Bible Study - Thoughts on James 5:7-11, 13-20

James talks, in this Scripture, about how our Lord has helped us in difficult times in the past and how He continues to help us as we face these challenges in the present and in the future. He speaks of three “p’s” that we need, provided by our Lord.

The first of these is “patience.” “Be patient, therefore, until the coming of the Lord,” James writes. He uses the example of farmers, who do as much as they can but are dependent on things that are beyond their control. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit, being patient about it, needing rain at proper times, yet not too much rain, and needing much sunshine and some decent weather at harvest time to bring the crops in. Farmers are some of the greatest examples of needing patience and living by faith as they work.

“You also be patient,” James says, “Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8). (James is referring to the second coming of Christ on the last day, which may be at any day or hour. No one knows when that will be but God, so we are called to wait patiently and not listen to false prophets who claim that they know the real time.)

James also uses the example of prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They were trying to do the Lord’s work, and yet they had much suffering and trouble, also. We heard last week of David and Jeremiah and of our Lord Jesus Himself, and all the difficulties they faced. James also mentions Job and Elijah. He says, “Behold, we consider these blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness, the patience of Job.” Patience is a “fruit of the Holy Spirit,” as He works through the Word and Sacraments (Galatians 5:22-23).

James also warns, “Do not grumble against one another so that you may not be judged.” It is so tempting, at times, to become so impatient that we strike out with harsh words at others or even the Lord when He is not doing for us what we want Him to do. Even Job himself had to say, “I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). And Elijah, whom James says was “a man with a nature like ours,” with its sinful weaknesses, once thought he was the only believer left and was so discouraged that he wanted to die.

How much we all also need that second “p” about which James writes - the importance of “prayer” to the Lord in times of trouble, as well as prayers of joy in times of blessing. James writes. “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray! Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise! Is anyone 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 will save one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” Note that the prayer of faith and the Lord Himself are the important factors in all this.

Some have tried to turn the anointing with oil into a kind of sacrament of healing. Praying is the main verb, though, and applying oil, likely olive oil, is secondary, only as a kind of soothing medicine in the ancient world. Isaiah 1:6 speaks of bruises and sores being bound up and softened with oil. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says that the Samaritan bound up the wounds of the man, beaten and left to die, pouring wine and oil on the wounds. Many other examples of this use of olive oil as a kind of medicine could be given from ancient literature, as well. Anointing the head of someone with some oil was also a sign of welcome and respect for someone. (See Luke 7:46, where Jesus did not receive such a welcome from a Pharisee who invited Him to a meal.)

The important thing was the praying. James writes, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power, as it is working” (in its effects). We also heard, some weeks ago, about the armor of God, which He provides for us. That includes using “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:17ff.). Paul also wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayers work! They may not always bring us what we want, but they bring us what God knows is ultimately best for us in His wisdom. His work is most important, even in our praying, as we don’t always know what to pray for or how to do it. (See Luke 11:1ff, Matthew 6:5-13, and Romans 8:25-28, for example.)

Be patient! Keep praying! And the third “p” that James mentions in this passage is seeing the “purpose” of the Lord. James says, “You have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” The Lord loves the people of this world, including us, in spite of our problems and struggles. That is why He sent Jesus to be our Savior and to die for all on the cross, for the forgiveness of sins and to make us counted acceptable to Him through faith in Jesus. That’s why Jesus also instituted the true Sacrament of Baptism, by which an infant or child or adult of any age can be brought into God’s kingdom by the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God and the water of baptism to forgive sins and create faith in a person.

The “purpose” of God is compassion and mercy in Christ and also in the gift of the Lord’s Supper. Christ Himself comes to us, as believers, to forgive and strengthen us, too, whatever we struggle with, as we confess our sins and trust His Word of Promise, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

And there is hope for others, too, in the Lord’s compassionate purposes. As this reading ends, James says that even if people wander from the truth, they can be brought back through the Word and their souls saved and the multitude of their sins forgiven in God’s mercy in Jesus (James 5:19-20).

May the Lord give us patience, whatever we are dealing with these days, and keep us using prayer for ourselves and for one another, and in trust that even if He does not answer our prayers as we wish, He is still working for our good and His purposes are full of compassion and mercy for us in Christ, our Lord and Savior (Romans 8:28).