It is not surprising to find that James dealt with physical sickness in this epistle. He referred to the fact that departure from the will of God sets the Christian on a course that, unless corrected, will result in his or her premature physical death (1:15, 21; 5:20). Physical sickness sometimes results from sinful living. It is that kind of sickness that seems to be in view in verses 14-20.
5:14 Times of physical sickness are usually occasions in which it is especially difficult to be patient (e.g., Job).
Anointing with oil was the equivalent in James' day of taking medicine (cf. 1 Tim. 5:23).
". . . oil among the ancients was highly valued for its therapeutic qualities (Isa. 1:16; Luke 10:34)."198
The oil provided more refreshment and soothing comfort than it did real relief for serious ailments, but people drank it as well as rubbing it on themselves as a medication. The term translated "anointing him with oil"in Greek refers to medicinal anointing, not religious ceremonial anointing. James used aleiphein("rub") here rather than chriein("anoint"). The former word is the "mundane and profane"referring to all kinds of rubbing whereas the latter is the "sacred and religious"word used to describe religious ceremonies.199
James instructed that in times of sickness sinning Christians should ask their church elders to visit them, to pray for them, and to provide needed medical attention.200
"Prayer is the more significant of the two ministries performed by the elders. Pray' is the main verb, while anoint' is a participle. Moreover, the overall emphasis of the paragraph is on prayer. So the anointing is a secondary action."201
The fact that the sick person was to summon the elders gives a clue that this person's sickness connects with some spiritual condition. This proves to be the case in verse 15. Today a skilled physician normally provides the medical attention. The elders need to deal with the spiritual factors affecting the sick person, if any, since they have a responsibility for the spiritual welfare of the flock (Heb. 13:17). In this context James had a sickness with spiritual roots in view.
It is interesting that James did not tell his readers to call for someone with the gift of healing. Evidently such people were rare even in the very early history of the church.
Probably this treatment reminded the sick person of the power of the Holy Spirit that anointing with oil symbolized in the Old Testament.202
"Aleiphein. . . may have been chosen over chrieinbecause of standard usage yet still with the intention of conveying the thought that the anointing of oil was symbolic."203
This verse is the basis for the Roman Catholic doctrine of extreme unction (i.e., anointing someone with oil at death to gain merit with God for so doing).204
5:15 "Difficulties in deciding what exactly in the preceding verse is meant by anointing should not cause us to overlook the main point of vv 13-18, which is prayer. It is prayer--not the anointing--which leads to the healing of the sick person."205
The elders' prayers offered in faith will restore (lit. save, Gr. sosei, "make well"; cf. Matt. 9:21-22; Mark 6:56) the sick. Offered in faith means presented with confidence in God's power to heal if that is His will in this case (Matt. 8:1-13; Mark 4:35-41). Furthermore the Lord will raise him to health if this is His will (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14).
"The medicine does not heal the sick, but it helps nature (God) do it. The doctor cooperates with God in nature."206
There is no basis in Scripture for the popular idea that praying in faith means praying with confidence that something will happen just because we pray (cf. 1:5-6; 2 Cor. 12:7-10). Faith always must have the person or promise of God as its object to be effective.
"It is a prayer of faith, i.e. the prayer which expresses trust in God and flows out of commitment to him, for only such prayers are effective . . ."207
Some take the faith in view here as a special God-given assurance that it is His will to heal in this instance (cf. 1 Cor. 12:9).208However simple faith in God seems to be in view since James did not qualify it.
If the sick person has committed some sin that has resulted in his or her illness, James added, God will forgive this sin. This happens when the sinner confesses it to God (1 John 1:9; cf. Matt. 6:12). The construction of this clause in the Greek text (a third class condition) assumes for the sake of the argument that the sickness has resulted from sin. James was speaking of sin-induced illness in this entire passage. Not all sickness is the result of sin, as the conditional clause "if he has sinned"makes clear (cf. John 9:1-3).
"James's point is simply that both must be dealt with when they are linked."209
5:16 In view of the possibility of physical sickness following sin, believers should confess their sins (against one another) to one another (normally privately). Furthermore they should pray for one another so God may heal them (spiritually and physically). I have added the conditions in parenthesis above to clarify the meaning of James' words.
