ANOINTING.— 1. The application of unguents to the skin and hair as an act of the toilet is an ancient custom ; the oldest prescription extant is for this purpose, and professes to date from about B.C. 4200. Among the Jews a. was a daily practice (Mt 6"), the oil being applied to exposed parts (P8 104"), soothing the skm burnt by the sun. The eflfects of oil are more enduring than those of water, hence a. was practised after bathing (Ru 3', Ezk 16'). It was a mark of luxury to use specially scented oils (Am 6"), such as those Hezekiab kept in his treasure-house (2 K 20"). As a. was a sign of joy (Pr 27*), it was discontinued during the time of mourning (Dn lO') ; so Joab instructed the woman of Tekoa to appear un- anointed before David (2 S 14^). On the death of Bathsheba's chUd, David anointed himself to show that his moumin" had ended (2 S 12-°). The cessa- tion of a. was to be a mark of God's displeasure if Israel proved rebellious (Dt 28", Mic 6"), and the restoration of the custom was to be a sign of God's returning favour (Is 61'). Anointing is used as a symbol of prosperity in Ps 92'°, Ec £?.
2. Before paying visits of ceremony the head was anointed ; so Naomi bade Ruth anoint herself before visiting Boaz (3'). OU of myrrh was used for this purpose in the harem of Ahasuerus (Est 2"). On monuments in Egypt the host is seen anointing his guest on his arrival ; and the same must have been customary in Pal., as Simon's failure of ho.'spitality in this respect is commented upon by our Lord (Lk 7*"). This custom is referred to in Ps 23'. The Isr. showed their goodwill to the captives of Judab by anointing them before sending them back at the command of Oded (2 Ch 28"). Mary's anointing of our Lord was according to this custom.
3. Before battle, shields were oiled, that their surfaces might be slippeiy and sliining (Is 21',
2 S 1" BV). This practice is referred to several times by classical authors, and ia in use to this day among some African tribes.
i. As a remedial agent a. was in use among the Jews in pre-Christian times; it was practised by tlie aposttes (Mk 6"), recommended by St. James (5'*), mentioned in tlie parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10*^), and used as a type of God's forgiving grace healing tlie sin-sick soul (Is 1', Ezk 16°, Rev 3"). In post-apost. times tlie oil was supposed to owe its virtue to its consecration liy prayer, which might be done by any Christian ; thus
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Proculus anointed Severus, and healed him (Tertull. ad Scap. iv. ). 15y the 3rd cent, consecration of the oil could only be done by the bishop (Innocent, Decentio, viii.); although any Christian might apply the holy oil, and the oil from the church lamps was often taken for this purpose (Chrysostom in Alt 32). Oil was also consecrated by being taken from the tombs of martyrs (lA llumil. in Martyr, in.). liy the 5th cent, the priest alone could anoint (Labbe & Cossart, Concilia, i.\. 419, § 10). This a. was iut*;nded as a means of oire even as late ais the days of Hede (in Marci, i. c. 24). The a. of the dying was a heretical practice of the Mar- cosians (Irenx-us, i. 21. 5) and the Heracleonites (Epiphanius, adv. Hcer. xxxvi. 2) for purposes of exorcism. Theodoret says that the Archontici also use oil and water, but apparently in a dillerent way (firi/SaXXouiri, see liirr. Fab. Compend. i. 11). In the Rom. Church by the Tith cent, the idea of healing had become ob.solete, and the a. was restricted to the dying (Council of Florence, 1439) and applied before the Viaticum (1st Council of Mainz, Can. xxvi,). It is called extreme unction by Hugo de St. \\t:toT>i(Summa Sententitxr. vi. 15), and its place a-s one of the seven sacraments of the Rom. Church was decided by the Council of Trent. Calvin calls it histrionica hypvcrisis {Inst. vi. 19, § 18).
The ceremonial of anointing the leper when cleansed was not remedial, but a sign of reconsecra- tion. In Scripture the application of any soft material, as moistened clay, to a blind man's eyes, is called anointing (Jn 9").
5. As in Egj'pt, the application of ointments and spices to the dead body was customary in Pal. (Mk 16', Lk 23''«, Jn 19") ; but they were onlj- externally aiiplied, and did not prevent dccomposi. tion (Jn ll**). In later times the a. of the dead with holy oil is recommended (Dionys. Areopag. de Eccles. Hierarch. vii. § 8).
6. Holy things were by a. dedicated to God even in ancient times. Thus Jacob consecrated the stones at Bethel (On 28", 35'*) ; and God recog- nised the action (31'^). In Greece, Egj'pt, and other countries dedication by oil was practised, and is continued in the Rom. and Gr. rituals for the con.secration of churches. The tabernacle and it? furniture were thus consecrated (Ex 3C 40'", Lv 8"), and the altar of bumt-oflerine was re- consecrated after the sin-olTering (Ex 29*"). Some periodic hostia honoraria were anointed with oil (Lv 2' etc.) ; but no oil was to be poured on the Bin-offering (Lv 6", Nu 5"). It is not said that the temple was con.secrated by a., but there was holy oil in the priests' charge at the time (1 K l"), as there was in the days of the second temple (1 Ch 9^).