"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him" (NASB).

1. What is the meaning of "sick" (astheneo) in 5:14? [new window]
2. What is the meaning of "anointing" (aleipho) in 5:14? [new window]
3. Use of oil in biblical times
4. Use of anointing in biblical times
5. The biblical role of elders
6. Context of James 5:14-15
7. Conclusions
8. Interpretation
9. Application for today
10. Bibliography

Oil:

NT Word Study
• elaion (evlai,on)
• Word used 11 times in the NT
• For healing- Mk. 6:13; Lk. 10:34
• For anointing- Lk. 7:46; Heb. 1:9
• For commerce- Lk. 16:6; Rev. 6:6; 18:13
• Lamps- Mt. 25:3, 4, 8

General biblical usage
• Product of the Promised Land- Jer. 40:10
• Product for cooking- 1 Ki. 17:12
• Cosmetics- Ecc. 9:7-8
• Fuel for lamps- Ex. 25:6
• Medicine- Isa. 1:6
• Anointing:
• Spiritual- Ex. 29:7
• Refreshment/Grooming-Psm. 23:5
• Honor conferred on an arriving guest- Lk. 7:46
• The dead- Lk. 23:56

Culture
• Oil was obtained in biblical times from animal, vegetable and mineral sources.
• Oil was seen as an essence of life and tangible sign of God’s favor. It was one of the most valuable products in the country (Dt. 32:23; Eze. 16:13). It was a sign of gladness (Psm. 92:10; Isa 61:3), and its omission a token of sorrow (2 Sam. 14:2; Mt. 6:17).
• Oil was commonly poured over the head of an honored guest to soothe from the dust and heat of the journey because in that part of the world, the sun could dry a person out. "Oiling" was be a refreshing procedure.
• Oil, primarily in the OT, was often used for spiritual purposes.

Anointing:

NT Word Study
• aleipho (avlei,fw)
• Word used 8 times in the NT
• For appearance or honor- Mt. 6:17, Lk. 7:38, 46; Jn. 11:2; 12:3
• For physical illness- Mk. 6:13
• For the dead- Mk. 16:1

General biblical usage
• Special recognition shown to people or places
• Temple (Ex. 40:9-10), garments (Lev. 8:30), kings (1 Ki. 1:39), religious leaders (Ex. 28:41), honored guests (Lk. 7:46)
• Anointing in the OT commonly set an individual (Lev. 3:4) or object (Ex. 30:26) apart as holy and consecrated. It also conferred authority on a person (king-2 Sa. 2:4; prophet-1 Ki. 19:16). In 1 Sam. 10:6-9 anointing is associated with the reception of God’s Spirit (also in 1 Sam. 16:13). Therefore the OT title of "anointed one" becomes a symbol for individuals chosen, equipped and empowered for office. The title is almost always used in reference to royal figures. Hence the title "Christ" (Christos-"Anointed One") is applied to Jesus in the OT (Psm. 2:2; Dan. 9:25, 26) and NT (Jn. 1:41; 4:24; Ac. 4:24-27; 9:22; 18:5, 28).
• In the NT, the rite of anointing is not used for consecration or worship. Instead it is used figuratively to describe the spiritual basis of Christ’s ministry (Lk. 4:18; Ac. 10:38; Heb. 1:9) and the spiritual work God performs in a believer’s live (2 Cor. 1:21-22; 1 Jn. 2:20, 27). The emphasis is not on the act of anointing, but on the Holy Spirit with whom one is anointed.
• The NT also speaks of a social use of anointing for embalming, cosmetics and recognition (Mk. 16:1; Lk. 7:38, 46; Jn. 11:2; 12:3). It also applies to medicinal and refreshing purposes in the NT as well (Mk. 6:13; Lk. 10:34; OT-Psm. 109:18; Isa. 1:6).

Elders:

NT Word Study:
• Presbuteros (presbute,roj)
• Word used 66 times in the NT
• Older:
• Men (Jn. 8:9; Ac. 2:17; 1 Tim. 5:1)
• In age (Lk. 15:25; 1 Tim. 5:2)
• In history (Heb. 11:2)
• Spiritual leaders:
• Jewish (Mt. 15:2; 16:21…all but one synoptic occurrence)
• NT church
• On earth (Ac. 11:30; 14:23; 15:2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:18; 23; 1 Tim. 5:17, 19; Tit. 1:5; 1 Pet. 5:1, 5; 2 Jn. 1:1; 3 Jn. 1:1)
• In heaven (Rev. 4:4, 10…all 12 occurrences in Revelation)
• Since James is speaking to the church on earth (Jas. 1:1), there appears little debate as to which category of presbuteros he is referring to.

