Ministry of Grace Church

Therefore, confess the faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. An effectual petition of a righteous man has great force.

Truth to Learn

In the body of Christ we all need to support each other with prayer.

 

Behind the Words

“Confess” is translated from exomologeō, which is a double compound word made up of ex, meaning “out” or “out of,” homou, meaning “together with” or “all the same” (as in homogenized), and legō, meaning “to say.” Homologeō means “to agree with,” being translated as “confess” in 1 John 1:9. With the “ex” added, it means “to confess out” or “to admit.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, commanding us to admit our faults to one another.

The word translated “faults” is different depending on which translation you are reading from. Some translations have the Greek word hamartia, which means “sins,” whereas others have the Greek word paraptoma, which means “trespasses” or “offenses” (literally side-slips). Either way, when you take this in context with the preceding verses, it is clear that James is still talking about the person who is sick, which he indicates in this verse with the phrase, “that you may be healed.”

“Effectual petition” is translated from deēsis energoumenē  Deēsis refers to a prayer or a petition regarding a particular need for oneself or someone else, and energoumenē  refers to something that is effective or that is working.

The words “great force” are from the Greek words polu ischuei. Polu means “many” or “much” and ischuei refers to “strength, ability, or power.”

 

Meaning Explained

What we can deduce from this and the preceding two verses is that unconfessed sin can be the cause of sickness, and even death. The apostle Paul refers to this in I Corinthians 11:30 where he is talking about those who partake of communion with unconfessed sins:

For this reason many are weak and sickly among you, and many die.

This passage in James is one from which Roman Catholics base their doctrine of “auricular confession,” or verbal confession made to a priest who supposedly can then absolve (forgive) you of your sin. Notice a few things, however:

• The confession talked about in the current verse is not made by just any person, but by a sick person.
• This confession is to be made to an elder, not a priest (see verse 14).
• Mutual confession is commanded here. If this pertained to auricular confession, then the priest would be as bound to confess to the people as the people are to the priest.
• There is no mention here of “absolution,” only healing.

The last half of this verse talks about the “effectual petition …” The word rendered “effectual” is a form of energeō, which could also be rendered as “energetic,” as it refers to that which has power or energy. We have all uttered prayers that aren’t really from our heart, such as, “Now I lay me down to sleep…” What James is talking about are those prayers that we labor over, that are filled with intensity and emotion, like someone having a heart-to-heart discussion with his or her Father. James says that this type of prayer has great force.

 

Application

The body of Christ (the church) is made up of many members. And, just as the various parts of a body support and nurture the whole, we are to support and nurture each other. Admitting our faults to one another and praying for each other is essential for the health of the Church. Who are you praying for today?