Laying on of the Hands

                                                             
        The laying on of hands is found in both Old and New
            Testament. It was used in different ways and in
                different ceremonies. It is so important to
                    God that He made it one of the founda-
                          tion    doctrines    of the Church of
                                                      God.

                                                                       
          It may surprise some that the laying on of hands – one
person placing his hands on the body of another – is deemed by
God important enough    that He made it one of the foundational
doctrines of the New Testament Church.   
          Notice    what      the book of Hebrews records:    “Go on unto
perfection; not laying again the FOUNDATION of repentance from   
dead works, and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of
baptisms, and of    laying    on    of    hands, and of resurrection of
the dead, and of eternal judgment” ( Heb.6:1, 2    KJV throughout,
emphasis mine). The ceremony of the laying on of hands is here
put alongside such vital and basic doctrines as: repentance,
faith, baptisms, resurrection, and eternal judgment. No small
doctrines, but essential truths to the    Christian community. The
practice of “laying on of hands”    goes back to the earliest of
times, it is truly an ancient and honored ceremony.

FIRST RECORDED CEREMONY
   
                                                                       
          The first account the Bible gives us of a special ceremony
where one person lays hands on another person within the contexts
of a divine purpose, is in the life of Abraham as recorded in
Genesis chapter twenty four.
          Abraham    was by    now an old    man, and    he thought it was
time that his son Isaac should have a    wife. He commissioned his
oldest servant    that ruled over he had to go to    his a ancestral
line of kinsmen      and      among      them find    Isaac a wife.    Notice
verse two:    “And Abraham    said unto his eldest servant of his
house put I pray you, your hand UNDER MY THIGH.” The servant was
to then swear by the Lord what Abraham wanted him to do (verse 3,
4).
          Verse 9 says, “And the servant PUT HIS HAND UNDER THE THIGH
of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning the matter.”
          Here was the laying on of hands for a divine purpose.

JOSEPH’S SONS ARE BLESSED                                                                       
          From the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the laying on of
hands was used in    ceremonies    which    carried with it a specific
meaning. An illustration is found in Genesis 48.
          Joseph was told that his father Jacob was very sick.    So,
Joseph came to see him and brought his two sons with him –
Manasseh and Ephraim.
          After telling Joseph about the promise of blessing God had
given him (verse 4), Jacob said that Joseph’s sons would become
his sons, just as Reuben and Simeon were his sons (verse 5). As   
far as Jacob was concerned, together with God’ s approval
these two sons of Joseph were now legal    sons of Jacob and his
heirs of the blessings God had promised him. All this    would   
become more specific with the ceremony of the laying    on of
hands on these two individuals – Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen.
48:13-16).
          Notice that Jacob DELIBERATELY crossed his hands during the
ceremony    so that Ephraim,    the younger brother received the
greater blessing, and Manasseh the older brother, received a
lesser blessing.
          The laying on of hands here again illustrates a special
ceremony within the context of a divine purpose.

MORE OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES

          In    all    examples    of    the      ceremony    of    laying    on   
of hands by individuals upon individuals we see it is for the
reason of setting someone apart for a SPECIAL PURPOSE and/or
BLESSING.
          When God chose the tribe of Levi    for the service of
priesthood in ancient Israel , they were set apart for holy
duties by the ceremony of the laying on of hands. Only a tribe so
consecrated by this important ceremony could officiate in the
temple or tabernacle of God.
        The event is recorded in Numbers 8: 5-11.    First, the
Levites were cleansed    and    purified (verses 6, 7),an offering
was made (verse 8) then individuals representing the tribes of
Israel, “shall put their hands    upon    the    Levites: And Aaron
shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the
children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the
Lord” (verses 10, 11).
          And verse 14:    “Thus shalt thou separate the Levites
from among the children of Israel:    and the Levites shall be
mine” said God.

          Joshua was selected to serve the people of Israel after
Moses (Num. 27:15-23).
          God told Moses to lay hands on Joshua to set him apart   
for service as leader of the people(verse 18).    And Moses did so:

“…..he laid his hands upon him, and gave him charge, as the
Lord commanded by the hand of Moses” (verses 22, 23).
          The laying on of hands ceremony is used in setting apart
individuals God has called to serve His people.    We shall see
that this holds true in the New Testament also.

          Spiritual gifts were bestowed in Old Testament times as
well as New Testament times, by the laying on of hands.    In the
case of Joshua it is written:    “And Joshua the son of Nun
was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands   
upon him” (Deut. 34: 9).

LAYING ON OF HANDS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

                                                                                     
          As we have seen some instances of this foundational
doctrine of the laying on of hands is used to confer a
BLESSING.    Such is the case in the New    Testament of the
blessing of    LITTLE CHILDREN (Mat.19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16).
          The families that followed Jesus knew of the value of the
blessing of children.   
          Jesus blessed children brought to Him, and He used the
ceremony of the laying on of hands    (Mat.19:13, 15). Jesus came
and lived the perfect life.    He set us an example in every way.
The elders of the church of God should also bless the little
children brought to them with the ceremony of the laying on of
hands and pray.

          One of the signs Jesus said would follow His servants    would

be the GIFT    OF HEALING, a gift often granted through the laying
on of hands (Mark 16:17, 18; James 5:14, 15).    Jesus often laid
hands upon the    sick in    healing    them, but not every time, so we
need to remember that when it comes to healing God can and often
does grant healing    WITHOUT    the    laying    on    of    hands.    Read   
the      wonderful understanding    of    faith    exhibited    by    the   
centurion in Matthew 8:5-13.    He knew Jesus had the authority to
heal    his servant without actually    laying    hands    on    him.
Certainly someone can contact via phone or    letter, the servants
of God and ask they pray for them to be    healed and God can grant
their petition, without the laying on of hands.

          In    writing to Timothy, Paul emphasized he use the
spiritual gift that    was    in      him.    The    Amplified    Bible
puts    it this way:    “Do not neglect the gift which is in you,
(that special    inward endowment) which      was      directly   
imparted      to      you      (by      the    Holy      Spirit)    by prophetic   
utterance    when the elders    laid    their    hands    upon    you, at
your ordination”    (1 Tim. 4:14).

          Timothy    was given some special    spiritual    gift by the
Holy Spirit through    the    laying    on    of    hands    by    the elders.
If this was at Timothy’s    ordination to the ministry or at some
other time,    is not clear,    nor does the context tell us. The
compilers of the Amplified Bible added the words “at your
ordination.”
          The    fact remains, a special gift was bestowed on Timothy
and the laying on of hands was involved.

          Sometimes    when    certain ministers of the Lord are called
to do a certain task WITHIN their ministerial    work, other
ministers will    be led    by    the Spirit to set them apart for
that specific job and lay hands on them and pray. This example is
recorded in Acts 13:1-3.

          In    the    New    Testament, deacons were set apart for
handling the physical administrative details of the church by the
laying on of hands (Acts 6:1-6).

          The laying on of hands ceremony for ordination to eldership
and deaconship is not to be taken    lightly, or done in haste.
Paul warned Timothy to take it very seriously:    “Lay hands
suddenly on no man”    (1 Tim.5:22). In the Revised Standard
Version this phrase is translated:      “Do not be hasty in the
laying on of hands.” We see from    Acts    14:23 that the laying on
of hands for ordination should be accompanied with prayer and
fasting.

         
LAYING ON OF HANDS IN NEW TESTAMENT BAPTISM                                           

                     
     
          I have left this last example of the New Testament for the
end of this article. It is the one aspect of the foundational
doctrine that    many    do not practice, nor see the necessity to
do so. Is the    laying    on    of    hands    “mandatory” and a part
of the overall rite of    water baptism?
          You    will    notice    in    Hebrews    6    verse 2, the    laying on
of hands comes after the    mention    of    water    baptism.    In this
section of scripture I believe it is significant when we
consider the imperative examples found in the book of Acts.

