Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15
These verses suggest a kind of sickness requiring special prayer—a physical sickness in which one is perhaps bedridden as a result of the physical ailment—though we need not restrict the application to such a situation nor be dogmatic in our interpretation.
These two verses are somewhat unique in their placement within the wider span of Scripture. One is hard-pressed to locate another passage similar to this text. Perhaps this is one reason why commentators differ widely in their interpretation of the passage.
This should give us pause as we study the text and engender humility in our conclusions. Perhaps some of us were told years ago what these verses meant, or we have read our favorite commentary and happily agree with the author. In any case, we should always be willing to have our “pre-understandings” challenged by careful scrutiny of the Word.
There are some truths in the Bible that are manifestly clear. Jesus Christ, for example, is the only way to be saved. The Bible is very clear on that. It is a primary teaching. But there are many secondary or tertiary teachings that are not as clear and, therefore, must be held in greater tension as we seek to understand their meanings.
Years ago, I was helped by learning a general rule of Bible study: “If the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense.” For example, if a simple, straightforward meaning of the text unfolds before us, then there is no reason to look for metaphor or mystery. Some things are meant to be taken at face value, pure and simple. Let us try to apply that rule as we study these two verses.
“Elders of the church”
James writes, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Taken in a straightforward manner, James’ teaching is clear and simple. If anyone in the congregation is sick, he or she is to call for the elders of the church. The elders will gather around the individual, praying over him or her and anointing with oil in the name of the Lord.
We may imagine a person bedridden, most likely, but not necessarily. The individual is to call for the elders of the church. Let us note that carefully: it is the person himself or herself who makes the request. It is not someone acting on behalf of the sick person, though again, we don’t want to be too restrictive. If someone is acting on behalf of the sick individual, he or she will be certain to gain the consent of the one who is ill.
I do not believe James has in mind a “surprise visit” by a team of “faith healers” from a nearby church or ministry. We must honor the wishes of the one who is sick. If he or she is desirous, a request will be made to the elders of his or her church.
The word “elders” here is a term used interchangeably with “bishops,” “ministers,” or “pastors.” They all refer to the same office, the pastor of a church. The New Testament seems to assume a plurality of pastors or elders in the congregation. That assumption is seen especially here in verse 14. Note the plural, “elders of the church.”
At the same time, however, I do not think that a church must have more than one elder present in a congregation to be considered a biblical church. Frankly, I do not know how many churches would even begin were we to take the plural as requiring the presence of more than one elder in every assembly.
While there is varied opinion on the matter of church governance and elders, I do believe the New Testament teaching suggests that a plurality of elders is preferred.
It is also important, as we have previously intimated, that this verse assumes the existence of an actual church, a congregation, as the context in which the request is made. James refers to the elders of “the church.” The New Testament takes for granted that every Christian is an active member of a local church, a local fellowship of believers among whom each Christian worships, prays, and serves, and to whom each Christian is accountable.
So the person who is sick—likely bedridden—is the one to call for the elders of the church, but even here, I do not think the text requires the presence of elders only. There may be others who have gifts for praying and healing, but James mentions elders in particular. They come and “pray over” the one who is sick. And James adds, “anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
“Anointing him with oil”
I believe this phrase, “anointing him with oil,” means exactly what it says. I do not think James has in mind the medicinal use of oil as in the parable of the Good Samaritan, but rather the use of oil as a symbol for the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Especially in the early church, the Holy Spirit’s coming for healing was symbolized in the anointing with oil. Mark says, for example, that Jesus’ disciples “anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them (Mark 6:13).”
Of course, it is not the oil that heals but, as the last part of verse 14 indicates: “the name of the Lord.” The oil is not necessary for healing but is a powerful visual reminder of the presence and work of the Holy Spirit.
And while oil is not necessary for healing, why not use it? Why not use the oil if, in fact, it is a powerful reminder of the wonderful work of God’s Spirit? Why would the elders, ministers, and leaders not use oil when praying in these circumstances? If this verse is properly explained to all gathered, I find no good reason why oil should not be used.
