Lay On Hands

When we gently lay a hand on the head of our child or on the shoulder of our spouse, this gesture communicates love and affection through touch. That same gesture carried a variety of connotations in the biblical world, depending on the social setting and the participants involved.

In the religious world, this gesture was most often associated with ritual animal sacrifice. When God’s people brought a bull or another animal from the flock to offer in connection with the burnt, sin, or fellowship offerings, the worshipers placed their hands on the head of the animal before its life was taken (Exod. 29:10, 15; Lev. 1:4; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:4, 15, 24, 29, 33; 8:14, 18, 22). This highly personal gesture built a bridge between the worshiper and the sacrifice, marking the animal as belonging to the worshiper or as the substitute for the one who laid the hand on the animal.[129] In a similar way, the Levites were separated from the people as religious leaders when the Israelites laid their hands on them (Num. 8:10). While the Levites were not slaughtered in connection with a ritual sacrifice as the animals were, they became substitutes commissioned for divine service in place of the firstborn male child of every Israelite woman (Num. 8:16–18). There was only one instance when this gesture was formally linked to the transfer of sin guilt; that occurred on the Day of Atonement. Two goats were selected and one was sacrificed as a sin offering in the usual way. But the other, the scapegoat, was designated to carry the sins of the people away into the desert (Lev. 16:10). Before this goat was led away, the sins of the people were symbolically transferred to the animal as the high priest laid his hands on the head of the scapegoat and confessed the sins of the people (Lev. 16:20–22).

When Peter and John placed their hands on the people living in Samaria, the people received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17).

The biblical authors also mentioned this gesture in connection with the designation of leaders. Moses was directed to lay his hands on Joshua and commission him as his successor (Num. 27:18, 23; Deut. 34:9). In the early Christian church, the apostles laid their hands on new leaders in the church such as Stephen, Barnabas, Paul, and Timothy (Acts 6:5–6; 13:2–3; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22).

The same gesture used in connection with sacrifice and commissioning was also employed during miraculous healings, whether physical or spiritual. Naaman, the Gentile general, expected Elisha to come out of his house and wave his hand over the spot where he had leprosy (2 Kings 5:11). A similar gesture accompanied magical healing in Hellenistic religions.[130] But when Jesus put his hands on those who were sick, disabled, or unable to hear or see, it was the touch of God himself, and the power of God flowed into their lives and made them whole again (Mark 5:23; 6:5; 7:32; 8:23–25; Luke 4:40; 13:13). This gesture was also linked to the imparting of the Holy Spirit, marking the spiritual healing that had come into their lives (Acts 8:17–19; 19:6; 2 Tim. 1:6).

Israelites built a bridge between themselves and the sacrificial animal they were offering by placing their hands on the animal’s head.

Ironically, this gesture that had such positive connotations was also deployed as a symbol of violent acts against a person. This connotation may stem, in part, from its association with the execution of a blasphemer. The penalty for blasphemy was death by stoning. All those who heard the individual commit the crime had to “lay their hands on his head,” and the entire assembly participated in the execution (Lev. 24:14). This gesture also symbolized other violent actions as one person harmed another (Gen. 22:12; Josh. 2:19; Job 30:24; Luke 22:53; John 7:30, 44). Less frequently but just as powerfully, this symbolic language was used to describe the manner in which the Lord would bring judgment on a nation that opposed the advance of his kingdom plan (Exod. 7:4; Ezek. 39:21).

The book of 1 Samuel makes interesting and noteworthy use of this image; it becomes another tool used by the biblical author to advance the case for David’s accession to the throne of Israel in place of Saul. Jonathan, the son of Saul, introduced the image by offering David this reassuring encouragement: “ ‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said. ‘My father Saul will not lay a hand on you’ ” (1 Sam. 23:17). Nothing could be further from the truth. Saul relentlessly pursued David, doing all he could to violently lay his hands on the one perceived to be the competitor for his throne. Ironically, it was David who frequently had the chance to harm Saul; yet over and over again David refused to “lay a hand on” the divinely anointed king (1 Sam. 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 23). Saul is diminished in the reader’s eyes as he repeatedly attempted to lay hands on David in a violent manner, contrary to the expectation expressed by Jonathan. And David is elevated in our eyes as he repeatedly passed up the opportunity to lay his hands on Saul, even when it appeared to be the way in which the Lord had offered a clear path to assuming leadership of God’s people.[131]