Laying On Of Hands
VIEW:34 DATA:01-04-2020
LAYING ON OF HANDS.This ceremony, of frequent occurrence in both OT and NT, is a piece of natural symbolism with the central idea that through physical contact the person performing it identifies himself with the other in the presence of God. In OT this is done with a view to the transference (a) of a Divine blessing (Gen_48:14 ff.; cf. Num_27:18; Num_27:23, Deu_34:9); (b) of a burden of guilt (Lev_1:4; Lev_4:3 f., Lev_4:24; Lev_16:21 f. etc.). In NT, while it is variously employed, the general idea is always that of blessing.
1. The simplest case is when Jesus lays hands of blessing on the little children (Mat_19:13; Mat_19:15 ||). The fact that the mothers desired Him to do so shows that this was a custom of the time and people. The narrative in Mt. shows further that, as used by Jesus, it was no magical form, but the symbolic expression of what was essentially an act of prayer (Mat_19:13).
2. In His deeds of healing Jesus constantly made use of this symbol (Mar_6:5; Mar_8:23, Luk_4:40; Luk_13:13; cf. Mat_9:18 ||, Mar_7:32)an example which was followed by the Apostolic Church (Act_9:12; Act_9:17; Act_28:8). In these cases, however, besides its religious symbolism, the act may further have expressed the healers sympathy (cf. the hand laid even on the leper, Mar_1:41, Luk_5:13), or have been designed to bring a reinforcement to faith.
3. In the early Church the imposition of hands was used, sometimes in close association with the act of baptism (Act_9:17-18; Act_19:5-6; cf. Heb_6:2, which, however, may include all the various kinds of laying on of hands), but sometimes quite apart from it (Act_8:17; Act_8:19), as an accompaniment of prayer that believers might receive a special endowment of the Holy Ghost in charismatic forms. That this endowment does not mean the essential gift of spiritual life, but some kind of manifestation (1Co_12:7), is proved when Act_9:17 (filled with the Holy Ghost) is compared with Act_2:4, and when Act_8:15; Act_8:17 is read in the light of the request of Simon Magus (Act_8:18 ff.), and Act_19:2 in the light of Act_19:6. The case of Ananias and Saul (Act_9:17) further proves that the laying on of hands for this purpose was not a peculiar Apostolic prerogative.
4. In four passages the laying on of hands is referred to in connexion with an act that corresponds to ordination (the word in its ecclesiastical sense does not occur in NT. Ordained in Act_14:23 should be elected or appointed; see RV [Note: Revised Version.] ). The Seven, after being chosen by the multitude, were appointed to office by the Apostles, with prayer and the laying on of hands (Act_6:6). The prophets and teachers of the Church at Antioch separated Barnabas and Saul for their missionary work by laying their hands on them with fasting and prayer (Act_13:3). Timothy received the gracious gift which was in him with the laying on of the hands of a body of elders (see art. Presbytery), with which St. Paul himself was associated (cf. 1Ti_4:14 with 2Ti_1:6). Timothys gracious gift probably means his special fitness to be St. Pauls companion in the work of a missionary evangelist (see Hort, Chr. Ecclesia, p. 184 ff.).
5. Of the manner in which deacons and elders or bishops were set apart to office no information is given in NT. The injunction, Lay hands suddenly on no man (1Ti_5:22), has often been supposed to refer to the act of ordination; but the fact that the whole passage (1Ti_5:19-25) deals with offenders points rather to the imposition of hands in the restoration of the penitent (cf. 2Co_2:6 f., Gal_6:1), a custom that certainly prevailed in the early Church at a later time. The fact, however, that Jewish Rabbis employed this rite when a disciple was authorized to teach, favours the view that it was commonly practised in the Apostolic Church, as it was almost universally in the post-Apostolic, in consecration to ministerial office. But the silence of the NT at this point is against the supposition that the rite was regarded as an essential channel of ministerial grace, or anything more than the outward and appropriate symbol of an act of intercessory prayer (see Mat_19:13, Act_6:6; Act_13:3; Act_28:8; and cf. Augustine, de Baptismo, iii. 16, What else is the laying on of hands than a prayer over one?). See, further, art. Bishop.
