According to Catholicism at the Upper Room, did the Apostles follow the tradition of laying of hands and pouring of oil like the prophet Samuel?

According to Catholicism at the Upper Room, did the Apostles follow the tradition of laying of hands and pouring of oil like the prophet Samuel?

The short answer is possibly, but there is no historical evidence that this occurred in the *Upper Room** to substantiate such a notion. One could possibly believe this happened either by deduction or though the vision of various mystics, but not on historical grounds.

As Nigel has already stated, there is no evidence of this ever occurred:

There is no evidence whatsoever in scripture that anyone on earth anointed anyone else on earth in the upper room.

Once again, it is also known that not all the actions, deeds or words that Jesus pronounced are recorded in the Gospels:

This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. - John 21: 24-25

Before continuing let us be sure what is the Upper Room:

Cenacle, also known as the "Upper Room" was the first Christian church. It is a room in the David's Tomb Compound in Jerusalem, and was traditionally held to be the site of the Last Supper.

The language in Acts suggests that the apostles used the room as a temporary residence (Koine Greek: οὗ ἦσαν καταμένοντες, hou ēsan katamenontes), although the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary disagrees, preferring to see the room as a place where they were "not lodged, but had for their place of rendezvous".

In Christian tradition, the room was not only the site of the Last Supper (i.e. the Cenacle), but the room in which the Holy Spirit alighted upon the eleven apostles after Easter. It is sometimes thought to be the place where the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.

If there was an anointing in the Upper Room , it would have been done at the Last Supper by Jesus who is our Eternal Priest and not his mother. To say that the Mother of Jesus anointed the Holy Apostles implies that she had the episcopal dignity which is in direct contradiction to what the Church teaches about women and the priesthood. There is no such tradition of any anointing at all for the day of Pentecost!

Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church's divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful. - Ordinatio Sacerdotolis

Furthermore Blessed Catherine Emmerich tells us in her revelations that Jesus did anoint the Apostles on the night of the Last Supper (This is of coarse not historical evidence.):

Then He instructed them upon the priesthood, the sacred unction, and the preparation of the Chrism and the Holy Oils. Three boxes, two with a mixture of balsam and oil, also some raw cotton, stood near the chalice case. They were so formed as to admit being placed one on the other. Jesus taught many secret things concerning them: how to mix the oint­ment, what parts of the body to anoint, and upon what occasions. I remember among other things Jesus' mentioning a certain case in which the Blessed Sacrament could not be administered. Perhaps it was something bearing reference to Extreme Unc­tion, though I do not now know clearly. He spoke of different kinds of anointing, among them that of kings. He said that even wicked kings who were anointed, possessed a certain interior and mysteri­ous power that was wanting to others. Then Jesus put some of the viscous ointment and oil into the empty box and mixed them together, but I cannot say whether it was at this moment or at the conse­cration of the bread and wine that the Lord blessed the oil.

After that I saw Jesus anointing Peter and John, on whose hands, at the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, He had poured the water that had flowed over His own, and who had drunk from the chalice in His hand.

From the center of the table, where He was stand­ing, Jesus stepped a little to one side and imposed hands upon Peter and John, first on their shoulders and then on their head. During this action, they joined their hands and crossed their thumbs. As they bowed low before Him (and I am not sure that they did not kneel) the Lord anointed the thumb and forefinger of each of their hands with Chrism, and made the Sign of the Cross with it on their head.

He told them that this anointing would remain with them to the end of the world. James the Less, Andrew, James the Greater, and Bartholomew, were likewise consecrated. I saw too that the Lord twisted cross­wise over Peter's breast the narrow scarf that he wore around his neck, but that on the others He drew it across the breast over the right shoulder and under the left arm. Still I do not remember clearly whether this took place at the institution of the Blessed Sacrament, or not till the anointing.

