Postgraduate students

Neil McQueen MA

Sacred anointing in the Hebrew Bible

Anointing as portrayed in the Hebrew Bible takes place in a number of contexts, both sacred and secular. Sacred anointing as depicted by the editors of the text plays a pivotal role, both in the initiation and sanctification of the priesthood and the installation and acclamation of kings. The authority transmitted by anointing gave kings the right to rule and priests the right to minister, through their direct connection with Yhwh as mediated through the rite of anointing. This same authority is indirectly wielded by the anointers of monarchs: their authority as kingmakers is tied directly to their role as the dispensers of the anointing oil. To the final editors of the text, sacred anointing was the pre-eminent means of expressing divine support and authorization.

Supervisor: Dr James Harding and Associate Professor Greg Dawes