James 5:13-18 briefly mentions several kinds of prayers for those who are suffering or rejoicing (5:13). Those who are suffering ought to pray. The verb James used for suffering (κακοπαθέω) is rare in the New Testament. Paul used the word in 1 Tim 2:9 to describe his own suffering, bound in chains like a criminal. In 2 Tim 4:5 it is one of the final commands to Timothy (endure hardship). This is not necessarily that people being oppressed by outsiders (such as the wealthy of the previous section). This word can refer to any sort of affliction (even the sickness in verse 14).
Although the verb is the common word for prayer, James makes a clear parallel with “cheerful singing” in the next line. It is at least possible James wants the one who is suffering to pray a lament Psalms. There are many examples of prayers in the Psalms where the writer is lamenting because of suffering and oppression.
In contrast, the cheerful ought to “sing praise.” The verb “be cheerful” (εὐθυμέω) and the related nouns have the sense of “in good spirits” (BDAG), as in Acts 27:22, 25, 36 where Paul encourages those about to be shipwrecked to “take heart.” This word does not refer to someone who is bubbly and happy, but rather someone who may be suffering but rejoices anyway. In James, the readers all seem to be suffer in some way.
Although there is no organized persecution, there is some harassment at the hands of the wealthy and powerful. Since the verb for singing (ψάλλω) is related to noun for a psalm, perhaps James wants the cheerful to respond to the Lord with thanksgiving or praise drawn from the Psalter. The believer is to respond in worship whether they are enduring some suffering or enjoying a time of relative peace.
A second kind of prayer in this paragraph is prayer for the sick (5:14-15). The elders are to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil. It is important to understand “elders of the church” in the context of James as a very early letter. This is not the office of elder in the fairly structured church of the Pastoral Epistles. Some scholars see this as a distinctively Christian phrase. Sophie Laws, for example, “This is one phrase which gives a specifically Christian colouring to the epistle” (Laws, James, 225).
An elder (πρεσβύτερος) referred to the older, wise men of a community. For Jews, these were the men who were respected in a town and synagogue. As the church developed certain men were appointed to function as official guardians of faith and practice, but in the earliest Jewish communities, the elders were analogous to the older men of the synagogues. By church (ἐκκλησία), James refers to the Jewish Christian communities in the Diaspora, more or less equivalent to a synagogue. This is not the universal church, the body of Christ.
The elders also anoint the sick with oil. Although anointing with oil is used for a variety of things, it is associated with treating wounds. In the parable of the Good Samaritan the Samaritan puts oil on the man’s wounds, for example. But in the ancient world there was nor a clear distinction between a miraculous healing and medical science. “A distinction between remedies based on superstition and remedies based on science would have been foreign even to the practitioners of Greek medicine” (Laws, James, 227).
The elders anoint the sick person “in the name of the Lord.” This could refer to Jesus, or could refer to the father. For the most part Jews would have referred to God as “the name,” so this implies the Lord is Jesus. Although this seems academic, there are so few references to Jesus in James scholars hope to find them wherever they can! Dibelius thought the command to pray “in the name of the Lord” is an allusion to exorcising a demon who was responsible for the sickness. This would reflect the Second Temple view that demons caused illness, but there is little in this text to support an exorcism.
The sick person also confesses their sin. This may reflect the Jewish view that sickness and sin are related. It was common in the Second Temple Period for Jews to connect physical illness and sin. For example, Sirach 18:19-21 and 38:15 makes confession of sin a requirement for healing and good health (Laws, James, 229).
Sirach 18:19–21 (NRSV) Before you speak, learn; and before you fall ill, take care of your health. 20 Before judgment comes, examine yourself; and at the time of scrutiny you will find forgiveness. 21 Before falling ill, humble yourself; and when you have sinned, repent.
Sirach 38:15 (NRSV) He who sins against his Maker, will be defiant toward the physician.
In John 9, Jesus’s disciples ask of a man who was born blind had sinned, or of his parents had sinned; in Mark 2 the Pharisees considered Jesus’s pronouncement that a lame man’s sins were forgiven to the blasphemous since the man was still lame.
