Reading for January 9th

Read James 5.12-20. In verses 12-18: More on speech. In verse 12: This simplification of oaths resembles Jesus' curtailment of them (Mt 5.34-37; 1 Cor 1.19-20). In verses 13-14: While some speech is controlled other speech is urged at all times, such as prayer and praise. Prayer for the sick entails anointing by elders. In verses 15-16: The author may understand illness here as caused by sinfulness, because he encourages confession of sins and mutual prayer for healing. In verses 16-18: Elijah illustrates the claim about the effective prayer of the righteous. His first prayer stopped the rain (1 Kings 17.1), whereas his second prayer started it again (1 Kings 18.1). In verees 19-20: saving others. In a world of social and geographical immobility, wandering suggested deviance. But good shepherding of the lost yields great rewards for both the lost sheep and the shepherd. Comments or Questions..