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Unction is a topic not often discussed in books on preaching and even less often in Reformed books. Where you may find unction sometimes discussed is in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles, but then more often it’s applied to the ability to heal and not so much to preaching. If a man or woman is “anointed,” then they have the God-given ability to heal miraculously. (The author claims that "unction" is descriptive of healing among charismatics, but in our experience with charismatic people "unction" is usually related not only to the teaching, but also to the prophetic and worship. Describing these things as an anointed Word, anointed worship, or an anointed message are common expressions in these circles.)
And chrió is enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit... That word is found in this verse:
When Christ commenced his ministry in Nazareth, he mentioned how he had been anointed. Christ was anointed, not with oil, but with the Holy Spirit. He referenced the words of Isa. 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” This happened when Christ was baptized. The Bible describes him as a Spirit-anointed preacher.
But are there any other references linking unction and preaching in the New Testament? While it doesn’t explicitly mention unction or anointing, Acts 1 describes Pentecost as a moment when the apostles would receive power through the Holy Spirit so they could be Christ’s witnesses everywhere (Acts 1:8). In 1 Cor. 2:4, the apostle Paul reflects this reality when he writes that his speech and message “were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power…” As weak as preaching may appear, the Holy Spirit gives it power so that faith rests in the power of God and not in the wisdom of human beings. (The author continues to stumble his way through this. He seems unwilling or unable to grasp the ministry of the Holy Spirit in each believer, including the teacher and what he delivers on Sunday.
This is where we need to draw a distinction. On the one hand, it’s vitally important that a preacher be a godly man filled with the Holy Spirit. When examining a man for the ministry and when extending a call to a man, the church ought to seek whether this man bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We can’t discern anything beyond that external fruit. No one can see inside another’s soul to determine whether the Spirit is present or not. But if he is present, he gives gifts to one as well as to another. To preachers, he gives the gift of being able to bring God’s Word clearly and faithfully. We could call that gift of the Spirit anointing or unction. But what’s important to see is that the gift is either there or it isn’t. It doesn’t come and go. It’s not as if on one Sunday the preacher might have unction and then the next not. The gift is a given. It’s an objective reality granted by the Holy Spirit, not a subjective experience to be sought. (The author swerves into the truth. Teaching is a spiritual gift, not a natural ability:
We need to distinguish the preacher from what he preaches. As I’ve already mentioned, Heb. 4:12 teaches us that the Word of God is objectively living and active. This is important because the Word in itself carries the power of the Holy Spirit who inspired it. (We don't believe this verse is referring to Scripture, but rather the Word, Jesus. See our explanation here.)
The author appears to be grappling with a conflict in his thinking. On one hand, he is repelled by the charismatic perspective regarding the Holy Spirit, but on the other hand cannot ignore the testimony of Scripture regarding the necessity of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Ultimately, his position is that the anointing is impossible to determine, at least by a third party listening to a teacher deliver a sermon. Thus he sets himself up for a conundrum, that the anointing is real and necessary, but "faithfulness and clarity" have priority.
In actual fact, a teacher filled with the Holy Spirit is going to be faithful and clear. A teacher who speaks from his cleverness, intellect, and the ability to logically explain will appeal to those things in the listeners. But a teacher who speaks from the anointing will not only be clear, but his words will convey the power of the Spirit to the listener, who then responds spiritually, if the listener is also filled with the Spirit.
Unction is a topic not often discussed in books on preaching and even less often in Reformed books. Where you may find unction sometimes discussed is in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles, but then more often it’s applied to the ability to heal and not so much to preaching. If a man or woman is “anointed,” then they have the God-given ability to heal miraculously. (The author claims that "unction" is descriptive of healing among charismatics, but in our experience with charismatic people "unction" is usually related not only to the teaching, but also to the prophetic and worship. Describing these things as an anointed Word, anointed worship, or an anointed message are common expressions in these circles.)
This unction or anointing then becomes a shield against all criticism – because, after all, Ps. 105:15 says, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!” (The author needs to get his little dig in against those hated charismatics. Again in our experience, we rarely if ever see this verse invoked to insulate someone against criticism.
We are beginning to suspect that the author doesn't understand charismatics. We now hope to discover if he understands the biblical case for the anointing.)
