Perhaps another way of looking at this that may be particularly helpful for Pentecostal/Charismatic readers is to think of the laying on of hands during a healing service. The person that is sick will approach the minister, who will lay hands on the person requiring ministry. Now whose hands are being laid on? Do we believe that the hands of the minister have literally become the hands of Jesus? No of course not. But do we believe that the laying on of hands is just an empty, symbolic gesture? No, we don’t believe that either. The hands remain the hands of the person praying, but nevertheless
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