Then I saw—but how, I cannot say—that Jesus at this anointing communicated to the Apostles something essential, something supernatural. He told them also that after they should have received the Holy Ghost they were to consecrate bread and wine for the first time, and anoint the other Apostles. At these words of Jesus, I saw at a glance Peter and John, on the day of Pentecost and before the great Baptism, imposing hands upon the other Apostles, and eight days later upon several of the disciples. I saw also that John, after the Resurrection, gave the Most Blessed Sacrament to the Blessed Virgin for the first time. This event used to be commemo­rated by the Apostles as a feast. The Church no longer keeps it, but in the Church Triumphant I see the day still celebrated. In the first days after Pen­tecost, I saw only Peter and John consecrating the Most Blessed Sacrament; but later the others also consecrated.

It is obvious that the Apostles anointed members of the faithful.

As St. James says, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord" (James 5:14-15). The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick confers a special grace of the Holy Spirit on Christians who are suffering from serious illness, and not exclusively on the faithful who are at the point of death (CCC: 1514). ​ - Anointing of the Sick

According to Catholicism at the Upper Room, did the Apostles follow the tradition of laying of hands and pouring of oil like the prophet Samuel?

After Pentecost; Apostolic Times

The laying of hands was practice by the Apostles but the "anointing of oils was mysteriously not mentioned.

Laying on of Hands Associated with the Coming of the Holy Spirit

Acts 8:17-20 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

Acts 9:17 So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Acts 13:2-4 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for meBarnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu'cia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them;

1 Timothy 4:14 (?) Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you.

2 Timothy 1:6 (?) Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;

Note : The "laying of hands" was explicitly stated during Apostolic times although the anointing of Holy Chrism or oils was not yet mentioned.

Read more: https://www.catholicfidelity.com/biblical-evidence-for-the-sacrament-of-confirmation-by-dave-armstrong

Did the early Church Father's practice "laying of hands" and "anointing" of oils.

The answer is YES!.

Confirmation and the Early Church Fathers The sacrament of confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14–17, 9:17, 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit.

Notice how in this passage we are walked through the successive stages of the Christian journey—repentance, faith, baptism, confirmation, resurrection, and judgment. This passage encapsulates the Christian’s journey toward heaven and gives what theologians call the order of salvation or the ordo salutis. It well qualifies as "the elementary teachings" of the Christian faith.

The laying on of hands mentioned in the passage must be confirmation: The other kinds of the imposition of hands (for ordination and for healing) are not done to each and every Christian and scarcely qualify as part of the order of salvation.

Theophilus of Antioch

"Are you unwilling to be anointed with the oil of God? It is on this account that we are called Christians: because we are anointed with the oil of God" (To Autolycus 1:12 [A.D. 181]).

Tertullian

"After coming from the place of washing we are thoroughly anointed with a blessed unction, from the ancient discipline by which [those] in the priesthood . . . were accustomed to be anointed with a horn of oil, ever since Aaron was anointed by Moses. . . . So also with us, the unction runs on the body and profits us spiritually, in the same way that baptism itself is a corporal act by which we are plunged in water, while its effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from sins. After this, the hand is imposed for a blessing, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit" (Baptism 7:1–2, 8:1 [A.D. 203]).

"No soul whatever is able to obtain salvation unless it has believed while it was in the flesh. Indeed, the flesh is the hinge of salvation. . . . The flesh, then, is washed [baptism] so that the soul may be made clean. The flesh is anointed so that the soul may be dedicated to holiness. The flesh is signed so that the soul may be fortified. The flesh is shaded by the imposition of hands [confirmation] so that the soul may be illuminated by the Spirit. The flesh feeds on the body and blood of Christ [the Eucharist] so that the soul too may feed on God. They cannot, then, be separated in their reward, when they are united in their works" (The Resurrection of the Dead 8:2–3 [A.D. 210]).

