The Anointing Oil

EXO 30-23-33  •  30 min. read  •  grade level: 8
"Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty, And of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil an hin: And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, of whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people."—Ex. 30:23-3323Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. 30And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. 31And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. 33Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people. (Exodus 30:23‑33)
A hin of olive oil mingled with four spices formed this fragrant compound.
Of myrrh there was five hundred.
Of cinnamon two hundred and fifty
Of calamus two hundred and fifty.
And of cassia five hundred.
Thus the two middle spices added together equaled in weight the first, the myrrh; and the last, the cassia; the four forming three weights of five hundred.
Myrrh.-Myrrh has the word "pure" attached to it. This word (drohr, Heb.) is always translated wherever it elsewhere occurs, " liberty."
" Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." Lev. 25:1010And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. (Leviticus 25:10)
" The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach glad tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Isa. 61:11The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).
Another word translated " sweet smelling," Cant. 5:5, 13, is connected with myrrh. (The margin has it, passing, or, running about.) Both words, " pure," and " sweet smelling," may have reference to the myrrh flowing out spontaneously, or freely from the plant.
In Sol. 5:5,5I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. (Song of Solomon 5:5) the hands and fingers of the Bride are represented as dropping with myrrh upon the handles of the Lock when she rose to open to her beloved. And in the 13th verse the lips of the Bridegroom are likened unto " lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh."
The full fragrance of this spice is descriptive of the beloved Himself. " A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me." Cant. 1:13. And " all his garments are of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia." Psa. 45:88All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. (Psalm 45:8).
Amongst the plants of the enclosed garden, descriptive of the Bride, are " myrrh and aloes, with all principal spices." Sol. 4:1414Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: (Song of Solomon 4:14). And the Bridegroom in chap. v. 1, enters His garden, and says, " I have gathered my myrrh with my spice." She is herself represented at the conclusion of her wilderness journey, "like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant." Cant. 3:6.
The mountains of myrrh, and the hill of frankincense, are the safe and pleasant places of retreat to which the Bridegroom invites the Bride, until the day break and the shadows flee away; in contrast with the lion's dens, and mountains of the leopards.
The adulterous woman, type of the seducing world around us, professes also to use this perfume. " I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon." Prov. 7:1717I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (Proverbs 7:17).
This spice was probably bitter to the taste, as its Hebrew derivative implies. An oil was extracted from it, which was used for purification. Esther 2:1212Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) (Esther 2:12). Sweet cinnamon," properly cinnamon of spice, or aromatic cinnamon, occurs again, Cant. iv. 14, another of the plants of the enclosed garden-the Spouse; and Prov. 7:17,17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (Proverbs 7:17) where it is connected with myrrh and aloes, as a perfume for the bed "Sweet Calamus," or cane of spice, or aromatic cane This word " calamus," is translated Stalk.-Gen. 41:5,225And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. (Genesis 41:5)
22And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: (Genesis 41:22).
"Cassia."-This word only occurs once more in the Scripture. Ezek. 27:1919Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. (Ezekiel 27:19). Its origin is doubtful, but if the derivation suggested by Robertson be correct, it springs from a root which signifies "to cleave," and also " to stoop" and " bow down."
These spices gave their fragrance to the oil with which Aaron was anointed.
The fragrant graces of the Holy Spirit seem to be typified by this holy perfume.
In Isa. 11:1-3,1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: (Isaiah 11:1‑3) we have a prophecy respecting the Lord Jesus; as a rod springing from the stem of Jesse; a branch out of his roots; referring to His being of the seed of David, as born into this world; and it is said, " The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and shall make him of quick understanding (or scent or smell) in the fear of the Lord."
Possibly the anointing oil may have some typical reference to the Holy Spirit, thus resting on Him. It is remarkable that the way in which these graces of the Spirit are arranged in Isaiah, has some analogy to the proportions of the spices in the anointing oil. There were five hundred of Myrrh which would answer to the " Spirit of wisdom and understanding." There were two hundred and fifty of Cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of Calamus, which would correspond with "the spirit of counsel and might," each in equal proportions. The spirit of "wisdom and understanding" being represented by one spice, because there is a close connection between wisdom and understanding, one could hardly exist without the other; whereas there is a considerable difference between " counsel '' and " might," which is expressed by the two distinct spices " cinnamon " and " calamus:" the two together making another five hundred in weight. The " spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord " being represented lastly by the five hundred of " Cassia"; one spice only; for all true knowledge is embodied in the " fear of the Lord." Without the fear of the Lord man is a fool. If he reverence not God, and believe not in His word, he is like the beasts that perish; or rather he is more brutish than the ox or ass. For " the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib;" but a man ignorant of God, does not know; he is a fool, saying in his heart, " there is no God."
