Unction

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

In matters of religion, is used for the character conferred on sacred things by anointing them with oil. Unctions were very frequent among the Hebrews. They anointed both their kings and high priests at the ceremony of their inauguration. They also anointed the sacred vessels of the tabernacle and temple, to sanctify and consecrate them to the service of God. In the ancient Christian church, unction accompanied the ceremonies of baptism and confirmation. Extreme unction, or the anointing persons in the article of death, was also practised by the ancient Christians, in compliance with the precept of St. James, chap. 5: 14, 15; and this extreme unction the Romish church has advanced to the dignity of a sacrament. It is administered to none but such as are affected with some mortal disease, or in a decrepit age. It is refused to impenitent persons, as also to criminals. The parts to be anointed are, the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the hands, the feet, and the reins. The laity are anointed in the palms of the hands, but priests on the back of it, because the palms of their hands have been already consecrated by ordination. The oil with which the sick person is anointed, represents, it is said, the grace of God, which is poured down into the soul; and the prayer used at the time of anointing, expresses the remission of sins thereby granted to the sick person: for the prayer is this.

"By this holy unction, and his own most pious mercy, may the almighty God forgive thee whatever sins thou hast committed by the sight, " when the eyes are anointed; by the hearing, when the ears are anointed: and so of the other senses. The passage before-mentioned from St. James respecting the anointing with oil, has been a source of difficulty to some pious minds; but in order to understand it, it is necessary to observe that anointing with oil was an ordinance for the miraculous cure of sick persons ( Mark 6:13 .) But since those extraordinary gifts are ceased, as being, no longer necessary for the confirmation of the Gospel, of course there is no warrant now for using that ceremony.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

It is not to be wondered at that the Israelites had such frequent use of anointings, when we consider that the very order of their institution as a church and people, was to be looking for the coming of the Messiah, that is, the anointed One. Hence their kings, priests, vessels, and all things consecrated, had the unction. (See  Exodus 30:23)

How holy and blessed is it to the church of Jesus now, to discover that in this unction, thus figuratively set forth in the old church, all the outlines of the Lord Jesus anointing by the Holy Ghost, and the church also in him were displayed. Now, as Christ the Messiah could not have been Christ, that is, anointed, but by the Holy Ghost's anointing, so neither could the church have been his church, his spouse, his beloved, and the only one, of her mother, ( Song of Song of Solomon 6:9) but by the anointing also of God the Holy Ghost. Hence then it should be considered, (and I beg the pious reader to consider it, and keep it in remembrance proportioned to its infinite importance) as Christ is called Messiah, that is Christ, as the anointed of God, before he openly appeared at his incarnation, so the church of Christ is called his church; and for which, in salvation-work, Christ was made Christ, before he was made flesh, and dwelt among us; nor, as the Son of God, had it not been for his church's sake, ever would have been sent by the Father, neither would have taken our nature into the Godhead neither have been anointed by the Holy Ghost. So by his becoming the anointed for this express purpose, proves the original anointing of the church in him, and for him; and sets forth the everlasting love of all the persons of the GODHEAD to the church of Christ in all ages.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) That which is used for anointing; an unguent; an ointment; hence, anything soothing or lenitive.

(2): ( n.) The act of anointing, smearing, or rubbing with an unguent, oil, or ointment, especially for medical purposes, or as a symbol of consecration; as, mercurial unction.

(3): ( n.) That quality in language, address, or the like, which excites emotion; especially, strong devotion; religious fervor and tenderness; sometimes, a simulated, factitious, or unnatural fervor.

(4): ( n.) Divine or sanctifying grace.

King James Dictionary

UNC'TION, n. L. unctio, from ungo, to anoint.

1. The act of anointing. 2. Unguent ointment. Unusual. 3. The act of anointing medically as mercurial unction. 4. Any thing softening or lenitive. 5. That which excites piety and devotion. 6. Richness of gracious affections. 7. Divine or sanctifying grace.  1 John 1 .

Extreme unction, the rite of anointing in the last hours or the application of sacred oil to the parts where the five senses reside.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Unction . The same Gr. word as that translated ‘anointing’ in   1 John 2:27 is in   1 John 2:20 rendered ‘unction’ (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘anointing’). It is used there metaphorically of the effect of the presence of the Holy Spirit upon the believer.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

This term occurs only in  1 John 2:20 , though the same word, χρίσμα, is twice translated 'anointing' in  1 John 2:27 . The Holy Spirit is an unction that permeates, as it were, the whole being of the Christian to give him Christ's character.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 John 2:27Anoint

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 John 2:20,27

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

See Anointing.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(anointing), an ecclesiastical ceremony which consists in the application of sacred oil to a person or thing. In the Roman Catholic Church there are several of these ceremonies, which are described below. SEE Anointing

1. Unctions Of An Altar. — This consists in anointing with holy oil the five crosses of an altar-slab by the bishop who consecrates it. The Latin formula is as follows: "Consecretur et sanctificetur hoc sepulchrum. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Pax huic domui." This rite has been abolished in the Church of England since the Reformation. (See Chrism).

2. Unction Of The Baptized. — Some, but not all, of the ancient ritualists mention an unction preceding baptism, and used by way of preparation for it. It was called Χρῖσις Μυστικοῦ Ἐλαίου , the "unction of the mystical oil." It was consecrated by the bishop, with the prayer that "God would sanctify the oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and grant it spiritual grace and efficacious power, that it might be subservient to the remission of sins, and the preparation of men to make their profession in baptism, that such as were anointed therewith, being freed from all impiety, might become worthy of the initiation according to the command of his only begotten Son." Men were thus anointed that they might be partakers of the true olive-tree, Jesus Christ; and the exorcised oil was a symbol of their partaking of the fatness of Christ, and an indication of the flight and destruction of the adverse power. See Bingham, Christ. Antiq. bk. 11. ch. 9: § 2, 3. (See Baptism).

3. Unction Of The Confirmed. — This is anointing with holy oil those confirmed. In the Roman Church the formula runs thus; "Signo te signo crucis; et confirmo te chrismate salutis. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amenl." In the Church of England this rite was abolished'at the Reformation, and in the Scottish Episcopal Church, as well as the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States, no unction is now used. (See Confirmation).

4. Unction Of A Priest. — This is anointing with holy oil a person promoted to the priesthood. This rite is peculiarly Latin. When using the holy oil, the bishop who ordains prays thus: "Consecrare et sanctificare digneris, Domine, manus istas per istam unctionem et nostram benedictionem.:Amen. Ut qusecumque benedixerint benedicantur,et qusecumque consecraverint consecrentur,'et sanctificentu'r. innomine'Domini nostri Jesu Christi. Amen." There is no such consecration in the Greek form for bestowing the priesthood. (See Consecration).

5. Unction Of The Sick. (See Extreme Unction).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

unk´shun  : The the King James Version translation of χρίσμα , chrı́sma (  1 John 2:20 ), which the Revised Version (British and American) renders "anointing," as the King James Version renders the same word in  1 John 2:27 .