Why Don't Elders Anoint With Oil?

... or "Is James 5:14 a commandment for us today?"

Answer: James 5:14 says, "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." A first reading of this passage makes the subject appear to be physical sickness, but a study of the context and the variant meanings of the original Greek words indicates the subject to be spiritual sickness. 

The function of elders is to act as spiritual shepherds (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4). Unless James 5:14-15 teaches such, there is no indication in all of God's word that they are to serve as medical doctors, physical healers. Had this healing been physical, the instruction should have been, "Call for the doctors, let them diagnose his case and prescribe medicine. Either that is true or else we have no right (or need) to go to a doctor since "the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up"!! 

The view that this passage was speaking of miraculous physical healing has some merit except that it overlooks the fact that miracles were never worked for the sake of healing alone but had the ulterior purpose of a confirming testimony that God was with the one performing the miracle (Acts 2:22). Otherwise why did Paul not heal Timothy (1 Tim. 5:23) or Trophimus (2 Tim. 4:20) or himself (Gal. 4:13)? 

Observe the words and the context: 

1. "Sick" of verse 14. This is the Greek verb astheneo which occurs 35 times in the New Testament. Unmistakably it refers to physical sickness 17 times, but at least 7 times it refers to spiritual infirmity and is translated "weak". Notice some of these: Romans 14:1,2,21; 1 Cor. 8:9,11,12. The context determines the meaning such a word should have; e.g. in our own speech we sometimes pray for those who are "spiritually sick." 
2. "Sick" of verse 15. This is the Greek kamno (an entirely different word from verse 14) and occurs only three times in the New Testament. It is rendered "weary" in the other two references (Heb. 12:3; Rev. 2:3, ASV). 
3. "Anointing with oil in the name of the Lord", verse 14. "The Lord is my shepherd ... thou anointest my head with oil" (Psa. 23). We understand the 23rd Psalm as a figurative expression of the Lord's care and concern over His people. Likewise, in James its meaning is symbolical rather than literal. 
4. "If he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him", v. 15. Why is this said if the thought pertains to physical sickness? The next verse adds, "Confess your faults ... pray ... that ye may be healed," which lends to the idea of spiritual healing, forgiveness of sins. 
5. Converting "the sinner from the error of his way", v. 19-20. 

It would appear that James 5:13-20 pictures the Christian whose trials are so great that he has grown spiritually sick and is in need of the prayer of faith to restore him and to help him develop the patience necessary in suffering affliction (James 5:7-11). In his spiritual weakness, he seeks the encouragement and prayers of those who are spiritual shepherds. 

I do believe elders must be busy in this work today as "ones who must give account (Heb. 13:17) and with the joy of knowing that "he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of Sins (James 5:20). -- Robert Harkrider.