The words of wisdom and understanding dropped freely from the lips of the blessed Lord when he was on earth, like sweet smelling myrrh from the lips of the bridegroom. When questioned by the high priest as to His doctrine, Jesus answered, " I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing." John 18:2020Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. (John 18:20). His words were spirit and life. His tongue was the tongue of the wise, using knowledge aright, and giving health to sin-sick souls. His lips dispersed knowledge, and His mouth was instructed by His heart. The law which proceeded our of His mouth was a fountain of life, to cause men to depart from the snares of death. Prov. 12:1818There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. (Proverbs 12:18) Prov. 13:1414The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:14) Prov. 15: 2, 7 Prov. 16:2323The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. (Proverbs 16:23).
In like manner should the hands and fingers of the Bride drop with wisdom like myrrh, from handling the word of life, instead of touching that unclean thing the world. And out of the heart's affections should flow living waters to a thirsty world around, through the power and help of that same blessed Spirit received from the anointed Head.
The spirit of counsel rested also upon Christ; and His name is Counselor. He understood completely the purposes of God, and undertook nothing without duly taking counsel with the Most High. The testimonies of the Lord were especially His counselors. Psa. 119:2424Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. (Psalm 119:24). And he blessed the Lord for giving him counsel. Psa. 16:77I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. (Psalm 16:7). When upon the tree His utterances of woe and anguish were the Spirit's utterances in the prophetic psalms. And when suffering from the thirst of death, His desire was still to magnify the word of God; and knowing that all things had been accomplished, and that one only Scripture remained to be fulfilled, said, " I thirst." And when he had received the last proof of human scorn and hatred, had tasted the vinegar placed upon the bitter hyssop, He uttered that most memorable and blessed sentence, " it is finished." The counsels of God were accomplished, not a jot or tittle had fallen to the ground; and He who was filled with the spirit of counsel, bowed His head and gave up the Ghost. What fragrance of unspeakable value there was in those words and in that act. What a sweet full perfume of richest obedience, rose up to God from that tree of curse.
The spirit of power also abode upon Him. Power to help the weak; to comfort the sorrowing; to bear the afflictions of the afflicted; to bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. Power to save instead of to destroy. Might, used in the perfection of grace and lowliness, to bind up the broken hearted; to proclaim liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.
The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, made Him of quick perception in the fear of the Lord, so that His judgments were correct, were righteous.
And now that the Lord is in the glory exalted, and dwelling on high, the same spirit rests upon Him; and He will come forth in a little while, and " will fill Zion with judgment and righteousness, and wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure." Isa. 33:5,65The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. 6And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure. (Isaiah 33:5‑6).
The spices of which the anointing oil was made, are called "principd," standing at the head of the most esteemed perfumes. The oil was to be skillfully mingled with them; a holy ointment; an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary; a holy anointing oil. The fragrance of the spices was to be evenly diffused through the whole hin of oil olive, so that no one perfume took precedence above another; but the oil sent forth the fragrance of all alike.
A beautiful type this of the graces of the Holy Spirit, which were all displayed in the Lord Jesus, without one interfering with, or suppressing another; ever sending up to God a perfection of fragrance.
This holy anointing oil was not to be " poured upon man's flesh." It was poured on Aaron's head after the miter and holy crown had been placed on him. Although the Aaronic priesthood was in reality a priesthood in the flesh, for Aaron was " taken from among men," yet there seems to be an intimation of another priesthood given in this precept, which was not to be in the flesh, but in resurrection.
Flesh, human flesh, is sinful and corrupt. There can be no congeniality between it and the graces of the Holy Spirit. The flesh must ever lust against the spirit, they cannot agree together. And as the word of God says, " Ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you." In the flesh there dwelleth no good thing.
No one therefore can have the Holy Spirit, unless he be burn of the spirit, a new creature in Christ Jesus.
Another precept connected with the holy anointing oil was, that no imitation was to be made of it, " neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. Whosoever compoundeth any like it, shall be cut off from his people."
