Anointing the Sick
At about age five I was outside climbing a tree in our yard. Little boys like to climb things. Our mulberry tree was next to the house, and I could climb up and get onto the roof of our house. Pretty cool for a five- or six-year-old. The concept of falling and really getting myself hurt was only just beginning to take shape. Somehow, my parents always knew when I was running around on the roof. They would dutifully come out and get me to climb back down the mulberry tree. Eventually I went to the other side of the house and climbed a tree on that side where they could not see me. This tree was tall and skinny, and I was short and wide. Tall and skinny verses short and wide don’t always mix while climbing a tree and I eventually fell and scraped myself up pretty good. It took almost a month to heal back up. Us little boys just love to climb trees, but what do we do when we fall out and get hurt?
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:”
In our human life, bad things happen to nice people. Not one of us will get out of this life alive (I Cor. 15:22-26). Life is hard, then we die. Accidents happen. No good deed goes unpunished. We hear these pithy sayings all the time but how often do they actually affect us? Bad things do happen to good people, we all die and we all get sick in our human life. As Christians we too get sick at times. What can we do about this life we live as mortal humans when we are ill? We can call on God to heal our sickness (diseases).
As Christians what should we do to help those with sickness? What would Jesus do? We should do as Jesus did by showing compassion and comfort for those in need. What did Jesus do? John 4:45-53 He healed the nobleman’s son because the nobleman “believed”. John 5:1-9 Jesus healed the man who was infirmed for 38 years. Jesus “noticed” the sick man. We should also notice those in need. John 9:1-12 Jesus healed the blind man. He could have done this by fiat, but Jesus asked the blind man to go do something (showing faith in action), go wash in the pool of Siloam. The blind man had to show faith just as we should. John 11:1-46 Jesus resurrects His close friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus loved Lazarus and his family (vs. 3), He showed great compassion (vs. 5), faith was required (vs.22) (For faith and healing, see also Mark 6:1-6 as Jesus could do no miracles in Nazareth because of their lack of faith.) and Jesus wept showing great emotion (vs. 35). We should have the same mind as Christ (Phil 2:5) and show the same characteristics He did in dealing with those who were suffering. Our job is to love one another as Jesus loved us (John 15:12-13) and we should bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
When one is ill does the Bible give us a procedure as to what to do? Yes, it does and very distinctly too. We are promised healing because of the sacrifice of Christ (Isa. 53:5 and I Pet. 2:24 “We are healed by His stripes”). We see in James 5:12-16 we are to call upon the elders and be anointed with oil and have hands laid on us for healing. The anointing with oil was a common practice in the 1st century A.D. and was used by the disciples to heal the sick (Mark 6:13). If an elder was not physically able to reach the sick an “anointed” cloth would be sent out to the infirmed (Acts 19:11-12).
We see the Biblical process for healing as: Call upon the elders in the church for prayer, anointing and healing. A drop of olive oil (all Biblical references of oil are olive oil) is placed on one’s forehead and hands are laid upon the sick by the elder during prayer. If the elder cannot physically attend to the sick, the elder will pray over a cloth, put a drop of oil on it and then mail the cloth to the infirmed. James, the Lord’s brother says in James 5:16b “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
We should follow the example of Jesus as he healed the sick. Believe, go do something (anointing), notice the sick, show compassion and have faith God will heal us. When ill, call upon the elders for healing. I also suggest we stay out of trees.
A note to consider: We do not always know God’s plan for us. When He heals is His prerogative and may not fit our human timetable. At our resurrection during the return of Jesus to earth, we will be made perfectly whole and totally healed of any disease we may have had. Our job is to have the faith of God in us.
Mike Wallace
