Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

“This is the way, dear friends, in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our offerings, the protector and helper of our weakness. Through him we fix our gaze on the heights of heaven. In him we see mirrored God's pure and transcendent face. Through him the eyes of our hearts have been opened. Through him our foolish and darkened understanding springs up to the light. Through him the Master has willed that we should taste immortal knowledge. For, since "he reflects the glory of God," "he is as much superior to the angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs." For thus it is written: "He makes his angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of his Son this is what the Master said: "You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." And again he says to him, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." Who are meant by "enemies"? Those who are wicked and resist his will.”

“It was not only those that were honored with the high priesthood and anointed for the sake of the symbol with prepared oil who were given tribute among the Hebrews with the name Christ. The kings too, at the bidding of God, were made Christs in a certain symbolism by the prophets who anointed them, inasmuch as they also bore in themselves the types of the royal and sovereign power of the only true Christ, the divine Logos who reigns over all. We have also received the tradition that some of the prophets themselves had by anointing already become Christs in type, seeing that they all refer to the true Christ—the divine and heavenly Logos, of the world the only high priest, of all creation the only king, of the prophets the only archprophet of the Father. The proof of this is that no one of those symbolically anointed of old, whether priests or kings or prophets, obtained such power of the divine virtue as our Savior and Lord, Jesus, the only real Christ, has exhibited. None indeed of them, though renowned in rank and honor for so many generations among their own people, ever gave the name of Christian to their subjects from the symbolic application to themselves of the name of Christ. The honor of worship was not paid to any of them by their subjects, nor did they hold them in such affection after their death as to be ready to die for him whom they honored.For none of the men of those days was there such disturbance of all the nations throughout all the world, since the power of the symbol was incapable of producing such an effect among them as the presence of the reality manifested by our Savior; for he received from none the symbol and types of the high priesthood. Nor did he trace his physical descent from the race of priests; nor was he promoted to a kingdom by the armed force of men; nor did he become a prophet in the same way as those of old; nor did he hold any rank at all or precedence among the Jews. Yet with all these he had been adorned, not in symbols, but in actual reality by the Father. Though he did not obtain the honors of which we have spoken before, he is called Christ more than any of them, and inasmuch as he is himself the only true Christ of God, he filled the whole world with Christians—his truly revered and sacred name. He no longer gave to his initiates types or images but the uncovered virtues themselves and the heavenly life in the actual doctrines of truth, and he has received the chrism—not that which is prepared materially, but the divine anointing itself with the spirit of God, by sharing in the unbegotten divinity of the Father. Again, Isaiah teaches this very point, for in one place he exclaims as if from Christ himself, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind." And not only Isaiah but also David speaks with reference to him and says, "Your divine throne endures for ever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." In this the text calls him God in the first verse, and in the second honors him with the royal scepter, and then goes on, after royal and divine power, to present him in the third place as having become Christ, anointed not with oil made of material substances but with the divine "oil of gladness." And in addition to this he indicates his peculiar distinction and superiority to those who in the past had been more materially anointed as types. And in another place too the same David explains his position as follows: "The Lord says to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.' " And "before the day-star I begot you from the womb. The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Now this Melchizedek is introduced in the sacred books as priest of the most high God, without having been so marked out by any material unction, or even as belonging by racial descent to the priesthood of the Hebrews. For this reason our Savior has been called Christ and priest, on the authority of an oath, according to this order and not according to that of the others who received symbols and types. For this reason too the narrative does not relate that he was anointed physically by the Jews or even that he was of the tribe of those who hold the priesthood, but that he received his being from God himself before the day-star, that is to say, before the construction of the world, and holds his priesthood to boundless eternity, ageless and immortal. A weighty and clear proof of the immaterial and divine anointing effected on him is that he alone, out of all who have ever yet been until now, is called Christ among all men throughout the whole world. Under this title he is confessed and borne witness to by all and is mentioned thus by Jews, Greeks, and barbarians. Until this present day he is honored by his worshipers throughout the world as king, wondered at more than a prophet, and glorified as the true and only high priest of God, and above all, as the Logos of God, preexistent, having his being before all ages and having received the right of reverence from the Father, and he is worshiped as God. Strangest of all, we, who have been consecrated to him, honor him not only with our voices and with the sound of words but with the whole disposition of our soul, so as to value testimony to him more than our very life itself.”

