His anointed. As priests, and sometimes kings and prophets, were among the Jews anointed to their offices, so our Saviour was anointed as a Prophet, to preach glad tidings to the meek; as a Priest, to bind up the broken hearted; and as a King to deliver the captives. As the unction means designation and ordination, it is properly applied to the divine person of the Mediator: he is spoken of as God, who was “anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.” Hebrews 1:8-9. As the anointing with the Holy Spirit signifies the gifts and aids of the Holy Spirit, it terminates upon his human nature only, and not his divine person, which has all the perfections in itself, and cannot properly, in the sense last mentioned, be said to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. But yet as the human nature is taken into a subsistence in his divine Person, the anointed may properly enough be predicated and affirmed of his Person. The unction of our Redeemer has a great stress laid upon it in Scripture. And therefore we read, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.” “Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ?” 1 John 5:1, 2:22. Our Saviour’s enemies were sensible of this, when they made an order, that if “any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” John 9:22. Our Saviour’s anointing was superior to that of any other, and more excellent as to the work to which he was consecrated. The apostles and others, who are called his followers, had the Spirit by measure, but Christ without measure. He is “fairer than the sons of men” (Psalms 45:2); and had a glory as the “only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, 16); and of his fullness the apostles and all others receive. Christ’s anointing answers to that of Aaron his type; the precious ointment which was “poured upon his head, ran down to the skirts of his garments.” Psalms 133:2. Our Saviour was so anointed, as to “fill all in all.” Ephesians 1:23. He filleth all his members, and all their faculties, with all those measures of the Spirit, which they ever receive.
Condensed from John Hurrion, 1675-1731. (From The knowledge of Christ and him crucified)
