As spin would often inform us, this was not actual usage here ("anointed"). The meaning of the word christos, where it was used, is "to be rubbed on, used as ointment or salve" (i.e., only the first definition in the LSJ) except where it is informed by religious tradition and the Septuagint translation. The qualification "where it was used" is not to be ignored.
Greek of this period had different verbs (ἀλείφω, perhaps μυρίζω) that were commonly used for anointing. The fourth century writer Lactantius, for example, is explicitly aware of the verb not being in common use when people want to speak of anointing (Divine Institutes 4.7):
The ancient Greeks used the word khríesthai for being anointed (nowadays they say aleíphesthai), as the following line of Homer indicates: ‘When the servant girls had washed them and anointed them with oil;’
Martijn is therefore able to point out how the associated verb ("χρίω") isn't often used in the gospels (emphasis and "from:" notes are mine):
Matt 6:17 But [when] you fast, anoint (ἄλειψαί [from: ἀλείφω]) your head and wash your face.
Mark 6:13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing (ἤλειφον [from: ἀλείφω]) [them] with oil.
Mark 14:8 She has done what she could to anoint (μυρίσαι [from: μυρίζω]) My body in advance of [My] burial.
Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go [and] anoint (ἀλείψωσιν [from: ἀλείφω]) [Jesus’ body].
Luke 4:18 “[The] Spirit of [the] Lord [is] on Me, because He has anointed (ἔχρισέν [from: χρίω]) Me to preach good news to [the] poor. He has sent Me to proclaim deliverance to [the] captives and recovery of sight to [the] blind, to release [the] oppressed.
Luke 7:38 [As] she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears and wipe [them] with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed (ἤλειφεν [from: ἀλείφω]) [them] with the perfume.
Luke 7:46 You did not anoint (ἤλειψας [from: ἀλείφω]) My head with oil, but she has anointed (ἤλειψεν [from: ἀλείφω]) My feet with perfume.
John 9:11 He answered, ‘The man they call Jesus made [some] mud and anointed (ἐπέχρισέν [from: ἐπιχρίω]) my eyes, and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed [and] received my sight.’
John 11:2 ( - Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, would [later] anoint (ἀλείψασα [from: ἀλείφω]) the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
John 12:3 Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, [and] she anointed (ἤλειψεν [from: ἀλείφω]) Jesus’ feet and wiped [them] with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Linssen, Martijn. Gospels, Epistles, Old Testament: The order of books according to Jesus Chri st (p. 32). Kindle Edition.
Mark 6:13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing (ἤλειφον [from: ἀλείφω]) [them] with oil.
Mark 14:8 She has done what she could to anoint (μυρίσαι [from: μυρίζω]) My body in advance of [My] burial.
Mark 16:1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go [and] anoint (ἀλείψωσιν [from: ἀλείφω]) [Jesus’ body].
Luke 4:18 “[The] Spirit of [the] Lord [is] on Me, because He has anointed (ἔχρισέν [from: χρίω]) Me to preach good news to [the] poor. He has sent Me to proclaim deliverance to [the] captives and recovery of sight to [the] blind, to release [the] oppressed.
Luke 7:38 [As] she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with [her] tears and wipe [them] with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed (ἤλειφεν [from: ἀλείφω]) [them] with the perfume.
Luke 7:46 You did not anoint (ἤλειψας [from: ἀλείφω]) My head with oil, but she has anointed (ἤλειψεν [from: ἀλείφω]) My feet with perfume.
John 9:11 He answered, ‘The man they call Jesus made [some] mud and anointed (ἐπέχρισέν [from: ἐπιχρίω]) my eyes, and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed [and] received my sight.’
John 11:2 ( - Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, would [later] anoint (ἀλείψασα [from: ἀλείφω]) the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
John 12:3 Then Mary took about a pint of expensive perfume, made of pure nard, [and] she anointed (ἤλειψεν [from: ἀλείφω]) Jesus’ feet and wiped [them] with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Linssen, Martijn. Gospels, Epistles, Old Testament: The order of books according to Jesus Chri st (p. 32). Kindle Edition.
