CONFIRMATION

What is the scriptural basis for the Sacrament of

Confirmation?

Confirmation contains two ritual actions, a laying-on of hands and an

anointing with perfumed oil, called Chrism, and a set of significant words go
with each. Here a look is taken at the existence of this rite according to the
Scriptures.

Some prefigurations on Confirmation can be found in the Old Testament.

Even in the ancient times, hands were already used to call down a blessing
on specially chosen people, as observed in Gn 48:13-16, and to name
individuals for some special role, as seen in Nb 8:10. On the other hand, we
have observed in Am 6:6, that one of the rituals of joyous celebration of the
Old Covenant is the anointing with oil, especially perfumed oils.1

Aside from prefigurations, prophecies of a future outpouring of the Holy Spirit

were also available. One of the best examples would be that of Joel in Jo 3:1:
"After this I will pour out my spirit on all mankind. Your sons and daughters
shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men will
see visions.” Furthermore, the prophet Isaiah in Is 44:3 also prophesied a
future gift of the Holy Spirit: "For I will pour out water on the thirsty soil,
streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, my
blessing on your children.”2

In the New Testament, the first place where we can find Confirmation is in
Acts 83:
1 http://www.clerus.org/clerus/dati/2002-03/25-999999/04SAIIEN.html

2 Ibid.

3 http://phatcatholic.blogspot.com/2012/04/where-is-sacrament-of-confirmation-in.html

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 “When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who
came down and prayed for them that they might receive the
Holy Spirit; for the Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them, but
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then
they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 8:14-17)

The passage cited above does not necessarily mean that it was the first time
that they were receiving the Spirit. Actually, it was during their baptism when
they received the very first installment of the Spirit. The later outpouring of
the Spirit, which basically completes what the Spirit began in Baptism, is
what they had yet to receive. Hence, Peter and John gave them this final
installment of the Spirit by laying their hands on these new Christians, which
is basically what confirmation is.4

In Acts 19, we can also observe another reference to Confirmation as Paul

carried out the same rite at Ephesus. When Paul entered Ephesus and
realized that the disciples there had only received the baptism of John the
Baptist (which was merely symbolic), he made sure that “they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them,
the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied”
(vs. 5-6).5

Another reference to Confirmation can be seen on the language of being

“sealed by the Holy Spirit.” Christians receive the seal or “mark” of God upon
his soul through the anointing with oil during the celebration of the
sacrament of Confirmation. As St. Paul have said,

4 http://phatcatholic.blogspot.com/2012/04/where-is-sacrament-of-confirmation-in.html

5 Ibid.

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 “It is God who ... has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit
in our hearts as a guarantee” (2 Cor 1:21-22). Those who “have
believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph
1:13), and this “for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30)6

The Catechism also tells us that “this seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total
belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever, as well as the
promise of divine protection in the great eschatological trial” (no. 1296).
Here we can observe that Christ Himself was sealed by the Father (cf. Jn
6:27) and He desires to mark us with this same seal.7

Lastly, it is also important to note Hebrews 6:2. Unlike the other passages, it
is not a narrative account of how Confirmation was given to people. It is
rather a passage that refers to Confirmation as one of Christianity’s basic
teachings. This is to be expected since Confirmation, like Baptism, is a
sacrament of initiation into the Christian life.8 We read:

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go

on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance
from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the
dead, and eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1–2).

This passage summarizes the Christian’s journey toward heaven and gives us
what theologians call the order of salvation or the ordo salutis. It well

6 Ibid.

7 http://phatcatholic.blogspot.com/2012/04/where-is-sacrament-of-confirmation-in.html

8 https://www.catholic.com/tract/confirmation

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qualifies as "the elementary teachings" of the Christian faith. It basically
qualifies as "the elementary teachings" of the Christian faith.9

Furthermore, it must be noted that the “laying-on of hands” as mentioned in

the passage must be confirmation: The other kinds of the imposition of
hands (for ordination and for healing) are not done to each and every
Christian and scarcely qualify as part of the order of salvation.10

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid.