God says He has anointed our Jesus “with the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Heb 1:9).
Olive oil, “pure oil of pressed olives” (Ex 27:20) was a vital commodity in the ancient world. In addition to the tabernacle light, the Israelites would use it for warmth on cold desert nights, for lamp fuel, for healing ointment, for food preparation, and for anointing. Remember that Messiah (Heb) and Christ (Gk) mean “the Anointed One.” It is commonly held that this oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit, and there is good reason. Notice the ministries of the Spirit. He provides warmth of fellowship between believers in “the unity of the Spirit” (Eph 4:3). He provides light for daily guidance. He is “another Comforter” (Jn 14:16, kjv), providing healing for our souls. He also provides soul food for us, “the Spirit of truth” who “will guide you into all truth” (Jn 16:13). And He is the anointing One, as Scripture plainly says, “you have an anointing from the Holy One” (1 Jn 2:20). But the Spirit pictured in the oil always points us to Christ. It was in Gethsemane (meaning “olive press”) that Christ was crushed to make the Spirit’s ministry available to us. Christ is the warmth of our fellowship, the light of our life, the balm for our souls, the food of God, and the One who “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mt 3:11). Just as it was Jesus’ joy to shine on His Father, saying that the words He spoke and the works He did were His Father’s, so the Spirit delights to illuminate the Son. Jesus said, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (Jn 16:14). Jesus’ anointing and ours are linked in Isaiah 61, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me…to give them…the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;…that He may be glorified” (vv 1-3).