Annointing with oil for the sick...

[annsni]

I have seen this done and know of cases when it was asked to be done. And no we do not have to carry around oil. If someone requests it then the elders can gather with the oil anointing the person and praying.

Did you read what happened? We were at the beach. We were all gathered and able to pray but annointing was requested. So that's why I say it might be a good idea to carry oil.

Actually, in the last 4 times my husband has done this, three of the times were times he had to go seek out oil. You never know when this will come up! Only one time was it actually at church - and our church is a hotel.

 

[freeatlast]

OK - I'm pooped so I'll spill. So we did our beach baptism yesterday and we have one of our deacons, a VERY dear man, come to my husband and some of the other pastors/elders/deacons looking for prayer and annointing since he will begin chemo today for cancer. No one had oil so hubby went to the concession stand because most of the time, you can get a small cup of cooking oil with no problem. However, in this case, the concession stand was closing and they had no oil at all. So what did he get? Mayonnaise. He came back and showed one of the other deacons who is a chef and he said that mayo is basically eggs and oil, with oil being the predominant ingredient. We asked the man what he thought and he laughed and said that it was quite fitting for him. He's a huge (300+ lb, 6 foot, 6 inch tall) guy and has a personality that is like a big bear. So that is what they used.

I said that if we were back in the 70s, we could have just asked anyone for some Coppertone and we would have gotten oil with no problem! Heck, BABY OIL would have been all over the beach!

So that's my story and I'm sticking with it. ROTFL!!!

This is my opinion and yes I read it. I think it made a mockery of the anointing as the oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. I htink the proof is the joking around that was done about what was being used. It would have been better to put it off until some pure oil such as olive oil could be found.

 

[Jim1999]

It is not the "fluid", it is the "faith" expressed in the annointing fluid.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[annsni]

This is my opinion and yes I read it. I think it made a mockery of the anointing as the oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. I htink the proof is the joking around that was done about what was being used. It would have been better to put it off until some pure oil such as olive oil could be found.

You have a right to disagree but honestly, it was not a laughing matter when it came to the time to pray with Tom. He's a dear man and we counted it a privilege to pray over him and for the men to annoint him. Yes, the oil was less than typical but as Jim said, it's the faith, not the fluid. I heard from a missionary that they even used lamp oil!! You use what you have access too.

 

[freeatlast]

It is not the "fluid", it is the "faith" expressed in the annointing fluid.

Cheers,

Jim

[SIZE=+0][SIZE=+0]If the people doing the anointing had faith in what is written instead of substituting something else they would believe what is written and use oil. Waiting is better then having a burger king mentality.
It is like if God says to be healed to be baptized in the dirty Gordon river and you are closer to a clean lake you better start walking to the Gordon.
[/SIZE][/SIZE]

 

[freeatlast]

You have a right to disagree but honestly, it was not a laughing matter when it came to the time to pray with Tom. He's a dear man and we counted it a privilege to pray over him and for the men to annoint him. Yes, the oil was less than typical but as Jim said, it's the faith, not the fluid. I heard from a missionary that they even used lamp oil!! You use what you have access too.

It is to be oil, not ,milk, or water, or mayo. OIL!

 

[Gina B]

It is to be oil, not ,milk, or water, or mayo. OIL!

Was picturing you pounding your desk and shouting "OIL!"

Then I read your tag line.

Had to laugh.

Peace to you!

 

[Jkdbuck76]

Using mayo to annoint the sick? See what happens since they took the King James Bible out of the public schools and put in those modern perversions?!
Just kidding.

But srsly: I live 1 block from the church building, so if somebody wanted to be annointed, I could have it in less than 5 minutes. Honestly, I've never had any problems with coming up with the oil.

 

[webdog]

It is to be oil, not ,milk, or water, or mayo. OIL!

What kind?

 

[ktn4eg]

We USUALLY use olive oil

I hope that you don't need to get prior permission from Popeye the Sailor Man for this!! :smilewinkgrin:

 

[annsni]

Using mayo to annoint the sick? See what happens since they took the King James Bible out of the public schools and put in those modern perversions?!
Just kidding.

But srsly: I live 1 block from the church building, so if somebody wanted to be annointed, I could have it in less than 5 minutes. Honestly, I've never had any problems with coming up with the oil.

Yeah, we've not had much problems in the past but the way our beach is set up here on Long Island, we were about 25 minutes from any store or place where we could get oil. I was SURE we could get oil because they do fry things but there was no one there and all he could get was the packets of stuff. But I've made mayo and there's a lot of oil in it. I'd say it's just another form of oil.

 

[mandym]

Do you do this? What if a person wants to be prayed over and annointed with oil? OK - to add in another twist - say you don't have oil with you. What do you do??

I have a story to go with this but I want to ask others first.

No, the oil was medicinal in nature not a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Since we are indwelt with the HS there is no need for such a symbol.

 

[JesusFan]

Do you do this? What if a person wants to be prayed over and annointed with oil? OK - to add in another twist - say you don't have oil with you. What do you do??

I have a story to go with this but I want to ask others first.

We have both pastors annoit with the oil IF requested by person seeking prayer, and both have prayed over the sick without it...

We have Elders also who do same role of praying for those coming forward and are sick, as well as the pastoral prayer aTeam, as long as either pastors or Elder is present!

 

[Jkdbuck76]

I was SURE we could get oil because they do fry things ....

