1-16 | The Untouchable Pastor

Exactly Who is the “Anointed One?”

I heard it again not long ago.

When something happens in a church that puts the pastor in an uncomfortable situation, that’s when I hear it.

After a very public debacle at a megachurch between two well known pastors, they came together nicely and seemed to make up. The conference continued and they called it a success. If you’re aware of it, I’m not interested in addressing the craziness that ensued. But there is something that came up in the “apology” that made me shake my head.

Here’s the quote without giving the pastor’s name.

“Here’s the thing…you have to be careful that you do not criticize people who have the anointing of God on them. Better to say nothing. Because what happens is, once you begin to criticize somebody who has the anointing on them, you’re in the flesh. And once you’re in the flesh, then you’re moving toward unbelief. And once you move toward unbelief, then you live a barren life spiritually.”

I’m sorry but I can’t get Yoda out of my head now.

“Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”¹

I think Yoda’s quote is truer and much better.

I hope that made you laugh because the whole thing is just laughable! Seriously! I hope you are beyond the point of falling for this kind of nonsense.

“Better to say nothing.” Just shut up and stuff it down. Nope…no seed of bitterness planted there. “I am the lead pastor. I am the Lord’s anointed one. Therefore, you may not criticize me.” (Understand that this statement was made after each one of them publicly criticized the other.)

Channeling my best Chandler Bing impersonation… “Could we be any more toxic?“

That’s just as ridiculous as Donald Trump declaring himself to be “the chosen one.”

Who do we think we are?

Are some pastors really so arrogant as to overstate their importance like that to everyone? I’m not saying this as some kind of bystander. I was a full-time pastor for 23 years. Twelve of those years were spent as a lead pastor.

I’ll grant that pastors get dumped on more than most people. Church-goers don’t have much problem telling the pastor exactly how they feel about anything and everything. It often gets personal. Middle schoolers and church people can be mean.

There is a temptation to use the pulpit to protect yourself, but that doesn’t give pastors the right to weaponize the Bible in this way. Misusing scripture like this is selfish, pretentious, and prideful.

Where Does “The Lord’s Anointed” Come From?

The most often thought of passage of scripture that uses this terminology is when David was running from the paranoid King Saul when he was trying to kill him. David had an opportunity to kill Saul and refused to do so. “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 24:6)

David is referring to the priestly anointing with oil that Saul underwent to become king of Israel. It was ceremonial in the sight of the people to establish a man as king; selected by God himself to serve in this office.

So David didn’t kill him. But that didn’t stop him from publicly criticizing him right after.

“May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. [as opposed to Saul’s who was seeking to kill David] May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” -1 Samuel 24:12-13, 15 (commentary added)

The Lord’s anointed got told.

There are other instances of this verbiage such as 1 Chronicles after David had the Ark of the Covenant brought in. He and the musicians were declaring the goodness of God and recalling his blessings.

“He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.’” -1 Chronicles 16:21-22

This harkens back to the wilderness wanderings when Israel had no king. The anointed ones were the priests. They were called that because they were literally anointed with oil. While Israel was making their way to the Promised Land, God protected them. That’s all. This same praise is recorded in Psalm 105.

2 Samuel also tells of when King Saul was mortally injured in battle and someone finished him off. Even though you might call it a mercy killing, when the man told David about it, he had him killed because he “raised his hand against the Lord’s anointed.”²

Are Pastors Today’s Anointed Ones?

Let’s first talk about how there is a huge misunderstanding of the anointing of God. The Old Testament passages about anointing describe the process by which kings and priests are ordained. Some have made the connection between that and the official ordination a pastor may receive from a church or denomination. But it’s a stretch at best.

There are numerous passages in the New Testament about the anointing. All but two of them are about Jesus. I hope we can agree that’s entirely different but feel free to look them up. The remaining two are about people being anointed. They are 2 Corinthians 1 and 1 John 2.

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. -2 Corinthians 1:21-22

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. -1 John 2:27

In both passages, the anointing is for all believers. It’s a spiritual anointing bearing witness that we are his. So to talk about those who are anointed or who have the anointing is to talk about everyone.

So are pastors anointed? Well, yeah…along with everyone else. Including you!

The Priesthood of All Believers

One of the big beliefs of Protestantism is what we call the priesthood of all believers. It’s taken from passage like 1 Peter 2…

“…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” -1 Peter 2:5

This belief states that designated, anointed priests are no longer necessary to gain access to God. When Jesus died and the veil of the temple was split from top to bottom³, the priestly anointing transferred to all believers. The office of pastor was established instead to serve as a chief elder…the first among equals.

Summing it Up

If you are in church and the pastor says something like what this megachurch pastor said, do what you want but my advice is to leave.

Really? Just leave because of one statement?

Yes.

This kind of thing normally indicates a toxic, authoritarian culture that helps pastors get away with dumb decisions. It’s not biblical leadership and looks more like a cult than the Body of Christ.

Beware when pastors set themselves up as untouchable because they are the “man of God”⁴ or they “have the anointing” and you don’t.

The truth is, you have received the same anointing of the Holy Spirit as anyone else.

1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, 20th Century Fox, 1980

2. 2 Samuel 1:1-15

3. Matthew 27:51

4. It’s always the male pastors. Female pastors don’t seem to have this problem.