PRAYER & THE ANOINTING WITH OIL

Every Christian agrees that we should pray for one another and that certainly includes praying for the physically sick. In fact, the sick are instructed to call for the elders of the church, and the elders are instructed to pray over the sick, anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:14). Prayer is mentioned many times in this passage as well as others throughout the scriptures. Truly, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. But what is meant by "the anointing of oil?"

Some believe it involved a miraculous gift of healing given to some of the first century elders through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. Miraculous healing is mentioned with anointing in Mark 6:13.
Others believe it was used as a medicine in the first century as illustrated in Luke 10:34.
However, there are several problems with either of these interpretations of James 5:14. Another possibility is that the anointing of oil was an Eastern custom that sometimes was an emblem of joy, prosperity, and gladness. Please read the following scriptures to gain an understanding of this: Heb. 1:9; Ps. 104:15; Pr. 27:9; II Sam. 12:20; II Sam. 14:2; Dan. 10:3; Isaiah 61:3; Matt. 6:17, and Ps. 23:5.
A careful study of the Bible will reveal that the anointing of oil in the first century was a custom similar to greeting with a kiss, or washing feet. If someone wants to do these things today, they certainly can. However, we must not bind these ancient customs on the church as ordinances or necessary practices. The anointing of oil is neither a sacrament, an ordinance, nor in most cases is it medicinal. It also does not have the same customary meaning today in our culture that it had in Bible days. However, prayer has always been of vital importance to God’s people. Let’s continue to "pray for the sick," and "pray for one another."