The Text: Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

The Meaning Given To It: In seeking to convince someone who has sinned in a public manner that they need to "make things right," this verse is frequently used to justify (if not to insist upon) the practice of a public confession of some sort before an assembly of a local church. It is also suggested that the "healing" here is physical and that physical illnesses are discussed in the context. Our purpose here is to place this text in its context and set forth reasons for rejecting this verse to justify this practice and setting forth what we believe is taught. But while we do not believe this context is teaching anything relative to either praying for physical sicknesses or confessions of sin before a local church, let us be clear about two things:

1-I believe in praying for the sick and have every confidence that what was done for Hezekiah can be done today (see 2 Kings 20:1-7.)

2-I also believe that truly public sin can be confessed before an assembly of a local church if an individual so desires and, depending upon the circumstances, don't know that anything is wrong with such. But there is a big difference between what, according to my judgment, can be done and what, according to the scriptures, must be done. I don't believe that this, or any other verse(s), mandates that when a person has sinned publicly they must make a public confession of that in a public assembly.

The Context

Vss. 1-6---Rebuke and warning for the rich who are mistreating those to whom James is writing.

Vss. 7-12---Proper attitudes and conduct by those suffering the mistreatment of the rich: "Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that he be not judged behold the judge standeth before the doors. Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful." The emphasis is on patience and establishing hearts rather than murmuring, and enduring, not swearing.

Vss. 19-20---Encouragement to convert fellow believers who err from the truth.

The word "suffering" (kakopatheo) means "to suffer (endure) evils (hardship, trouble); to be afflicted... used freq. of the hardships of military service" Thayer, 320. There are two reasons for believing this is suffering is related to and because of spiritual matters:

For one thing the kind of "suffering" refered to in the context is that which came from speaking in the name of the Lord. Then, this word is used only three other times in the NT, 2 Tim. 2:3,9; 4:5, and in each case spiritual, rather than physical, matters are under consideration.

"Sick" is "astheneo" (a verb) and is found in Acts 20:35; Rom. 4:19; 14:1-2, 21; 1 Cor. 8:9,11-12; 2 Cor. 13:3; Jas. 5:14 (spiritual). It means, "lit., to be weak, feeble" Vine, 27. There are good reasons for concluding this is suffering is connected to spiritual concerns:

1. The context: if vs. 13 is spiritual, what contextual reason is there for switching to physical here?

2. Other occurrences of this word and forms of it are used of spiritual suffering or weakness:

a. (asthenes---adjective) Rom. 5:6; 1 Cor. 4:10; 8:7,10; 9:22; 11:30; Gal. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb. 7:18 (spiritual)

b. (astheneia---noun) Rom. 6:19; 8:26; Heb. 4:15; 5:2; 7:28 (spiritual)

3. The work of elders is spiritual, not physical. This word (astheneo) is used with elders in only one other place (Acts 20:35) and the context there is dealing with their spiritual work, not physical. It is as out of character for elders to be attending to physical illnesses as it was for the apostles to get involved with the Grecian widow problem in Acts 6:1-2. Their work lies elsewhere.

A figurative use of this phrase has scriptural precedence (see Ps. 23:5; Heb. 1:9.) But even if we believe this was physical sickness, suffering and healing and the anointing with oil was literal, we need to be careful about saying this is what must be done today. We need to consider the possibility that it was a symbolic action that was a custom of that day rather than one that brought healing. It would fall into the category of washing feet, Jo. 13:14-15, and the holy kiss, Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14. Few, if any of those who would advocate a literal anointing with oil would advocate literal foot washing (to demonstrate humility) or holy kissing (to demonstrate affection for our brethren). Just as foot washing was one form of showing humility, and giving a holy kiss was one form of demonstrating affection for brethren, so anointing with oil was one form of expressing concern for those who are physically sick.

Again, there are several reasons for believing that the "sickness" and "raising up" are spiritual:

1. Save (sozo) "to save in the technical, biblical sense;---negatively, to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment... positively, to make one a partaker of the salvation by Christ" Thayer, 610. All uses of this word in James are spiritual: 1:21; 2:14; 4:12; 5:15,20

2. Sick (kamno) "primarily, to work, hence, from the effect of constant work, to be weary..." Vine, 27. Only two other occurrences of this word in the NT refer to spiritual sickness: Heb. 12:3; Rev. 2:3.

3. Raise him up (egeiro). Can refer to one's "spirit" being "raised," Rom. 13:11; Eph. 5:14.

The Meaning

Our text begins with the very significant word "therefore". Whatever conclusion we reach about what is taught here must be based upon what has preceded. Notice that nothing has been said in the previous or following context about (a) public sin, (b) an assembly of a local church, (c) confessing sins to the church or (d) asking for "the prayers of the church." One could as easily get local church action out of Jas. 1:27 as they could out of this verse.

In the conclusion ("therefore") James mentions confessing faults, prayer (twice) and healing. Whatever James has in mind in this conclusion must be based upon and in harmony with what has preceded. Since "healed" (iaomai) can be used of spiritual healing (see Matt. 13:15; Jo. 12:40; Acts 28:27; Heb. 12:13; 1 Pet. 2:24), context seems to indicate such a use here. "That ye may be healed" follows from confessing sins and praying for one another and the only kind of "healing" that comes from confession of sins and prayer is spiritual (Acts 8:22-24?). We need to be careful about using this verse as the basis for insisting that public sin be confessed in an assembly of the local church.

We have thus far suggested what "confess your sins to one another" doesn't mean. Let's conclude on a positive note and set forth what is being said. James is encouraging (actually the verb "confess" is an imperative with the force of a command) brethren to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another. What a fine thing it would be if, when we've sinned or when temptation to sin overwhelms us, we would do as James says and seek out righteous people, confess our sins and weaknesses to them, and request their prayers on our behalf. It might be someone we know who has had problems with the same temptations and sins we're wrestling with. Or it just might be someone who, on the one hand, will not withhold proper rebuke for sins committed but, on the other hand, will exhort and encourage and pray for us that our weakness will be overcome and our sins forgiven. This is a far cry from what generally happens today with the "come forward and confess your sins to the church and ask for the prayers of the church" type of thinking. How much better it would be if we did what James says rather than what tradition dictates.