          Turn to chapter 8. The people of the Church, except the
apostles, were    scattered    abroad and went everywhere preaching
the word (the preaching    of the word is not just for the
ministers of the church).
          Philip    went    down    to Samaria and preached Christ
(verses 4 – 6).    Many believed Philip’s preaching about the
Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ,    and were BAPTIZED (verse
12). The apostles on hearing this good news from Samaria
sent Peter and John to them.    When    these two apostles
came they found that although    many had been baptized
in the name of Jesus, they had not received the Holy Spirit
(verses 14 -16).

          Now notice verse 17, “Then LAID THEY THEIR HANDS ON THEM,
and they received the Holy Spirit.” Turn    to Acts chapter 9.   
Saul    or    Paul is struck blind by Jesus and is    brought    to
Damascus where he is for three days without food or water. God
sends a disciple by the name of Ananias to Paul. He was sent to
restore sight to Saul, to pass on the gift of the Holy Spirit to
him, and to baptize him (verses 10 – 18).

          I especially want you to notice verse 17. “And Ananias   
went    his    way, and    entered    into the house; and PUTTING   
HIS HANDS ON HIM said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that   
appeared    unto    thee in the way as thou comest, hath sent me,
that    thou    mightest receive thy sight, and be FILLED WITH THE
HOLY SPIRIT”    (emphasis mine).
          The great apostle Paul    started his Christian life with the
laying    on    of    hands    and baptism.    I    have commented in
detail    in my article on    WATER      BAPTISM as to why in this
instant the laying on of hands came      BEFORE      baptism,      which
is    not the usual case (the reader is asked to request my study
paper on water baptism if they do not have it). We    see    again
the    ceremony    of    laying    on    of    hands    in connection    with
baptism.

          Still a third example is found in Acts 19.    Paul    came to
Ephesus and    found    certain      disciples      who      were baptized
only with John’s baptism      -    John the baptist. They had not even
heard that there was such a thing as the Holy Spirit.    Paul
explained the truth to them and    they    were    baptized in the name
of Jesus (verses 1-5). Now    we come    to verse 6, “And when
Paul    had    LAID    HANDS    UPON    THEM,    the Holy Spirit came on
them.”           

          Some may    argue    that    on    the    day of Pentecost when
3,000 were baptized, nothing is said about the laying on of
hands.    My answer to that case is that silence does not prove it
was not carried out.    The    doctrine of    the    laying    on    of
hands    was a well    know practice from the time of    Abraham, and
the    apostles, it    would    seem automatically    used the laying on
of hands for ordaining the men of Acts 6    to    the    office    of
deacon.    Then on the other hand    the out pouring of the
Spirit on the day of Pentecost was a special    once in all
history occurrence, and God does make exceptions to the norm at
times and    when    He deems fit,    after all    He is God and can do
with His Spirit, what, where, and when, as He chooses.
          My contention is:    God has through the three examples given
above, a BASIC plan and outline to follow for all who desire His
salvation, repentance, faith in Jesus’    sacrifice for sins,
baptism in the name of    Jesus    for the remission of sins, laying
on of hands, the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
          There    may be some exceptions now and then by God to that
basic 4 steps, but the overwhelming scriptural evidence builds
those foundational steps.

          Is it not true that it is “better to be safe than
sorry”? Yes indeed!      Better to do something    that    Jesus    upon
His    return    tells    us    we did    not    have to do, than NOT    DO
SOMETHING    Jesus tells us when we see Him,    that we SHOULD HAVE
DONE.    I    personally    will    advise    all    who    are    baptizing
to    have    the    ceremony of the laying on of hands for those
baptized.

          The      laying      on    of hands may seem unimportant to us.    We
may say, surely    God    can    do all    things without such a
ceremony, and yes He can,      if    He desires to.    But it is not
left to us to decide HOW we will    worship    God    or serve Him.
The Eternal    says in    Isaiah 55: 8, 9,    “For my    thoughts    are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.    For as the
heavens are higher than the earth,    so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

          We    may not always understand the ways of the Lord, they may
even seem somewhat “strange” to our human carnal mind, but we
need to be of the mind Jesus was and always be willing to say,
“not my will but your will be done.”

          Our    heavenly    Father    has seen fit to make the “laying on
of hands” one of the FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINES.      Amen – so be it!       


Written February 1995
by
Keith Hunt