“The
prayer of faith”[i] is a
specific,[ii]
Divinely enabled and energized[iii]
petition for healing, for the person to be healed and raised up from his bed of
sickness.[iv] As faith is a gift from God
(Philippians 1:29; James 1:17-18), so when a particular healing is in the will
of God, the Lord can enable the sick person, the elders, or the church to
present the prayer of faith to Him, giving them belief that this specific
healing is His will (cf. Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24), and then answering their
Divinely-produced faith. Only when
healing is God’s will, giving Him greater glory and bringing a greater benefit
to the sick believer than the spiritual strengthening that comes through trial
(James 1:2-3, 12) does the Holy Spirit enable any group or individual among the
saints to offer the prayer of faith, one free from any doubt (cf. James 1:6),
for healing. The prayer of faith
cannot be offered by Christians simply convincing themselves that a particular
healing is going to take place—supernaturally produced faith must undergird the
prayer, and such faith is only at times, not all the time, produced by God in
accordance with His will.
prayer of faith”[i] is a
specific,[ii]
Divinely enabled and energized[iii]
petition for healing, for the person to be healed and raised up from his bed of
sickness.[iv] As faith is a gift from God
(Philippians 1:29; James 1:17-18), so when a particular healing is in the will
of God, the Lord can enable the sick person, the elders, or the church to
present the prayer of faith to Him, giving them belief that this specific
healing is His will (cf. Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24), and then answering their
Divinely-produced faith. Only when
healing is God’s will, giving Him greater glory and bringing a greater benefit
to the sick believer than the spiritual strengthening that comes through trial
(James 1:2-3, 12) does the Holy Spirit enable any group or individual among the
saints to offer the prayer of faith, one free from any doubt (cf. James 1:6),
for healing. The prayer of faith
cannot be offered by Christians simply convincing themselves that a particular
healing is going to take place—supernaturally produced faith must undergird the
prayer, and such faith is only at times, not all the time, produced by God in
accordance with His will.
Furthermore,
James 5:14-15 does not specify that the healing is miraculous. Whenever a person recovers from
illness, whenever he is enabled to arise from a sickness that had left him
bedridden, it is truly affirmed that the healing comes from the Lord and that
it was the Lord who raised the sick one up (James 5:15). Nothing in James 5 requires that the
healing be miraculous any more than the promise that the Lord gives wisdom to
those who ask Him for it requires the performance of a miracle (James
1:5). Indeed, James does not speak
of healing through the sign gift of miraculous healing that was limited to
certain Christians (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30), but of healing in answer to
prayer that could be offered by any Christian (James 5:16) without any regard
for miraculous gifts. When
Epaphroditus was sick, and was not miraculously healed, but recovered through
the less dramatic means that God uses to cure the overwhelming majority of
non-fatal illnesses, Paul could still affirm that Epaphroditus’ recovery was
because “God had mercy on him” (Philippians 2:27). James 5:14-15 does not limit God to the exertion of
miraculous power in His work in delivering the sick—James recognizes that every
good and perfect gift, including recovery from sickness through non-miraculous
means, comes from the Father (James 1:17). When God answers prayer and a sick believer recovers,
whether because of a special supernatural intervention or through the
mechanisms the Creator has placed within the human body, sustained by the
strength of Him in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28;
Colossians 1:17) and because of His gracious Divine decree for the restoration
of physical health (Ephesians 1:11), it is true that the Lord was the One who
healed and raised up the sick. God
heals, when in accordance with His loving will and in answer to the Divinely-enabled
prayer of His obedient people, He uses medicine to cure maladies. James 5:14-15 never specifies that the
healings in question were miraculous, instantaneous, or in other ways identical
in character to the miraculous healings Christ and the Apostles performed—both
on those with faith and on those without faith—as signs to validate their
Divine authority.