There is an assumption at the present day, of a power to convey the Holy Spirit by virtue of a mere human appointment. There is also a danger amongst the children of God themselves, of assuming to be guided by and acting under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, when they are only indulging their own self-will or self-conceit. In both cases the Holy Spirit is greatly dishonored. To suppose on the one hand, that He is handed down through a channel of unconverted sinners, so as to be bestowed by the laying on of the hands of one who happens to have an official standing in the nominal church, by reason of some political favor, is surely greatly to outrage the holiness and Godhead of the blessed Spirit. On the other hand, where such superstitious sinful practices are rightly disowned, believers should be careful not to grieve that Holy Spirit by imitations of His power and grace; and not profess to be prompted or led by Him, unless their habitual lowly walk, and study of and acquaintance with the word of God, give them a warrant for believing that they truly have the teaching and help of the Spirit of truth and holiness. The Spirit of God will not be found to teach or lead a believer when he is meeting in an assembly of God's children, unless that believer is habitually under the guidance and instruction of the same spirit in his ordinary life, in his own house, and in his daily occupations. Not only does the Spirit divide to every man in the church of God, severally as He will, gifts for the edification of the body; but those upon whom He bestows such gifts, need to study the word of God, and to cultivate the conscious presence and help of the Spirit Himself, if they would use them to the profit of others.
Is there not also a danger of a false spirituality-refinement-imagination-sentiment-a danger from the habit of contrasting spirit with that which is material? True spirituality is always essentially connected with Truth. It was " in the power of the Spirit," that the Lord uttered the truth, (Luke 4:2525But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; (Luke 4:25)—27,) which so enraged the men of Nazareth. Mysticism may pass for spirituality.
This holy anointing oil was not to be put upon a stranger. In this precept we have an intimation that no unconverted person, ought on any account to be allowed to take any part in the service or worship of God. He does not belong to God's people. He is not of the house-the Church of God-he is not one of the family of whom God is the Father. He is a stranger; and until he is washed from his sins in the blood of Christ, and is a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus, he can have no part or lot in anything connected with the true worship of God. They that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. An unconverted person is without Christ, and he is therefore an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, and a stranger from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. Eph. 2:1212That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12).
The vessels of the sanctuary represent various offices of priesthood, which the Lord now sustains on behalf of His people. The same Eternal Spirit by which He offered Himself as the sacrifice without spot to God, (Heb. 9:14,14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)) is still the power of His service in " the tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
In Acts 1:2,2Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: (Acts 1:2) we find that the Lord Jesus after His resurrection, was still speaking through the Holy Ghost; " Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen."
Moses next poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him to sanctify him. Lev. 8:1212And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. (Leviticus 8:12). It is to be observed that the oil was not poured upon Aaron's sons, but upon Aaron's head alone. Thus Aaron stood clothed in garments for glory and beauty, and anointed, previous to the clothing of his sons. In fact, he was the only anointed one of the house: the word " anointed" being in Ex. 29:7,7Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. (Exodus 29:7) and Lev. 8:12,12And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. (Leviticus 8:12) confined to Aaron, a type of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One. The anointing of Aaron's sons was included in the anointing of Aaron himself. " And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons." Ex. 30:3030And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. (Exodus 30:30). " Of the anointing of Aaron and of the anointing of his sons." Lev. 7:3535This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office; (Leviticus 7:35).
A passage in Ex. 40:15,15And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. (Exodus 40:15) seems to contradict this. " And thou shalt anoint them, (Aaron's sons,) as thou didst anoint their father; that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." But this text looks onward apparently to the succession of the sons of Aaron, who were to execute the office of high priest after his death.
In Num. 3:3,3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. (Numbers 3:3) we have another passage which speaks of Aaron's sons as anointed. " These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office." Here also the anointing of Aaron seems to have been considered the anointing of his sons. So remarkably is this thought carried on, that when Aaron was about to die, Moses stripped off his garments and put them upon Eleazer his son. Num. 20:23-2823And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, 24Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. 25Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: 26And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there. 27And Moses did as the Lord commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. (Numbers 20:23‑28). But we do not read of Eleazer having been anointed. It is as if the anointing of his father was perpetuated unto himself. The anointing oil was indeed sprinkled upon Aaron's sons, to which reference will subsequently be made; but this is kept quite distinct from the pouring of the oil upon Aaron himself.
The Lord Jesus was the Christ, the Anointed One from His birth. He was also anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism, for service. Thus in the synagogue at Nazareth, where He seems to have commenced His testimony after His baptism in Jordan, and the descent of the Holy Ghost upon Him, He opened the book of the prophet Isaiah, and found the place where it was written, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor." Luke 4:1818The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18); Isa. 61 I. Also Peter in his discourse to Cornelius and his house, refers to this anointing; " How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Acts 10:3838How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Acts 10:38). Again in resurrection He was anointed with the Holy Ghost, Priest, and King according to Psa. 2 " Yet have I set (margin anointed) my King upon my holy hill of Zion," ver. 6. That same psalm speaks of the kings of the ear and their rulers taking counsel together against Jehovah, and against His Christ. Peter quotes the psalm, Acts 4:25,26,25Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. (Acts 4:25‑26) and adds, " For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together." And continues his prayer as if the same company were still in league against the same Christ. " And now Lord behold their threatenings; and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy Child Jesus." Ver. 29, 30.
