A N O I N T I N G M E S S I A H
by Jeremy Chance Springfield
The title worn most often by Yeshua in Scripture is that of “Messiah.” The term is an anglicized form of the Hebrew word “Mashiakh” or the Aramiac “M’sheekha.” It literally means “Oil smeared One,” and refers to the method by which someone was set apart or consecrated for a certain purpose, which came by someone pouring olive oil over a designated person’s head. The term Messiah thus equals “The Anointed One,” that is, the one chosen for a specific purpose.
The title worn most often by Yeshua in Scripture is that of “Messiah.” The term is an anglicized form of the Hebrew word “Mashiakh” or the Aramiac “M’sheekha.” It literally means “Oil smeared One,” and refers to the method by which someone was set apart or consecrated for a certain purpose, which came by someone pouring olive oil over a designated person’s head. The term Messiah thus equals “The Anointed One,” that is, the one chosen for a specific purpose.
Most typically, priests and kings were anointed for their service to Yah and to the people. It would be administered almost always by a prophet who was under the direction of the Spirit to so do. We see Mosheh anointing Aharon his brother as priest to serve in the Tabernacle. We see Samuel anointing Saul, and later, David, as kings over Israel.
Given this background, do you know the details of the Messiah’s anointing in the New Testament?
When was He anointed?
How was He anointed?
Where did it happen?
Who performed the action?
Have you ever really given any of these questions some thought?
Given this background, do you know the details of the Messiah’s anointing in the New Testament?
When was He anointed?
How was He anointed?
Where did it happen?
Who performed the action?
Have you ever really given any of these questions some thought?
If He is the Messiah, then He must have been anointed at some point in His ministry. One would expect that particular account would be terribly significant to His role of being the Messiah in the first place. The only incident where He is literally anointed in Scripture is one that is recorded in the following four accounts:
Matthew 26:6-7
Mark 14:3
Luke 7:37-38
John 12:3
These are all parallel accounts of when He was anointed with nard by Maryam (Mary) while reclining in a house before the crucifixion. This, by itself, might not immediately strike someone as being profound. However, the setting is actually prophetic, and the details infused with spiritual meaning. This account is a very literal fulfillment of a passage from the book of Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs) 1:12, which reads:
Matthew 26:6-7
Mark 14:3
Luke 7:37-38
John 12:3
These are all parallel accounts of when He was anointed with nard by Maryam (Mary) while reclining in a house before the crucifixion. This, by itself, might not immediately strike someone as being profound. However, the setting is actually prophetic, and the details infused with spiritual meaning. This account is a very literal fulfillment of a passage from the book of Shir HaShirim (The Song of Songs) 1:12, which reads:
The events are exactly parallel. King Messiah sits to dine, and a female brings aromatic nard with which to anoint Him! This prophetic link to the Song of Songs might be surprising to some, but it would likely have made perfect sense to many religious people in first century Israel, especially as we see what is recorded in the text of the Mishnah, in Yadayim, where we read the astonishing words of Rabbi Aqiba:
The whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies.
Rabbi Aqiba could say this because he understood to some degree the existence of a depth of ultra-spiritual and prophetic layers underlying the very intimate surface-level story contained in the text of the book – something that perhaps Maryam also realized, or was an unwitting participant in, at least. Whatever the case, the connection to the Song of Songs is undeniable in the anointing of the Messiah.
Interestingly, the Peshitta AN"K text (Old Testament translated into Aramaic) of the above verse also contains only six words like the Hebrew recorded above:
The whole world is not as worthy as the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies.
Rabbi Aqiba could say this because he understood to some degree the existence of a depth of ultra-spiritual and prophetic layers underlying the very intimate surface-level story contained in the text of the book – something that perhaps Maryam also realized, or was an unwitting participant in, at least. Whatever the case, the connection to the Song of Songs is undeniable in the anointing of the Messiah.
Interestingly, the Peshitta AN"K text (Old Testament translated into Aramaic) of the above verse also contains only six words like the Hebrew recorded above:
When one reads the accounts in the previous four passages that record this event in the Aramaic text, it is found to use 3 of those exact same terms the Peshitta AN"K uses. This should alert the reader that something is going on here entirely worthy of our attention!
