How Did the Early Christians Carry on Jesus Work of Anointing For Healing?
Essential oils played an important part in healing during the early years of Christianity. Jesus had modeled for his followers a way to heal and then told them they would do greater things than he. What he taught them was prayer, touching and anointing for healing. Now this behavior was actually not outside Jewish culture. We see in the records that were left, Christians privately used oil, ointments and salves that had been blessed by the bishop or the priests for physical and spiritual healing. After gathering in each other’s homes for the breaking of bread, Christians would then take the blessed oil home to be used the coming week. In this way the entire Christian community could participate in anointing their families and one another. There was a strong belief in the Early Church concerning possession by evil spirits-demonic spirits don’t like essential oils, in fact, they are repelled by them. Therefore exorcisms always used strong smelling essential oils and the person being exor