"Much is assumed here that is not expressed."210
He assumed these facts, I believe, that are consistent with other revelation concerning prayer that the writers of Scripture give elsewhere.211
"In the ancient mind sin and sickness went together, and so confession of sin was necessary if prayer for the sick was to be effective. The confession is to be not only to the elders (or other ministers) but to one another, that is, probably to those they have wronged."212
Husbands and wives need to create an atmosphere in the home that promotes transparency (cf. Col. 3:12-13). We need to demonstrate total acceptance of our mate (cf. 1 John 4:18). We also need to show an attitude of constant forgiveness (Eph. 4:31-32). Spouses should make a commitment to verbalize their emotions without pulling back or quitting. This involves acknowledging our emotions, explaining and describing our feelings, and sharing our feelings regardless of our mate's response.
Here are some suggestions for improving your ability to express your emotions. Practice sharing emotions with your mate. Find a model of transparency and study him or her. Read the psalms to see how David expressed his emotions. Memorize selected proverbs that deal with specific areas in which you have difficulty. Focus on communication as a special subject of study. Share laughter together.213
"We must never confess sin beyond the circle of that sin's influence. Private sin requires private confession; public sin requires public confession. It is wrong for Christians to hang dirty wash in public,' for such confessing' might do more harm than the original sin."214
"Perhaps . . . the sins' that need to be confessed and remitted are those lapses from faithful endurance that James has written to warn about throughout the course of this hortatory tract."215
"Does all this mean that confession to a brother is a divine law? No, confession is not a law, it is an offer of divine help for the sinner. It is possible that a person may by God's grace break through to certainty, new life, the Cross, and fellowship without benefit of confession to a brother. It is possible that a person may never know what it is to doubt his own forgiveness and despair of his own confession of sin, that he may be given everything in his own private confession to God. We have spoken here for those who cannot make this assertion. Luther himself was one of those for whom the Christian life was unthinkable without mutual, brotherly confession. In the Large Catechismhe said: Therefore when I admonish you to confession I am admonishing you to be a Christian'. Those who, despite all their seeking and trying, cannot find the great joy of fellowship, the Cross, the new life, and certainty should be shown the blessing that God offers us in mutual confession. Confession is within the liberty of the Christian. Who can refuse, without suffering loss, a help that God has deemed it necessary to offer?"216
"The practice of auricular confession was not made generally obligatory even by the Church of Rome till the Lateran Council of 1215 under Innocent III., which ordered that every adult person should confess to the priest at least once in the year. In all other Churches it is still optional."217
A righteous man's prayers can accomplish much in the spiritual and physical deliverance of someone else, as Elijah's praying illustrates (vv. 17-18). In this verse the "righteous man"is the person who has confessed his sins and has received forgiveness.
"Prayer is powerful for only one reason. It is the means whereby we avail ourselves of the power of God."218
Evidently James practiced what he preached about prayer. Eusebius, the early church historian, quoted Hegesippus, an earlier commentator, who gave, Eusebius claimed, an accurate account of James.
"He was in the habit of entering the temple alone, and was often found upon his bended knees, and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became as hard as camel's, in consequence of his habitual supplication and kneeling before God."219
"The truth of James 5:13-16 is applicable for believers today. James was not discussing sickness in general, nor necessarily severe illness that doctors cannot heal. Rather he was speaking of sickness that is the result of unrighteous behavior. James did not write to give a definitive statement on the healing of all sickness for Christians. The passage sheds light on God's dealing with those in the early church whose actions were not pleasing to him. This text speaks about individuals who sin against the Lord and, in light of the context for the book, especially those who sin with their tongues. If church members today took this passage seriously, it would bring about significant results, just as did Elijah's prayer. When Christians recognize sinful attitudes and wrongful behavior and turn to the Lord, the result is forgiveness and restoration and, in specific cases in which sickness is the result of a particular sin, there can be physical healing."220
"There is no such thing as (so to speak) non-spiritual' healing. When the aspirin works, it is the Lord who has made it work; when the surgeon sets the broken limb and the bone knits, it is the Lord who has made it knit. Everygood gift is from above! . . . On no occasion should a Christian approach the doctor without also approaching God . . ."221
