ANOINTING

` For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;

To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit;

To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles;

To another prophecy;

To another discerning of spirits;

To another divers kinds of tongues;

To another the interpretation of tongues'

(1 Cor. 12:8-10).

These are all `spiritual gifts' (1 Cor. 12:1) and peculiar to the dispensation inaugurated at Pentecost. This fulfils

the promise of Mark 16:17-20, a promise abundantly fulfilled during the period of the Acts and the `unction'

especially referred to by John is that gift of `the discerning of spirits'.

1 John 2:20 is the outcome of the warning given in the previous verses `it is the last time', `Antichrist shall

come', `they were not all of us', `but ye have an unction ... ye know'.

Again as a preface to the next reference to this anointing John says: `These things have I written unto you

concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received ... ye need not that any man teach you'.

In the sequel, namely in 1 John 4:1-6, instead of speaking of the anointing, John speaks of its practical

`Try the spirits ... this is that spirit of Antichrist'.

We pass from the epistle of John to the one occurrence of the word `anointing' that is found in Paul's epistles,

and here again the larger context must be considered first. 1 Corinthians 12, the all-covering words, `concerning

spiritual gifts', would be as true in 2 Corinthians as they are in the first epistle. The same Church, people and

dispensation belong to both. In 1 Corinthians 1:6-8 we read:

`Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift ... who shall also

confirm you unto the end'.

This `confirmation' is particularly associated with `gifts', `signs and wonders' (Heb. 2:3,4) and the same word

that is used in 1 Corinthians 1:6 and 8, namely, bebaioo, is used in 2 Corinthians 1:21 where it is translated

`Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and

given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts' (2 Cor. 1:21,22).

In Ephesians 1:13,14 we have `the seal' and `the earnest' but the external confirmation and anointing is omitted.

During the Acts period confirmation of truth was miraculous, but with the passing of Israel and the opening of

the dispensation of the Mystery miraculous gifts, signs, wonders, tongues and all the other `manifestation of the

Spirit' ceased. The presence or absence of `anointing' in the epistles is a dispensational index. (See BAPTISM p.

106, EPHESIANS p. 275, MYSTERY3 and PENTECOST3).

The word is taken from the Greek apostolos which occurs in the New Testament 81 times, and is translated

apostle 78, He that is sent once and messenger twice. The word is derived from apostello `I send'.

This word is found both in the Greek version of the Old Testament, and in classical or common Greek used

outside the Scriptures.

In classical Greek apostolos meant `a messenger, ambassador or envoy', and, in later usage, `the commander of a

naval force'. This rather limited meaning of the word is further seen in the use of stolos, `a fleet ready for sea, a