International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
HANDS; HANDS, IMPOSITION, LAYING ON OFim-po-zish'-un (epithesis cheiron, Acts 8:18 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6 Hebrews 6:2): The act or ceremony of the imposition of hands appears in the Old Testament in various connections: in the act of blessing (Genesis 48:14); in the ritual of sacrifice (hands of the offerer laid on head of victim, Exodus 29:10, 15, 19 Leviticus 1:4; Leviticus 3:2, 8, 13; Leviticus 4:4, 24, 29; 8:14; 16:21); in witness-bearing in capital offenses (Leviticus 24:14). The tribe of Levi was set apart by solemn imposition of hands (Numbers 8:10); Moses appointed Joshua to be his successor by a similar act (Numbers 27:18, 23 Deuteronomy 34:9). The idea in these cases varies with the purpose of the act. The primary idea seems to be that of conveyance or transference (compare Leviticus 16:21), but, conjoined with this, in certain instances, are the ideas of identification and of devotion to God.
In the New Testament Jesus laid hands on the little children (Matthew 19:13, 15 parallel Mark 10:16) and on the sick (Matthew 9:18 Mark 6:5, etc.), and the apostles laid hands on those whom they baptized that they might receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17, 19; Acts 19:6), and in healing (Acts 12:17). Specially the imposition of hands was used in the setting apart of persons to a particular office or work in the church. This is noticed as taking place in the appointment of the Seven (Acts 6:6), in the sending out of Barnabas and Saul (Acts 13:3), at the ordination of Timothy (1 Timothy 4:14 2 Timothy 1:6), but though not directly mentioned, it seems likely that it accompanied all acts of ordination of presbyters and deacons (compare 1 Timothy 5:22 Hebrews 6:2). The presbyters could hardly convey what they had not themselves received (1 Timothy 1:14). Here again the fundamental idea is communication. The act of laying on of hands was accompanied by prayer (Acts 6:6; Acts 8:15; Acts 13:3), and the blessing sought was imparted by God Himself. No ground is afforded by this symbolical action for a sacrament of "Orders."
See SACRIFICE; MINISTRY; ORDINATION.
James Orr
IMPOSITION OF HANDS
im-po-zish'-un.
See HANDS, IMPOSITION (LAYING ON) OF.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.
2. (n.) That which is imposed, levied, or enjoined; charge; burden; injunction; tax.
3. (n.) An extra exercise enjoined on students as a punishment.
4. (n.) An excessive, arbitrary, or unlawful exaction; hence, a trick or deception put on laid on others; cheating; fraud; delusion; imposture.
5. (n.) The act of laying on the hands as a religious ceremony, in ordination, confirmation, etc.
6. (n.) The act or process of imposing pages or columns of type. See Impose, v. t., 4.
Strong's Hebrew
5183. Nachath -- quietness, rest... From nchath; a descent, ie
Imposition, unfavorable (punishment) or favorable (food);
also (intransitively; perhaps from nuwach), restfulness -- lighting down
... /hebrew/5183.htm - 5k 5378. nasha -- to beguile, deceive
... A primitive root (perhaps identical with nasha', through the idea of imposition);
to lend on interest; by implication, to dun for debt -- X debt, exact, giver ...
/hebrew/5378.htm - 6k
