Ver. 15. A7id the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be for- given him.
Here he cometli to show the effect of this anointing and prayin^};', though it is notable he ascribeth it rather to the prayer than to the oil, the moral means being much more worthy than the ritual and cere- monial ; and, therefore, he doth not mention the anointing, but the prayer of faith ; as also to shoAv that this is the standing spiritual means of cure, the other being but an arbitrary rite suited to those times.
The iwayer of faith ; that is, made out of, or in faith. This is added to show that this remedy should only be effectual Avhen they had a special revelation or persuasion of the success of it, there being required to the miracle faith both in the elders and person sick ; faith in him that did the miracle, and faith in him upon Avhom it Avas Avrought ; otherwise the one Avas not to attempt it, or to the other, if administered, it Avould not prove successful We see unbelief did 23onere obicem, let and hinder our Saviour's operation : Mark vi. 5, ' He could do no mighty Avork,' &c.
454 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [Jas. V. 15.
Shall save the sick, awaei, save. — He speaketli of a corporal infir- mity, and therefore it is meant of a corporal salvation, that is, shall restore to health : so saving is used for healing, Mat. ix. 21 ; Mark vi. 56, ' were saved,' or ' made whole.'
And the Lord shall raise him up, eyepel. — It is used for a resurrection out of death, and a restoration to health out of sickness, not only here but elsewhere : Mark i. 31, ' He came and took her by the hand,' koi Tjyeipev avrijv, ' lift her up,' or ' raised her up.' So Mat. viii. 15, yjyepdi] Kol 8lt]k6v€i, ' She was raised, and ministered to them.' The reason of the word is, because sick persons lie upon their beds, and when they are recovered we say, he is up again, upon his legs again. * The Lord shall raise him up ;' this is added to sliow by whose power it is done . faith's worth and efficacy lieth in its object, so that it is not faith properly, but God called upon in faith, that saveth the sick.
And if he have committed sins. — Why doth the apostle speak hj-po- thetically ? Who is there that can say ' my heart is clean ' ? Prov. xx. 9. I suppose the apostle would imply those special sins by which the disease was contracted and sent of God. Now herein he might speak by way of supposition, sicknesses being not always the fruit of sins, but sometimes laid on, as a means to discover God's glory, John ix. 2.
Theij shall be forgiven him. — But how can another man's prayer of faith obtain the remission of my sins ? I answer — Very well in God's way, and as they procure means of conversion and repentance for me ; not as if because tlicy pray and believe, though I do what I. will, I shall be forgiven ; but they pray, and therefore God will give me a humble heart, and, in the way of the gospel, the comfort of a pardon ; for certainly we are to ask spiritual matters for others, as well as temporal ; and, if we ask, there must be some hope at least that God will grant. Out of this verse observe : —
Ohs. 1. That means, whether moral or ritual, are no further effectual than they are accompanied with faitli ; anointing will not do it, pi'ayer will not do it ; but ' the prayer of faith shall save the sick.' In the primi- tive times, when miracles were in tlieir full force and vigour, the effect is always ascribed to faith : Mat. ix. 22, ' Thy faith hath made thee whole.' Christ doth not say, thy touching my garment, but thy faith. You shall see it is said, Mark vi. 5G, ' As many as touched his garment were made whole;' and, therefore, the woman thought that the emanation was natural, and not of free dispensation. To instruct her, Christ showeth it was not the rite, but her faith ; so Acts iii. 16, ' His name, by faith in his name, hath made this man strong.' Mark, that ])lace showeth, that as means cannot work without faith, so neither will the principal cause, — 'his name, througli faith in his name.' The disciples, though invested with high gifts, could not cure the lunatic for want of faith : Mat. xvii. 17, ' I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure liim ; and Jesus said, O faithless generation !' Well, then, learn that in all duties and means we should mind the exerci.se of faith, and we should strive to make the persuasion as exjjress and particular as the promises will give leave : acts of trust are engaging, and the way to get God's ]iowcr exercised is to glorify it in our own dependence.
Ohs. 2. That all our prayers nuist Ijc made in faith ; our apostle bcateth much upon that argument : James i. (I, ' Let him ask in faith,'