The Answer is Prayer

Perhaps James would include petition to God to remove the trial. But James’s concern when he deals with trials elsewhere (1:2–4, 12; 5:7–11) is to encourage believers to endure the suffering with the right spirit and with a divine perspective on history. Presumably, then, the prayer that he encourages here is for the spiritual strength to endure the trial with a godly spirit.

James 5:13 KJV 1900

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

The Answer to Good Circumstances: Prayer of Praise

Another rhetorical question - Is anyone experiencign the opposite - a happiness of life?

Note: the Greek word that James uses in his second question (euthymeō) connotes a state of the emotions rather than an outward circumstance. The verb occurs elsewhere in the NT only in Acts 27:22 and 25, where it denotes the “peace of mind” that Paul encourages his fellow passengers to have despite the raging storm that was tearing apart their ship ...

Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000), 235–236.

If so, then James commands to sing - the word is the word for singing, from which we get the word psalm, but it simply means a song of praise

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James B. Prayer and Healing (5:13–18)

Giving praise to God, like our petitions for sustenance in times of trouble (proseuchesthō, “pray,” is also present tense), should be a regular part of our lifestyle

James 5:14 KJV 1900

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:

The Answer to Sickness: Prayer of Healing

In this case, it is not individual prayer or praise that is called for, but a corporate prayer - that of the entire church.

Steven Runge comments that when we get sick:

Our first inclination today is to consult a doctor without considering the spiritual implications of sickness. This is not to say that James excludes the notion of medical help. Rather, he is highlighting the significant spiritual problem that sickness poses. He offers a practical example of how a community of believers can respond to a brother or sister in special need. Will they respond by exhibiting both faith and works, or will they offer just a “hope you get better, we’ll be praying” response akin to what James presented in 2:15–17

So here we have a custom of the church that is still practiced today:

Notice that it tells the person who is sick to contact the elders of the church. There is a place for the elders to go out and see them, but there is a reminder here that there is a responsibility to let those in the church know of your needs.

Once notified, the elders are commanded to come and pray over the person and anoint them with oil.

High Definition Commentary: James James 5:13–20

James does not recognize the distinctions we might make today between spiritual illness and physical illness. Both conditions threatened the individual and the community of believers, and both called for intervening prayer. Requesting help reflects an individual’s recognition that they cannot overcome their situation alone. The response of the elders to pray for and anoint them reflects putting faith into practical action

The idea of anointing with oil could mean three possible ideas:

One, Medicinal: olive oil was a primary medicine in the ancient world, so they would have used the olive oil as an unguent to cure the disease while they prayed (Isa 1:6: “cleansed or bandaged or soothed with olive oil”; also Luke 10:34). Ancients believed it was useful for all kinds of ailments, so this is a very possible understanding.

Two, Sacramental: The combination of oil and prayer developed into the euchalaion (euchē, “prayer” + elaion, “oil”) for both spiritual and physical healing. Later, the Roman Catholic Church developed out of this the sacrament of “extreme unction,” the anointing of those dying so their sins can be forgiven. However, the purpose here is to heal the sick, not penance for the dying.

Three, Symbolic: This is the most probable function. At times Jesus and the disciples anointed people (Mark 6:13); at other times they did not do so (Mark 6:5). Anointing in Scripture connoted consecration to the Lord, and in this act the sick person is consecrated and set apart to God (like priests and kings in the Old Testament).

Grant R. Osborne, James: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019), 164-5.

James: Verse by Verse Prayer and Anointing with Oil (5:14–15a)

We must conclude that anointing is not required for healing, but it is a commendable practice (especially for serious illnesses) for its symbolic value and because it enables us to focus our prayers more thoroughly. I would recommend fasting along with it, as it symbolizes the surrender of life’s necessities in order to worship God and depend only on him.

James 5:15 KJV 1900

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

This does not mean that all sickness is the result of sin, but that the same power of God is able to forgive sins that might have caused that sickness and certainly does cause difficulities within our lives.

So, is this a guarantee of healing?

Somewhat!

James states that the person will be healed - but that may be either physical healing or spiritual healing.

We need to be careful not to take this passage and fall into the trap of prosperity thinking - simply ask and claim an answer to prayer and God will indeed give it:

Grant Osborne:

This perspective is quite dangerous, even heretical, for it assumes that we control God simply by having faith and can command him to give us whatever we wish. God is sovereign, not us, and one of his necessary answers to prayer must often be no. Faith without doubting (1:5–8) is in God, not in our ability to get what we want from him. Prayer does indeed have incredible power to do wondrous things, but God alone decides when and how. Prosperity theology is a heresy. God dare not be made our lackey, captive to whatever whim we desire

Romans 8:28 KJV 1900

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Grant Osborne:

Therefore, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom 8:28). This means that in many instances God will have to say “no” or “wait” because it is not in our best interest to give us what we are asking for. So the no when we are asking for healing is in reality a healing response, and we need the faith to accept that. The result will always be what is best for us. These will be times when saying no to physical healing actually brings about spiritual healing.

On the other hand, we do need to be bold in our prayers:

Craig Blomberg:

The promise of healing for the sick offers a much needed corrective for those of us who have trouble praying boldly, for we fear or even assume that God will not do what we ask of him. Instead, we ought to pray boldly, believing that he is a God of power and love and that he listens to the prayers of his people. A necessary caveat, however, requires us to remember that he chooses how and when he heals, as Paul lays out clearly in 2 Co 12:8–10, and that complete healing never occurs in this life.

James 5:15 KJV 1900

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

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