‘Unction’ isn’t a well-known term. It’s related to the English word ‘unctuous,’ which means greasy or oily. Both words derive from the Latin unguo, meaning ‘I smear, I anoint with oil.’ The Roman Catholic Church has a sacrament of extreme unction. This involves a priest anointing a seriously ill person with oil, particularly if that person is in danger of dying. In Roman Catholicism, unction is something done through the instrument of a human being. However, in Protestantism (broadly speaking) it’s usually considered to be anointing done directly through the Holy Spirit.
One Protestant author who did write about unction was D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I have much appreciation for the good Doctor (as he’s known). In most instances, he was a faithful preacher and writer. In his book on preaching, Lloyd-Jones famously defined preaching as “logic on fire.” He said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire.”[1] That fire, according to Lloyd-Jones, comes from the Holy Spirit’s anointing. This is unction.
E.M. Bounds described unction as “the indefinable in preaching which makes it preaching.”[2] It’s something that comes to the preacher not as he studies, but as he prays. It creates a “heavenly disposition” in the preacher. Says Bounds:
‘Unction’ isn’t a well-known term. It’s related to the English word ‘unctuous,’ which means greasy or oily. Both words derive from the Latin unguo, meaning ‘I smear, I anoint with oil.’ The Roman Catholic Church has a sacrament of extreme unction. This involves a priest anointing a seriously ill person with oil, particularly if that person is in danger of dying. In Roman Catholicism, unction is something done through the instrument of a human being. However, in Protestantism (broadly speaking) it’s usually considered to be anointing done directly through the Holy Spirit.
One Protestant author who did write about unction was D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I have much appreciation for the good Doctor (as he’s known). In most instances, he was a faithful preacher and writer. In his book on preaching, Lloyd-Jones famously defined preaching as “logic on fire.” He said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire.”[1] That fire, according to Lloyd-Jones, comes from the Holy Spirit’s anointing. This is unction.
E.M. Bounds described unction as “the indefinable in preaching which makes it preaching.”[2] It’s something that comes to the preacher not as he studies, but as he prays. It creates a “heavenly disposition” in the preacher. Says Bounds:
Unction is simply putting God in His own Word and on His own preacher. By mighty and great prayerfulness and by continual prayerfulness, it is all potential and personal to the preacher; it inspires and clarifies his intellect, gives insight and grasp and projecting power; it gives to the preacher heart power, which is greater than head power; and tenderness, purity, force flow from the heart by it. Enlargement, freedom, fullness of thought, directness and simplicity of utterance are the fruits of this unction.[3]According to Bounds, there can be no true preaching without unction. If it’s so vitally important, one has to wonder why so many books on preaching have neglected it. (Apparently the author forgot what he previously wrote: ‘Unction’ isn’t a well-known term. If it isn't a well-known term, then why would there be lots of books written about it? If there were lots of books about it, then it wouldn't be neglected, would it? Not many books written about a term that is not well-known is pretty much a tautology.
If one is to judge by the books that instruct on preaching, then the problem must be the books. In reformed circles, the intellectual process is more valued than the spiritual implications that are in operation. It is no surprise, then, that these books would minimize or ignore the necessity of the anointing.
But more to the point, what does the Bible have to say about Spirit-empowered preaching?)
Both Lloyd-Jones and Bounds understand unction as something special worked in the preacher by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers and equips the preacher to be God’s voice and when this happens, believers in the congregation will surely discern it. True Christians can detect when a preacher has unction – they’ll feel their souls directly addressed by God.
However, we ought to ask whether this is biblical. In the chapter of Power Through Prayer where he discusses unction, Bounds only mentions one Scripture passage. He mentions Heb. 4:12 and asserts that it is unction which makes the Word of God “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”[4] Yet that’s not what Heb. 4:12 says. It’s not a passage speaking of how the anointing of the preacher makes the Word of God something. Instead, it’s speaking of what the Word of God is objectively. The Word of God is objectively living and active, regardless of what happens within the soul of the preacher. No preacher, anointed or not, makes the Word of God powerful. It is always that of itself. (This will be the only Scripture the author can identify in the NT. We shall help him out:
Both Lloyd-Jones and Bounds understand unction as something special worked in the preacher by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers and equips the preacher to be God’s voice and when this happens, believers in the congregation will surely discern it. True Christians can detect when a preacher has unction – they’ll feel their souls directly addressed by God.
