Ancient Oils of Scripture
Ancient cultures such as the Egyptians, Persians, Romans, and Israelites have all been documented as proponents of essential oils,
but did you know that we can also trace certain essential oils to the Bible itself?
Aloes (Sacred Sandalwood)
Essential Oil
“He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at
night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five
pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in
strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.” John 19:39-40
Aloes appears in the Bible five times in both the Old and the New Testament. It’s
believed to be made from fragrant sandalwood. It was most notably used to
prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
Historically, it is thought to be one of the oldest types of incense used during
rituals and meditation, especially among the Egyptians and for embalming. The
amount of aloes that Nicodemus bought showed his incredible wealth. That
amount (75-100 lbs) of Sandalwood would be worth over $200,000 in today’s
market. It also showed how important Jesus was.
Cassia
Essential Oil
Cassia: a spice made from the bark of East Asian evergreen trees.
“All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces
adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes you glad. “ Psalm 45:8
Cassia is mentioned three times in the Bible - all in the Old Testament. It was a
key ingredient in the incense used in temple worship; it was also used as the
anointing oil and the oil that burned daily in the temple lamps. It’s noted for its
unmistakable fragrance and calming aromatic properties. It is very closely related
to cinnamon. It also dates back to Egyptian times and was used during
mummification.
Cedarwood
Essential Oil
The cedars of Lebanon were acclaimed for their durability and used to build Solomon’s famous temple. (1 Kings 4:33)
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