But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
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 the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. — James 5:12–20 (ESV)
It seems odd that James would say, about not swearing oaths, “But above all.” Is that really above all the things he said before?
Yeah, this does seem strong. The Greek words translated as above all (πρό πάντων, pro pahn-tone) literally mean “before everything.”
In other words, this takes precedence. After all the things James has covered, it is surprising for him to declare that this is more important than everything else.
But that’s exactly what he does. Swearing oaths, which was a common practice back then, is not okay. Jesus strongly condemned it in Matthew 5:33–37, too. James’s condemnation is just as strong, threatening, “so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
I don’t see how that can rise above the other things James has been condemning.
Well, notice that the condemnation isn’t directed simply at oath swearing. It’s reserved for deceivers. They’re the ones for whom “yes” wasn’t “yes” and “no” wasn’t “no.” The oaths simply magnify the sin. Oaths are especially offensive as a part of a strategy of deception.
Is that because it invokes the Lord’s name?
Not necessarily. That’s why James adds, “either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath.” It does imply that the swearing is “by” something, but it doesn’t seem to matter what.
So, lying is worse if you “certify it,” right?
I suppose. In our society, the only oaths I know of are with respect to the legal term “under oath.” The penalties for lying in that case are shockingly severe. We even have a separate term for that—perjury.
We used to say, “So help me God,” in court, but I don’t think that’s required any more.
It’s still the traditional oath, but it’s now optional. The reference to God can be omitted, but it’s just as legally binding
So, in conclusion, James cites with two examples of mature Christian behavior. First, he makes the case for constant prayer and praise. Then he advises confessing our sins to one another. This kind of deep relationship is often called koinonia.
Does that really happen?
Not often enough. This is also known as having an “accountability partner,” and not many Christians (especially men) have one. Being that open can be risky. The problem isn’t that people aren’t open enough; it’s that people aren’t good enough listeners to be qualified to be a competent accountability partner.
Christians should strive to get to this level of spiritual maturity. There’s a great book on this—Encouragement: The Unexpected Power of Building Others Up by Larry Crabb and Dan Allender.
Sounds like a good idea for everyone, not just Christians.
Absolutely. Relationships in our society are almost universally hollow. Imagine what would happen if someone asked you how you’re doing and you actually told them. They’d think you’re nuts.
Finally, James adds a curious instruction. Turning back someone who has wandered from the truth is a great victory. It will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
But there’s a twist. James doesn’t just say this; he announces it. “Let him know that” all this good will result. In other words, rather than simply teaching this truth, James tells his readers to use it in shout-outs.
This isn’t doctrine; it’s a special case of encouragement.
Bingo, and what was the title of Crabb and Allender’s book? See the connection?
Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering has done a great work. We should say so.
And it all depends on koinonia. You’re not going to have much impact on someone if you have the kind of hollow relationship most folks have.
This is the perfect ending. Thanks.