It is surprising James makes no reference to laying on of hands, a common practice in healing. This may imply this is not a “traditional healing.” The impression from the two verses is that a person with an unusual illness can call one or two of the community leaders to their bedside and confess their sins. These elders will pray for them and tend to their illness in some real tangible way.
Like the first two commands of this paragraph, the sick person confessing sin is often found in the Psalms.
Psalm 35:13–14 (ESV) But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
Psalm 41:1–3 (ESV) Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.
The prayer of these elders can “save them” and the Lord will raise them up. This appears to refer to healing, although this is not necessarily the sort of miracle Jesus did, nor the apostles in Acts. But regardless of the activity of these elders, it is the Lord who raises the sick person from their sick bed.
By way of application, these two verses are not related to modern healing at all, they reflect Jewish practice in the first century. James is describing a practice which should be as obvious as praying at times of suffering or cheerfulness.
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
James explains the nature of the faith that saves. Karen Jobes textbook, “Letters to the Church,” says, “A faith that can look on others in need of food and shelter and pronounce a blessing without doing something to help provide their physical needs is not the kind of faith that saves” (Jobes, 2011, pg. 174). A faith that saves is one that has to do with character. It is the faith that transforms your life and behavior by the deeds of social justice. The people who were praying for the sick and anointing the sick were demonstrating this faith. Jobes gives the examples of Abraham and Rahab and how they had this faith. Abraham was faithful in obeying God against human reason. Rahab was willing to sacrifice her life. A faith that saves has a transformed character by the fruits of the spirit. James, in talking about praying for the sick, discusses the need for saving faith.
-McKenzie McCord-
I am a new follower of your blog, and I profit from much of your commentary. On what basis do you say the practice of praying for the sick has no application?
Perhaps that was not as well written as I would have liked. Praying for the sick has no application in modern “faith healing” movements, televangelists who sell holy with special “healing properties,” etc. James is not describing a semi-magical practice we ought to follow exactly today that guarantees healing.
As I say in the last line before my application paragraph, “regardless of the activity of these elders, it is the Lord who raises the sick person from their sick bed.” I think the Christian should pray for the sick and God does heals them. We all know stories of people who have experienced God’s hand in a sickness. But often he uses medical technology, skilled doctors and therapists in the process. He likely does not use the wealthy so-called healer getting rich off the elderly.
Thanks for the clarification.
As far as the idea of application, I don’t see this as praying for healing of literal illness, but more for an analogy for those who are sinners and those who are spiritually ill. Jesus in His ministry throughout the bible preaches praying for the sick, and He also spent a lot of His time with the “broken” or the poor. We as Christians are called to pray for those who have not been saved, who are spiritually dry, and to try and help save as many people as humanly possible.
The Christology of James is quite high in that he applies “the name of the Lord” (YHWH) unto the Father in James 5:10, and then unto the Lord Jesus in James 5:14.
This concept of praying for the sick is something that is so common in today’s Christian culture. It appears that it was also quite common in the time of James. Although as you wrote about, praying for the sick was done by the priest and elders of the church and it was done with anointing and praying in the name of the Lord. It is interesting to hear about how the early believers had the belief that sickness was a result of sin and that they believed that if the individual who was ill confessed their sins that they would be healed. People today, mainly those who are not believers, feel as though an individual is sick because they have done something wrong and them being sick is a type of bad karma or something along those lines. Non-believers often times question why an individual who is a good person becomes ill. True believers know that the presence of sin does not result is sickness. This may be why James wrote this passage. His purpose was to reassure believers because of their false perception of why people got sick. Although, James writes about how confession will lead to healing, James was also under the illusion of sin=sickness. There is, however, power in prayer and praying for healing for the sick. Karen Jobes makes the connection in “Letters to the Church” James’ reference to Elijah at the end of chapter 5. Elijah was proof in the power of prayer and God answering prayers.
Prayer is not only a Christian activity. Prayer is found in many religions if not most religions. Judaism is no different. Prayer is throughout the Scriptures. That being said, when James writes to the “dispersion” (the Jews) and charges/encourages them to pray in suffering, cheerfulness, and sickness this would be a common activity for the Jews to practice and they would understand it full-well (James 1:1, 5:13-14). Jewish-Christians, those whom James is writing to, would have a very Jewish mindset on how they pray, who an elder is, and why they are needing to pray.
