But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
— 1 John 2:20
Definition:
unction
noun
[mass noun]
1 formal the action of anointing someone with oil or ointment as a religious rite or as a symbol of investiture as a monarch.
short for extreme unction
2 archaic treatment with a medicinal oil or ointment.
[count noun] an ointment: mercury in the form of unctions
3a fervent manner of expression apparently arising from deep emotion, especially when assumed: the headlines gloated with the kind of effusive unction only the English press can muster
Origin:
late Middle English: from Latin unctio(n-), from unguere ‘anoint’. unction (sense 3) arises from the link between religious fervour and ‘anointing’ with the Holy Spirit
Use:
“What meant the fathers by establishing this perfectly living institution before the church,–this institution which needs no repairing nor repainting, which is continually enlarged and repaired by its growth?… Verily these maples are cheap preachers, permanently settled, which preach their half-century, and century, aye, and century-and-a-half sermons, with constantly increasing unction and influence, ministering to many generations of men; and the least we can do is to supply them with suitable colleagues as they grow infirm.”
-Henry David Thoreau
Article on Extreme Unction.
On this day...
- Exodus 6 - 2023
- Genesis 6 - 2023
- December 30: The Lord Our Bulwark - 2011
- The KINGDOM Bible Reading Plan - 2011
- Courage Is Not Winning. It's Sacrifice. - 2011
- Our ability to sacrifice - 2011
- A Puritan prayer - 2011
- The world is fallen and there are other things to do - 2011
- Believe With Confidence - 2011
- People people on our prayer list - 2011
December 30, 2011