In Psa. 45 where the Lord is especially represented as the King in resurrection, His anointing is alluded to as a reward of His righteous service. " Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness, therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows," ver. 7; Heb. 1:99Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9). In Acts 2:30, 31,30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:30‑31) Peter speaking of the resurrection of the Lord, foretold by David in the Psalms, says, therefore he, (David,) " being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he, seeing this before, spoke of the resurrection of Christ." And adds a little further on, " God bath made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ," ver. 36.
The Lord Jesus is also the High Priest among His brethren; allusion to which is made in Heb. 2 ii: " For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee." He stands as the Anointed One, the Christ, in the midst of His brethren, the Church. And. He will be the leader of their praises in glory when the morning of the resurrection comes, and He presents them individually faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy; presenting the Church to Himself, " a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish." Jude 2424Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 24); Eph. 5:2727That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27).
This anointing oil is spoken of as the crown of the anointing oil of his God, (Lev. 21:1212Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 21:12);) or, may it not rather be translated without the " of"-the crown, (that is) the oil, the anointing (oil) of his God: the anointing oil of his God, being the crown; communicating to him a priestly, and a kind of regal dignity. An allusion being here made by anticipation to the royal priesthood, of which Melchizedek was the true type, and of which Christ Himself is the true commencement Oil was poured1 upon the head of the high priest, and upon the head of the king. 1 Sam. 10:11Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1); 2 Kings 9:3, 63Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. (2 Kings 9:3)
6And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. (2 Kings 9:6). It is worthy of remark that Saul was anointed captain. 1 Sam. 9:1616To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. (1 Samuel 9:16); 1 Sam. 10:11Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1). Subsequently Samuel alluding to this anointing, speaks of it as anointing for kingship. 1 Sam. 15:1,171Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. (1 Samuel 15:1)
17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? (1 Samuel 15:17).
7. He was lastly anointed king over Israel, by the elders of Israel. 2 Sam. 5:3, 173So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel. (2 Samuel 5:3)
17But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. (2 Samuel 5:17).
It has been before observed that the word " anointed" is confined in Ex. 29:7,7Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. (Exodus 29:7) and Lev. 8 to Aaron the high priest, and is not used in reference to his sons. So the Heavenly Priesthood, of which Christ is the head, receive the anointing of the Spirit by virtue of their union with the risen Christ. His body, the Church, was formed of Him in death and resurrection; as Eve was fashioned by God's hands out of Adam while he was in a deep sleep, which the Lord God had caused to fall upon him. The remarkable expression is used in Gen. 2:22,22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (Genesis 2:22) with reference to this-" And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, builded he a woman, and brought her unto the man."
The very rib itself God builded a woman. It is not said " out of," or " of " the rib. Neither did God breathe any breath of life into the woman, as He is said to have done with respect to the man. But the life of the woman was part of the life which the man had already received from God. God " brought her unto the man, and Adam said this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman (isha, or female man,) because she was taken out of man " (ish.) A beautiful type this of the church, which is Christ's body; fashioned out of His death, springing up in union with Him in resurrection, composed of members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones, partaker of life in union with and derived from Him. God's gift to Christ, to be presented faultless before the presence of His glory, on the morning of the resurrection.
This body is now in the process of being formed, " in continuance fashioned," the members having been all written in the book of God, and having been all seen in union with Christ when He was raised from the dead, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Allusion is made to this in Eph. 4:9,9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (Ephesians 4:9) where the Lord is spoken of as having ascended up on high, and giving gifts unto men-His ascension being the result of His having descended first into the lower parts of the earth. This expression "lower parts of the earth," (katotera,) Eph. 4:9,9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? (Ephesians 4:9) seems to be taken from the Greek of the 139th Psalm, (Sept. 138:15,) where we have the words " lowest parts of the earth (toil katotato.)
The Lord Jesus being raised up from the dead, and exalted by the right hand of God, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, shed forth that blessed spirit upon His disciples, thereby giving gifts which should fit them for their various places in the body; knitting them together in the unity of the Spirit, that they might grow up into Him in all things which is the head even Christ.
We have this type of the anointing of Aaron alluded to in Psa. 133, "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments."
