Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

James’ Instruction to the Sick

call for the elders of the church when they are sick, however, is that they have never been taught to do so. They have never seen it done. SJ. Kistemaker, coauthor of the New Testament Commentary series, assesses the situation accurately: “the practice of calling the elders of the church to pray over the sick seems to belong to a bygone age.”4 James specifies that the sick are to “call for the elders of the church,” not for deacons, friends, or miracle workers. He clearly assumes that all congregations have an official, recognized body of elders. It is also noteworthy that a plurality of elders is required, not a single elder. In the same way the elders governed jointly, they visited and prayed for the sick jointly. James states that no less than two elders ought to be present at the sick person’s bedside. This important point, which is easily missed or ignored because it is inconvenient, is an essential el ement of the biblical instruction. The church elders are to be called to the sick person’s bedside not because they are particularly gifted as healers, but because they are the official representatives of the church whose task is to shepherd the flock. Visiting the sick and praying for healing are essential responsi bilities of the shepherding task. For example, Ezekiel denounces Israel’s shepherds because they callously refuse to care for the sick: “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up”(Ezek. 3424; cf. Zech. 1 1 216). Every compassionate, knowledgeable shepherd knows that caring for sick people is a particularly significant and intimate part of the shep herding task.

LET THE ELDERS PRAY AND ANOINT WITHOIL

It is perfectly clear from these verses that the sick should summon the church elders and that the elders should pray. What James depicts is an official, church prayer gathering at the sick person’s bedside at which the elders serve as the official representatives of the church. What a deeply moving experience such a gathering would be—for both the one who is ill and for the elders! Iames’ primary instruction to the elders is to pray for the sick per son. Prayer is the chief subject of this entire passage, in which the word prayer is used seven times (James 5:13-18). The sick need prayer,

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