Again it is not the oil itself that heals, but “the name of the Lord” through the prayer of faith. As James goes on to say: “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Before we study this phrase, “the prayer of faith,” it may be helpful to review why we even have sickness in the first place.
Origin Of Physical Sickness
Physical sickness originates in the Fall of Mankind in Genesis 3. When our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned, they brought death into the world. Unless Christ returns first, every one of us will die a physical death, and most of us will die as a result of some kind of sickness. In a very real sense, we all have a terminal disease.
Christ’s atoning work on the cross redeems Christians from the finality of sickness and death. When Christ returns, His coming will eventuate in a perfect state for Christians, a place where there is no longer sorrow, sickness, or death (Revelation 21:4).
In the meantime, as Christians await His coming, they get sick from time to time. On some occasions, God chooses to heal us through His provision of medicine, medicine coming from substances He placed in the earth at creation, which creation He called “very good.” So God chooses, on occasion, to heal us through medicine.
At other times, God chooses us to heal through the power of prayer. These intermediate healings are, of course, temporary insofar as we will eventually get sick again or contract some other disease.
But it is important to recognize that every healing is ultimately to the credit of God. Even doctors and physicians owe their skills and talents to the God who has endowed them. While we are grateful for every secondary cause through which God works and should thank each and every person involved, God alone deserves ultimate credit for every healing. This truth is suggested even here at the end of verse 15 where James says, “and the Lord will raise him up.”
It is also important to understand that every healing is something of a foretaste of that glorious final state of perfection. In a sense, every healing foreshadows the splendor and wonder of the heavenly state where doctors, medicines, and surgeries will no longer be required.
“The prayer of faith”
There is something else significant about this phrase, “the prayer of faith.” James indicates that it is the faith of the elders, the ones doing the praying, that is effectual in the sick person’s healing, not the sick person himself.
How unfortunate that many have been told that they were not healed because they lacked faith. James does not teach here that a person is healed only when he or she has enough faith. The one being healed may have great faith or weak faith. Given the state of his illness, he may barely be able to understand what is even happening at the moment.
It seems rather that the “prayer of faith” is that unique working of God within the ones doing the praying, where God gives a special sense that He is indeed going to heal. God sovereignly chooses when to bless someone with this impression, a subjective assurance of faith, a strong sense that this sickness will be healed. And God gives that assurance, on occasion, to those who are praying.
The “prayer of faith” is not guaranteed to occur in every situation. Therefore, we must guard against any notion that a person “must” be healed. Physical healing is not always God’s will on this side of heaven.
While we do not know exactly what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was, many scholars believe it was a physical malady of some kind. In any case, Paul’s prayer that “it might depart” was not granted (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). What is more, this apostle, who frequently was an instrument of healing in the Book of Acts, was apparently powerless to help Timothy’s stomach ailment (1 Timothy 5:23) and had to leave Trophimus in Miletus because he was sick (2 Timothy 4:20). Physical healing is not always God’s will.
“If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven”
The final phrase in this verse merits some treatment. James says, “…And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” This phrase suggests that not all sickness is related to sin. James speaks conditionally here: “If.” The word “if” suggests that what follows may not always be the case. As we noted earlier, the presence of sickness in this life is part and parcel of living in a fallen world.
There are occasions, however, where one’s illness is tied to a particular sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:30). If the person’s sickness comes as the result of some sin, he will no doubt wish to confess and repent of this sin at once. Indeed, his desire for the elders’ presence is indicative of his interest in spiritual improvement. Should God grant physical healing and “raise him up,” God’s healing of the malady (where caused by sin) is evidence that the man’s sins have been forgiven as it was the sin that caused the illness.
We’ll learn more about the power of prayer in our next post from James. For now, remember that whatever else we may say about God’s decision to heal, of this we may be certain: God is sovereign and does as He pleases, yet He always does what is right.
**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 192-198, available in all formats here.
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