Laying On of Hands
by Mike James
In Hebrews 6:2, we read about some of the elementary teachings about Christ. One of the items mentioned here is the laying on of hands. Let us get a better understanding of this teaching.
To begin, we read about the use of hands in religious ceremony back in Leviticus 8:14-23 and Numbers 8:10-14. We learn that the priests would lay their hands on certain animals before sacrificing them. The laying on of hands here symbolizes transferring the sin of the people to the animals to be offered (Leviticus 1:3-4).
Another Old Testament example of the laying on of hands takes place when blessings are bestowed. In Genesis 48:14, Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are blessed by Jacob after he lays hands on them.
In Numbers 27:15-23, Moses ordains Joshua to succeed him by laying his hand on him. He was directed to do this by the Lord. Deuteronomy 34:9 also adds that Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom when Moses laid hands on him. This spirit that Joshua received may have included the Holy Spirit of God due to his faithfulness in God (Numbers 14:36-38).
Even Jesus provides us an example of this when He lays hands on the little children in Matthew 19:13-15. Here Jesus prays for the little children.
Again, there is nothing magical about our hands. This is just a symbol of transference being used. The blessings or ridding of sin that came from the laying on of hands came from the power of God. But we do have a precedent set here in the Bible to use hands to symbolize transference.
When we move into the New Testament, we see other examples where the laying on of hands is used. First, in Acts 6:5-6, we see this symbol being used to ordain men to the office of deacon. In 2 Timothy 1:6, we read about Timothy having hands laid on him for his ministry. In another example, Saul and Barnabas had hands laid on them for a special work they had to do (Acts 13:1-3).
Laying on of hands was also used for healing in the New Testament. In Luke 4:40, we read about Christ healing several people by first laying His hands on them. After Christ had returned to heaven, we see examples of the apostles doing as Christ had done. In Acts 28:8, Paul laid hands on a man to heal him of fever and dysentery. In James 5:14, we read of the sick also being anointed with oil and prayed over by the elders of the Church. Once again, oil is not magical but likely a symbol of the life-giving power of God's Holy Spirit. Healings are successful only by the will of God through His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:27).
Finally, the laying on of hands is used after baptism as a symbol of the infusion of the Holy Spirit into the mind of the believer. We see this playing out in Acts 19:1-6. We also see another example in Acts 8:14-25. Here Peter and John are sent to Samaria because the apostles heard there were people who had been baptized who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. After placing hands on them, these new believers received the Holy Spirit. Note also in these verses that Simon the Sorcerer wanted to buy the power of giving God's Spirit from the apostles. Peter lets him know that you can't buy this gift of God with money.
It's also important to note 1 Timothy 5:22 on this subject. Going back to verse 17 of this chapter, we find the context of verse 22 relates to elders. Verse 22 tells us not to be hasty in laying on hands to ordain new elders. The reason for this is because this is an important role in the Church, and we need to be confident in the ability of men to hold this office. Taking time to get to know these men is always a good idea.
It's important to realize the laying on of hands is not some trick or magic. When we lay hands on someone for ordination, baptism, or healing, we are calling on God's Spirit (power) to come upon these individuals. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given due to faith and the will of God. God is the source of this power, and He will provide it only to those who repent, believe, and have faith in Him.
Sources:
Home Bible Study Course Lesson 4, cgi.org.
"Laying on of Hands," Wikipedia.org.
"Laying on of hands – what does the Bible say?," Got Questions, gotquestions.org.