Aromatic Medicines in the Bible
Thursday, June 25th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Humankind has valued aromatic oils for their healing qualities since the dawn of civilization. These dense, rare substances have been a critical part of medicine and spiritual worship in many cultures across the world. Because creating essential oils necessitates having a large amount of plant material, the final product has always been extremely valuable. In no other body of work is this more visible than in the Old and New Testaments. In the Bible, aromatic oils signified devotion, wealth, medicine and humility. Whether looking at the use of cinnamon to anoint sacred objects used in worship, to the three kings offering Jesus gifts of frankincense and myrrh, oils have had a special niche in Jewish and Christian cultures for centuries.
Steam distilling essential oils is a modern process that necessitates sophisticated technology and access to large amounts of water, two things that were unavailable in Biblical times in the Middle East. The oils we read about in the Bible were probably herbal infusions, where an aromatic plant is soaked for a long time in a more abundant oil, such as olive oil. While the exact substances may differ between what we use today and what was available 2,000 years ago, these oils still held the same cultural importance we attribute to medicinal oils. Spikenard, cassia and the other herbs mentioned in the texts were valued because of their inherent healing qualities and because they were hard to find. No matter how these oils were created, obtaining essential oils was not an easy endeavor.
The Bible lists approximately one dozen oil-creating plants by name, including aloes (also known as sandalwood), cinnamon, cedarwood, cypress, frankincense, galbanum, juniper (broom tree), hyssop, myrrh, myrtle and spikenard. It is not clear whether these plants were all used as aromatic oils during Biblical times, or whether they were used in their raw herbal form, yet a strong tradition of using these plants for healing and anointing is apparent in the many references found in the Old and New Testaments. Different resources list various numbers of Bible passages related to using these plants, and there are many opinions on whether all of the plants mentioned are the same plants we know them as today. Regardless of the wide range of opinions on the exact historical uses of these plants, it is important to note that these oils continue to be highly valued in modern aromatherapy and herbal healing, even in light of modern science.
The plants found in the Bible thrive in a dry, desert climate with limited rainfall. This sparse landscape has provided some of our most revered essential oils. The essential oils of the Old and New Testaments are derived from a number of plants, ranging from barks to flowers and berries. Cinnamon, also known as cassia, is a pungent-smelling tree bark that rolls on itself when it is desiccated. Other trees, like cedar, juniper, cypress and aloes (sandalwood), were used for wood as well as healing and religious ritual. Another beloved aromatherapy plant that grew well in the Mediterranean was myrtle, a flowering shrub. The resins - galbanum, myrrh and frankincense- also came from trees. The sticky masses were included in incense and frequently lit directly for use in rituals. These valuable substances were prized for their heavy aromas and their ability to keep for many years. Just like in Biblical times, frankincense and myrrh are still employed in instances when heightened states of spiritual awareness are desired. At last, spikenard, sometimes seen as nard, is an herb found in Asia. Treasured for its unique scent, spikenard was brought to the Mediterranean and used in perfumery.
The Old Testament contains the most references to healing plants. One of the first of these plants to be mentioned in the Bible is cinnamon. In Exodus 30:23-29, God instructs Moses to create an anointing oil made from myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, cane and olive oil. He advises Moses to place the oil on all the implements used for worship in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, the portable alter created for worship during the Israelites’ 40-year journey in the desert. Through being anointed, the objects became transmuted into sacred vessels. The act of anointing objects and people with precious oils is carried throughout the Old Testament and can be found in the New Testament as well.
Jesus’s life history has a number of instances when essential oils were conferred on him as acts of faith and appreciation. The book of Matthew tells of the kings from the East that came to offer Jesus gifts at his birth, notably frankincense and myrrh. As we already learned, these two resins are often used in modern times to assist in spiritual work. Jesus also received gifts of spikenard from two women. The first woman cracked a jar of spikenard and poured it above Jesus’s head. The second gift-giver, Mary Magdalene, used her life savings of the same plant oil to anoint his feet. Using her hair, she then massaged the oil into his skin. These acts of faith and gratitude were seen as humble sacrifices as spikenard was a particularly expensive oil to obtain.
Biblical oils are now common features of the modern aromatherapy bouquet, helping us to heal, meditate and offer gifts in worship. Some of the oils, like myrrh and frankincense, have been used together for centuries. Our love and respect for these oils owe much to the early Jews and Christians, and Biblical references to these powerful plants continue to intrigue modern audiences. Aroma medicine as we know it today is a somewhat modern aspect of natural healing, yet the substances employed are as old as humankind. If we take the time to learn how these oils were used in centuries past, an illuminating connection can be made between plant medicine, human civilization and religious practice.
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