For a count of (referencing "middle Liddell"):
ἀλείφω (x8 words or x7 verses)
I. [select] to anoint with oil, oil the skin, as was done after bathing, or before gymnastic exercises, the Act. referring to the act of another, Mid. to oneself, Il.; often with λίπα added (v. λίπα):— metaph. to prepare as if for gymnastics, to stimulate, Plat., etc.
II. [select] like ἐπαλείφω, to plaster, οὔατα ἀλεῖψαι to stop up the ears, Od.
II. [select] like ἐπαλείφω, to plaster, οὔατα ἀλεῖψαι to stop up the ears, Od.
μυρίζω (x1, Mark 14:8)
to rub with ointment or unguent, anoint, Ar.:—Pass., μεμυρισμένοι τὸ σῶμα having the body anointed, Hdt.
ἐπιχρίω (x1, John 9:11)
1. [select] to anoint, besmear, Od.:—Mid. to anoint oneself, id=Od.
2. [select] to plaster over, τι ἐπί τι NTest.; τινί with a thing, Luc.
2. [select] to plaster over, τι ἐπί τι NTest.; τινί with a thing, Luc.
χρίω (x1, Luke 4:18, quoting LXX Isaiah 61:1)
χρίω
I. [select] to touch on the surface: to rub or anoint with scented unguents, Hom.; λόεον καὶ χρῖον ἐλαίωι Od.; πέπλον χρ. to infect with poison, Soph.; metaph., ἱμέρωι χρίσασ᾽ οἰστόν Eur.:—Mid. to anoint oneself, Od., Hes.: c. acc. rei, χρίεσθαι ἰούς to anoint (i. e. poison) one's arrows, Od.:—Pass., χρίεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου, of a dead body left exposed to the sun, Hdt.
II. [select] to rub over with colour: Pass. to be coloured, id=Hdt.:—Mid., χρίεσθαι τὰ σώματα to smear their bodies, Xen.
III. [select] to wound on the surface, prick, sting, Aesch.:—Pass., ὀξυστόμωι μύωπι χρισθεῖσ᾽ id=Xen.
I. [select] to touch on the surface: to rub or anoint with scented unguents, Hom.; λόεον καὶ χρῖον ἐλαίωι Od.; πέπλον χρ. to infect with poison, Soph.; metaph., ἱμέρωι χρίσασ᾽ οἰστόν Eur.:—Mid. to anoint oneself, Od., Hes.: c. acc. rei, χρίεσθαι ἰούς to anoint (i. e. poison) one's arrows, Od.:—Pass., χρίεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου, of a dead body left exposed to the sun, Hdt.
II. [select] to rub over with colour: Pass. to be coloured, id=Hdt.:—Mid., χρίεσθαι τὰ σώματα to smear their bodies, Xen.
III. [select] to wound on the surface, prick, sting, Aesch.:—Pass., ὀξυστόμωι μύωπι χρισθεῖσ᾽ id=Xen.
A quick search of Diogenes shows χρίω was common in the corpus of Hippocrates and Dioscorides, while ἐπιχρίω was common in medical authors such as Galen. So even where the word χρίω was in use, it has a different set of meanings and connotations than what is conjured up by "anoint" (ἀλείφω). Indeed we even have an ancient definition that pops up here in my search, commenting on Homer:
Apion Gramm. (c. A.D. 1), Fragmenta de glossis Homericis (1152: 003)
“”Über die homerischen Glossen Apions””, Ed. Ludwich, A.; Philologus 74 (1917) 209–247; 75 (1919) 95–103.
Volume 74, page 216, line 5
<ἀλεῖψαι> βʹ· τό τε χρῖσαι ἐλαίῳ (Σ 350).