In comparison to the Gentile Christian community that Paul writes to, both are encouraged to pray continuously and James is clearly doing the same to his readers (1 Thessalonians 5:17). James is making a statement in which these circumstances encapsulate all of life. Suffering and joyfulness are the ends of the spectrum of life and James writes to pray in both circumstances.
In contrast with the Gentile Christian community that Paul writes to, James’ audience has a few differences that play a role in interpreting this passage. James’ audience seems to have a blessings and curses mindset and comes from their Jewishness. If someone is sick and needs prayer and oil then there is usually some sin attached to sickness. This is not how Gentile Christians would see this. An illness in a Gentile Christian community would stir up prayer and the laying on of hands and miraculous healing through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Jews would see the need for God (the Father’s) mercy rather than the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The healing needed and desired would have seems medicinal to the Jewish and miraculous to the Gentiles. It seems to me that one people group (the Jews) is seeking the power of prayer directly from God himself. The other people group (the Gentiles) is seeking the power of prayer through the Holy Spirit who dwells in them.
This is why James cannot be read from a Christian perspective. When reading James the context matters when understanding what he meant by elders, prayer, oil, and such things. Our practices now do not always line up with their practices then.
Jobes in the letters to the church says, “A faith that can look on others in need of food and shelter and pronounce a blessing without doing something to help provide physical needs is not the kind of faith that saves” (Jobes, 2011, pg. 174). James 2, being more specific, James 2:17, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17 ESV). The people that were praying for the sick, they were exercising faith. They had faith that God can heal the sick. They could have just had faith and say, God will heal the sick and that would have been ok because its faith. But as a believer and follower of Christ, they knew that Jesus had ascended to heaven already, He was not about to walk there and heal the sick. They knew they had to take a step and act, they started praying for the sick. Healing of the sick was the faith they had that God can do it, praying for the sick was the action that moved them to exercise faith. Jobes gives the examples of Abraham and Rahab and how they had this faith. Abraham was faithful in obeying God and was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. Rahab was willing to sacrifice her life. Faith is believing and trusting that it will work, but the work needs to be done for the results to be seen. Faith is an action word.
I have many experiences with praying for the sick as I have had a lot of people in my life pass away from cancer. In 2020 I lost my 14-year-old cousin to Leukemia/a brain tumor. I was very confused and mad at God because He kept on healing him and then he would get cancer again. I kept on praying and praying and so many people in our community were praying as well. Sometimes I feel like as believers we question ourselves of praying. “Did I not pray enough or say the right prayer to have them get healed?” A lot of times these questions arise, and we have to know that it is by God’s plan that He knows what is best for the individual. In James 5:15 says “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” This is where the questioning comes in and there is a song that comes to my mind when someone is sick and is declining in health. It talks about Philippians 1:21 which says, “For me to live as Christ, to die is gain.” When someone is sick no matter what happens, God has a plan and it may be a loss on earth of a loved one but either way the individual will be healed. God will heal them on earth or if they are believers they will go to heaven and be healed from their sickness. In the post it talks about elders of the church anointing the sick with oil. One thing that sometimes confuses me is why elders anoint the sick with oil. Is it just what they did back in the Bible days or is there more to it and represents something today? Also sometimes I struggle in the moments when I have people I know who are sick and hurting is that if God already knows what His plan is and what is going to happen does it ever change God’s mind with the amount of people that pray or ask for help? Jobes talks about the different themes of James and they consist of trials and temptations through the testing of our faith, the need for wisdom, a call to patience and prayer, the prayer of faith, etc. (pg. 420-421). Overall with the book of James I really like how there are things that we can take to heart and remind ourselves when we have trials because it reminds us to keep the faith and to also praise God.
Throughout the Bible we are told that as Christians we should love and care for others. This includes caring for those in need. Poor people, sick people, widows, orphans or other Children are all people the Bible describes that need help. It makes sense that we are being told to pray for those who are sick, and it follows the theme that the entire Bible shows us. We are instructed to do this for multiple reasons. God knew that every person would need someone in their life at one point or another. All of us need other people or help in some way, shape or form. Helping each other is what sustains humanity. Additionally, helping others is one way to show the love of Christ. We should want to give to others because Christ gave to us. This moves into the point P.Long was talking about with salvation. Helping others out of love and respect can ultimately open the door to sharing the Gospel with someone or leading them to salvation. This is the most important thing that we should all strive for. God could be using our willingness to help someone out for a greater purpose. It is a blessing to be able to help others and to share the gospel, and if we are given the opportunity to impact the lives of others, it will give us peace and blessings in our own life. It is beneficial then for everyone involved, which is how God created it to be.
