| The Scriptures fail to mention whether Jesus anointed | | | | material in a heavier oil like olive oil until the essence of |
| anyone with a healing oil whether it was olive oil or an | | | | the plant oozed out infusing the olive oil with its healing |
| aromatic essential oil. But could it be that anointing was | | | | qualities. In this case, the olive oil would have acted like |
| just so commonplace among rabbis that mentioning it | | | | a "carrier" containing the healing properties of the |
| would have been redundant? The question is a good | | | | essential oil. But these oils likewise would have been |
| one. However, the Scriptures do tell us that he sent his | | | | costly. Even more expensive were custom-made |
| disciples-the seventy-out to heal and anoint all those | | | | blends. A blend referred to in the Gospels was Nard. |
| who were sick in body and mind. Hmmm. Well if he | | | | Jesus was anointed by a woman in all of the Gospel |
| sent the disciples out in twos into the towns and | | | | stories with a substance referred to as "Nard." This is |
| villages to anoint, then the anointing must have been an | | | | actually a blend of spikenard and myrrh and would |
| important part of the healing. We see no evidence that | | | | have been blended as by the perfumer. Spikenard |
| the disciples questioned Jesus on how to do this | | | | does not have a pleasant fragrance but rather smells |
| anointing so we can presume that Jesus taught them | | | | more like 'dirty socks' being in the valerian family of |
| the proper way of using a healing aromatic oil-what | | | | plants. The myrrh would have tempered the fragrance |
| we call today-an essential oil. | | | | making it a much more pleasing aroma. The story tells |
| Rabbinic Sources Say Essential Oils Were Prescribed | | | | us that this oil was contained in an alabaster jar and |
| for Healing | | | | worth a year's wages. In today's money value, that |
| As a Jewish rabbi, Jesus would have known how | | | | would amount to approximately $35,000! These |
| rabbis used oils. Rabbinic sources from that period | | | | alabaster jars would have taken upwards of a year to |
| prescribe the use of oil in an everyday context for the | | | | carve and would have stood about 18 inches high with |
| treatment of sciatic pains, skin afflictions, headaches, | | | | a slender neck filled with a wax to keep the precious |
| and wounds. And there are several examples in | | | | oil or ointment inside for many years. Similar alabaster |
| Jewish literature that prescribed ritual anointing for | | | | jars were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, en |
| exorcism of demons and as part of the process for | | | | Egyptian Pharaoh and still contained precious oils of |
| the healing and release of the bewitched. Therefore, it | | | | frankincense, myrrh or balsam. |
| is quite plausible that Jesus used oils in his everyday | | | | How Did Jesus and the Disciples Afford Expensive |
| encounters with those who were sick. And we know | | | | Healing Oils? |
| that since he sent his disciples out with clear | | | | The next question might be-"how did Jesus, an itinerant |
| instructions on anointing, he must have taught them not | | | | preacher and his disciples who were fishermen, tax |
| only how to anoint but when to anoint and what part | | | | collectors and housewives, afford these expensive |
| of the body to anoint. | | | | oils?" Again, the Scriptures give us a clue. They tell us |
| What Oils Were Used for Healing? | | | | that the "women saw to the needs of the ministry." |
| The next question might be "What kind of oil did he | | | | These were not just poor women-they were women |
| use?" This we do know-it was not solely with cooking | | | | of substance and they provided for whatever was |
| or lamp oil which would have been their olive oil. The | | | | needed for Jesus' ministry to go forward. From this |
| rabbis used healing oils which today we know as | | | | we can deduce that they purchased the expensive |
| therapeutic essential oils. Oils that would have been | | | | aromatic oils for the healing ministry of Jesus. |
| readily available, although expensive, were oils like | | | | How can we learn today the ancient art of healing |
| frankincense, myrrh, cedarwood, spikenard, balsam, | | | | with aromatic essential oils? Educational courses that |
| and many more. These oils would have been | | | | are Christian-based can help us reclaim our rightful role |
| produced in various ways, all labor intensive through | | | | in healing and anointing. The Institute of Spiritual Healing |
| crude distillation or in some cases, immersing the plant | | | | and Aromatherapy does just that. |