J. C. Lambert.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
(See BAPTISM.)
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Laying On of Hands. This "formed at an early period a part of the ceremony observed on the appointment and consecration of persons to high and holy undertakings;" (and, in the Christian Church, was especially used in setting apart men to the ministry and to other holy offices. It is a symbolical act expressing the imparting of spiritual authority and power. ? Editor).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
One of the symbolic actions we meet a number of times in the Bible is the laying on of hands. It contained within it a wide range of meanings.
In Israels sacrificial system, before offering an animal in sacrifice, the offerers laid their hands on the animals head, indicating that the animal was their representative in bearing their sins (Lev_1:4; Lev_4:1-4). When Israels tribal leaders, acting on behalf of the whole nation, laid their hands on the heads of the Levites, they symbolized that the Levites were their representatives in the service of God (Num_8:10-11). When the church in Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries, the elders of the church laid their hands on them, symbolizing the churchs identification with the two men as their missionary representatives (Act_13:3).
From these examples it seems that important elements in the laying on of hands were those of identification and fellowship. This again appears to be so in those cases where the apostles laid their hands on people who received the Holy Spirit in unusual circumstances (Act_8:17; Act_19:6; see BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT).
Sometimes laying on hands symbolized more than representation or identification. It symbolized appointment to office. Moses appointed Joshua as his successor by the laying on of hands (Num_27:22-23). Church leaders appointed missionaries, teachers, elders and deacons to their positions by the ceremonial laying on of hands (Act_6:6; Act_13:3; 1Ti_4:14; 1Ti_5:22; 2Ti_1:6).
The laying on of hands seems in some cases to have indicated transferal. It may have been a transferal of sin, such as happened when the high priest confessed the sins of Israel over the head of a goat on the Day of Atonement (Lev_16:21-22); or it may have been a transferal of good, such as happened when a father passed on his blessing to his children (Gen_48:14-16; cf. Mar_10:16).
Jesus and the apostles sometimes laid their hands on those whom they healed, possibly to symbolize the passing on of Gods power and blessing (Mar_6:5; Luk_4:40; Luk_13:13; Act_9:17). In some cases the laying on of hands may have been a kind of acted prayer (Act_28:8; cf. Jam_5:14-15).
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary by Don Fleming
PRINTER 1990.
Laying on of Hands
SEE HANDS, IMPOSITION OF.
CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.
1. The simplest case is when Jesus lays hands of blessing on the little children (Mat_19:13; Mat_19:15 ||). The fact that the mothers desired Him to do so shows that this was a custom of the time and people. The narrative in Mt. shows further that, as used by Jesus, it was no magical form, but the symbolic expression of what was essentially an act of prayer (Mat_19:13).
2. In His deeds of healing Jesus constantly made use of this symbol (Mar_6:5; Mar_8:23, Luk_4:40; Luk_13:13; cf. Mat_9:18 ||, Mar_7:32)an example which was followed by the Apostolic Church (Act_9:12; Act_9:17; Act_28:8). In these cases, however, besides its religious symbolism, the act may further have expressed the healers sympathy (cf. the hand laid even on the leper, Mar_1:41, Luk_5:13), or have been designed to bring a reinforcement to faith.
3. In the early Church the imposition of hands was used, sometimes in close association with the act of baptism (Act_9:17-18; Act_19:5-6; cf. Heb_6:2, which, however, may include all the various kinds of laying on of hands), but sometimes quite apart from it (Act_8:17; Act_8:19), as an accompaniment of prayer that believers might receive a special endowment of the Holy Ghost in charismatic forms. That this endowment does not mean the essential gift of spiritual life, but some kind of manifestation (1Co_12:7), is proved when Act_9:17 (filled with the Holy Ghost) is compared with Act_2:4, and when Act_8:15; Act_8:17 is read in the light of the request of Simon Magus (Act_8:18 ff.), and Act_19:2 in the light of Act_19:6. The case of Ananias and Saul (Act_9:17) further proves that the laying on of hands for this purpose was not a peculiar Apostolic prerogative.
