Are anointing and prayer tools in healing?

Published 6:32 pm Thursday, October 17, 2019

Q: I recall that you previously explained James 5:14. Could you please explain this verse? Does God cure the sick today?

A: I want to thank the reader for the question. To answer the question we must consider what kind of sickness James is talking about? In this verse the word sick means one who is weak. Obviously this could be a spiritual weakness or a physical weakness. In this case it is best to determine the word’s meaning by the context in which it is being used. Also, James mentions the use of oil in the cure of the sick one. The type of oil used is not defined; however, we must determine that it was to be used for the purpose of spiritual or physical weakness. We find oil used in Mark 6:13 during the healing of many. In 1 John 2:20, 27, we find that individuals were anointed with the Holy Spirit.

In the case of James, the anointing was in the name of the Lord; this implies that it was by His authority. However, to determine what is going on in this verse we recognize that verse 15 is the imperative voice. Regardless of the anointing verse 15 reveals that it was the prayer of faith that would save the sick. Once again while oil was being used it was the prayer and not the oil that saved. We know that the use of oil in the days of the early Church was a custom. While many try to incorporate its use by biblical authority we have no authority to do so.

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Also notice the phrase “raise him up.” In the Bible, this phrase refers to being cleansed from sin or a spiritual raising (John 6:40; 44; 54). If we continue to read through verse 16, the context clearly shows James was speaking of a spiritual sickness; he was talking about sin in the life of a person. We have no other choice but to understand the verses in this text to being applied to a spiritual healing. As one continues to study through verses 19 and 20, James is talking about sin as a spiritual disease.

It is evident that these verses taken in context are talking about a spiritual sickness. However if one believes that this was a physical healing it would be miraculous because it states the prayer would without a doubt save the sick. This use of miracles would contradict the purpose of miracles as stated in (Mark 16:20). Paul instructed Timothy to wine as medication for a stomach condition. This was a physical condition to be treated with medicine. We learn in 1 John 1:19, 1 Thess. 5:14-16, Gal. 6:1-2 and 1 John 5:16 and a host of other passages that the cure for sin is prayer. This does not mean we should not pray for those who are physically sick. Ultimately, using this passage to show God heals physical health problems is a miss-use of this passage and wrong.

(Tony Hoss is minister at Centerview Church of Christ, Elizabethton. He can be contacted at 423-737-2287 or by e-mail at: tmagho1@comcast.net)