The church elders took care of a local group of Christians. People chose them for their age and leadership skills (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Peter 5:1–4; compare 1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9).
During the early development of the church (around AD 40s), “church” meant “congregation” or “assembly” (see also Matthew 18:17)(see James Book Introduction, “Date and Location of Writing”).
anoint him with oil: The practice of anointing with oil was a symbol of divine blessing and healing (Isaiah 1:6; Matthew 6:17; Mark 6:13; Luke 10:34).