“Then again with respect to the flesh "Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee." What is, "Thy God"? Why, after that he hath uttered a great word, he again qualifieth it. Here he hits both Jews, and the followers of Paul of Samosata, and the Arians, and Marcellus, and Sabellius, and Marcion. How? The Jews, by his indicating two Persons, both God and Man; the other Jews, I mean the followers of Paul of Samosata, by thus discoursing concerning His eternal existence, and uncreated essence: for by way of distinction, against the word, "He made," he put, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Against the Arians there is both this same again, and also that He is not a slave; but if a creature, He is a slave. And against Marcellus and the others, that these are two Persons, distinguished in reference to their subsistence. And against the Marcionites, that the Godhead is not anointed, but the Manhood. Next he saith, "Above Thy fellows." But who are these His "fellows" other than men? that is Christ received "not the Spirit by measure." Seest thou how with the doctrine concerning His uncreated nature he always joins also that of the "Economy"? what can be clearer than this?”

“It is when the Word was made flesh that we say he received the name of Christ Jesus. Since he was anointed with the oil of gladness—that is to say, anointed with the Spirit by God the Father—he is called Christ, or Anointed. That the anointing was of the humanity no right-minded person would doubt. And the renowned Athanasius says to this effect, somewhere in his discourse, on the saving coming of Christ, "God (the Word), as existing before coming to dwell in the flesh, was not man but God with God, being invisible and impassible. But when he became man, he took the name Christ, because the passion and death are consequent upon this name."38Now, even though sacred Scripture does say, "Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness," one must know that sacred Scripture frequently uses the past tense for the future. [It says,] for example, "Afterwards, he appeared upon earth and lived among men," for God had not yet been seen by humanity nor had conversed with them when this was said. And again, "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept," for these things had not yet taken place.”

“Above the Apostle proved by authority that the Angels are ministers; here he proves this by an argument taken from the side of Christ himself. Hence he intends here to prove the kingly dignity of Christ; and here he does two things. First he commends the kingly dignity of Christ himself; second he shows his fitness for that dignity, at the place: therefore God has anointed you. Concerning the first he does three things: first he commends the kingly authority of Christ; second, the equity of his rule, at: a rod of equity; third, the goodness of his rule, at: you have loved justice. He says therefore: but to the Son he says, your throne, etc. And these are the words of God the Father speaking through the tongue of the prophet, as through the pen of a scribe. He says therefore: O God, O son, your throne, etc. In this royal majesty is denoted. For a throne is the seat of a king, but a chair is that of a teacher, and a tribunal is the seat of a judge. All of which befit Christ, because he himself is our king: Luke 1:32: he will reign in the house of Jacob; and therefore a throne befits him. Ps. 88:30: his throne is like the sun. He himself is teacher, John 3:2: we know that you have come from God as teacher; therefore a chair befits him. He himself is our judge, Is. 33:22: the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver; and therefore a tribunal is fitting for him. 2 Cor. 5:10: we must all be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, etc. Now a throne belongs to Christ according to the divine nature, inasmuch as he is God, Ps. 46:8: God is king of all the earth; but according as he is man, it belongs to him from the merit of his passion, victory, and resurrection. Apoc. 3:21: to him who conquers I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I have conquered and sat down on my Father's throne with him. This throne is everlasting. Luke 1:33: and of his kingdom there will be no end. Dan. 7:14: his power is an everlasting power, which will not be taken away. Now it is clear that that kingdom is eternal, both inasmuch as it belongs to him from nature, because he is God. Ps. 144:13: your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages. Likewise, inasmuch as it belongs to him as man, and this for a twofold reason. One, because that kingdom is not ordered to temporal things, but to eternal ones. John 18:36: my kingdom is not of this world. For he reigns to this end, that he may direct men to eternal life. But it is not so with the kingdom of men; hence their kingdom ends with the present life. The other reason is that the Church, which is his kingdom, endures until the end of the world, and then Christ will hand over the kingdom to God and the Father, to be consummated and perfected. Next he commends his kingdom from equity, when he says: a rod of equity, etc. Now the kingdom is fittingly described by a rod. For tyrannical rule differs from the rule of a king, because tyrannical rule is for its own advantage with the oppression of subjects; but the rule of a king is principally ordered to the advantage of subjects. And therefore a king is a father and a shepherd. For a shepherd does not correct with a sword, but with a rod. Ps. 88:33: I will visit their iniquities with a rod. Likewise a shepherd uses a rod in directing the flock. Micah 7:14: feed your people with your rod. A rod also sustains the weak. Ps. 22:4: your rod and your staff, they have comforted me. Likewise a rod troubles enemies. Num. 24:17: a rod will arise out of Israel, and will strike