Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

James’ Instruction to the Sick

and the issue of anointing with oil must not be allowed to overshadow the prayer, which is the main point. The phrase “over him” in verse 14 doesn’t imply the laying on of hands, although that certainly may have been done. The prepositional phrase “over him” depicts the actual situation, in which the sick per son lies on the bed and the elders stand or kneel close by. The elders and the sick person are face to face. This kind of flesh-and-blood con tact fuels the soul’s fire in prayer. Prayer in the presence of suffering comes alive and is endowed with a great deal more vitality. Manton comments that “prayer must be made. . .over them [the sick], that their sight may the more work upon us [the elders], and our prayers may work upon them.”5 R.V.G. Tasker, biblical translator, commentator, and former professor at the University of London, develops this idea even further: While it is true that they [the elders] could intercede for the sick man without being present at his bedside, nevertheless, by coming to the actual scene of suffering and by praying within sight and hearing of the sufferer himself, not only is their prayer likely to be more heart-felt and fervid, but the stricken man may well become more conscious of the effective power of prayer uttered in faith, by which, even in moments of the most acute physical weakness, communion with God can be maintained.‘5 Could not prayer have been offered just as effectively in the church gathering? Did they need to be physically present with the sick man? If our religion were a matter of theory, these questions would be justified. But we are dealing with men and women in need of help. Our Lord Himself did not decline to go to people in need, when invited, though He could heal from a distance with a word, when it was appropriate to do so. In fact, prayer offered in our presence and for our precise needs by Christian friends has a power and efficacy that may be lacking in prayers offered in our absence. We are creatures of flesh and blood, as well as spirit, and when love for us is proved by the readiness of Christian friends to give their time to come to our home in our need, we are more immediately aware of that love. C.L. Mitton’s comments on this point also deserve repeating:

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