Topical Encyclopedia
The anointing of Christ with the Holy Spirit is a significant theme in biblical prophecy, underscoring His divine mission and authority. This anointing signifies the empowerment and endorsement of Jesus by God, marking Him as the Messiah, the chosen one to fulfill God's redemptive plan.
Old Testament PropheciesThe Old Testament contains several prophecies that foretell the anointing of the Messiah with the Spirit of God. One of the most prominent is found in the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 11:2 states, "The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD." This passage highlights the comprehensive nature of the Spirit's anointing, equipping the Messiah with divine wisdom, understanding, and strength.
Another significant prophecy is found in
Isaiah 42:1 , which declares, "Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations." This verse emphasizes the role of the Spirit in empowering the Messiah to bring justice and righteousness to the world.
Isaiah 61:1 further elaborates on this theme: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness to the prisoners." This prophecy not only speaks of the anointing but also outlines the mission of the Messiah, which includes preaching, healing, and liberating those in bondage.
Fulfillment in the New TestamentThe New Testament records the fulfillment of these prophecies in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. At His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, marking the commencement of His public ministry.
Matthew 3:16 describes this event: "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him."
This anointing is further affirmed in
Luke 4:18-19 , where Jesus Himself reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." By declaring this scripture fulfilled in their hearing, Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the anointed one prophesied by Isaiah.
The apostle Peter also attests to this anointing in
Acts 10:38 , stating, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him." This passage highlights the divine empowerment that enabled Jesus to perform miracles and deliver those under spiritual oppression.
Significance of the AnointingThe anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit is a testament to His divine authority and mission. It signifies His role as the Messiah, the one chosen and empowered by God to bring salvation to humanity. This anointing is not merely a symbolic act but a real endowment of power and presence, enabling Jesus to fulfill His redemptive work on earth. Through the Spirit, Jesus was equipped to teach, heal, and ultimately offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, fulfilling the ancient prophecies and establishing the foundation for the New Covenant.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Psalm 45:7You love righteousness, and hate wickedness: therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
Torrey's Topical TextbookIsaiah 11:2
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
Whosoever Confesses that one God is the Author of Both Testaments ...
... all that the prophets have declared respecting Christ and the ... wicked spirit, pretend
to utter prophecies, while all ... that particular working of Christ which was ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxiii whosoever confesses that one.htm
Quotations from the Old Testament in the New.
... Respecting this class of quotations, it is only necessary to remark that the ... more
numerous are the passages which are cited as prophecies of Christ and his ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxix quotations from the.htm
Translated from the Greek.
... following the language of the prophecies respecting Him, and ... of the heavenly Church
of Jesus Christ according to ... the intercourse of Lot with his daughters, and ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/translated from the greek.htm
Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John
... of the Statements of the Four Evangelists Respecting John the Baptist, the Prophecies
Regarding Him, His ... of the Pharisees and Exalts the Nature of Christ. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/
The Greater Prophets.
... Respecting the authenticity of this narrative there has been much ... (4.) Christ himself
recognizes ... refers to the future fulfilment of one of his prophecies as a ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm
Interpretation of Prophecy.
... to become absorbed in calculations beforehand respecting its dates ... to Christ as the
chief subject of the prophecies. ... the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxviii interpretation of prophecy.htm
The Mystery
... Respecting the great city, then, the meaning is plain ... of Babylon is described in
these prophecies; first, of ... trumpet, and the august kingdom of Christ in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery.htm
That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired.
... His birth was predicted in the prophecies of Micah ... rule as the following laid down,
respecting the consideration ... composed down to the advent of Christ that the ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter i that the scriptures are.htm
The Seven Trumpets.
... as more appropriately pertaining to other prophecies, the defence ... It is that respecting
which they inquired, as ... TIMOTHY that the Lord JESUS CHRIST will judge ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm
In the Last Chapter we Confined Ourself to the Old Testament, in ...
... of the same period and be silent respecting such an ... the views of those who limit
the prophecies of the ... become the sovereignty of the Lord and of His Christ. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in the last chapter we.htm
Resources
How can we trust that biblical prophecy can indeed predict the future? | GotQuestions.orgWas Nostradamus a true prophet of God? | GotQuestions.orgSurviving the end times - what do I need to know? | GotQuestions.orgProphecies: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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