the leaders of Moab. But this is a rod of equity. Is. 11:4: he will reprove in equity for the meek of the earth. But it must be known that sometimes someone rules by the rigor of law, as when he keeps those things which are just in themselves. But it happens that something is just in itself, which nevertheless, when compared to something, brings about detriment if it is kept; and therefore it is necessary that the common law be applied to this, and if this is done, then it is a rule of equity. The kingdom of the Old Testament was according to the rigor of justice. Acts 15:10: a burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. But the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of equity and justice, because in it nothing is imposed except a gentle observance. Matt. 11:30: for my yoke is sweet and my burden is light. And Ps. 95:13: he will judge the world in equity. Next, when he says you have loved, etc., he commends the goodness of the ruler. For some keep equity, yet not on account of love of justice, but rather on account of fear, or glory, or dread, and such rule does not last. But this one keeps equity on account of love of justice. He says therefore, you have loved justice, as if to say: that the rod is equitable and straight, this is because you have loved justice. Wisdom 1:1: love justice, you who judge the earth. But he is not just who does not love justice. Matt. 5:6: blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice. But some indeed love justice, but are remiss in the correction of iniquity; but Christ hates, that is, reproves iniquity. Ps. 118:113: I have hated the iniquitous. Wisdom 14:9: likewise the impious man and his impiety are hateful to God. Ecclus. 12:3: the Most High hates sinners, and has had mercy on those who repent. And therefore he says: and you have hated iniquity. Then, when he says therefore God has anointed you, he shows Christ's fitness for carrying out and governing, where there is a difficulty concerning what he says, "therefore," etc. In these words there is treated the spiritual anointing, because Christ is filled with the Holy Spirit. For was he filled for this reason, because he loved justice? Then he merited grace, which is against that saying of Rom. 11:6: if by works, then it is no longer of grace; and this is the common difficulty. But specifically to the point, because Christ in his very conception was full of the Holy Spirit, John 1:14: full of grace and truth; therefore he did not merit it. I respond. Here the error of Origen must be guarded against. For he held that all spiritual creatures, even the soul of Christ, were created from the beginning, and according as they adhered more or less to God, or turned away from him through the freedom of their will, a distinction was made between angels and even souls. Hence in the Periarchon he says that the soul of Christ, because it adhered more vehemently to God, by loving justice and hating iniquity, merited a greater fullness of grace before all spiritual substances. But this is heretical to say, namely that any soul whatsoever, or even the soul of Christ, was created before the body — which also has a special reason in the case of Christ, because in the first instant the soul was created together with the forming of the body, and the whole was assumed by the Son of God. What then does he mean by "therefore"? One Gloss seems to hold with Origen. But if we wish to save it, we shall say that in Scripture something is said to happen when it becomes known; as when it is said, Phil. 2:8: he became obedient, etc., for which reason God also exalted him, and gave him a name, etc. Did Christ, by the merit of his passion, merit to be God? By no means: for this is the error of Photinus. It must be said therefore that Christ's being God exceeds all merit, but through his passion he merited that it be made manifest everywhere that he is God, and that God had given him such a name, etc. Thus that which he says here, therefore God has anointed you, etc. — so that the sense is: from the fact that you loved justice, you merited that this become known. Or otherwise, and better, in such a way that the word "therefore" denotes not a meritorious cause, but a final one; as if he were to say: in order that you might have those things — namely the perpetual throne, the rod of equity, etc., which have been mentioned — therefore God has anointed you with oil, namely of sanctification, which the Lord commanded to be done, Ex. 30:24ff: with which the vessels and the priests were anointed, Lev. 8:2 and 9:1f, and the kings, as is clear of David, 1 Kings 16:13, and of Solomon, 3 Kings 1:39; likewise the prophets, as is clear of Elisha, 3 Kings 19:16. But why was this sanctification done by anointing? The reason is literal. For men of the East were anointed for festivity, so that they might not waste away, because they are in a region very hot. The poor also were anointed for festivity. 4 Kings 4:2: your handmaid has nothing except a little oil with which to anoint myself. But in the divine Scripture things are handed down to us according to the manner in which men are accustomed to make use of. Because therefore men were then anointed, either on account of the celebration of a feast, or on account of the eminence of the person, therefore to show the excellence of Christ, he says he was anointed with the oil of exultation. For he himself is king. Is. 32:1: behold, a king will reign in justice. And 35: for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he himself will come and save us. He is also a priest. Ps. 109:4: you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech. He was also a prophet. Deut. 18:15: the Lord will raise up for you a prophet of your own nation and of your brothers, like me. And it befits him to be anointed with the oil of sanctification and exultation. From him, moreover, are the sacraments, which are the vessels of grace. Is. 22:24: I will hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the diverse kinds of vessels, etc. This anointing also befits Christians. For they are kings and priests. 