Laying On of Hands
Laying On Of Hands
See Ordination.
Fuente: Dictionary of the Apostolic Church
Laying on of Hands
SEE HANDS, IMPOSITION OF.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Laying on of Hands
(See BAPTISM.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
LAYING ON OF HANDS
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).
Fuente: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
Laying On Of Hands
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.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Laying on of Hands
See HANDS.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Laying on of Hands
See Hand, Imposition of
Hand, Imposition of
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Laying On of Hands
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).