It is not entirely surprising that the definition of praying over the sick is not aligned with the modern definition of it. Jewish practice in the first century was to pray over those who are ill because it was associated with being sinful in nature. It also wasn’t just anyone who could pray over others for them to be “healed,” it was the priest that had to do it so the prayers could be lifted up. This idea of the difference of our sickness today and the difference of being sick back then originates in the definition of sick. When we think of sickness today, we often think about the Flu, Covid-19, a cold, and other diseases. The word used in the first century was meant to be used for any sort of tribulation, trial, oppression, and sickness too. The word was an over-arching idea of hardship and was thought to be originated with some sinful nature which caused the illness or tribulation. This is why the person had to confess their sins to the priest and then they were prayed over. The word was also often paired with the idea of being cheerful through suffering. This parallel, according to Phil Long in the blog post, was used to encourage those to seek the lord in even the worst situations and still praise Him with a cheerful heart – as when things are going right in our own minds. I think the confessing sins to priests in our time is unnecessary, but confessing them to the Lord and praying for others sins still applies in the modern church.
I really enjoyed reading the different viewpoints on praying whether it be for the sick or for praise of God. I think it is very important to pray no matter the situation, good or bad, however the thing that stood out to me was when P.long talks about the shipwreck. “Where Paul encourages those about to be shipwrecked to “take heart.” This word does not refer to someone who is bubbly and happy, but rather someone who may be suffering but rejoices anyway” (P.Long). This is important to me because we should not only pray for the good and bad things, seeking help and safety from God, rather we need to pray to Him as if it is a conversation; taking heart in everything that we talk to Him about. I also like this passage because we can be content with death or sickness when we pray to Him because we will soon get to meet God in the most heavenly place and there needs to be no more mourning or care for this Earthly realm because we will soon be with Him in paradise. Moreover, if one is sick and needs to be prayed over by the elders it really does not matter because God is always going to be with you if there is faith in Him. Thus, when P.Long says “regardless of the activity of these elders, it is the Lord who raises the sick person from their sick bed” (P.Long). I 100% agree with this because God is the most important and most powerful person to please and live a life according to; having faith in Him will result in justification and eternal life.
James is such a fascinating and thought-provoking book to me for so many reasons- this thought process when it comes to the subject of prayer in James chapter five is no exception. In James 5:13-18, in just a few verses we are presented with an incredible array of verses about prayer, theological truths that truthfully could be discussed for hours. I think one of my biggest takeaways from these few verses in verses sixteen through seventeen. These two verses were pivotal in my faith journey and were honestly life-changing. James introduces this incredible idea to us that life is meant to be lived in community. We were created by God to live this Christian life praying for one another- and prayer through the power of Christ is healing. Not only is this awesome truth presented to us, but James also gives us further confidence and encouragement as he tells us that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. It’s a great reminder for us to never underestimate the power of prayer- to never make it a mundane routine- understand that through this wonderful communion with our Heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit working through us has the ability to do some incredible, world-changing things.
I perceived that James has greatly emphasized the word “Prayer” for sickness (James 5:13-15). James makes a clear example that the word prayer means “Cheerful singing” and the word prayer can define as many things as possible. According to this topic, James is teaching believers to use prayer as a powerful weapon and to be involved in the church communities. James also encourages the one who is sick to seek the church elders to pray over them. Furthermore, Paul emphasizes that leaders and elders should pray over the sick people according to (1 Tim, 5:17). Additionally, as a believer it is crucial to know that sometimes we need to seek help from one another because everyone is gifted in different ways by God, and we’ll see some significant changes through someone prayer. Jobes mentioned that “A faith that can look on others in need of food and shelter and pronounce a blessing without doing something to help provide their physical needs is not the kind of faith that saves (vv. 14-17).” (Jobes, 2011, pg. 174). I agree with Jobes’s statement here because “Faith without any action is not a real faith”, it is a failure to me. A long time ago, I was severely sick for a week, and I had no energy at all. That day one of my close friends texted me and said, “I hope you get better soon, and praying for you to be well very soon” but never showed up in person. Then, one of my friends who is not super close to me “actually came to my house and prayed for me in person” and at that moment, I was very surprised. So something that I’ve learned from that experience was “Without any action by saying stuff is worthless”. No matter how much you say you have faith but are not willing to make any movement through your actions is worthless and that is my encouragement.