Hippolytus

"The bishop, imposing his hand on them, shall make an invocation, saying, ‘O Lord God, who made them worthy of the remission of sins through the Holy Spirit’s washing unto rebirth, send into them your grace so that they may serve you according to your will, for there is glory to you, to the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit, in the holy Church, both now and through the ages of ages. Amen.’ Then, pouring the consecrated oil into his hand and imposing it on the head of the baptized, he shall say, ‘I anoint you with holy oil in the Lord, the Father Almighty, and Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit.’ Signing them on the forehead, he shall kiss them and say, ‘The Lord be with you.’ He that has been signed shall say, ‘And with your spirit.’ Thus shall he do to each" (The Apostolic Tradition 21–22 [A.D. 215]).

Cyprian of Carthage

"It is necessary for him that has been baptized also to be anointed, so that by his having received chrism, that is, the anointing, he can be the anointed of God and have in him the grace of Christ" (Letters 7:2 [A.D. 253]).

"Some say in regard to those who were baptized in Samaria that when the apostles Peter and John came there "only hands were imposed on them" so that they might receive the Holy Spirit, and that they were not re-baptized. But we see, dearest brother, that this situation in no way pertains to the present case. Those in Samaria who had believed had believed in the true faith, and it was by the deacon Philip, whom those same apostles had sent there, that they had been baptized inside—in the Church. . . . Since, then, they had already received a legitimate and ecclesiastical baptism, it was not necessary to baptize them again. Rather, that only which was lacking was done by Peter and John. The prayer having been made over them and hands having been imposed upon them, the Holy Spirit was invoked and was poured out upon them. This is even now the practice among us, so that those who are baptized in the Church then are brought to the prelates of the Church; through our prayer and the imposition of hands, they receive the Holy Spirit and are perfected with the seal of the Lord" (ibid., 73[72]:9).

Treatise on Re-Baptism

"[I]t has been asked among the brethren what course ought specially to be adopted towards the persons of those who . . . baptized in heresy . . . and subsequently departing from their heresy, and fleeing as supplicants to the Church of God, should repent with their whole hearts, and only now perceiving the condemnation of their error, implore from the Church the help of salvation. . . . [A]ccording to the most ancient custom and ecclesiastical tradition, it would suffice, after that baptism which they have received outside the Church . . . that only hands should be laid upon them by the bishop for their reception of the Holy Spirit, and this imposition of hands would afford them the renewed and perfected seal of faith" (Treatise on Re-Baptism 1 [A.D. 256]).

"[B]y imposition of the bishop’s hands the Holy Spirit is given to every one that believes, as in the case of the Samaritans, after Philip’s baptism, the apostles did to them by laying on of hands [Acts 8:14–17]; in this manner also they conferred on them the Holy Spirit" (ibid., 3).

Cyril of Jerusalem

"After you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, there was given chrism, the antitype of that with which Christ was anointed, and this is the Holy Spirit. But beware of supposing that this is ordinary ointment. For just as the bread of the Eucharist after the invocation of the Holy Spirit is simple bread no longer, but the body of Christ, so also this ointment is no longer plain ointment, nor, so to speak, common, after the invocation. Further, it is the gracious gift of Christ, and it is made fit for the imparting of his Godhead by the coming of the Holy Spirit. This ointment is symbolically applied to your forehead and to your other senses; while your body is anointed with the visible ointment, your soul is sanctified by the holy and life-giving Spirit. Just as Christ, after his baptism, and the coming upon him of the Holy Spirit, went forth and defeated the adversary, so also with you after holy baptism and the mystical chrism, having put on the panoply of the Holy Spirit, you are to withstand the power of the adversary and defeat him, saying, ‘I am able to do all things in Christ, who strengthens me’" (Catechetical Lectures, 21:1, 3–4 [A.D. 350]).

"[David says,] ‘You have anointed my head with oil.’ With oil he anointed your head, your forehead, in the God-given sign of the cross, so that you may become that which is engraved on the seal, ‘a holy thing of the Lord’" (ibid., 22:7).