In direct relation to this, I want to focus-in on one of the above NT passages, Mark 14:3, as it contains some further relevant material to the topic of the anointing of Messiah:
And when He was in Beyth-Anya, in the house of Shemun the potter, while he reclined, a woman came, concerning which there was a tapered container of perfume of luxurious nard, of a great price, and she opened it and poured it upon the head of Yeshua.
The Aramaic text of the Peshitta preserves some interesting aspects worth mentioning:
In direct relation to this, I want to focus-in on one of the above NT passages, Mark 14:3, as it contains some further relevant material to the topic of the anointing of Messiah:
And when He was in Beyth-Anya, in the house of Shemun the potter, while he reclined, a woman came, concerning which there was a tapered container of perfume of luxurious nard, of a great price, and she opened it and poured it upon the head of Yeshua.
The Aramaic text of the Peshitta preserves some interesting aspects worth mentioning:
1). This specific passage doesn't mention it, but we know from the other passages that He was in the house of a Preesha (Pharisee = "Separated One/Distinct One"). This is the house where Yeshua would be "separated/distinct" from everyone else -- His anointing would signify this unique role. Shemun the Preesha only *thinks* he is the “set apart” person; He is about to find out that Yeshua Himself will be the one who becomes “most distinguished” among all the people in the house!
2). The Pharisee's name is SHEMUN (Simon = Hear / Listen), which is interesting, because the most popular word for "oil" in Hebrew/Aramaic is SHEMEN. Therefore, the reader is being called to "hear" what the text is telling us about His "oil" of anointing. Is Shemun the Preesha listening to what is being said at this particular anointing? Are we? Read carefully and see that the events surrounding His anointing are all powerfully-loaded with purpose intended by the heart of our Holy One, blessed be He.
3). Shemun the man is called in the Aramaic Peshitta text a GRABA, a "jar" / “jar-maker.” This seems to be a phonetic allusion to the oil / alabaster container aspect. Furthermore, this particular reading reconciles a legal difficulty that is present in the Greek text, since the Greek texts call Shemun a "leper," and according to B'midbar (Numbers) 5:2-3, a leper is in no way allowed to live inside the camp, or within city walls. Legally, he must relocate outside the city walls during the time of his skin disorder. Therefore, according to the Greek text, we are supposed to believe that Shemun, a Pharisee, is in blatant violation of the Law, and Yeshua not only has no issue with this, but also doesn't ever offer to heal him...so what's going on in the Greek?
The Aramaic reconciles the problem in the Greek if we read the term as GRABA = "potter / jar-maker" instead of GARBA = "leper." The same spelling is in both words, just the pronunciation of the vowels, which were inserted later, is different. I've included the vowel marks in the graphic to display the subtle difference in pronunciation, but they were not used when Mark penned the Aramaic. It becomes apparent very quickly that a misunderstanding took place during translation into the Greek language from the Aramaic for the "potter" to become the "leper." There's no issue in the extant Peshitta text, only in the extant Greek text. This understanding also makes sense that Maryam has a special vessel of perfume in the house of a jar-maker.
The Aramaic reconciles the problem in the Greek if we read the term as GRABA = "potter / jar-maker" instead of GARBA = "leper." The same spelling is in both words, just the pronunciation of the vowels, which were inserted later, is different. I've included the vowel marks in the graphic to display the subtle difference in pronunciation, but they were not used when Mark penned the Aramaic. It becomes apparent very quickly that a misunderstanding took place during translation into the Greek language from the Aramaic for the "potter" to become the "leper." There's no issue in the extant Peshitta text, only in the extant Greek text. This understanding also makes sense that Maryam has a special vessel of perfume in the house of a jar-maker.
4). The Peshitta preserves a very clever wordplay by the author, as well. Maryam uses only the "luxurious" nard, which is, in Aramaic, the word REESHAYA (“best”), and proceeds to anoint “His head," being the word REESHEH. So the effect is such that Maryam takes "nard of the head" and anoints His "head." OR, one could go the other route, and say that Maryam takes "the best nard" and anoints the "Best" one there! In contrast, the Greek terms are polytelous = "luxurious," and kephales = "head." There is no wordplay occurring in the Greek, but the Peshitta preserves a succinct reading that is loaded with further depth of meaning. Additionally, Maryam opens the container and pours the costly nard from one vessel into another Vessel of even greater worth. The cost of the nard in her alabaster vessel was eclipsed by the cost of the Vessel of the Messiah upon whom she poured the nard - a Vessel which itself would soon be opened and poured out for the "poor" in a completely different way. The Aramaic makes complete sense and adds to the spiritual significance of this necessary event.