In the book of James, more specifically in chapter 5 verses 13-15, he talks about how there are supposed to be prayers for the sick. I believe that there should not just be prayers from those who are suffering (Long, 2018) but there should also be prayers from those who are not suffering for those who are. It is prominent that in our religion we pray for those who need prayers and saving from God, but it is also known that those who are sick and are suffering should be praying for themselves. There are many verses in the Bible, not only just in James, that implicate the types of prayers we should be praying about for those who are sick. Examples of these verses include: Jeremiah 17:14, 3 John 1:2, and one from James which is 5:15. I agree with Long that Psalms is a book that highlights the importance of prayers for those who are struggling. Many great verses in Psalms indicate what prayers are supposed to include.
From my understanding, we are those who can help the ones who are sick and struggling. Hearing our praises and our calls for help the Lord can shine his light down to help those in need. There are many references from the Bible that state we should be also praying for the healing of others. Praying for ourselves and others is what prayer is supposed to include. Even though there is no specific outline for prayer, there are specifics that should be included in a prayer to make it substantial and holy. It is important to me to understand the work of prayer and to help others understand how important prayer can be in their lives.
This post left me with a few questions. If these verses about praying for the sick do not amount to what we are to do in the modern day, what do we do? Is there a proper way to care for the sick or pray for someone? I do understand the point being made that is more about saying that you will pray for someone as a feel-good comment. I have been on the receiving end of that saying one too many times in my life when my brother had cancer. However, this makes me wonder about the way James 5 can be reflected in today’s society. I also think that the point of praying for the sick while also having a cheerful attitude is a lot harder said than done. I also have experience with being told to be joyful and cheerful in a situation that I did not feel like I had the ability to. Modern-day Christians often focus on the emotions of the moment and don’t see the internal practices needed to fulfill this. However, I do think verses like this can be used in a much more negative way to shame people. I also see your point that it is more about the preface of praying through suffering and cheerfulness. However, my question leads to where do you go from here? Are there things that we are to do in these seasons of suffering like the people who would be the audience of James’ words?
Great insights on this, Dr. Long. In James 5:13-18 the author describes different types of prayer in different situations of life. He begins by encouraging victims to pray. The rare verb James uses for suffering, “κακοπαθέω,” found in Paul’s writings, refers to a broader range of suffering than just persecution from external forces. James points to the possibility of lamentation as an appropriate prayer for those who suffer, and he emphasizes the revealing nature of their communication with God. In contrast, James praises “songs of praise” sung by happy individuals. The word “εὐθυμέω” implies a positive attitude despite the possibility of suffering. James sees a community collectively experiencing some suffering, perhaps from oppression by the rich and powerful, which prompts the importance of prayer in times of suffering and peace. The second prayer is to seek healing for the sick, in which elders play an important role. In this early Christian context, the term “elders” refers to respected, older people in the community rather than an organized church office. In the ancient world, the ritual associated with healing wounds was to pray over the elders and instruct them to anoint with oil They do it “in the name of the Lord,” perhaps referring to Jesus, an important statement in an early Christian epistle in this the patient confesses his sin, reflecting the common belief in the relationship between sin and disease during the Second Temple period. The lack of mention of the laying on of hands suggests a particular approach to healing, with a focus on the prayers of the elderly and the physical care of the sick.
