Page 60 - book_james

Is any sick (asthenei: sickly, weak from sickness) among you? Let him call for the elders
(presbutepos: elders) of the church; and let them pray (proseuchomai) over him, anointing him
with oil in the name of the Lord.

The case James is alluding to here is sickness that is getting worse. This person should have had
their attention on the Lord from the beginning but did not, and it has resulted in a sickness. God’s
original intention was for us to be self‐sufficient (5:13) and look to Him in every situation, good
or bad. If we do not look to Him and become weak as a result, God does not throw us away or
disregard us. He has given us the body of Christ to help us through. If there are any sick in the
congregation, they can call for the elders of the church to pray for them, and God promises they
will be raised up on the faith of those praying.

The Greek word for “sick” is asthenei, and it means “sickly, weak from sickness.” This person is
not only sick, they are weak in faith and have little desire to pray for themselves. God’s desire is
for this person to be healed at any level of faith. The elders are to pray for the person by anointing
them with oil, a type of the Holy Spirit’s power in removal of sin and sickness. The prayer ends in
the name of the Lord Jesus.

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he
have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
And the prayer of faith shall save (sozo) the sick (weak one), and the Lord shall raise him up; and
if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

There is no question in James’s mind of what will happen when this person is prayed for. He will
be healed. The person who was weak in faith was raised up by the faith of those around. This
does not mean that it is James’s desire (or God’s) for the people to stay weak in faith. Instead,
his desire is to see them grow up and become strong just like the elders who prayed for them.

In addition to helping others in the congregation, elders and leaders are to be models of faith
and maturity. The person prayed for will also have his sins forgiven. Having the elders pray the
prayer of faith is not the usual way for sins to be forgiven; it usually occurs through 1 John 1:9,
but only for the one who is strong enough to isolate his sin and confess it to the Lord. The weak
person who calls on the elders will not only have their sickness healed but also have their sins
forgiven.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The
effectual fervent (operative) prayer (deesis: supplication) of a righteous man availeth much (is
strong and powerful).

James now comes to a root cause for sickness in the congregation; unconfessed sins between
people. James is not advocating a public meeting for confessing sins, but a private time between