Anointed One

In Greek, Jesus is referred to as Christós or Christ, meaning "the Anointed One." In Hebrew, Yeshua is known as the mashiach or messiah, meaning "the one anointed with the holy oil". Given the correlation, there must be significant not only with the anointing process, but specifically with the holy oil.

Holy Anointing Oil

People, places, and various objects were anointed with oil through out scriptures as a means of identifying the recipients as set apart for God's purposes.  Typically this was pure olive oil, sometimes mixed with various herbs and spices.  However, in Exodus 30, Elohim (God) outlined the details for a very specific oil that was to be holy & set apart to the extent that the Israelites were forbidden to make it for themselves:

The Lord said to Moses, "Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil...And you shall say to the people of Israel, "This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people."

Who  Was Anointed?

From the instructions outlined in Exodus, I gathered that in order to use this oil, it was for a very specific purpose and it had to be directed by God.  My understanding is that if God directed the anointing, then the holy anointing oil may be used as the subject is not considered an ordinary person, having God's blessing during the act of anointing. In the scriptures, we only find 3 offices wherein anointing took place:

• Prophets - All of the prophets were considered anointed by Elohim and the people were directed not touch them (1 Chronicles 16:22). We also see both a king and a prophet anointed as a directive of God in 1 Kings 19:16.
• High Priests - Aaron was anointed as the High Priest of the Temple, setting the standard for all High Priests who followed in the same passage of Exodus 30
• Kings - David were anointed to be King by Samuel the prophet & the Lord's Spirit "rushed upon him" (1 Samuel 16:12-13)

Coincidence

So is it then mere coincidence that Yeshua was called the Anointed One in both languages?  I don't think so! In fact, the scriptures identify Him in all three roles:

• Prophet - Christ first came as a prophet and identified himself as such in Matthew 13.  The woman at the well identified him as a prophet in John 4:19. And we see that in Luke 7:16, that the disciples considered him a prophet.
• High Priest - First, let me preface by saying that as a Gentile, I haven't fully grasped this role yet, but it is a longing of mine to fully understand it. Christ is identified as our High Priest in both Hebrews 4 &; Hebrews 9. So after his death, resurrection & ascension, Yeshua is acting as our High Priest at the throne of God. 
• King - And when Christ returns, He will serve as our King. He was identified on the cross as the King of the Jews and in 1 Timothy will be the King Eternal. 

Out of all the nations in the world, Israel was chosen to be set apart. Out of all of Israel, the Tribe of Levis was chosen to be set apart. Out of all the Levites, the House of Aaron was chosen to be set apart. Out of all the House of Aaron, only one person was chosen as our liaison between us and the Father, acting on part in the cleansing of sins, the High Priest.  With that in mind, I am very thankful that my High Priest is Yeshua, the Messiah and Christ, anointed one. 

So what does having Christ as our high priest mean for you? Are you a Jew or Gentile? Does it matter when it comes His role of acting on our parts?