“”Über die homerischen Glossen Apions””, Ed. Ludwich, A.; Philologus 74 (1917) 209–247; 75 (1919) 95–103.
Volume 74, page 216, line 5
<ἀλεῖψαι> βʹ· τό τε χρῖσαι ἐλαίῳ (Σ 350).
Here the verb ἀλεῖψαι (i.e. "anoint") is defined as to χρῖσαι (i.e. "rub") ἐλαίῳ (i.e. "oil"). And here is the LSJ:
A. [select] “χρῖον” Od.4.252, also “χρίεσκε” A.R.4.871: fut. “χρίσω” E.Med.789: aor. “ἔχρι_σα” Od.10.364, etc., Ep. “χρῖσα” Il.16.680, Od.4.49: pf. “κέχρι_κα” LXX 1 Ki.10.1, al.:—Med., fut. “χρίσομαι” Od.6.220: aor. part. χρι_σάμενος ib.96, Hes.Op.523, etc.:—Pass., fut. “χρισθήσομαι” LXXEx.30.32: aor. “ἐχρίσθην” A.Pr.675, Achae.10: pf. “κέχρι_μαι” Hdt.4.189,195, Magnes 3, etc., later “κέχρισμαι” LXX 2 Ki. 5.17: plpf. ἐκέχριστο f. l. in X.Cyr.7.1.2; 3pl. “ἐκέχριντο” Callix.2. [Even in pres. and impf. ι is long, Od.21.179 (ἐπι-χρι_οντες), Il.23.186, S.Tr.675, etc.; χρι^ει only in late Poets, as AP6.275 (Noss.): in fut. and all other tenses ι_ without exception, whence the proper accent. is χρῖσαι, κεχρῖσθαι, χρῖσμα, etc.:—touch the surface of a body slightly, esp. of the human body, graze, hence,
I. [select] rub, anoint with scented unguents or oil, as was done after bathing, freq. in Hom., “λόεον καὶ χρῖον ἐλαίῳ” Od.4.252; “ἔχρισεν λίπ᾽ ἐλαίῳ” 3.466; “λοέσσαι τε χρῖσαί τε” 19.320; of a dead body, “χρῖεν ἐλαίῳ” Il.23.186; anoint a suppliant, Berl.Sitzb.1927.170 (Cyrene); πέπλον χ. rub or infect with poison, S.Tr.675, cf. 689,832 (lyr.): metaph., “ἱμέρῳ χρίσασ᾽ οἰστόν” E.Med.634 (lyr.); “οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ θανάτῳ χ. τὸν κάλαμον” Plu.2.841e:—Med., anoint oneself, Od.6.96; “κάλλεϊ ἀμβροσίῳ οἵῳ . . Κυθέρεια χρίεται” 18.194, cf. Hes.Op.523; “ἐλαίῳ” Gal.6.417; “ἐκ φαρμάκου” Luc. Asin.13: c. acc. rei, ἰοὺς χρίεσθαι anoint (i. e. poison) one's arrows, Od.1.262:—Pass., “χρίεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου” Hdt.3.124; βακκάριδι κεχριμένος Magnes l. c.; “συκαμίνῳ τὰς γνάθους κεχριμέναι” Eub.98.3: metaph., “Σοφοκλέους τοῦ μέλιτι κεχριμένου” Ar.Fr.581.
2. [select] in LXX, anoint in token of consecration, “χ. τινὰ εἰς βασιλέα” 4 Ki.9.3; “εἰς ἄρχοντα” 1 Ki.10.1; “εἰς προφήτην” 3 Ki.19.16; also “χ. τινὰ τοῦ βασιλεύειν” Jd.9.15: c. dupl. acc., “χ. τινὰ ἔλαιον” Ep.Heb.1.9.
