Acts 13:3

‘Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away (literally ‘released them').'

The laying on of hands confirms that it was well known what that work was to be, for after further fasting and praying the church identified themselves with them by the laying on of hands, indicating that they were sending them as their representatives, acting on behalf of the whole church. Then they ‘released them'. It was a sacrifice that they were happy to make for God, but it was not easy. The idea includes that they identified themselves with them in their going, and no doubt provided them with all that they would need for the first part of their journey.

‘The laying on of hands' is a process of identification. There is nowhere any suggestion that gifts will necessarily accompany it, although where it take place at the Lord's command He will no doubt gift as necessary. In the Old Testament offerers laid their hands on their sacrifices in order to identify themselves with them. Timothy received his gift ‘through prophecy, by the laying on of hands' (1 Timothy 4:14). The church leaders identified themselves with him because of what God had promised in prophecy, and as had been prophesied the gift was given to him. But the gift was not simply the result of the laying on of hands. Identification is paramount in the idea.