The Place Of (םשח) “Anointing” in the Charismatic Working of the “Spirit of the Lord”: An Exegetical Interpretation of Isaiah 61: 1 And Its Pastoral Implications Today (Published)
The Spirit of the Lord” occupies a prominent place in the Christian Scriptures. He is not only a gift from the Father and the Son to the Church, He works in that Church through the instrumentality of human beings to whom He freely gives His Charisms for service. One would naturally presume that these beneficiaries would be restricted to Christ’s disciples. Ironically today, many ‘charismatics’ claim to be operating by the ‘Spirit of the Lord.’ Some begin and last long. Others begin but do not last. There are some others who begin mightily but soon witness an unexplainable slow-down. Questions have arisen as to whether there is any criterion and what could constitute the qualification for a genuine and meaningful Charismatic working of the Spirit. In response to this pastoral puzzle, Isaiah 61: 1 hints on the path to possible answers. This work, with the assumption from that passage, that “Anointing” could be the qualification for the charismatic working of the Spirit, therefore, aims at an exegetical study/interpretation of the verb םשח in Is 61: 1-2; the analysis of its nature; and the examination of its place in the Charismatic working of the Spirit of the Lord. Using the Methods of Biblical exegesis, the findings of the research propose relevant answers to the questions above and the conclusions and recommendations are projected and applied to serve the pastoral needs of today’s worshipping community.
Keywords: Anointing, Charisma, Pastoral Life, Spirit of the Lord