Inauguration through Laying on of Hands

And the Lord said to Moses: "Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and inaugurate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the Lord for him by the judgment of the Urim. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him--all the congregation." So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him, just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

(Numbers 27:18-23)

We have already mentioned the two aspects of Laying on of Hands mentioned in the above-quoted passage of scripture, i.e., inauguration and impartation of spiritual gifts. In this section, we will discuss the aspect of inauguration. Inauguration is the formal admission of someone to stand in a particular office. In this account, Moses (the Lord’s Prophet) used the mechanism of Laying on of Hands to inaugurate Joshua to stand in the office of Leader of Israel.

It is important to note that the Lord instructed Moses to inaugurate Joshua in front of the children of Israel. Why did the Lord do that? He did that primarily so the congregation of Israel would acknowledge Joshua as their new leader.

There are two principles revealed in this passage; firstly, the Lord uses the Laying on of Hands to inaugurate individuals to stand in various offices, primarily so the saints can acknowledge the individual standing in that office. Secondly, the Lord uses those called to full-time ministry (under the New Covenant, Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher) to inaugurate individuals through the Laying on of Hands.

As an aside, although there was an impartation of spiritual gifts from Moses to Joshua on this occasion, it is not a requirement for inauguration; for as we will see in this section, Laying Hands on individuals to inaugurate them can occur without any impartation of spiritual gifts taking place.

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

(Acts 13:1-3)

The above passage of scripture is an example of laying on of Hands without any impartation taking place. This passage lists five ministers of the gospel: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. Each of these ministers was either a Prophet, a Teacher, or a combination of Prophet and Teacher. We are informed that during a period of protracted prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit told these ministers to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He had called them. The term, separate, in this context is the same as inaugurate. In other words, Barnabas and Saul were to be inaugurated to stand in a new office.

At the time of this incident, both Barnabas and Saul had been in the ministry for over fifteen years. Saul, at that time, stood in the offices of Prophet and Teacher, and Barnabas stood in the office of Prophet. Because both men had proven faithful in their respective ministries, the Holy Spirit promoted them into the office of Apostle; for after this incident, both men are referred to in scripture as Apostles.

As an aside, it is important to note that had they not served faithfully in their prophetic and teaching ministries, the Holy Spirit would never have promoted them into the office of Apostle; even though Apostleship was their ultimate calling, i.e., the work to which the Holy Spirit had called them.

I want you to notice that Barnabas and Saul did not take the ministry of apostles upon themselves, and neither did the church appoint them to this ministry; God did. What God required was the church to acknowledge His ministry appointments by inaugurating Barnabas and Saul into the office of Apostle through the Laying on of Hands. As an aside, it is important to note that all the ministry gifts involved gave themselves to further prayer and fasting before they laid hands on Barnabas and Saul. Clearly, the early church took the practice of Laying on of Hands very seriously.

It would be beneficial for us to examine the timeline of these events so we can better understand what took place regarding the Laying on of Hands on this occasion. While these five ministers were fasting and praying before the Lord, the Holy Spirit revealed His will for Barnabas and Saul through prophecy. Barnabas and Saul had been ministering in the church at Antioch for well over a year by that time. And so the ministry team would have assembled the whole congregation to inform them what the Holy Spirit had decided. With the church present as witnesses, the ministry team would have laid hands on Barnabas and Saul. In other words, they inaugurated them to stand in the office of an Apostle, before sending them out to minister.

It is important to note, however, that there was no impartation to Barnabas and Saul through the Laying on of Hands on this occasion. Unlike spiritual gifts, ministry gifts cannot be imparted through Laying on of Hands, because ministry gifts are given directly from the Lord (Ephesians 4:11-12). Notice also that the Holy Spirit had already called and anointed both men for the office of Apostle before hands were laid on them.

The two principles mentioned earlier are evident in this passage; firstly, the Lord used the Laying on of Hands to inaugurate Barnabas and Saul to stand in the office of Apostle, so the church could acknowledge them in that office. Secondly, the Lord used the full-time ministry gifts of Prophet and Teacher on this occasion to inaugurate Barnabas and Saul through the laying on of Hands.

And the next day, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

(Acts 14:20-23)

As the Lord’s Apostles, Paul and Barnabas planted churches wherever they went. The above passage reveals that Paul and Barnabas also appointed or inaugurated elders in every church they planted. It is important to note that whereas ministry gifts are appointed by the Lord, elders are, in turn, appointed by the Lord’s ministry gifts. The term elder in this instance is not to be confused with the ministry gift of Pastor, for the office of Pastor is one of the Lord’s full-time ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Although this passage does not specifically mention Paul and Barnabas laying hands on the elders after they had prayed with fasting, it is nevertheless strongly implied. In other words, Paul and Barnabas would have followed the same pattern set out in the church at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas would have commended the elders to the Lord by laying hands on them in front of the church as witnesses.

In these instances, an impartation of spiritual gifts also took place through the laying on of hands. Because elders aren’t separated by the Lord for ministry, they do not receive their anointing directly from the Lord. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas inaugurated these individuals, they imparted specific anointings to them so they could operate in the office of elder.

The primary anointing that is imparted through the ministry gifts to those appointed as elders is the anointing to lead or shepherd the church (Romans 12:7-8), for elders are appointed as overseers of the local church, and their mandate is to shepherd the Lord’s sheep.

The two principles mentioned earlier are evident in this passage; firstly, the Lord used the Laying on of Hands to inaugurate these individuals to stand in the office of elder, so the church could acknowledge them in that office. Secondly, the Lord used the full-time ministry gift of an Apostle on this occasion to inaugurate these elders through the Laying on of Hands.

Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.

(Acts 6:2-6)

The above passage is an example of deacons being appointed or inaugurated in the church. I want you to notice that even though in this instance these seven men were chosen by the church, it was still the ministry gifts (Apostles on this occasion) that laid hands on them. When the apostles inaugurated these individuals, they imparted specific spiritual gifts to them so they could operate in the office of deacon.

As with the inauguration of elders, the same principle is applicable to the appointment of deacons; the only difference being the type of anointing that is imparted. The primary anointing that is imparted through the ministry gifts to those appointed as deacons is the anointing of helps (1 Corinthians 12:28), for deacons are appointed as helpers in the local church, and their mandate is to help in the day-to-day running of the church.

The two principles mentioned earlier are also evident in this passage; firstly, the Lord used the Laying on of Hands to inaugurate these individuals to stand in the office of deacon, so the church could acknowledge them in that office. Secondly, the Lord used the full-time ministry gift of an Apostle on this occasion to inaugurate these deacons through the Laying on of Hands.

Michael E.B. Maher

Laying on of Hands

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