Olive oil was used by Christ’s disciples in the anointing and healing of the sick.

Jesus sent out His apostles and gave them authority to cast out demons and heal the sick, anointing them with oil. 

Mark 6:7 & 12-13 states:  “7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.  12 They went out and preached that men should repent.  13 And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.”

The anointing and healing of the sick was sanctioned and practiced in the early church.

James 5:14-16 states:  “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; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

James admonished early believers to call the elders of the church, and to heal the sick through prayer and the anointing with oil in the name of the Lord.  The prayer of faith would raise the sick man up.  James further qualifies this by saying that if the sick man had committed sins, they would be forgiven him.  This would indicate the possibility that the sick person may have been ill, as a consequence of having committed some sin or transgression.  Freely confessing one’s sins and praying for one another was encouraged in the early church, in the mutual healing of one another.

Olive oil was also used to heal and seal wounds in ancient times.  The oil was topically administered after disinfecting the wound with wine.

In the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:29-37), it states that the Samaritan:  “34 . . . bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. . .”