• There men are to be appointed based on their desire/calling (1 Tim. 3:1) and spiritual character (1 Tim. 3:2-7; Tit. 1:6-9).
• The elder in the NT is sometimes called a "bishop/overseer" (episkopos) and "shepherd/pastor" (poimaino). All of these terms are used interchangeably and refer to different features within the same office (1 Pet. 5:1-2; Ac. 20:17, 28).
• The role of an elder, as described in the NT is: pastoral (Ac. 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2), representative (Ac. 20:17-31), administrative (Tit. 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:2-3), officiative (Jas. 5:14) and educational (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:9). Never, with the possible exception of James 5:15, are elders called to perform medicinal functions.

Context of James 5:14-15:

• Overall:
• This letter is written to a group of believing Jews driven out of Palestine under great persecution (1:1). From the start, James discusses the trials they are experiencing since their faith was greatly tested. They needed endurance and perseverance to be spiritually victorious in the Christian walk (1:2-4). They faced pressures from both outside and inside the church. They are exhorted to reject the world and follow the Word (1:21).
• Chapter 5:
• As we approach chapter 5, James returns to the theme of suffering due to persecution. The downtrodden believers ("strengthen your hearts"-5:8) are exhorted to endure and persevere in the midst of suffering (5:7-11).
• The subject of 5:13-18 is prayer, not healing. James reminds the persecuted believer that prayer is the means to comfort, confession, restoration, fellowship and power.
• Verse 13:
• Taken in the context of what was mentioned above, "suffering" (kakopatheo-also in verse 10) offers no hint of a bodily ailment. This word (and its derivatives in the NT) rarely means to suffer from a physical disease. Thayer- "to suffer evils (hardships, troubles). Liddell and Scott- "to suffer ill; to be distressed." Later in this verse James asks, "Is anyone cheerful?" Again, James is not talking about physical problems; he’s talking about the human spirit. He is contrasting a happy soul with a suffering soul.
• Verse 14:
• See charts 1 and 2 for "sick " and "anointing him with oil."
• "He must call for the elders"- These men are called for spiritual support since that is their primary function in the body. The weak believer needs to be ministered to by those who are spiritually strong in the body. He or she also needs the elders’ prayers for deliverance and assistance since weak people often find it difficult to pray from themselves.
• Verse 15:
• "If he has committed any sins"- Since a conditional clause (third class) is given in verse 15, we have clear evidence that the "sickness" is not universally sinful. The sin could have led to the "sickness" or could be a result of the "sickness."
• Sozo-usually translated "to save" in the NT, but here it is translated "restore" and means "to be made well."
• Verse 16:
• Begins with "therefore," a connective word in the transition. James seems to be concluding that these distressed believers ought to be confessing their sins to one another and praying for one another in a way greater than just alone with the elders. In other words, if confession and prayer is the remedy for the Lord’s healing (iaomai), it should be occurring on a church-wide scale too. No wonder he says, "The effective prayer (specific (deesis), ‘righteous’ (Psm. 66:18) and in faith (1:6; 5:15)) of a righteous man can accomplish much (Lit.- ‘is very strong,’ NIV- ‘is powerful and effective’)"
• Verses 17-18:
• James concludes this section with a grand illustration (30% of the section) from Elijah to evidence the power of prayer from a righteous man (vs. 16). Though this prayer is not recorded in 1 Kings, Elijah, "a man with a nature like ours" (he suffered: was hungry-1 Ki. 17:11; was afraid-1 Ki. 19:3; was tired) accomplished great things (no rain for 3.5 years) through prayer.
• Contextual Conclusion:
• This passage primarily focuses on believers, under extreme persecution, who are weak from the battle. They want to give up. They are in a spirit of despair and falling into sin due to their weakened condition. Physical sickness does not appear (physical injury might-5:6) and is disruptive to the present context (primarily adversity and sin) and flow of James’ thought. James wants the discouraged believers to see relief is available through prayer.

Conclusions:

• A comparison with Hebrews 12 is significant. The writer speaks of a weariness in the struggle with sin (vs. 3-4). He also mentions God’s loving disciple to correct His unrepentant children if necessary (vs. 5-11). He concludes, "Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed" (Heb. 12:12-13). This chapter clearly refers to weakness and fatigue, as we desire to faithfully run the Christian race. The goal is to look to Jesus who overcame spiritual weariness without sinning (Heb. 12:2; c.f. Jas. 5:15) and losing heart. Interestingly, James 5 uses the same word for "weary" (kamno-Heb. 12:3), translated "sick" in 5:15 and the same word for "healed" (iaomai-Heb. 12:13) translated "healed" in 5:16.
• Prayer is the main point of this section (mentioned 8x’s in vs. 13-18). We cannot know when it is God’s will to heal one physically (c.f. 2 Cor. 12:7-10), but it is always God’s will to help one spiritually in their battle with sin and need for encouragement. God is always ready to forgive and strengthen. This explains how James can use such definitive language (The Lord: "will restore," "will raise up," "will forgive"-5:15. "So you may be healed"-5:16).
• If we conclude these believers are affected by a weakness, it is easier to see how the elders are necessary. The primary responsibility for elders is spiritual in nature. Never are they required to perform physical healings elsewhere in the Scriptures. These spiritually strong men are to pray for the spiritually weak. They are to minister to their discouraged spirits and investigate if any possible sins need to be confessed. The elders are to encourage by affirming the fact that God promises to forgive sin and heal the weak.
• Anointing the "weak" and "weary" with oil would be a well-understood means of refreshment and encouragement (Mt. 6:17). The good shepherd cared for his sheep this way (Psm. 23:5)-the undershepherds of the church should be no different. The context gives concern for a believer’s spirit that needed mending, not his physical body. Additionally, with the possible exception of Mark 6:13, neither Jesus nor His Apostles are ever seen symbolically anointing others with oil in their healing ministry.
• The overall context leans in the favor of "weakness." Physical sickness seems disruptive to James’ thought as he spoke to this persecuted church and their inward battle with sin. If the interpretation was physical healing, why didn’t James record a prayer from Elijah when he headed the physically sick (1 Ki. 17:17-24)? Rather, he said Elijah was "a man with a nature like ours (Jas. 5:17)." He struggled with both physical (1 Ki. 17:7, 10-11) and spiritual weariness (1 Ki. 19:3-4, 10, 14). He is a perfect example of one weary in the battle, yet restored by the Lord through prayer. James wanted an example of how God sends down refreshing rain on a dry parched land-a perfect illustration of a weary, parched soul of a wounded believer who needs the restoration of God!

Interpretation:

Even with extensive research, a conclusive, dogmatic interpretation is difficult. In my humble estimation, based upon the evidence, I believe James is primarily addressing the power of prayer. Within that context, James knows that prayer is the remedy for those who are emotionally distressed and spiritually exhausted in the church due to their persecution from without and need to overcome sin from within. The elders, spiritual undershepherds of the flock, are called upon to minister to these weak believers. They are to pray over them, believing in faith that God wills to make them spiritually well. They are to anoint them with oil for the purpose of refreshment (as was done in the culture) as a sign of encouragement, warmth and love. These spiritual men were also to shepherd the souls of these weak believers by way of counsel, leading to the confession of any potential sin.

Application:

Centuries later, believers still struggle with obstacles in their spiritual life that can paralyze their walk with the Lord. Often simply attending church, the thing they need the most, can seem like an overwhelming task. These folks need to call for the elders of the church for the purpose of prayer, encouragement and counsel.

Anointing with oil had cultural purpose and symbolism, similar to foot washing, and need not be literally repeated. I believe tenderly encouraging with the Word fulfills the application of this principle today.

I believe that elders should still come when called to minister to those who are physically confined to bed. Technically, as a good and vigilant shepherd, they should probably come before they are necessarily called! Additionally, due to the complexities of this passage and others’ personal convictions regarding this text, they should (conscience permitting) anoint with oil if requested, provided the individual understands that God heals physically through prayer according to His will and not because of the oil or the "elders’" presence.

Bibliography:

Adamson, James. The Epistle of James. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976.

Amerding, Carl. "Is Any Among You Afflicted?" Bibliotheca Sacra 95:378 (April 1938), 196-200.

Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.

Bromiley, Geoffrey W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

Burdick, Donald W. James. EBC. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.

Davids, Peter H. The Epistle of James. NIGNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.

Easton, M. Easton’s Bible Dictionary. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, 1996.

Hayden, Daniel R. "The Meaning of ‘Sick.’" Bibliotheca Sacra V 138 # 551 (July 1981), 260-266.

Hiebert, Edmond D. James. Chicago: BMH Books, 1992.

Kent, Homer. Faith That Works. Winona Lake: BMH Books, 1986.

Kistemaker, Simon J. James. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1987.

MacArthur, John. James. Chicago: Moody Press, 1998.

Mayhue, Richard. The Healing Promise. Great Britain: Mentor, 2001.

Ryken, Leland; Wilhoit, James C.; Longman III, Tremper. Dictionary of Biblical Imagry. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2000.