The Significance of Anointing Oil

The Archbishop of Canterbury anointed King Charles III in May 2023.

The oil came from olives harvested on the Mount of Olives. It was consecrated in Jerusalem.

Samuel did the same to David in 1 Samuel 16:13. Same act, same reason: to mark someone as chosen.

This guide covers what the oil meant in the Bible and what churches do with it now. New to the topic? Start with what is anointing oil.

Quick answer: Anointing oil marks a person or thing as set apart for God.

One oil for 3 Jobs

Israel anointed people for three roles.

One catch on Elisha. God tells Elijah to anoint him, but the text never describes oil being poured.

Elijah throws his cloak over him instead (1 Kings 19:19).

The title carried weight. David had Saul at his mercy and still refused to harm him. Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6).

It even reached outsiders. Isaiah 45:1 gives the title “anointed” to Cyrus, a Persian king who was not an Israelite.

Jesus holds all three roles

In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus reads Isaiah 61:1 and says it is about him: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me” (Luke 4:18).

Peter later says God anointed Jesus “with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38).

Neither verse mentions oil as the anointing is the Spirit. Our anointing oil blog has more on using oil in prayer.

Oil was also for joy and hospitality

Not every use was a ceremony.

• Isaiah 61:3 promises oil of joy in place of mourning.

• Psalm 45:7 calls it the oil of gladness.

• Psalm 23:5 shows a host anointing a guest’s head.

• In Luke 7:46, Jesus points out that his host gave him no oil for his head. A woman poured perfume on his feet instead.

Gethsemane means “oil press”

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane the night before his arrest (Matthew 26:36).

The Hebrew name, gat shemanim, means “oil press.” That is where olives were crushed to get oil.

Many preachers link the pressing to what Jesus went through that night. The Gospels do not make that link themselves, but the name is real. 

Our guide to the types of anointing oil in the Bible explains what each scent meant.

Oil for burial

A woman poured perfume on Jesus in Bethany. He said she was preparing his body for burial (Mark 14:8).

After his death, Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloes (John 19:39). Women went to the tomb with spices to anoint his body (Mark 16:1).

So the same oil that marked a king also marked a goodbye. 

Are believers anointed too?

The New Testament says yes, with no oil involved.

• John writes to ordinary believers: “you have an anointing from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20). He repeats it in verse 27.

• Paul says God anointed “us” along with Christ (2 Corinthians 1:21).

The anointing here is the Holy Spirit living in the believer. The oil points to it.

How churches use oil today