“aleiphō”

Quick Facts

  • Pronunciation: ä-lā’-fō
  • Strongs Concordance: #G218
    • (as particle of union) and the base of G3045; to oil (with perfume):—anoint.
  • Appears 9 times in 8 verses in the New Testament
  • Common translations
    • “anoint” (3x)
    • “anointed” (3x)
    • “anointing” (3x)

How aleiphō is used in the New Testament

“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face” [Matthew 6:17 NASB]

“And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.” [Mark 6:13 NASB]

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him.” [Mark 16:1 NASB]

“and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” [Luke 7:38 NASB]

“”You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.” [Luke 7:46 NASB]

“It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.” [John 11:2 NASB]

“Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” [John 12:3 NASB]

“Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;” [James 5:14 NASB]

Observations

Here we see mention of the physical act of anointing (pouring a substance like oil or perfume over the body or part of the body). Other than the mention of Christ being anointed with perfume or oil, the only remaining people mentioned as such are the weak and sick! Absolutely zero mention of a church leader being anointed for a role, service, or anything (unless of course they were sick and needed to call for the church leaders for prayer).

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