1 Peter 2:9: you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood. Apoc. 5:10: you have made us a kingdom and priests to our God. Likewise he has the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of prophecy. Joel 2:28: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, etc. And therefore all are anointed, with an invisible anointing. 2 Cor. 1:21: now he who confirms us with you in Christ, and who has anointed us, is God, and who has sealed us, and has given, etc. 1 John 2:20: you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. But what comparison is there between Christ anointed and Christians anointed? This, namely that he has it principally and first, but we and others have it poured out from him. Ps. 127: like the ointment upon the head, etc. And he says: above your fellows. John 1:16: of his fullness we have all received. Hence the others are called saints, but he himself is the saint of saints. For he himself is the root of all holiness. But he says with the oil of gladness, or exultation, because from this anointing spiritual gladness proceeds. Rom. 14:17: the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Gal. 5:22: but the fruit of the spirit is charity, peace, joy. Ps. 103:15: that he might gladden the face with oil. Is. 61:3: the oil of joy for mourning, etc. Now that he says "God" twice — God, God — is explained in two ways. In one way, that the nominative case is repeated, so that the sense is: God has anointed you, through himself as God, but us through you, the mediator of God and men, the man Christ. 2 Pet. 1:4: through whom he has granted to us great and precious promises. In another way, because, according to Augustine in the Gloss, one is of the nominative case, the other of the vocative, so that the sense is: O Christ, who are God the Son, God the Father has anointed you, etc. And that it ought to be explained in this way is more evident in the Greek. But since Christ is not anointed according as he is God, because thus it does not befit him to receive the Holy Spirit, but rather to give it to others, the second exposition does not seem to be true. I respond. It must be said that he is the same in person, both God and man, yet he is anointed inasmuch as he is man. And when it is said: O God, etc., both the one anointing is God and man, and the one anointed likewise is God and man, and one with him in person.”

“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity,.... Christ loves righteous persons and righteous works, faithfulness and integrity, and a just administration of government, everything that is holy, just, and good; which has appeared in the whole course of his life on earth, in working out a righteousness for his people, and in encouraging righteousness in them, which he leads them in the way of; and his love of justice will still more appear at the last day, when he will judge the world in righteousness, and give the crown of righteousness to proper persons: and he hates iniquity; or "unrighteousness", as the Alexandrian copy and another read; as being contrary to his nature, both as God and man, and to the righteous law of God; which has appeared by his inveighing against it, and dehorting from it; by his severity exercised towards delinquents; by his suffering for it, and abolishing of it; and by chastising his own people on account of it; and his abhorrence of it will still more appear at the day of judgment, when all workers of iniquity, professors and profane, will be bid to depart from him: therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows: the anointer is the God of Christ; that is, God the Father, who is the God of Christ, as man; and is so called, because he prepared and formed the human nature of Christ, and supported it under all its sufferings, and has glorified it; and as such Christ prayed unto him, believed in him, loved him, and obeyed him: the anointed is the Son of God, the Son spoken to, and is called God in the preceding verse; though he is not anointed as God, but as Mediator, to be prophet, and priest, and King: what he is anointed with is not material oil, but spiritual, the Holy Ghost, as it is explained in Act 10:38 called the oil of gladness, in allusion to the use of oil at feasts and weddings, for the delight and refreshment of the guests; and because of the spiritual effects of joy and gladness, both on Christ, as man, and on his people. Now Christ was anointed as Mediator from all eternity; that is, he was invested with his office as such; and at his conception and birth he was filled with the Holy Ghost; who also descended on him at his baptism, after which he went about doing good, and healing diseases; but here it seems to refer to the time of his ascension, when he was declared to be Lord and Christ, the anointed one; and received gifts for men, the fulness of the Spirit without measure, and with which he was anointed above his "fellows"; by whom are meant, not the angels, nor the kings and princes of the earth; but the saints, who are so called, because they are of the same nature, and are of the same family, and are partakers of the same spirit, and grace; and having received the unction from him, are also kings, priests, and prophets, and will be companions with him to all eternity. Now the reason of his being anointed, or exalted, and made Lord and Christ, is, because he loves righteousness; see Phi 2:7 or rather, because he is anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure, therefore he loves righteousness; for the words may be rendered, "thou lovest righteousness--because God, thy God, hath anointed thee".”