James 5:14-15 does not specify that the healing is miraculous. Whenever a person recovers from
illness, whenever he is enabled to arise from a sickness that had left him
bedridden, it is truly affirmed that the healing comes from the Lord and that
it was the Lord who raised the sick one up (James 5:15). Nothing in James 5 requires that the
healing be miraculous any more than the promise that the Lord gives wisdom to
those who ask Him for it requires the performance of a miracle (James
1:5). Indeed, James does not speak
of healing through the sign gift of miraculous healing that was limited to
certain Christians (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30), but of healing in answer to
prayer that could be offered by any Christian (James 5:16) without any regard
for miraculous gifts. When
Epaphroditus was sick, and was not miraculously healed, but recovered through
the less dramatic means that God uses to cure the overwhelming majority of
non-fatal illnesses, Paul could still affirm that Epaphroditus’ recovery was
because “God had mercy on him” (Philippians 2:27). James 5:14-15 does not limit God to the exertion of
miraculous power in His work in delivering the sick—James recognizes that every
good and perfect gift, including recovery from sickness through non-miraculous
means, comes from the Father (James 1:17). When God answers prayer and a sick believer recovers,
whether because of a special supernatural intervention or through the
mechanisms the Creator has placed within the human body, sustained by the
strength of Him in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28;
Colossians 1:17) and because of His gracious Divine decree for the restoration
of physical health (Ephesians 1:11), it is true that the Lord was the One who
healed and raised up the sick. God
heals, when in accordance with His loving will and in answer to the Divinely-enabled
prayer of His obedient people, He uses medicine to cure maladies. James 5:14-15 never specifies that the
healings in question were miraculous, instantaneous, or in other ways identical
in character to the miraculous healings Christ and the Apostles performed—both
on those with faith and on those without faith—as signs to validate their
Divine authority.
Furthermore,
the “anointing . . . with oil” of James 5:14 actually requires the
use of medicine, rather than prayer alone, for the healing of the sick. The use of oil for healing was accepted
medical procedure at the time, and James commends the use of medical means with
his reference to anointing with oil. The verb to anoint in
James 5:14 is not the verb expected for ceremonial anointing, but a general
anointing that would include the use of oil for physical and psychological
well-being. The oil is to refresh,
strengthen, and heal the body through the natural means God has created in the
physical realm. The good
Samaritan, to assist physically the wounded man in the Lord’s parable, “went to
him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an
inn, and took care of him” (Luke 10:34).[v] “[W]ounds, and bruises, and putrifying
sores” are to be “closed . . .
bound up . . . [and] mollified with ointment [oil][vi]” (Isaiah
1:6). The “balm in Gilead” was for
use by the “physician” so that “health” might be “recovered” (Jeremiah
8:22). Extrabiblical literature
contains abundant references of a similar nature to the medicinal use of
oil. The evidence for the
medicinal use of oil in James 5, and its use outside of Scripture as a
medicine, will be examined, Lord willing, in following posts.
the “anointing . . . with oil” of James 5:14 actually requires the
use of medicine, rather than prayer alone, for the healing of the sick. The use of oil for healing was accepted
medical procedure at the time, and James commends the use of medical means with
his reference to anointing with oil. The verb to anoint in
James 5:14 is not the verb expected for ceremonial anointing, but a general
anointing that would include the use of oil for physical and psychological
well-being. The oil is to refresh,
strengthen, and heal the body through the natural means God has created in the
physical realm. The good
Samaritan, to assist physically the wounded man in the Lord’s parable, “went to
him, and bound up his wounds,
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an
inn, and took care of him” (Luke 10:34).[v] “[W]ounds, and bruises, and putrifying
sores” are to be “closed . . .
bound up . . . [and] mollified with ointment [oil][vi]” (Isaiah
1:6). The “balm in Gilead” was for
use by the “physician” so that “health” might be “recovered” (Jeremiah
8:22). Extrabiblical literature
contains abundant references of a similar nature to the medicinal use of
oil. The evidence for the
medicinal use of oil in James 5, and its use outside of Scripture as a
medicine, will be examined, Lord willing, in following posts.
