In the language of Scripture, this is a most important word. It means the consecrating, setting apart, and sanctifying, in a peculiar manner, persons or things to sacred purposes. Hence, in a very eminent and personal degree, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Christ of God, is emphatically called the Messiah, or anointed of JEHOVAH. His name, Messiah, means this. It is, indeed, the same word in Hebrew, as Anointed in English. And what I particularly beg the reader to remark, under this article, as a proof of this dedication of Christ, as Christ, to this office character, from everlasting, is, that he is all along in the Old Testament Scripture spoken of as such, the Messiah or Anointed, and shewn to be so in the New. A plain proof of his consecration by the Holy Ghost before his incarnation. I beg the reader not to pass on until that he hath turned to the following Scriptures, and read them all attentively. (Psalms 89:19-20; 1 Samuel 2:35; Psalms 110:4) Hence, Aaron as a type of Christ, (Exodus 8:12; Exodus 28:41; Psalms 2:2; Psalms 45:7; Psalms 132:17) Hence, the whole church is represented as calling upon God for acceptance and favour in Christ: "Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed!" (Psalms 84:9)
And as Christ is thus the Christ of God, so the church, by virtue of her union and oneness with him, is anointed with him, and that from the beginning. "Touch not mine anointed." (Psalms 105:15; Psalms 23:5; 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27; 2 Corinthians 1:21) Reader! it is truly blessed to trace through both Testaments the testimonies of these things. What can be, indeed, more satisfactory to the soul than thus to discover, first, Christ, as the source and fountain and security of all our hopes; and then, secondly, to behold the church interested and made a rich partaker of the same in Him. (Acts 4:27; Psalms 133:3; Acts 10:38)