“Thou hast loved righteousness - This is the characteristic of a just governor: he abhors and suppresses iniquity; he countenances and supports righteousness and truth. Therefore God, even thy God - The original, δια τουτο εχρισε σε ὁ Θεος, ὁ Θεος σου, may be thus translated: Therefore, O God, thy God hath anointed thee. The form of speech is nearly the same with that in the preceding verse; but the sense is sufficiently clear if we read, Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee, etc. With the oil of gladness - We have often had occasion to remark that, anciently, kings, priests, and prophets were consecrated to their several offices by anointing; and that this signified the gifts and influences of the Divine Spirit. Christ, ὁ Χριστος, signifies The Anointed One, the same as the Hebrew Messias; and he is here said to be anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. None was ever constituted prophet, priest, and king, but himself; some were kings only, prophets only, and priests only; others were kings and priests, or priests and prophets, or kings and prophets; but none had ever the three offices in his own person but Jesus Christ, and none but himself can be a King over the universe, a Prophet to all intelligent beings, and a Priest to the whole human race. Thus he is infinitely exalted beyond his fellows - all that had ever borne the regal, prophetic, or sacerdotal offices. Some think that the word μετοχους, fellows, refers to believers who are made partakers of the same Spirit, but cannot have its infinite plenitude. The first sense seems the best. Gladness is used to express the festivities which took place on the inauguration of kings, etc.”

“iniquity--"unnrighteousness." Some oldest manuscripts read, "lawlessness." therefore--because God loves righteousness and hates iniquity. God . . . thy God--JEROME, AUGUSTINE, and others translate Psa 45:7, "O God, Thy God, hath anointed thee," whereby Christ is addressed as God. This is probably the true translation of the Hebrew there, and also of the Greek of Hebrews here; for it is likely the Son is addressed, "O God," as in Heb 1:8. The anointing here meant is not that at His baptism, when He solemnly entered on His ministry for us; but that with the "oil of gladness," or "exulting joy" (which denotes a triumph, and follows as the consequence of His manifested love of righteousness and hatred of iniquity), wherewith, after His triumphant completion of His work, He has been anointed by the Father above His fellows (not only above us, His fellow men, the adopted members of God's family, whom "He is not ashamed to call His brethren," but above the angels, fellow partakers in part with Him, though infinitely His inferiors, in the glories, holiness, and joys of heaven; "sons of God," and angel "messengers," though subordinate to the divine Angel--"Messenger of the covenant"). Thus He is antitype to Solomon, "chosen of all David's many sons to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel," even as His father David was chosen before all the house of his father's sons. The image is drawn from the custom of anointing guests at feasts (Psa 23:5); or rather of anointing kings: not until His ascension did He assume the kingdom as Son of man. A fuller accomplishment is yet to be, when He shall be VISIBLY the anointed King over the whole earth (set by the Father) on His holy hill of Zion, Psa 2:6, Psa 2:8. So David, His type, was first anointed at Bethlehem (Sa1 16:13; Psa 89:20); and yet again at Hebron, first over Judah (Sa2 2:4), then over all Israel (Sa2 5:3); not till the death of Saul did he enter on his actual kingdom; as it was not till after Christ's death that the Father set Him at His right hand far above all principalities (Eph 1:20-21). The forty-fifth Psalm in its first meaning was addressed to Solomon; but the Holy Spirit inspired the writer to use language which in its fulness can only apply to the antitypical Solomon, the true Royal Head of the theocracy.”