The good oil is spoken of as first upon the head, then descending upon the beard, and finally upon the skirts of Aaron's garments. The word which we translate " skirts," is properly " mouth" in the singular number. It is nowhere else in Scripture translated skirts, but on two other occasions when connected with dress it is rendered " hole," and " collar." It is the " hole " in the top of the blue robe of the Ephod, around which a band was placed that it be not rent. Ex. 28:3232And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. (Exodus 28:32).; xxxix. 23. In Job 30:18,18By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. (Job 30:18) the same word is rendered " collar of my coat. Two entirely different Hebrew words are used for "skirts."
From this it has been surmised, that the allusion is to the holy anointing oil descending from Aaron's beard, upon the hole of the blue robe of the Ephod, which was very close to the breastplate; and that the type thus employed was to represent the anointing of Aaron's head, reaching the ephod robe, and the names of Israel engraved on the ephod breastplate, linking on those names, by means of one stream of oil, with the head of the high priest. The only difficulty which arises to make one question this interpretation is, that garments is in the plural, and therefore implies that more than one garment of the high priest was reached by the oil.
Whichever way it be taken the truth prefigured is much the same. Aaron's garments were all representative, being worn by him as one who stood before God on behalf of others. This good oil wherewith he was anointed, flowed from his head down to these garments for glory and beauty, forming a connection between his anointing, and the people whom he represented before God.
This unction, (chrism,) 1 John 2:20,20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20) teaches us all things,, enabling us to discern between truth and error: " is truth and is no lie," abides in us, and teaches us to abide in Him, Christ. It is the spirit of unity and of brotherhood, helping us to dwell together in unity, (not merely to meet occasionally together,) but to abide in one, and that with all saints. Wherever separation comes in and divides believers from one another, the bond of brotherhood is made to yield to some other bond; the tie of life and union with Christ, witnessed by the Holy Spirit's presence and power, is sacrificed to some fleshly association. A portion it may be of God's truth is made the bond which links certain of God's children together, or they gather round some human leader or head, and the dwelling together in unity of the " holy brethren " is set aside. The apostle saw the germs of all this schism working at Corinth, and he spoke to them as carnal in consequence, although they were distinguished for much manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit. Even the name of Christ may be used in a sectarian way. "I of Christ." 1 Cor. 1:1212Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:12). It may be adopted in the way of a boastful assertion, to imply that others are not of Him, because they are not taking precisely the same course, or viewing certain subjects of truth exactly in the same way. This tendency was early displayed in the disciples. Even John rebuked one who was clearly on the Lord's side; " because he followeth not with us."
The Spirit would, doubtless, lead us into all truth if we were willing to be led; but early prejudices, and our own natural self-will and self-conceit, are grevious hindrances to His power. Division and dissension are almost sanctioned now as of the Spirit, and are sometimes gloried in as good for the church of God. Thus the Holy Spirit is grieved, and the word of God becomes of none effect; and love, that bond of perfectness is chilled in the heart. There is evidently a struggle in the church of God at this time after more manifested and conscious unity, and fellowship. May the Lord increase this desire a hundred-fold-and may we be more like little children, seeking to learn through that anointing and the word of God, how to keep "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." " God hath not given us the spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:77For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7). " Where envy is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy." James 3:16,1716For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:16‑17).
Believers have not to form a unity; but " with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love," they are to endeavor " to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
The Spirit's unity is described in the seven unities which follow.
One body,
And one Spirit.
One hope of your calling.
One Lord.
One Faith.
One Baptism.
One God and Father of all,
To endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit will consist in our endeavoring to hold fast these seven truths, in which every believer is supposed from the first to have been grounded and settled. God has already formed and defined the one body; and one Spirit dwells in and pervades that one body. The responsibility rests upon each member of that body, to use all diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit, by holding fast these great truths, these facts upon which the body is founded as one.
Let us remember that uniformity or confederacy is not unity. The unity of the Spirit must extend to the whole of the one body, and therefore anything which on our part hinders any member of that one body from manifesting the unity of the Spirit, or anything that hinders the edifying of the one body as a whole, is a breach of the unity of the Spirit.
Aaron having been clothed and anointed, his sons were next clothed with their garments for glory and beauty; and the second part of the chapter ends with the words, " as the Lord commanded Moses."
Aaron and his sons now stood arrayed in fitting garments for service. But the means whereby they had been separated off to God, had not yet been made manifest in the type. Neither had they as yet, any gifts or sacrifices which they could present. The subsequent part of the chapter therefore takes up the sacrifices in detail, which were the real power of their consecration, and with which their hands were filled for service.
 
1. In our translation of Lev. 14:18,18And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord. (Leviticus 14:18) it would seem as if oil were poured upon the head of the leper; but the word used here is not in the Heb. pour, but glee; "he shall give upon the head of him that is to be cleansed."