Head to toe, He was set apart for us.
5). The place where all this happens is in the town of Bethany. The Aramaic name for the town was Beth Anya, which actually means “House of Affliction” or “House of the Poor.” It is popularly taught that it means “House of Dates.” This is incorrect. The Aramaic name refers to “affliction / poverty,” and this is borne out also in the context of the story itself, where Yeshua claims in Matthew, Mark, and John’s account of this incident that the “poor” will always be in their midst, and so the use of this pricey oil for His anointing is acceptable. The fact that He is anointed in Beth Anya “The House of Affliction” is overwhelmingly prophetic, for His entire purpose is to be “afflicted” for the purpose of our redemption (see the book of Isaiah 53:7 where this exact same Hebrew cognate term ANAH is used concerning the horrific destiny that awaited the coming Messiah). The fact that His feet are anointed here also plays into the “affliction” idea when one considers the words of Isaiah 52:7, which says that the feet are “beautiful” of him that brings the Gospel, with the word for “beautiful” being the Hebrew NA’AH, a term that has close phonetic connections to the Hebrew ANAH and Aramaic ANYA mentioned above. Thus, with His anointing taking place in Beth Anya, the “House of Affliction,” it is a signpost along the road that leads directly to the cross. He will be afflicted for us. By His affliction, our debts will be forgiven.
6). The person who anoints Yeshua is none other than Maryam (Mary). This is Maryam the sister of Martha and Elazar (Lazarus), and not Mary of Magdalene, as it is popularly taught, since Maryam, Martha, and Elazar also lived in Beth Anya, and their big story is related one chapter prior to this event in the book of John. That it would be Maryam is entirely significant. Just as it was important who anointed a king or priest in the Tanakh, so it is important who would anoint the King and Priest who would be our Messiah. Rather than being a righteous prophet or priest performing the anointing here, as is how it is normally performed, Yeshua is anointed by a woman who knows sin, has been broken by it, and knows the power of restoration. Messiah is rightly anointed by a sin-scarred individual for His purpose to be the sacrifice for sins, something which no other person ever anointed could do. In this case, Maryam’s name actually means “Bitter One,” and is a further marker along with the place-name of where the anointing happens – Beth Anya – the “House of Affliction.” In the House of Affliction, Bitterness anointed Yeshua. All of this points to His purpose to die as a sacrifice that would make many righteous.
The anointing of Yeshua as the Messiah is therefore a truly profound and moving account, brimming with spirituality and all manner of insights. I hope the reader can see from the few details brought forth in this how much worth has been invested in the account, and will hopefully be lead to see further glimpses of wonder in the events surrounding the choosing of the Son to be the sacrifice for our sins.
6). The person who anoints Yeshua is none other than Maryam (Mary). This is Maryam the sister of Martha and Elazar (Lazarus), and not Mary of Magdalene, as it is popularly taught, since Maryam, Martha, and Elazar also lived in Beth Anya, and their big story is related one chapter prior to this event in the book of John. That it would be Maryam is entirely significant. Just as it was important who anointed a king or priest in the Tanakh, so it is important who would anoint the King and Priest who would be our Messiah. Rather than being a righteous prophet or priest performing the anointing here, as is how it is normally performed, Yeshua is anointed by a woman who knows sin, has been broken by it, and knows the power of restoration. Messiah is rightly anointed by a sin-scarred individual for His purpose to be the sacrifice for sins, something which no other person ever anointed could do. In this case, Maryam’s name actually means “Bitter One,” and is a further marker along with the place-name of where the anointing happens – Beth Anya – the “House of Affliction.” In the House of Affliction, Bitterness anointed Yeshua. All of this points to His purpose to die as a sacrifice that would make many righteous.
The anointing of Yeshua as the Messiah is therefore a truly profound and moving account, brimming with spirituality and all manner of insights. I hope the reader can see from the few details brought forth in this how much worth has been invested in the account, and will hopefully be lead to see further glimpses of wonder in the events surrounding the choosing of the Son to be the sacrifice for our sins.
All study contents Copyright Jeremy Chance Springfield, except for graphics and images, which are Copyright their respective creators.