James 5:14 NIV,NKJV

The Pulpit Commentary - James 5:14-15

Directions in ease of sickness. Let him call for the elders of the Church. Of the original creation of the presbyterate no account is given, but elders appear as already existing in Judaea in Acts 11:30 ; and from Acts 14:23 we find that St. Paul and St. Barnabas "appointed elders in every Church" which they had founded on their first missionary journey. Nothing, therefore, can be concluded with regard to the date of the Epistle from this notice of elders. The elders were to be summoned... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 5:14-18

The power and value of intercessory prayer I. THE POWER AND VALUE OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER , enforced by the instance of the effect of Elijah's prayers—the petitions of a man who was of like passions with us , and therefore one from whose ease it is fair to argue to our own. Intercessory prayer may be viewed as a privilege and work in which all can have their share. While Joshua is down in the valley fighting with Amalek, Moses in the mount must lift up holy hands to God in... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 5:14

Is any sick among you? - In the previous verse the reference was to affliction in general, and the duty there urged was one that was applicable to all forms of trial. The subject of sickness, however, is so important, since it so often occurs, that a specific direction was desirable. That direction is to call in the aid of others to lead our thoughts, and to aid us in our devotions, because one who is sick is less able to direct his own reflections and to pray for himself than he is in other... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 5:14-15

James 5:14-15. Is any sick? let him call for the elders of the church Those ministers of Christ whose office it is to oversee and feed the flock; and let them pray over him For his recovery, persuaded that what two or three of the Lord’s true disciples shall agree to ask, it shall be done for them; anointing him with oil “This single conspicuous gift, (healing the sick by anointing them with oil,) which Christ committed to his apostles, (Mark 6:13,) remained in the church long after the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 5:7-20

5:7-20 THE NEED FOR PATIENCE AND PRAYERMany Christians were poor and oppressed, some of them no doubt farmers who suffered because of the rich landowners. James encourages them to wait patiently for the Lord’s return (which will bring them victory in the end), just as the farmer waits patiently for the rain that will bring his crops to final harvest (7-8). God is using these trials to teach them patience, so they must not fight against his purposes by grumbling. Some Old Testament examples show... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 5:14

elders . App-189 . church . App-186 . Here the church must mean the assembly which worshipped in the synagogue of James 2:2 . over . App-104 . anointing = having anointed. Greek. aleipho. Occurs here and eight times in the Gospels. Compare Mark 6:13 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 5:14

Is any among you sick? 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: and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.James in this remarkable paragraph plainly has under consideration the charismatic gift of healing, one of the special gifts that attended the early propagation of Christianity for the purpose of confirming the word... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - James 5:14

James 5:14.— In the first age of Christianity, the miraculous gifts of the Spirit were very common: it appears too, that when the Christians behaved very unbecoming their character and profession, God sent down some diseases upon them, as a punishment for those particular sins. Such of them as laboured under sickness or other bodily disorders on that account, are here advised to send for the elders of the Christian church, who had generally the power of miraculously healing diseases; that upon... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - James 5:14

14. let him call for the elders—not some one of the elders, as Roman Catholics interpret it, to justify their usage in extreme unction. The prayers of the elders over the sick would be much the same as though the whole Church which they represent should pray [BENGEL]. anointing him with oil—The usage which Christ committed to His apostles was afterwards continued with laying on of hands, as a token of the highest faculty of medicine in the Church, just as we find in :- the Church's highest... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - James 5:1-18

VI. MONEY AND PATIENT ENDURANCE 5:1-18The final practical problem James addressed involves money. He wrote these instructions to warn his readers of a danger, to inform them of the ramifications of the problem, and to exhort them to deal with the situation appropriately. This is his third reference to the rich and the poor (cf. James 1:9-11; James 2:1-12). We might also consider James 4:13-17, as well as James 5:1-6, as dealing with the rich. [Note: For some helpful insights on the way... read more