4. In four passages the laying on of hands is referred to in connexion with an act that corresponds to ordination (the word in its ecclesiastical sense does not occur in NT. Ordained in Act_14:23 should be elected or appointed; see RV [Note: Revised Version.] ). The Seven, after being chosen by the multitude, were appointed to office by the Apostles, with prayer and the laying on of hands (Act_6:6). The prophets and teachers of the Church at Antioch separated Barnabas and Saul for their missionary work by laying their hands on them with fasting and prayer (Act_13:3). Timothy received the gracious gift which was in him with the laying on of the hands of a body of elders (see art. Presbytery), with which St. Paul himself was associated (cf. 1Ti_4:14 with 2Ti_1:6). Timothys gracious gift probably means his special fitness to be St. Pauls companion in the work of a missionary evangelist (see Hort, Chr. Ecclesia, p. 184 ff.).
5. Of the manner in which deacons and elders or bishops were set apart to office no information is given in NT. The injunction, Lay hands suddenly on no man (1Ti_5:22), has often been supposed to refer to the act of ordination; but the fact that the whole passage (1Ti_5:19-25) deals with offenders points rather to the imposition of hands in the restoration of the penitent (cf. 2Co_2:6 f., Gal_6:1), a custom that certainly prevailed in the early Church at a later time. The fact, however, that Jewish Rabbis employed this rite when a disciple was authorized to teach, favours the view that it was commonly practised in the Apostolic Church, as it was almost universally in the post-Apostolic, in consecration to ministerial office. But the silence of the NT at this point is against the supposition that the rite was regarded as an essential channel of ministerial grace, or anything more than the outward and appropriate symbol of an act of intercessory prayer (see Mat_19:13, Act_6:6; Act_13:3; Act_28:8; and cf. Augustine, de Baptismo, iii. 16, What else is the laying on of hands than a prayer over one?). See, further, art. Bishop.
J. C. Lambert.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
(See BAPTISM.)
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Laying On of Hands. This "formed at an early period a part of the ceremony observed on the appointment and consecration of persons to high and holy undertakings;" (and, in the Christian Church, was especially used in setting apart men to the ministry and to other holy offices. It is a symbolical act expressing the imparting of spiritual authority and power. ? Editor).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
One of the symbolic actions we meet a number of times in the Bible is the laying on of hands. It contained within it a wide range of meanings.
In Israels sacrificial system, before offering an animal in sacrifice, the offerers laid their hands on the animals head, indicating that the animal was their representative in bearing their sins (Lev_1:4; Lev_4:1-4). When Israels tribal leaders, acting on behalf of the whole nation, laid their hands on the heads of the Levites, they symbolized that the Levites were their representatives in the service of God (Num_8:10-11). When the church in Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries, the elders of the church laid their hands on them, symbolizing the churchs identification with the two men as their missionary representatives (Act_13:3).
From these examples it seems that important elements in the laying on of hands were those of identification and fellowship. This again appears to be so in those cases where the apostles laid their hands on people who received the Holy Spirit in unusual circumstances (Act_8:17; Act_19:6; see BAPTISM WITH THE SPIRIT).
Sometimes laying on hands symbolized more than representation or identification. It symbolized appointment to office. Moses appointed Joshua as his successor by the laying on of hands (Num_27:22-23). Church leaders appointed missionaries, teachers, elders and deacons to their positions by the ceremonial laying on of hands (Act_6:6; Act_13:3; 1Ti_4:14; 1Ti_5:22; 2Ti_1:6).
The laying on of hands seems in some cases to have indicated transferal. It may have been a transferal of sin, such as happened when the high priest confessed the sins of Israel over the head of a goat on the Day of Atonement (Lev_16:21-22); or it may have been a transferal of good, such as happened when a father passed on his blessing to his children (Gen_48:14-16; cf. Mar_10:16).
Jesus and the apostles sometimes laid their hands on those whom they healed, possibly to symbolize the passing on of Gods power and blessing (Mar_6:5; Luk_4:40; Luk_13:13; Act_9:17). In some cases the laying on of hands may have been a kind of acted prayer (Act_28:8; cf. Jam_5:14-15).
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary by Don Fleming
PRINTER 1990.
Laying on of Hands
SEE HANDS, IMPOSITION OF.
CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.
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