Healing is described in many passages throughout the Bible and sometimes we Christians are tempted to turn one or another passage into a formula. For instance, the passage in James 5:13-16 can seem like a formula with prayer, faith and anointing oil, but we must not forget the many other examples throughout the Bible where people were healed, perhaps with a ritual such as dipping seven times into the Jordan or making mud from spit and dirt. Other times no ritual was involved other than the touch of Jesus. In Luke 13:10-17 a woman was healed by Jesus. When often the ingredient of faith is a vital part of the healing, in this story faith was not even mentioned. Unlike James’ instruction where the sick call for the elders, Jesus called the woman forward and simply touched her.
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