However, we ought to ask whether this is biblical. In the chapter of Power Through Prayer where he discusses unction, Bounds only mentions one Scripture passage. He mentions Heb. 4:12 and asserts that it is unction which makes the Word of God “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…”[4] Yet that’s not what Heb. 4:12 says. It’s not a passage speaking of how the anointing of the preacher makes the Word of God something. Instead, it’s speaking of what the Word of God is objectively. The Word of God is objectively living and active, regardless of what happens within the soul of the preacher. No preacher, anointed or not, makes the Word of God powerful. It is always that of itself. (This will be the only Scripture the author can identify in the NT. We shall help him out:
1Jn. 2:20, 27 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.... 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. KJV
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth... 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him. NIV
The words "unction" or "anointing" here is chrisma, From chrio; an unguent or smearing, i.e. (figuratively) the special endowment ("chrism") of the Holy Spirit -- anointing, unction.
2Co. 1:21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
If the author had simply consulted the Bible, he would easily discover if these things are biblical.)
So, what does Scripture say about preachers and unction? In the Old Testament, prophets were anointed with oil. That marked them for their office. That office involved being a means of revelation for God. However, it didn’t guarantee that what a prophet spoke was, in fact, the Word of God. In the Old Testament there were false prophets like Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah (1 Ki. 22:11). Zedekiah invented a prophecy about King Jehoshaphat and King Ahab destroying the Syrians.
When Christ commenced his ministry in Nazareth, he mentioned how he had been anointed. Christ was anointed, not with oil, but with the Holy Spirit. He referenced the words of Isa. 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” This happened when Christ was baptized. The Bible describes him as a Spirit-anointed preacher.
But are there any other references linking unction and preaching in the New Testament? While it doesn’t explicitly mention unction or anointing, Acts 1 describes Pentecost as a moment when the apostles would receive power through the Holy Spirit so they could be Christ’s witnesses everywhere (Acts 1:8). In 1 Cor. 2:4, the apostle Paul reflects this reality when he writes that his speech and message “were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power…” As weak as preaching may appear, the Holy Spirit gives it power so that faith rests in the power of God and not in the wisdom of human beings. (The author continues to stumble his way through this. He seems unwilling or unable to grasp the ministry of the Holy Spirit in each believer, including the teacher and what he delivers on Sunday.
The NT is peppered with references to the filling of the Holy Spirit in connection with teaching, which manifests as empowered ministry:
Ac. 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!"
Ac. 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Ac. 13:9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said...
Ep. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Even the OT references this:
De. 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.
Mi. 3:8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.
The filling (anointing) of the Holy Spirit is the empowering presence needed for any Christian to minister.)
This is where we need to draw a distinction. On the one hand, it’s vitally important that a preacher be a godly man filled with the Holy Spirit. When examining a man for the ministry and when extending a call to a man, the church ought to seek whether this man bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We can’t discern anything beyond that external fruit. No one can see inside another’s soul to determine whether the Spirit is present or not. But if he is present, he gives gifts to one as well as to another. To preachers, he gives the gift of being able to bring God’s Word clearly and faithfully. We could call that gift of the Spirit anointing or unction. But what’s important to see is that the gift is either there or it isn’t. It doesn’t come and go. It’s not as if on one Sunday the preacher might have unction and then the next not. The gift is a given. It’s an objective reality granted by the Holy Spirit, not a subjective experience to be sought. (The author swerves into the truth. Teaching is a spiritual gift, not a natural ability:
Ro. 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach...
We should expect, even require, the filling of the Holy Spirit for any teacher.)
We need to distinguish the preacher from what he preaches. As I’ve already mentioned, Heb. 4:12 teaches us that the Word of God is objectively living and active. This is important because the Word in itself carries the power of the Holy Spirit who inspired it. (We don't believe this verse is referring to Scripture, but rather the Word, Jesus. See our explanation here.)
