears 9 times in the GNT, never in a ritualistic sense.

    But we have another Greek word that is translated "anointing", or "anoint" in the GNT. It is the word chrio, which shares the same root as Christos, "the anointed One." Chrio as a verb is used only 5 times in the GNT, always in a ritualistic sense.

    But Moulton and Milligan found in secular Greek where chrio is used of "a lotion for a sick horse" (see Vines on this).

    It comes down to the culture of a local church, whether to use oil or not. However, one thing remains clear, the power to heal comes from the Lord.
     
    #6 TCGreek, Jun 19, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 19, 2007
  7. His Blood Spoke My Name

    Joined:
    May 18, 2006
    Messages:
    1,978
    Likes Received:
    0
    The passage in Leviticus is a more accurate passage for anointing the sick than the passage in Psalm 133.

    The anointing for the sick is not only the pouring of the oil on the head, but also the outward sprinkling seven times, the dab on the ear, thumb, and toe... all from the oil that has been poured out in the priest's left hand.

    Good post, TC:wavey:
     
  8. Trotter

    Trotter <img src =/6412.jpg>

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2003
    Messages:
    4,818
    Likes Received:
    1
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I use olive oil (extra virgin... lighter :D ). Normally I put a good thumbprint in the middle of the forehead. Since this isn't the OT, I'm not worried about it.

    The main thing for someone who asks to be annointed is the symbolism of it. the oil is nothing... you could use 90 weight gear oil if you wanted. the main thing is the prayer being poured over the individual. The church I formally attended would have all the deacons, elders, and preachers come up to pray with and for the annointed, as well as any who felt led. We usually had thirty or more there praying.
     
Loading...