Font Size
The paragraph beginning at 5:13 offers a cross section of circumstances in which people of the church find themselves: trouble, prosperity, sickness, and sin. These and all experiences may and should be addressed with an awareness of the presence of the Lord. The focus is upon the agency of prayer. That is what prayer is: activating the presence of the Lord by consciously seeking his involvement. The practice of prayer pervades the passage; but it is the prayer offered in faith and the prayer of a righteous man, not just a recitation of liturgy. James uses three words for prayer; together they suggest a vital relationship with the Lord, entailing personal commitment, that may provide the energy (Gk. energoumenē) effectuating the prayer of the righteous man.
Particularly significant is the emphasis on mutuality in prayer. The meaning of fellowship is dramatized when the elders are present with the sick person. Here is prayer plus comfort. The anointing oil ministers through touch. Here is prayer plus an act. But fundamental to the total operation is confidence in the Lord’s presence and power. Moreover, whatever sin is present must be dealt with, too, for a prayer of faith is impossible if sin is allowed to remain. This is not to be regarded as a formula for healing but as a prescription as to how brothers can express their mutual concern and offer assistance.
Unexpectedly, James shifts his commands to the second person at 5:16 as he writes, “Confess your sins to each other.” He is now looking at the needs shared by all members of the fellowship. The word translated “confess” means to declare openly, to deal frankly with a matter. When Christians have spiritual needs, this openness makes it possible to pray for each other with specific petitions and thus expect wholeness in every way.