This flies in the face of the fact that Mark 16:15-18 was one continuous discourse by Jesus. "Go ye into all the world..." was part of the same speech as, "They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Also, the reason to go and teach all nations was that Jesus has been given all power in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). Anyone who says you can divide that down the middle must be making some other erroneous assumption, such as healing not being for this dispensation or Mark 16:9-20 not being in some early manuscripts. These are covered adequately elsewhere.

The apostles certainly thought laying hands on the sick was part of the Great Commission. They went out and did it, to which many New Testament healing Scriptures in this book can attest. In fact, it was so important to go out with this power that Jesus said not to go out until they got it! We have no Biblical basis for reversing this today and thinking that Jesus now wants us to go out with no power.


A slam-dunk refutation to this silly objection is that fact that James 5:14-16 is binding on the church today. Hands are to be laid on the sick within the church. It is part of New Testament doctrine. James 5 did not pass away with the last apostle! If any church obeys James 5, hands will be laid on the sick and they will recover today. James 5 is part of the same New Testament as Mark 16 and Matthew 28, and it will be in effect just as long!