I find it really interesting that we as a society always pray for the sick or if we are ourselves sick. I like how James makes it clear that we should pray just as much whether we are sick or healthy. I think as a society we are quick to offer prayers to the sick or injured but we don’t pray for those who are in good health. It’s crazy that back then there was a belief that people got sick as a result of their own sin as opposed to just getting sick. Prayer is a powerful thing and I’ve seen that play out in my own life when I’ve spent countless hours praying for people in my life that we’re going through some type of illness. I’ve seen family members beat their illnesses and it gives me peace knowing that my prayers are being heard even if I don’t always feel that way. One of my favorite bible verses about healing is James 5:15 which says “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” I really like this verse because it says the prayer will help those who are sick and the lord will raise them up.
In James 5:13-18, Long does a good job in providing a detailed exploration of different forms of prayer, particularly in the context of suffering and sickness within the early Christian communities. First it talks about suffering and prayer (James 5:13), where James encourages those undergoing suffering to engage in prayer. The term used for suffering which Long added in his post (κακοπαθέω) is rare in the New Testament, linked to affliction and hardship. The parallel with “cheerful singing” suggests a possible connection to lament Psalms, indicating a form of prayer expressing sorrow and distress. Second, rejoicing and prayer (James 5:13), those in a state of joy are advised to “sing praise.” The term “be cheerful” (εὐθυμέω) implies a sense of being in good spirits even amidst difficulties, rather than exuberant happiness (Long). James implies that the readers, although suffering in various ways, should respond in worship whether facing adversity or enjoying relative peace. Third, prayer for the sick (James 5:14-15), focuses on elders of the early Christian communities which are instructed to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil. The term “elders” which Long added (πρεσβύτερος) refers to respected, older figures in the Jewish Christian congregations, not the later office of church elders. When anointing with oil, it is associated with treating wounds, is done “in the name of the Lord,” likely referring to Jesus. The sick person is instructed to confess their sins, reflecting a common belief in the Second Temple Period that sickness and sin are connected. Fourth, the elders’ role and prayer context (James 5:14-15), Is the absence of a reference to laying on of hands suggests a distinctive approach to prayer for healing. The elders’ prayer, which is drawn from Psalms, is seen as a tangible way to address unusual illnesses, with parallels found in Psalms 35 and 41. The elders’ prayer is believed to potentially bring about healing, emphasizing that it is ultimately the Lord who raises the sick person from their bed. Lastly, application and cultural context (James 5:13-18), Looks at the passage that reflects the cultural context of first-century Jewish Christian communities, providing insights into their practices. This emphasis which (Long) talks about is that prayer is a fundamental practice during times of suffering, joy, and sickness. James presents these practices as inherent to the early Christian community’s approach, with the application geared towards a cultural understanding of prayer and care for the sick in the first century.
This blog post itself is incredibly interesting, and something I did not really know until today. Hearing James say, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Let him sing praise” (James 5:13, ESV). In other words, no matter what our predicament or situation in life, we should always pray regardless, because we can! We have the ability to pray for ourselves, as well as others, and we should definitely use this.
However, it is when other people get sick that we falter, and potentially rage. We get angry quickly, potentially not realizing that God very much does have a plan in mind here, no matter the outcome. Personally, for me, I have had three instances in my life where I was angry, confused, and sad as to why these events happened. I remember continually asking God, ‘why?’. Looking back now, at least to the second event at least, I realized that while I am genuinely sad at the outcome, it has also changed parts of my life, and reaffirmed my walk with Jesus. This is true of everybody! However, we should continue praying even during this time, as God wants to be near to us, and to help us, we just need to reach out a hand.
This blog post is one of the best I have read so far. We as Christians see prayer as much more than just talking with God. We see it as a way of hope, a way to help not just ourselves but others as well. We often pray for the sick people we see or have in our lives. We pray that those people will get better and will overcome the sickness they have. I have often prayed for the sick people that were in my life. My Mom had to get a big surgery on her vertebrae once,it honestly scared me because it was such a big and risky surgery. I found prayer to be helpful in knowing that God will be watching over my Mom during this time, giving me a sense of peace and hope. In the ESV study Bible, James 5:14 states “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord”. This passage shows us that even back then , praying for the sick was common. It was more of a ritual practice than it is now as instead of anointing the sick with oil, we may instead just give them a hug. Another passage from the ESV study Bible I’ve found to commend this topic is in James 15:5 in which it states “and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” Thus proving why us Christians may pray for the sick, as we are hopeful the hand of God will touch that person and heal them.