-TDR
[ii]
The
use of the words eujch/ and eu¡comai for prayer in 5:15-16 supports the character of the
prayer in question as a specific petition, here for healing (cf. the use of the
words for a specific vow). Other
words for prayer are much more
common. The noun eujch/ appears in the New Testament in Acts 18:18; 21:23;
James 5:15, and in the LXX in Genesis 28:20; 31:13; Leviticus 7:16; 22:21, 23,
29; 23:38; 27:2; Numbers 6:2, 4–9, 12–13, 18–19, 21; 15:3, 8; 21:2; 29:39;
30:3–15; Deuteronmy 12:6, 17, 26; 23:19, 22; Judges 11:30, 39; 1 Samuel 1:11,
21; 2:9; 2 Samuel 15:7–8; Job 11:17; 16:17; 22:27; Psalm 21:26; 49:14; 55:13; 60:6, 9; 64:2; 65:13; 115:9;
Proverbs 7:14; 15:8, 29; 19:13; 31:2; Ecclesiastes 5:3; Isaiah 19:21; Jeremiah
11:15; Daniel 6:6, 8, 13; Jonah 1:16; Nahum 2:1; Malachi 1:14; 1 Esdras 2:4, 6;
4:43, 46; 5:52; 8:57; Judith 4:14; 2 Maccabees 3:35; 15:26; Ode 3:9; Sirach
18:22; Baruch 6:34. The verb eu¡comai appears in the New Testament in Acts 26:29; 27:29;
Romans 9:3; 2 Corinthians 13:7, 9; James 5:16; 3 John 1:2, and in the LXX in
Genesis 28:20; 31:13; Exodus 8:4–5, 24–26; 9:28; 10:18; Leviticus 27:2, 8;
Numbers 6:2, 5, 13, 18–21; 11:2; 21:2, 7; 30:3–4, 10; Deuteronomy 9:20, 26;
12:11, 17; 23:22–24; Judges 11:30, 39; 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:9; 2 Samuel 15:7–8; 2
Kings 20:2; Job 22:27; 33:26; 42:8, 10; Psalm 75:12; 131:2; Proverbs 20:25;
Ecclesisastes 5:3–4; Isaiah 19:21; Jeremiah 7:16; 22:27; Daniel 6:6, 8, 12–14;
Jonah 1:16; 2:10; 1 Esdras 4:43–46; 5:43, 52; 8:13, 49; 2 Maccabees 3:35; 9:13;
12:44; 15:27; 4 Maccabees 4:13; Ode 3:9; 6:10; Wisdom 7:7; Sirach 18:23; 34:24;
38:9 Baruch 1:5; 6:34. The usage
in both the New Testament and the Greek Old Testament and Apocrypha supports
the sense of a specific petition in James 5:15-16.
The
use of the words eujch/ and eu¡comai for prayer in 5:15-16 supports the character of the
prayer in question as a specific petition, here for healing (cf. the use of the
words for a specific vow). Other
words for prayer are much more
common. The noun eujch/ appears in the New Testament in Acts 18:18; 21:23;
James 5:15, and in the LXX in Genesis 28:20; 31:13; Leviticus 7:16; 22:21, 23,
29; 23:38; 27:2; Numbers 6:2, 4–9, 12–13, 18–19, 21; 15:3, 8; 21:2; 29:39;
30:3–15; Deuteronmy 12:6, 17, 26; 23:19, 22; Judges 11:30, 39; 1 Samuel 1:11,
21; 2:9; 2 Samuel 15:7–8; Job 11:17; 16:17; 22:27; Psalm 21:26; 49:14; 55:13; 60:6, 9; 64:2; 65:13; 115:9;
Proverbs 7:14; 15:8, 29; 19:13; 31:2; Ecclesiastes 5:3; Isaiah 19:21; Jeremiah
11:15; Daniel 6:6, 8, 13; Jonah 1:16; Nahum 2:1; Malachi 1:14; 1 Esdras 2:4, 6;
4:43, 46; 5:52; 8:57; Judith 4:14; 2 Maccabees 3:35; 15:26; Ode 3:9; Sirach
18:22; Baruch 6:34. The verb eu¡comai appears in the New Testament in Acts 26:29; 27:29;
Romans 9:3; 2 Corinthians 13:7, 9; James 5:16; 3 John 1:2, and in the LXX in
Genesis 28:20; 31:13; Exodus 8:4–5, 24–26; 9:28; 10:18; Leviticus 27:2, 8;
Numbers 6:2, 5, 13, 18–21; 11:2; 21:2, 7; 30:3–4, 10; Deuteronomy 9:20, 26;
12:11, 17; 23:22–24; Judges 11:30, 39; 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:9; 2 Samuel 15:7–8; 2
Kings 20:2; Job 22:27; 33:26; 42:8, 10; Psalm 75:12; 131:2; Proverbs 20:25;
Ecclesisastes 5:3–4; Isaiah 19:21; Jeremiah 7:16; 22:27; Daniel 6:6, 8, 12–14;
Jonah 1:16; 2:10; 1 Esdras 4:43–46; 5:43, 52; 8:13, 49; 2 Maccabees 3:35; 9:13;
12:44; 15:27; 4 Maccabees 4:13; Ode 3:9; 6:10; Wisdom 7:7; Sirach 18:23; 34:24;
38:9 Baruch 1:5; 6:34. The usage
in both the New Testament and the Greek Old Testament and Apocrypha supports
the sense of a specific petition in James 5:15-16.
