– Ritual gesture used to convey the sins (symbolically) of the people to the victim who would be sacrificed:
Leviticus 1 :4 : He will place his hand on the victim’s head, which will be accepted in his favor to serve as an atonement.
Ex 29,10.15.19 : You will bring the bullock before the tent of meeting: Aaron and his sons will lay their hands on its head.
– Rite used to signify paternal, priestly, etc. blessing:
Gen 48,13-16 : But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head.
– Power to judge the people:
Num 27,18-23 : Take Joshua, son of Nun, in whom the Spirit resides, and lay your hand on him.
Deut 34 :9 : Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him.
– This gesture has become traditional to indicate the transmission of a divine and supernatural gift. Its frequent use in miraculous cures:
Mt 9:18 : Lord, my daughter has just died. But she comes, lays her hands on her and she will live.
Mk 16:18 : If they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
Lk 13:13 : He laid his hands on her and instantly she straightened up, glorifying God.
– By the laying on of hands, chrism is conferred:
Acts 8:17 : Then the two apostles laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19 :6 : Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit descended on them, and they spoke in strange tongues and prophesied.
Heb 6:2 : The doctrine of the various baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
– The deaconate:
Acts 6:6 : They presented them to the apostles, who, praying, laid their hands on them.
– The priesthood and the episcopate:
1Tm 4,14 : Do not neglect the gift that is in you […] when the assembly of elders laid their hands on you.
1Tm 5,22 : Lay your hands on no one inconsiderately, lest you become an accomplice in the sins of others.
2Tm 1,6 : I exhort you to fan into flame the gift of God that you received through the laying on of my hands.
