Paidion,
You asked:
Homer, is the fact that the passage in James does not appear to be true for everyone who has tried it, the only reason you do not accept the word as meaning "sick" in that context?
Or do you have a textual reason for thinking it means "weak" in the James passage?
Several things, textual and otherwise, cause me to believe James 5:14-15 to be about spiritual sickness (weakness).
If the context is considered, in James 5:7-11 James urges patience, "establish (make stable) your hearts", perserverence under suffering, and he cautioned them about grumbling against one another. He reminds them how the prophets endured suffering. It seems to me he was concerned they might grow weary and fall into sin. In v. 13 they are urged to pray if they are suffering. I see v. 14-15 to be an instruction about what to do if weary of the struggle and the statement "if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" implies repentance and confession to the elders. Then we find in vs. 19-20 an instruction about someone else who has grown weary and fallen into sin.
Then there is the statement to call the elders. Why them in particular if physically ill? Certainly in those days there were people with the gift of healing; there is no reason to think this gift was exclusively given to the elders. And there is no mention of calling a physician. I believe he instructs them to call the elders because the duties of the elders were primarily spiritual in nature.
In the text, the healing appears to be promised. We know Christians often are not healed. Paul was not; did he not know of this instruction? And why did he not apply it himself regarding Timothy and Trophimus?
When I was an elder, we received a request to annoint and pray for healing for a man with terminal cancer. He was convinced he would be healed. We prayed sincerely for his recovery. He again requested this and again we gladly and sincerely prayed for him. He died. Another man who requested the prayers of the church, although he never requested the prayer and anointing as outlined by James, was healed of colon cancer. Three doctors had diagnosed this and examined him prior to surgery and said "there is nothing there but a tiny scar!"
Then two ladies requested prayer and anointing for spiritual problems. We met with them, talked with them, they confessed their struggles, we anointed and prayed for them. One seemed to do well but moved across country and I have lost track of her. The other lady, who was weak and troubled from her past, has blossomed and grown amazingly.
As mentioned in another post, we have a small church in this area that takes this instruction by James to be about physical illness. They take it to mean medical treatment is forbidden. They are wonderful people and I have no doubt about their sincerity and faith. Two of their children have died of treatable illnesses.
I can not be certain it is in God's will to heal any particular person of physical illness. We see often that He does not answer our prayers for the sick. Will the sincere Christian who has grown weary and may have fallen into sin be "saved" and "raised up" by our Lord if the instructions in James are followed? I have no doubt he will be. 1 Peter 5:10; " But may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered awhile, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you". Exactly. Praise God!
