χρῖσμα

From the study of 1 John 2:20

Range of meaning

Ointment or anointing oil (the substance), and by extension the anointing itself. The -ma ending usually names the result or thing, so "what you were anointed with." In the New Testament it occurs only in 1 John 2:20 and 2:27 (twice).

Against the English

KJV's "unction" was ordinary English in 1611 for an anointing. Today it survives mostly in the phrase "extreme unction" or in "unctuous" (oily, insincere), so it now misleads. "Anointing" is accurate, but in some modern church use it has come to mean a special spiritual power or charisma on gifted leaders, which is not this verse's sense.

How it drifted

"Unction" narrowed in English to a church rite and a sense of oily manner. "Anointing" picked up a popular meaning of extraordinary empowerment for ministry, especially in 20th-century revival and Pentecostal-charismatic usage.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (LXX), chrisma is the holy anointing oil that set apart priests and the tabernacle (Exod 29:7; 30:25; 40:15). In Israel, anointing marked kings, priests and occasionally prophets as set apart by God. Isaiah 61:1 links anointing with the Spirit of the Lord. Jesus is the Christos, the Anointed One. In early Christian writing anointing is linked to the Spirit (Acts 10:38; 2 Cor 1:21–22). BDAG notes a possible literal anointing rite but favours a figurative sense here.

From the study of 1 John 2:27

Range of meaning

In general Greek, chrisma is the substance you smear or rub on: ointment, unguent, plaster, cosmetic oil. Sometimes it is the act of anointing. In the New Testament it appears only in 1 John 2:20 and twice in 2:27. It belongs to the same word family as chriō ('to anoint') and christos ('anointed one', the Greek for Messiah).

Against the English

'Anointing' (BSB, ESV, NIV, KJV here) is accurate. The KJV's 'unction' in 2:20 comes from the Latin unctio and today sounds churchy or obscure. The NLT drops the image and writes 'the Holy Spirit'. That is a defensible interpretation, but it erases the wordplay and the debate.

How it drifted

In modern church speech, especially in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, 'the anointing' has come to mean a special empowering for ministry. People speak of an 'anointed' preacher or singer, or of a felt presence of power in a meeting. Older preaching manuals spoke of 'unction' as a quality some sermons had and others lacked. None of these senses comes from 1 John, where every believer has the chrisma and its job is to teach the truth.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), chrisma names the holy anointing oil that set apart priests and the sanctuary (Exod 29:7; 30:25; 40:15). In Israel, kings, priests and occasionally prophets were anointed, and Isaiah 61:1 joins anointing with the Spirit: 'the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me'. The New Testament applies that line to Jesus (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38, 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power'). Paul uses the verb for believers in 2 Cor 1:21–22: God 'anointed us… and gave us the Spirit'. Second-century Christians explained the name 'Christian' as 'anointed ones' (Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus 1.12). Later Gnostic texts such as the Gospel of Philip prize a 'chrism' rite above baptism, but they postdate 1 John.