'call For The Elders!'

My main topic this morning is to briefly teach on the ‘anointing of oil’ and praying for the sick.

There is actually a lot of debate as to what this term means

Some would say that it is symbolic, that placing oil on a person is an act of faith that we believe God is going to heal that person.

Others point to the fact that the word ‘oil’ was actually an important form of medication used in the early Christian centuries. (Luke 10:34 – Isaiah 1:6)

And that James is actually combining the use of medicine with prayer, of doctors and faith.

It is interesting that the Apostle Paul, from whom handkerchiefs were taken and posted throughout the country and whoever touched them were instantly healed,

… this man also later told Timothy to ‘take a little medicine – a little wine - for your stomach upset’. (1 Timothy 5:23)

In fact we also have a fascinating story of Jesus coming up to a blind man.

John 9:6, 11

Having said this, Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.

Later the man told the others, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

Some historians say that spittle was the number one antidote and medicine that was used to cure and treat blindness in the days of Jesus,

…that it was widely used by doctors and healers as a form of medicine.

Along these lines – it appears that Jesus and Paul both at times combined prayer and faith in God to heal with medicine and faith in the medical profession.

I suggest that we too should hold this balance.

My personal beliefs are that we should trust both in the medical profession and when it comes to anointing with oil, we are to trust God and believe in a miracle!

Like James, I have had a personal meeting with the risen Jesus, and that has changed my doubt into trust, my skepticism into faith!

For me, I love to pray for people to be healed,

…and when I do, I often place a small amount of anointing oil on my finger and I inscribe a small cross on the forehead of the person requesting prayer.

There is no healing power in the oil, but by anointing the person with oil,

…we believe that Jesus rose from the dead and He also has the power to heal our physical bodies!

Let me share a fascinating little insight that we can only ‘pick up’ when we study these verses in their original language.

14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

In verse fourteen, the word for sick is asyenew astheneo and means ‘one without strength due to sudden sickness’.

And in verse fifteen, it is a different word kamnw kamno and means one who is ‘worn down through the effects of a constant illness’.

We are to pray for those who have both a short term and long term illnesses.

We have a wonderful promise in verse 15: