Anointing oil myrrh and aloe

Jesus anointing oil (a mixture of myrrh and aloe) is the biblical oil that Nicodemus brought to Golgotha to anoint Jesus. It wasn’t a single vial or even a bottle, but a vast quantity of over 32 liters. This exact oil forms the basis for the oil used for anointing the sick.

Anointing oil has a very long history in the Bible and in the tradition of the Church. This explains the differences in the recipe, which, depending on the region, either retains pure olive oil or adds various aromas. Among the most popular biblical oils are aloe and myrrh, naturally mixed in olive oil, as well as spikenard.

Aloe and Myrrh

Let’s start at the very beginning, when the Bible first mentions aloe and myrrh as an ingredient in the oil of gladness. We can read this in Psalm 45, verses 8-9. “Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness, more abundantly than your equals; all your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes.” This symbol of royal anointing, expressed through the fragrances of myrrh and aloes, also appears in the Gospel of John. After Jesus’ crucifixion, His body was hastily prepared for burial. Then Nicodemus unexpectedly appears and brings royal fragrances in the form of a mixture of myrrh and aloes.

100 pounds of myrrh and aloes mixture

Of course, the Gospel of John says it was a whopping 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes mixture, but how much is 100 pounds? It turns out that not only the quality but also the quantity of the oils was royal. After all, 100 pounds is equivalent to over 32 kilograms of myrrh and aloes! Moreover, the oils were not packaged in plastic bottles, but likely in stone jars, which added to the weight. Who and how transported such a quantity of spices to the garden on Golgotha’s hill just before the Sabbath? We don’t know, but since Saint John noted the sheer volume of these oils, we can surmise that these scents were important to the early Church.

Oil of the Anointing of the Sick

From the very beginning of the Church, the oil of the anointing of the sick has appeared during prayers for healing. Even the Lord Jesus Himself sent His disciples to expel many demons and to anoint many sick people with oil and heal them. The Good Samaritan also cared for a beaten merchant, pouring olive oil on his wounds. Furthermore, James the Apostle commanded that the elders of the church be summoned to the sick and anointed with oil. “Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal him.” The composition of this oil has not survived to this day, but the tradition of blessing the oil of the anointing of the sick once a year has survived. This is performed by the bishop during the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, which begins the Easter Triduum. This reminds us even more powerfully of where the healing power of oils comes from. For it is…

In His wounds is our health!

Description: 10ml bottle. Ingredients of Jesus anointing oil: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Paraffinum Liquidum, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Nardostachys Jatamansi Herb Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citral, Eugenol, Farnesol, Limonene, Linalool.