UNCTION, EXTREME

"Extreme Unction" is one of the so-called "sacraments" of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the action of a priest in applying oil to someone who is at the point of death. The priest reads prayers and grants "absolution" for sins. The candidate need not have any awareness of what is transpiring. There is not the slightest Bible sanction for this practice. Only two cases of anointing with oil are mentioned in the N.T. One was in connection with the performance of miracles (Mk. 6:13), the second had to do with calling the elders to pray for the sick with a view to healing -- not dying (Jas. 5:14-15), which very likely had to do with supernatural intervention as well. Moreover, it is wholly erroneous to suggest that forgiveness of sins could be granted to an unconscious person who has neither the inclination nor ability to respond to the will of God in obtaining pardon.