Serapion

"[Prayer for blessing the holy chrism:] ‘God of powers, aid of every soul that turns to you and comes under your powerful hand in your only-begotten. We beseech you, that through your divine and invisible power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you may effect in this chrism a divine and heavenly operation, so that those baptized and anointed in the tracing with it of the sign of the saving cross of the only-begotten . . . as if reborn and renewed through the bath of regeneration, may be made participants in the gift of the Holy Spirit and, confirmed by this seal, may remain firm and immovable, unharmed and inviolate. . . .’" (The Sacramentary of Serapion 25:1 [A.D. 350]).

Council of Laodicea

"[T]hose who have been illuminated are, after baptism, to be anointed with celestial chrism and thus become partakers in the kingdom of Christ" (Canon 48 [A.D. 360]).

Pacian of Barcelona

"If, then, the power of both baptism and confirmation, greater by far than charisms, is passed on to the bishops, so too is the right of binding and loosing" (Three Letters to the Novatianist Sympronian 1:6 [A.D. 383]).

The Apostolic Constitutions

"[H]ow dare any man speak against his bishop, by whom the Lord gave the Holy Spirit among you upon the laying on of his hands, by whom you have learned the sacred doctrines, and have known God, and have believed in Christ, by whom you were known of God, by whom you were sealed with the oil of gladness and the ointment of understanding, by whom you were declared to be the children of light, by whom the Lord in your illumination testified by the imposition of the bishop’s hands" (Apostolic Constitutions 2:4:32 [A.D. 400]).

The African Code

"[T]he former council . . . decreed, as your unanimity remembers as well as I do, that those who as children were baptized by the Donatists, and not yet being able to know the pernicious character of their error, and afterward when they had come to the use of reason, had received the knowledge of the truth, abhorred their former error, and were received in accordance with the ancient order by the imposition of the hand, into the Catholic Church of God spread throughout the world" (Canon 57[61] [A.D. 419]).

https://www.catholicfidelity.com/confirmation-and-the-early-church-fathers-by-catholic-answers

We can see that the Early Church Fathers mentioned "ancient ecclesial traditions & Apostolic Traditions" is their guide in "anointing with oil" and "laying of hands". If the Apostles did not pass on this Tradition it would mean that the Early Church Fathers just invented this confirmation rites and they are teaching man made "anointing" on the common priesthood and ministerial priesthood.

How about the anointing with oil or Holy Chrism? Where can we find it biblically?

The "anointing of oil" can be found in the passages from the Old Testament.

Anointing With Oil For a Sacred Purpose or to Receive the Holy Spirit

Exodus 28:41 And you shall put them upon Aaron your brother, and upon his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.

Leviticus 16:32 And the priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father's place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments;

1 Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said, "Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince over his people Israel?

1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward.

Did the Apostles abandoned the "anointing of oils"? and just did the "laying of hands" as can be seen from the numerous passages in the Book of Acts?

Using the vision of Blessed Emmerich, let's check:

Then He instructed them upon the priesthood, the sacred unction, and the preparation of the Chrism and the Holy Oils....

From the center of the table, where He was stand­ing, Jesus stepped a little to one side and imposed hands upon Peter and John, first on their shoulders and then on their head. During this action, they joined their hands and crossed their thumbs. As they bowed low before Him (and I am not sure that they did not kneel) the Lord anointed the thumb and forefinger of each of their hands with Chrism, and made the Sign of the Cross with it on their head.

He told them that this anointing would remain with them to the end of the world. James the Less, Andrew, James the Greater, and Bartholomew, were likewise consecrated....

Then I saw—but how, I cannot say—that Jesus at this anointing communicated to the Apostles something essential, something supernatural. He told them also that after they should have received the Holy Ghost they were to consecrate bread and wine for the first time, and anoint the other Apostles. At these words of Jesus, I saw at a glance Peter and John, on the day of Pentecost and before the great Baptism, imposing hands upon the other Apostles, and eight days later upon several of the disciples. I saw also that John, after the Resurrection, gave the Most Blessed Sacrament to the Blessed Virgin for the first time. This event used to be commemo­rated by the Apostles as a feast. The Church no longer keeps it, but in the Church Triumphant I see the day still celebrated. In the first days after Pen­tecost, I saw only Peter and John consecrating the Most Blessed Sacrament; but later the others also consecrated.

