should people be anointed with oil?

Anointing oil, mentioned 20 times in Scripture, was used in the Old Testament for pouring on the head of the high priest and his descendants and sprinkling the tabernacle and its furnishings to mark them as holy and set apart to the Lord (Exodus 25:6; Leviticus 8:30; Numbers 4:16). Three times it is called the "holy, anointing oil," and the Jews were strictly forbidden from reproducing it for personal use (Exodus 30:32-33). The recipe for anointing oil is found in Exodus 30:23-24; it contained myrrh, cinnamon and other natural ingredients. There is no indication that the oil or the ingredients had any supernatural power. Rather, the strictness of the guidelines for creating the oil was a test of the obedience of the Israelites and a demonstration of the absolute holiness of God.

Only four New Testament passages refer to the practice of anointing with oil, and none of them offer an explanation for its use. We can draw our conclusions from context. In Mark 6:13, the disciples anoint the sick and heal them. In Mark 14:3-9, Mary anoints Jesus' feet as an act of worship. In James 5:14, the church elders anoint the sick with oil for healing. In Hebrews 1:8-9, God says to Christ as He returns triumphantly to heaven, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever," and God anoints Jesus "with the oil of gladness."

Should Christians use anointing oil today? There is nothing in Scripture that commands or even suggests that we should use similar oil today, but neither is there anything to forbid it. Oil is often used as a symbol for the Holy Spirit in the Bible as in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). As such, Christians have the presence of the oil of the Spirit who leads us into all truth and anoints us continually with His grace and comfort. “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 John 2:20).

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The reason behind Aaron and his sons and all the utensils being used inside The Tabernacle and later The Temples being anointed with olive oil was to apply a protective coating that would kill the fleas, flies, ticks and the microscopic organisms that would get on them from all the animals that they were in charge of slaughtering and cooking to feed the people of the camp or city. The oil would cover and suffocate the insects that would get on them before they could bite and infect them. Putting oil on a tick to remove it from ones skin is still a recommendation from our medical scientists. It smothers the tick and as the tick is dying it relaxes it's mouth enough to be pulled off with tweezers. I believe that it was the same principles being used when a dead person's body was anointed with oil. This was all part of the God Yahweh's disease prevention measures for the modern human body based on His working knowledge of the germ theory of disease and the modern human body.

No, you are referring to James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

5:14 anointing him with oil. Lit. “rubbing him with oil”: 1) possibly this is a reference to ceremonial anointing (see notes on Lv 14:18; Mk 6:13); 2) on the other hand, James may have had in mind medical treatment of believers physically bruised and battered by persecution. Perhaps it is better to understand the anointing in a metaphorical sense of the elders’ encouraging, comforting, and strengthening the believer.

Rubbing with oil was one of the few medical treatment they had at that time. James is writing to persecuted Jews, whom also might have been physical persecuted. In "Is anyone among you sick?" the Greek word here translated sick is all other places translated "depressed, lost hope, weak etc." Meaning an emotional state. That is why these verses talks about the effect of prayer, and the "anointing" to help physical healing and to give comfort.

MIMI

That was a Jewish custom and God honored that when it was used for healing. But if you notice, Jesus and the Apostles healed many people without anointing them with oil.

Yes! Preferably, peanut oil for the religious Nuts.

People should be fracked for oil

Not in these days.