Anointing is choosing someone for a special role or purpose. In the Bible, this often involved putting oil on the person, but it also meant being filled with God's Spirit for a special task.
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is shown as having three important roles:
Prophet (someone who speaks for God)
Priest (someone who helps people connect with God)
King (a ruler who leads people)
Jesus is God’s Anointed One. “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew word meaning “anointed one.” “Christ” comes from the Greek word meaning “anointed one.”
The true anointing of Messiah is spiritual (Psalms 2:2; Daniel 9:25–26). It is an anointing by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:1, 18–19). Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Anointed One or Messiah of Old Testament prophecy. This was confirmed by his anointing by the Holy Spirit and by the miracles that followed (John 1:32–51; Luke 4:33–37). Like Jesus, Christians also are said to be anointed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps them understand their faith and to live lives that please God (2 Corinthians 1:21–22; 1 John 2:20, 27).