A Living Faith Evidenced in Prayer – Part 1 (James 5:13-18)

The body of James’ letter expands on the theme of being a doer of the Word (James 1:22 sets up the body of the letter, which encompasses James 1:19–5:12). The book of James is bookended by addressing circumstances of suffering (James 1:2–18 and 5:13–18). A living faith is evidenced by being a doer of the Word in the midst of such circumstances of suffering. Both the beginning and end of the book emphasize the need for prayer in the face of trying circumstances (James 1:5; 5:13–18).

James practiced what he preached. Eusebius quoted an ancient tradition saying that James spent so much time on his knees in the temple praying for the people that his knees “became as hard as camels.”¹

James 5:13 encompasses the theme of the last major section of the book of James before the conclusion in verses 19–20:

• Whatever the circumstances, a living faith responds in prayer and praise (James 5:13)
  • A specific example of suffering that calls for prayer: sickness (James 5:14–16)
  • An illustration of a persistent prayer of faith (James 5:17–18)
• Conclusion to the Book of James (5:19–20)

James begins this section with two questions regarding the extreme opposite of circumstances: (1) Is anyone afflicted/suffering? (2) Is anyone merry/cheerful? In the former circumstances, you are counseled to pray to God. In the latter circumstances, you are counseled to praise God in song. A living faith responds to all circumstances in reference to God (contrasting the previous section on worldliness by those who do not live life in reference to God). The tense indicates that prayer and praise are the continued pattern of one’s life.

James will focus on the circumstances of affliction/suffering since this is the harder circumstance in which to respond rightly. The term for suffering is a general term that encompasses a wide range—any kind of general trouble spiritual or physical. It has the connotation of bearing up under a great burden weighing you down. This kind of suffering was exemplified by Job—his physical suffering resulted in spiritual distress (see James 5:10 for the same basic Greek word for suffering).

In verse 14, James introduces a specific example of suffering: sickness. And he provides specific instructions on how to respond to sickness. But we have to ask a question first—is this physical or spiritual (metaphorical) sickness? Answering this question brings us to one of the most difficult interpretive issues in the book of James.

Interpretation 1: Spiritual/Metaphorical Sickness

• All the words in this passage can be used in a metaphorical sense (see MacArthur’s commentary and Greg Mazak’s Sermon Audio messages on this passage—my local church pastor whom I greatly respect).
  • Sick/weak (astheneo) is sometimes used as a metaphor for spiritual conditions (Rom. 5:6; 14:1-2); sick (kamno, v. 15) is also used metaphorically in the NT (Heb. 12:3).
  • Save/make well (sozo) can also be used in a metaphorical sense in the Bible.
  • Raise up can be used in a metaphorical sense in the Bible.
  • Healed can be used in a metaphorical sense in the Bible.
• The sickness must be spiritual since the command is to call for the elders and not doctors.
• The “cure” indicates that it is spiritual since prayer accompanied by anointing with oil symbolizes consecrating a person to God.
• Since there is a guarantee that the prayer of faith will heal the person, that guarantee is only possible with spiritual renewal after repenting from sin; the absolute promise of healing from physical ailments if you would pray with faith just does not happen in real life.
• The text makes explicit that the person needs to pray for forgiveness of sins; it calls for confessing sins to one another in order to receive spiritual healing.

Interpretation 2: Physical Sickness

• All the words in this passage make most sense in this context in a straightforward, literal sense.
  • Sick/weak (astheneo) is most commonly used to denote physical illness and is the most common understanding of the meaning in this context by the majority of commentators (see Hiebert, Moo, McCartney, McKnight, Martin, and Davids for some of the best commentaries on James, which support this interpretation; see also Pastor Mark Minnick’s Sermon Audio messages on this passage—my former local church pastor whom I greatly respect.)
  •  The spiritual or metaphorical use of this word is used in conjunction with other words to make clear its metaphorical use (e.g. weak in faith, Rom. 14:1); the same can be said of all the other words (sick, save, raise up)—the literal meaning is in view unless the context proves otherwise.
  • Prayer for physical healing is appropriate according to the first-century apostolic context. And it may be fitting as a general biblical example for all Christians even today.
• Pastoral care includes visiting and praying for the physically ill—the language seems to indicate a severe sickness that has caused someone to be bedridden or on a deathbed: the elders must come to the person; they pray over him; healing lifts the person back up
  • Anointing with oil could be interpreted in various ways by those who hold to this position: from a medicinal use to a spiritual consecration
  • The promise of physical healing after a prayer of faith is…
    • A general promise but not an absolute guarantee
    • Only guaranteed if the cause of sickness was due to sin that is addressed—the physical sickness is due to chastening which God promises to remove with repentance (cf. 1 Cor. 11:30; Heb. 12)
• The spiritual need to ask for forgiveness is uncertain: If he has committed sins (third class condition = a possibility that may or may not be the case). Thus, the healing refers to physical needs only possibly connected to a spiritual fault—the spiritual fault is secondary and the main topic has to do with physical needs.

There are two other interpretations that we will simply dismiss based on biblical and theological presuppositions and commitments that I won’t take the time to defend here—assuming my audience holds to the same.

• The Sacramental (Roman Catholic) View: the elders are performing Last Rites to someone on their deathbed and the oil confers grace onto that person.
• The Charismatic View: if only you had enough faith, you are guaranteed physical healing when you go through the prescriptive formulas just right.

In the next post we’ll evaluate interpretations 1 and 2.

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Kevin Collins has served as a junior high youth leader in Michigan, a missionary in Singapore, a Christian School teacher in Utah, and a Bible writer for the BJU Press. He currently works for American Church Group of South Carolina. He also blogs at his other two sites, Gospel in the Marketplace and The Fire and Hammer.

Photo by Bret Kavanaugh on Unsplash

1. Hiebert, James, 292. [↩]