In Num. 22-24 we read of Balaam, a wicked pagan sorcerer. Yet the Holy Spirit gave revelation through him. Similarly the unbelieving high priest Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the salvation of his people (John 11:51). The words he spoke came from the Holy Spirit. So today also, there could be an evil and hypocritical preacher. The Holy Spirit doesn’t dwell in him as he does with believers. Yet if he preaches the Word of God, the Holy Spirit can still use that preaching for his purposes. This is because of what the Word of God is in itself. The Word has power regardless of the preacher, also regardless of whether the Holy Spirit resides with him. (The word cannot have power without the Holy Spirit. Whether or not the Holy Spirit "resides" in the speaker is not relevant to the fact that the delivered word is a result of empowerment.)
So, let’s get to the bottom line: should I as a preacher pray for unction as I anticipate another Sunday on the pulpit? Should you as a parishioner pray for unction for your pastor? Certainly we should pray for the Holy Spirit to help the pastor be faithful to the Word of God and clear in his proclamation of it. Faithfulness and clarity are what really matters. When those are present (to whatever degree), the Holy Spirit will work amongst the congregation. (If the teacher is speaking in accordance with the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit is already at work.)
As a preacher, I do pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through my preaching to bless people with the gospel. That isn’t something that can be manufactured or engineered. It has to come from above. However, before I preach, there is something else that I can and must do. In 2 Tim. 1:6, the Apostle Paul commanded Timothy, “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands…” The gift is there, but it must be “fanned into flame.” There’s a command for Timothy (and all preachers) to work at developing the gift they’ve received from the Holy Spirit. This tells us that the idea of unction can never be used as an excuse for sloppy, lazy, or exegetically irresponsible preaching. No one should ever think that careful preparation for preaching is unnecessary because we can only pray and then passively wait for the Holy Spirit to bring unction.
Finally, we need to remember that people in the pew can experience the same preaching quite differently. One person might experience a great deal of blessing from the sermon – and then maybe even be tempted to exclaim that the preacher had a special unction that day. But another person might, for whatever reason, experience a minimal or even non-existent amount of blessing from the same sermon. Our reception of preaching is invariably subjective and so to make that the norm by which we judge a preacher to be “anointed” is problematic. It’s far better to focus on faithfulness and clarity.
[1] Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, 97.
[2] E.M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer (Chicago: Moody, 1979), 97.
[3] Bounds, Power Through Prayer, 95.
[4] Bounds, Power Through Prayer, 94.
So, let’s get to the bottom line: should I as a preacher pray for unction as I anticipate another Sunday on the pulpit? Should you as a parishioner pray for unction for your pastor? Certainly we should pray for the Holy Spirit to help the pastor be faithful to the Word of God and clear in his proclamation of it. Faithfulness and clarity are what really matters. When those are present (to whatever degree), the Holy Spirit will work amongst the congregation. (If the teacher is speaking in accordance with the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit is already at work.)
As a preacher, I do pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through my preaching to bless people with the gospel. That isn’t something that can be manufactured or engineered. It has to come from above. However, before I preach, there is something else that I can and must do. In 2 Tim. 1:6, the Apostle Paul commanded Timothy, “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands…” The gift is there, but it must be “fanned into flame.” There’s a command for Timothy (and all preachers) to work at developing the gift they’ve received from the Holy Spirit. This tells us that the idea of unction can never be used as an excuse for sloppy, lazy, or exegetically irresponsible preaching. No one should ever think that careful preparation for preaching is unnecessary because we can only pray and then passively wait for the Holy Spirit to bring unction.
Finally, we need to remember that people in the pew can experience the same preaching quite differently. One person might experience a great deal of blessing from the sermon – and then maybe even be tempted to exclaim that the preacher had a special unction that day. But another person might, for whatever reason, experience a minimal or even non-existent amount of blessing from the same sermon. Our reception of preaching is invariably subjective and so to make that the norm by which we judge a preacher to be “anointed” is problematic. It’s far better to focus on faithfulness and clarity.
[1] Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers, 97.
[2] E.M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer (Chicago: Moody, 1979), 97.
[3] Bounds, Power Through Prayer, 95.
[4] Bounds, Power Through Prayer, 94.
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