Uhm...YEAH. You're a baptist. You had better know how to fry things.

 

[Tom Bryant]

No, the oil was medicinal in nature not a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Since we are indwelt with the HS there is no need for such a symbol.

Mandy, If it was medicinal in nature, why did James command the sick person to call the elders of the church to anoint with oil and pray? Maybe they were doctors, but probably not. The whole passage is spiritual in nature rather than both medicinal and spiritual.

 

[mandym]

Mandy, If it was medicinal in nature, why did James command the sick person to call the elders of the church to anoint with oil and pray?

Doctors were few and far between. Oil was commonly used for sickness as it was believed to have great medicinal purposes.

Maybe they were doctors, but probably not. The whole passage is spiritual in nature rather than both medicinal and spiritual.

I disagree based on the fact that oil was a common medicine at this time and again there is no need for such symbols since we are indwelt with the HS.

 

[annsni]

Doctors were few and far between. Oil was commonly used for sickness as it was believed to have great medicinal purposes.




I disagree based on the fact that oil was a common medicine at this time and again there is no need for such symbols since we are indwelt with the HS.

Yes, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit but so were those addressed in James.

In the last 6 months, my husband ask either been asked or offered to anoint with oil 5 times. The first was a woman who donated a kidney and was not recovering well at all. It was now 3 months since the surgery and she was as weak as a kitten and the doctors didn't know why. My husband asked if she would like to be prayed over by the elders and anointed with oil and she said "yes". We used cooking oil from the hotel. She woke up the next day feeling fantastic and has been great ever since.

The second and third times were for my daughter. The first of these times was when she was just diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor at 21 years old and she was vomiting so violently that they gave her ativan to knock her out. We prayed over her with friends and she was able to eat the next day and didn't need the ativan any more in that hospitalization. The next time she was anointed was after her surgery and 10 days of severe vomiting and one of the top pancreatic surgeons in the country saying "We don't know what else to do. We don't know what's causing this". She was anointed and prayed for on Friday night and Saturday morning when we walked in, she was sitting up eating an Italian ice. The doctor walked in and said "I don't know what happened but something changed last night. She's better and I don't know why."

The fourth time was just a month ago when our friend's 19 year old son sustained a critical (turned out to be fatal) head injury. His parents asked us to pray and anoint him and we did. He passed away the next day.

The fifth time was this that I just mentioned - our deacon who is facing cancer and chemo. We don't yet know the outcome of this.

I don't think that there is something special in the oil but there is something special in the faith and the prayers of the faithful around the person. God directs us to seek out the elders for anointing when ill and we will continue the practice until He comes. I don't see it as being "Go to the doctors and get medicine" because he discusses sin, prayer and confession - all spiritual things and not medical things.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I apply oil to my fried eggs in the morning! :laugh:

 

[mandym]

Yes, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit but so were those addressed in James.

In the last 6 months, my husband ask either been asked or offered to anoint with oil 5 times. The first was a woman who donated a kidney and was not recovering well at all. It was now 3 months since the surgery and she was as weak as a kitten and the doctors didn't know why. My husband asked if she would like to be prayed over by the elders and anointed with oil and she said "yes". We used cooking oil from the hotel. She woke up the next day feeling fantastic and has been great ever since.

The second and third times were for my daughter. The first of these times was when she was just diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor at 21 years old and she was vomiting so violently that they gave her ativan to knock her out. We prayed over her with friends and she was able to eat the next day and didn't need the ativan any more in that hospitalization. The next time she was anointed was after her surgery and 10 days of severe vomiting and one of the top pancreatic surgeons in the country saying "We don't know what else to do. We don't know what's causing this". She was anointed and prayed for on Friday night and Saturday morning when we walked in, she was sitting up eating an Italian ice. The doctor walked in and said "I don't know what happened but something changed last night. She's better and I don't know why."

The fourth time was just a month ago when our friend's 19 year old son sustained a critical (turned out to be fatal) head injury. His parents asked us to pray and anoint him and we did. He passed away the next day.

The fifth time was this that I just mentioned - our deacon who is facing cancer and chemo. We don't yet know the outcome of this.

I don't think that there is something special in the oil but there is something special in the faith and the prayers of the faithful around the person. God directs us to seek out the elders for anointing when ill and we will continue the practice until He comes. I don't see it as being "Go to the doctors and get medicine" because he discusses sin, prayer and confession - all spiritual things and not medical things.

The anointing with oil is a medical thing. It was a common practice of the time. There are any number of commentators that speak on this issue. Combine prayer with proper medical attention and you may see healing.

 

[annsni]

The anointing with oil is a medical thing. It was a common practice of the time. There are any number of commentators that speak on this issue. Combine prayer with proper medical attention and you may see healing.

Or combine prayer with stumped doctors and you may see healing as well. I believe it took the top pancreatic surgeons in the country - and all of the top doctors who they appealed to for possible answers - to say "We don't know what to do" for my daughter to be healed. While we had the best doctors in the country, we know they did not heal my daughter and they will be the first to admit it!! Yes, they took out her tumor but the vomiting got worse after the surgery and for no physical reason. When the doctors were at the end of themselves and their knowledge, God healed her. NO one got the glory for her healing but One. I believe God chose to use anointing with oil and prayer to be the vehicle for her healing. It certainly was not the medical attention.