Reconciliation, Chosen-ness, Healing

The Ancient Greek word for oil is “eleon”. Oil is used for three very specific purposes in the Bible.

The first use of oil is not oil itself, but an olive branch. In Genesis, we read the story of the great flood that wiped out the world in the time of Noah. God had Noah build an ark, and Noah and his family, along with two of every animal species on earth, were sealed in the ark as it rained for forty days and forty nights and flooded the world. After forty days, the rains stopped and the water began to recede. In order to see if dry land would appear soon, Noah sent out a dove (Genesis 8:8-9) and the dove returned to the ark, having found nowhere to land. Noah waited seven days and sent out the dove again, and this time the dove returned with an olive branch in its mouth (Genesis 8:10) and this is how Noah knew that the waters had receded, the flood was over, and man could again enter creation. The relationship between God and creation was reconciled. (The phrase “extending an olive branch” comes from this instance in the Bible, extending a branch of reconciliation with an opponent or enemy).

At an Orthodox baptism, the sponsor puts oil on the person being baptized right before the immersion into the baptismal font. This is oil of reconciliation, reminiscent of the olive branch in the time of Noah. Because the service of baptism begins with exorcisms, or prayers against sin, recognizing that all human beings live in a sinful world, before someone is baptized, they are “reconciled” to God with oil, just as the creation was reconciled after the Flood. After the baptism, the person who was baptized is chrismated, or anointed with the oil of Holy Chrism. This oil represents the descent of the Holy Spirit on a person. The oil of reconciliation and the oil of Chrismation are received only one time during a person’s life. The oil of Holy Unction, as we have discussed, should be received often in a person’s life.

The second use of oil in the Bible is for chosenness. A prophet would be told by God to go anoint someone that would be king or leader of God’s people. Then the prophet would go an anoint God’s chosen leader by pouring oil on the person’s head. Often the person chosen by God would come as a surprise to people. However, people had great respect for the prophets, believing that God would speak through them, and thus respecting as leaders the ones anointed by God through the hands of the prophets.

In I Samuel 16, we read of when David was anointed as king. Samuel, who was one of the Lord’s prophets, came to Bethlehem, the house of Jesse, for Jesse was a righteous man. Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to a sacrifice of a heifer that was being made before the Lord. Jesse was excited because he thought that Samuel had come to anoint his oldest son to be the king. When Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, the Lord told Samuel that he was not the one that would be anointed. Jesse presented all of his sons and the Lord didn’t speak to Samuel to anoint any of them. When Samuel asked if Jesse had any more sons, he told him that his youngest son David was out watching the sheep. Samuel asked for David to be brought and it was David who was anointed as King by Samuel pouring oil over him.

It is important to note that God spoke to Samuel and told him “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7) God said this to Samuel because both Samuel and Jesse thought that Eliab, the first born son of Jesse, who was tall and strong would be the one God chose to be the King. God reminded Samuel that God doesn’t look at appearances but what is in the hearts of people. God’s chosen people are not the strong and mighty but the humble. Some people look at their lives and think God is absent from them because they aren’t more accomplished. One does not need fame or fortune to be chosen by God. We have all been chosen by God. The question is: Do we accept the invitation? When we are anointed with Holy Unction, it is a sign that we, each of us, are God’s chosen people. And as God told Samuel, God doesn’t choose us because of our outward appearance, but rather anoints us as His chosen based on what He sees in our hearts.

The third use of oil in the Bible is for healing. As we have already discussed, in the parable of the Good Samaritan, when the Samaritan poured oil and wine on the man’s wounds, we see oil used as a medicine to provide healing.

Thus, in the use of oil, we see the three things accomplished by Holy Unction. Holy Unction, especially demonstrated through the prayers, is about reconciliation with God. The prayers include powerful reminders of how God is merciful and forgiving, even to the worst of sinners. Holy Unction reminds us that we are God’s chosen people. We are not just some anonymous person in the world to God. We are His chosen people. That’s why we say our names when we receive Holy Unction, to remind us, by name, that we are His chosen people. It is our choice to live as His chosen or to live estranged from Him. God has already made His intention known to us. We are His chosen. Finally, we receive Holy Unction for healing of soul and body.

You, O Lord, Who loves mankind instituted the anointing of kings by Your words; and by the hands of High Priests did accomplish same. Save also the sufferers by Your Sea; for as much as You are merciful. (6^th Ode, Sacrament of Holy Unction, Trans. by Fr. George Papadeas)

Always remember, even in your darkest moments, that YOU are chosen. You are one of God’s chosen people. And when there is a gap between being chosen and feeling estranged, this gap is overcome through reconciliation and healing, in large part through the sacrament of Holy Unction.