Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

812
(3) Model of God-centeredness (5:14)
After laying down the ground rules as to how to react to the two basic categories
of life, James deals with a particular instance of “poverty.” It is not correct
to state that in James 5:13-14 the author deals with three categories, trouble,
happiness, and sickness (with Laws, 225; contra Stulac, 180; Nystrom,
304), and that only the third circumstance is treated in detail (Dibelius, 251).
No, there are two categories, trouble (poverty) and cheer (riches). Sickness
(literally, weakness, infirmity, as in Mt. 8:17; Heb. 4:15) is simply a specific
issue that must be subsumed under the general category of “trouble” (So also
Kistemaker, 175).
The Greek term could signify weakness of any and every sort. This
would fit in quite well with the total rainbow of trials that befalls mankind
(1:7-11). But in the light of James 5:15 (Martin, 206) the focus at this juncture
is specifically upon physical sickness (Mt. 10:8; 25:36; Lk. 9:2; John
4:46; 5:3; Acts 9:37; Phil. 2:26). Moral weakness (Rom. 4:19; 1 Cor. 8:7; 11-
12) is not in view in this passage (Johnson, 330). Physical sickness is undoubtedly
singled out because it is so prevalent, and may serve more than any
other issue to extrapolate universal principles that help cover the range of
Christian conduct in the area of any and all circumstances that go hand in
hand with human infirmity in general! In a word, James proceeds to give a
partial illustration of a God-centered attitude, by focusing his attention upon
sickness as one of the afflictions, which may befall an individual. How should
we approach this phenomenon that is so much part of the fabric of life? Precisely
because it is a universal experience, it fits James’ purpose so well. In
fact, it fits James’ purpose for two reasons. The first one is that it covers everyone.
There is no one who has not experienced the sickness James is talking
about. The second one is that it provides a model for dealing with any kind of
“trouble.” It puts on display what “wise (sic!)” methodological as well as
substantive steps to take, in order to enjoy the company of God’s Lady Wisdom
the midst of trials of “poverty” and so to obtain Practical Godliness en
route to perfection in. By implication it also indicates not to take any alternate
steps, however tantalizing they may seem, in order to avoid the embrace of
Satan’s “Dame Folly,” that would have us succumb to temptations, and mire
down in wickedness, en route to destruction.
James’ focus, then, is “weakness” of such a grave nature that it renders
the patient “helpless” (Motyer, 194). What is in view is not any ache and
pain, but a serious illness that immobilizes and spells both “great pain” and
corresponding “danger” (Brosend, 153). This may be inferred in the larger
biblical context from two parallel usages of the term (Mt. 10:8; Phil. 2:26-
27), but even more so in the immediate context from the next verse, which