Furthermore,
hJ eujch
thvß pi÷stewß is characterized at the end
of James 5:16 as a de÷hsiß, an “urgent request to meet
a need, exclusively addressed to God, prayer,” used “to denote a more specific supplication” than “proseuch/, the more general term” (BDAG). “proseuch/ [is] . . . prayer in general, de÷hsiß [is] . . . prayer for particular benefits” (pg. 188, Synonyms
of the New Testament,
Trench).
hJ eujch
thvß pi÷stewß is characterized at the end
of James 5:16 as a de÷hsiß, an “urgent request to meet
a need, exclusively addressed to God, prayer,” used “to denote a more specific supplication” than “proseuch/, the more general term” (BDAG). “proseuch/ [is] . . . prayer in general, de÷hsiß [is] . . . prayer for particular benefits” (pg. 188, Synonyms
of the New Testament,
Trench).
[iii]
That
is, in 5:16 e˙nergoume÷nh is passive, referring to a prayer the believer is
enabled to pray by the Holy Spirit, a de÷hsiß . . . e˙nergoume÷nh, v. 16. Compare
e˙nerge÷w in Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29.
That
is, in 5:16 e˙nergoume÷nh is passive, referring to a prayer the believer is
enabled to pray by the Holy Spirit, a de÷hsiß . . . e˙nergoume÷nh, v. 16. Compare
e˙nerge÷w in Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29.
[iv]
hJ eujch thvß pi÷stewß
sw¿sei ton ka¿mnonta, kai« e˙gerei√ aujton oJ Ku/rioß. sw¿sei is here used
for physical salvation or deliverance of the sick one (ton ka¿mnonta), and e˙gerei√ refers
to being “raised up” from the sickbed (cf. Mark 1:31; Luke 5:24-25; Proverbs
6:9, LXX).
hJ eujch thvß pi÷stewß
sw¿sei ton ka¿mnonta, kai« e˙gerei√ aujton oJ Ku/rioß. sw¿sei is here used
for physical salvation or deliverance of the sick one (ton ka¿mnonta), and e˙gerei√ refers
to being “raised up” from the sickbed (cf. Mark 1:31; Luke 5:24-25; Proverbs
6:9, LXX).
[v] “The
good Samaritan used oil and wine to treat the wounds of the injured man (Lk
10:34). Because of its alcoholic content, the wine would have an antiseptic
action, but at the same time would tend to coagulate the surface of the raw
wound and permit bacteria to thrive under the coagulum. The oil, by its
emollient effect, would tend to nullify this latter undesirable side effect of
wine and would also be soothing due to its coating action. A dressing was then
applied, and the patient was taken to a resting place” (pg. 1430, Baker
Encyclopedia of the Bible, W. A.
Elwell & B. J. Beitzel. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988).
“[O]live oil and wine . . . were the provender that the Samaritan had
with him on his journey. A mixture of them for medicinal purposes is known from
Theophrastus, Hist. plant. 9.11,
and from the later rabbinic tradition (m. Šabb. 19:2). In the OT
olive oil is said to be a softener of wounds (Isa 1:6); elsewhere in the NT it
is used to anoint the sick (Mark 6:13; Jas 5:14). The acidic nature of wine
would serve as an antiseptic” (pgs. 887-888, The Gospel According to Luke
X-XXIV, J. A. Fitzmyer, on Luke
10:24).
good Samaritan used oil and wine to treat the wounds of the injured man (Lk
10:34). Because of its alcoholic content, the wine would have an antiseptic
action, but at the same time would tend to coagulate the surface of the raw
wound and permit bacteria to thrive under the coagulum. The oil, by its
emollient effect, would tend to nullify this latter undesirable side effect of
wine and would also be soothing due to its coating action. A dressing was then
applied, and the patient was taken to a resting place” (pg. 1430, Baker
Encyclopedia of the Bible, W. A.
Elwell & B. J. Beitzel. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988).
“[O]live oil and wine . . . were the provender that the Samaritan had
with him on his journey. A mixture of them for medicinal purposes is known from
Theophrastus, Hist. plant. 9.11,
and from the later rabbinic tradition (m. Šabb. 19:2). In the OT
olive oil is said to be a softener of wounds (Isa 1:6); elsewhere in the NT it
is used to anoint the sick (Mark 6:13; Jas 5:14). The acidic nature of wine
would serve as an antiseptic” (pgs. 887-888, The Gospel According to Luke
X-XXIV, J. A. Fitzmyer, on Luke
10:24).
I have written on James 5 a lot, and Bro Ross and I come to slightly different conclusion.
http://kentbrandenburg.blogspot.com/2007/01/should-we-pray-for-sick.html
http://jackhammer.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/what-is-the-new-testament-basis-for-praying-for-the-sick/
By the way, I agree with Pastor Brandenburg that the problem here is physical, and that the spiritual is related to the matter at hand. I think the difference is only a matter of what the emphasis is of certain words in the text; otherwise the position seems to me to be just about the same.