II. [select] wash with colour, coat, “αἰγέαι κεχριμέναι ἐρευθεδάνῳ” Hdt.4.189; πίσσῃ ib.195, cf. Inscr.Délos442A188 (ii B. C.); “ἀσφάλτῳ” X.Cyr.7.5.22 (Pass.); “στοάν” Supp.Epigr.4.268 (Panamara, ii A. D.):—Med., τὸ σῶμα μίλτῳ χρίονται smear their bodies, Hdt.4.191.
III. [select] wound on the surface, puncture, prick, sting, of the gadfly in A.Pr.566,597, 880 (all lyr.):—Pass., ὀξυστόμῳ μύωπι χρισθεῖσ᾽ ib.675.
I. [select] rub, anoint with scented unguents or oil, as was done after bathing, freq. in Hom., “λόεον καὶ χρῖον ἐλαίῳ” Od.4.252; “ἔχρισεν λίπ᾽ ἐλαίῳ” 3.466; “λοέσσαι τε χρῖσαί τε” 19.320; of a dead body, “χρῖεν ἐλαίῳ” Il.23.186; anoint a suppliant, Berl.Sitzb.1927.170 (Cyrene); πέπλον χ. rub or infect with poison, S.Tr.675, cf. 689,832 (lyr.): metaph., “ἱμέρῳ χρίσασ᾽ οἰστόν” E.Med.634 (lyr.); “οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ θανάτῳ χ. τὸν κάλαμον” Plu.2.841e:—Med., anoint oneself, Od.6.96; “κάλλεϊ ἀμβροσίῳ οἵῳ . . Κυθέρεια χρίεται” 18.194, cf. Hes.Op.523; “ἐλαίῳ” Gal.6.417; “ἐκ φαρμάκου” Luc. Asin.13: c. acc. rei, ἰοὺς χρίεσθαι anoint (i. e. poison) one's arrows, Od.1.262:—Pass., “χρίεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου” Hdt.3.124; βακκάριδι κεχριμένος Magnes l. c.; “συκαμίνῳ τὰς γνάθους κεχριμέναι” Eub.98.3: metaph., “Σοφοκλέους τοῦ μέλιτι κεχριμένου” Ar.Fr.581.
2. [select] in LXX, anoint in token of consecration, “χ. τινὰ εἰς βασιλέα” 4 Ki.9.3; “εἰς ἄρχοντα” 1 Ki.10.1; “εἰς προφήτην” 3 Ki.19.16; also “χ. τινὰ τοῦ βασιλεύειν” Jd.9.15: c. dupl. acc., “χ. τινὰ ἔλαιον” Ep.Heb.1.9.
II. [select] wash with colour, coat, “αἰγέαι κεχριμέναι ἐρευθεδάνῳ” Hdt.4.189; πίσσῃ ib.195, cf. Inscr.Délos442A188 (ii B. C.); “ἀσφάλτῳ” X.Cyr.7.5.22 (Pass.); “στοάν” Supp.Epigr.4.268 (Panamara, ii A. D.):—Med., τὸ σῶμα μίλτῳ χρίονται smear their bodies, Hdt.4.191.
III. [select] wound on the surface, puncture, prick, sting, of the gadfly in A.Pr.566,597, 880 (all lyr.):—Pass., ὀξυστόμῳ μύωπι χρισθεῖσ᾽ ib.675.
What can be seen by the definitions in the LSJ and in this definition of the comment on Homer is that χρίω ("smear") is a wide-ranging verb that implies less than a more-specific sense of anointing: you can "rub" or "smear" clothing or arrows with poison, you can smear walls with paint, you can rub bodies with colored dye, you can rub in a medical salve or treatment, etc. That's why it's not redundant for the definition of "anoint" (ἀλείφω) to specify "with oil": χρῖσαι ἐλαίῳ. The verb χρίω ("rub" or "smear" or, as the LSJ puts it, "touch the surface of a body slightly, esp. of the human body, graze") didn't carry the same sense of anointing that the word ἀλείφω for example did.
Of course, however, religious texts (in the Jewish/Christian tradition) were influenced by the usage of the Septuagint.