John Calvin Commentary James 5:16

"Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." — James 5:16 (ASV)

Confess your faults one to another. In some copies the illative particle is given, nor is it unsuitable; for even if not expressed, it must be understood. He had said that sins were forgiven for the sick for whom the elders prayed; he now reminds them how useful it is to reveal our sins to our fellow believers, so that we may obtain pardon for them through their intercession.

I know this passage is explained by many as referring to the reconciling of offenses, for those who wish to return to favor must first necessarily know their own faults and confess them. For this is why hatreds take root, yes, and increase and become irreconcilable, because everyone perniciously defends their own cause. Many therefore think that James points out here the way of brotherly reconciliation, that is, by mutual acknowledgment of sins.

But as has been said, his purpose was different, for he connects mutual prayer with mutual confession. By this, he implies that confession serves this purpose: that we may be helped before God by the prayers of our fellow believers. For those who know our needs are motivated to pray that they may help us, but those to whom our afflictions are unknown are slower to bring us help.

Indeed, astonishing is the folly or insincerity of the Papists, who strive to build their whispering confession on this passage. For it would be easy to infer from James's words that only the priests ought to confess. For since a mutual, or to put it more plainly, a reciprocal confession is required here, no others are instructed to confess their own sins except those who in their turn are qualified to hear the confession of others. But the priests claim this for themselves alone. Therefore, confession is required of them alone.

But since their childish arguments do not deserve a refutation, let the true and genuine explanation already given be considered sufficient by us.

For the words clearly mean that confession is required for no other purpose than that those who know our faults may be more concerned to bring us help.

Availeth much. So that no one may think that this is done without fruit—that is, when others pray for us—he explicitly mentions the benefit and the effect of prayer. But he explicitly names the prayer of a righteous or just man; because God does not hear the ungodly, nor is access to God open, except through a good conscience.

This is not because our prayers are founded on our own worthiness, but because the heart must be cleansed by faith before we can present ourselves before God. Therefore, James testifies that the righteous or the faithful pray for us beneficially and not without fruit.

But what does he mean by adding effectual or efficacious? For this seems superfluous, because if the prayer avails much, it is doubtless effectual. The ancient interpreter has translated it as “assiduous,” but this is too forced. For James uses the Greek participle, ἐνεργούμεναι, which means “working.”

And the sentence may be explained this way: “It avails much, because it is effectual.” Since it is an argument drawn from this principle—that God will not allow the prayers of the faithful to be void or useless—he does not therefore unjustly conclude that it avails much. But I would rather confine it to the present case. For our prayers may properly be said to be ἐνεργούμεναι, working, when a need confronts us that excites earnest prayer in us.

We pray daily for the whole Church, that God may pardon its sins; but only then is our prayer really in earnest, when we go forth to help those who are in trouble. But such efficacy cannot be in the prayers of our fellow believers, unless they know that we are in difficulties. Therefore, the reason given is not general, but must be specifically referred to the former sentence.