Confess Your Sins One to Another

Notes:

A strong commitment to prayer is a large part of enduring suffering and persecution. The background of this book deals with the suffering that scattered believers were facing around the world. Chapter 5 picks up this theme when James talks about the rich persecuting them in vs 1-6. Vs 7- 12 is an encouragement to endure patiently and in the right way. That leads us to our current section of the text where prayer is highlighted. The Ultimate context here deals with the spiritual weakness, weariness and healing that they need. “Sick” is used elsewhere as referring to those who are spiritually weak. Acts 20:35, Rom 4:19, and 12 other passages. It is used in 18 passages to refer to physical illness. 2 Cor 12:10 is a key passage where spiritual weakness is a result of suffering.

faith is based on a promise- Do we have a promise that all sick people will be healed of their illnesses? If that were the case no one would die natural death. The word save can mean several different things: 1. salvation 2. physical restoration or rescue 3. spiritual rescue 4. rescue of reputation or vindication. Most likely this text is tied to physical illness but James sees the spiritual issue as being the root or the most important part. We see this in the fact that the command is followed by the conditional that if he have sinned, they shall be forgiven him and the following command to confess our sins one to another.

anointing with oil is not some symbolic gesture in this case. The word itself refers to a rubbing with oil as in a medicinal way (AT Robertson). Some have pointed out that this could be a reference to seeking medical attention as oil was believed to have medicinal abilities.

This second use of the word sick is a word only used one other place in the bible in Heb 12:3 which speaks of being wearied and faint in your mind.