So, the vision of Blessed Emmerich implied that Jesus Christ is the one who commanded the Apostles to "anoint using consecrated oils or holy chrism" as a visible mark.

Now, since this happened not in the Upper Room, so the Apostles had not yet received the seal of confirmation by the outpouring of the graces coming from the Holy Spirit. Remember, Jesus instructed the Apostles to prepare holy oils?

Let's go to the Upper Room, how many people were present in the Upper Room?

Did the Apostles follow the commandment of Jesus in "anointing the baptized with oils or holy chrism present in the Upper Room?

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[c] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts1:12)

The question is, did the Apostles Peter & John whom Jesus commanded to "anoint with oil" used it on Matthias as the one who will replace Judas the Apostle in the Upper Room?

If the answer is "no laying of hands" and "no anointing of oils" happened in the Upper Room especially to Matthias then the Peter and John did not follow the commandment of Jesus based on the vision of Blessed Emmerich.

Not to mention that there are also 120 people in the Upper Room maybe outside.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,[d] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” (Acts1:15)

Did Peter and John and the rest of the Apostles "anoint them with oils" and "lay hands" on the 120 people?

Conclusion

If we are saying that the Apostles no longer followed the Jewish Traditions practiced by prophet Samuel in anointing Saul and David and after knowing the revelation of Blessed Emmerich that Jesus is the one who commanded the Apostles of this confirmation rites and Jesus uses this rite to anoint the Apostles, are we saying that the Church Fathers and the Catholic Church for 2000 years practices the Confirmation Rite of the common priesthood and the ministerial priesthood not in accordance with Apostolic Traditions?

Final Answer

According to Catholicism at the Upper Room, did the Apostles follow the tradition of laying of hands and pouring of oil like the prophet Samuel?

The answer is YES, based on Blessed Emmerich visions, based on the numerous passages in the acts although the "anointing of oils" was not mentioned, and based on the numerous Church Fathers teachings, Apostolic Tradition and Canon of the Church.

Additional Reference on the Confirmation Rites on the common priesthood and ministerial priesthood can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church;

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a2.htm http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a6.htm

Note : I gave this answer when the question first appeared as a general question. After my answer, the tag 'catholicicsm' was added to the question.

There is no evidence whatsoever in scripture that anyone on earth anointed anyone else on earth in the upper room.

Jesus promised that :

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. [Acts 1:8, KJV.]

And this was evidently fulfilled, shortly thereafter :

Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

The result of this was a public demonstration :

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

To suggest that all of this did not happen and to suggest that what really happened was that someone on earth laid hands (and oil) on someone else is not only supposition and superstition, it is a denial of what Jesus promised and a denial of what God, the Holy Spirit, actually performed.

Anointing with oil is similar to the sacrifices : it is a figure of that which is to come. Once the reality is come (in Jesus Christ) the sacrifices ceased.

And once the Holy Spirit is come (to all who believe the gospel) then no longer is the sign of oil anointing necessary. The reality is now come :

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:4, KJV.]

Post-Comment Edit :

The laying on of hands in Acts 8:14-16 documents an occasion in which Apostles, already, themselves, endued with the presence of the Holy Spirit, laid on hands (at the request of the Samaritans) on persons who had received the word.

Just as the incident at Pentecost was significant to Israel, so also was this incident significant to Samaria. It is not to be expected that such significant incidents would be repetitive.

No 'anointing with oil' is mentioned in connection with Samaria.

One further significant incident is mentioned in regard to the initial preaching of the gospel to Gentiles. Again, no anointing with oil is mentioned.

It should be noted that James speaks to the Diaspora (James 5:14 anointing the sick with oil) and thus he speaks to Jews at least primarily and, arguably, exclusively, during the transition period of the gospel going out to all the nations.