“chriō”

Quick Facts

  • Pronunciation: khree’-o  
  • Strongs Concordance: #G5548
    • to anoint
      • consecrating Jesus to the Messianic office, and furnishing him with the necessary powers for its administration 
      • enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit 
  • Appears 5 times in  5 verses in the New Testament
  • Common translations
    • “Anoint/anointed/he has anointed/has anointed/you anointed” (5x)

How chriō is used in the New Testament

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,” [Luke 4:18 NASB]

“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,” [Acts 4:27 NASB]

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” [Acts 10:38 NASB]

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,” [2 Corinthians 1:21 NASB]

“YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”[Hebrews 1:9 NASB]

Observations

Here we see five NT references translated ‘anointed’. Four speak of Christ, and the remaining verse speaks of ALL THE SAINTS. Some might try to argue that Paul was speaking of himself and other church leaders when he says “us”. However, he continues describing other things that pertain to “us” in the next verse:

He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts. [2Co 1:22 HCSB]

If “us” only pertains to Paul and other church leaders, then I suppose only church leaders have been given and sealed with the Holy Spirit – which no doubt, some would have you believe.