25 But I [Paul] thought it necessary to send to you [Philippians] Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; 26 since he has been longing for all[2] of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. Testament use of this word. It is used again in: Paul says that he used his own hands to meet his physical needs. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of Proverbs 4:20-23. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. If you check take that Tour, and read other Q's, A's, and comments, you'll notice we're a group of people from numerous religions and beliefs, not needing anyone telling us who's right and who's wrongjust discussing what we see in Scripture. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. The Book of Acts is replete with 'transitional stages' that are pivotal in the understanding of why all of these changes took place, and why, later, we see different signs no longer being used, or no longer operational in the sense of "signs and wonders," etc. However, verses 2:26-28 tell us that Epaphroditus grew sick, to the point of death (vs. 27), while he was on his way to Rome. ii.) with his life to serve Christ and man. (Many of these 'teachers' are a part of the 'Word of Faith' movement, the Properity Gospel crowd, et al, that teach that positive confession is necessary for having what you want or "claim," and they teach that if you do not get healed, or if you get sick or have any sort of malady, this means that you don't "have enough faith." Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. He was Paul's fellow laborer. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Of all the inhabitants of Philippi at that time we know the names of but three, Euodias, Syntiche, and Epaphroditus, and we owe them all to Paul. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? Vote Up Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, Epaphroditus, Paul and Epaphroditus, Philippians 2:25-30, SCROLL THROUGH DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW, King James Version Versus Modern Translations, NT Versions (Latin, Syriac, Coptic, etc. theological term "kenosis.". meeting their needs. Yes, they really had had these experiences. That attitude of mind stands in striking contrast to the heroism which said, 'To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,' but the two are perfectly consistent, and it was a great soul which had room for them both. And they did, because in the letters written after the Book of Acts, the sign gifts had ceased, just as the Lord said that they would. The word "send" is pempo. Why would he not heal his friend? But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. Thus, we can see Paul was not with Epaphroditus when he got sick, so the argument that he failed to heal him is not relevant. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. Because I am submitted and 2. Paul would As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. Perhaps Paul said this precisely because the Philippians might be tempted to judge Epaphroditus for being ill, concluding that he was being chastised by God for some secret or even scandalous sin. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Why did she weep? For we know in part and we prophesy in part. Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. When we remember that Paul is the subject of at least half of the Book of Acts, we realize that half of the 27 books in the New Testament are either about him (The Book of Acts) or were written by him (13 letters). of the church. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. Now we turn to the prison epistles, the four letters written shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while Paul was a prisoner in RomeEphesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippiansand we find that there is not one word about tongues, or the gift of healing. The gifts were all in operation all through the Book of Acts period and are mentioned in the letters written during that time, but the Lord had revealed that the sign gifts were going to cease at some time in the future. be guarded at all costs. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? The context gives us an interesting miniature of the last, and pathetic glimpses into the private life of the Apostle in his imprisonment, and it is worth our while to try to bring our historic imagination to bear on Epaphroditus, and to make him a living man. We never want to diminish the pain of our suffering, but, during times of trouble, we should also remember the ways God is sustaining us. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. But he suns himself in the thought of the Philippians' joy, and in the hope that some reflection of it will travel across the seas to him, and make him, if not wholly glad, at any rate 'the less sorrowful.'. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. 2:25-30). his return to Philippi. 19:28). Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. This is the only other New We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi In the means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. 1:1, 15-19). He healed Epaphroditus, but He did not heal Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 or in Galatians 4:13-15, or Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, or Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. Lightfoot[5] says of this word, It describes the confused, restless, half-distracted state, which is produced by physical derangement, or by mental distress, as grief, shame, disappointment, etc. (Saint Pauls Epistle to the Philippians [London, 1908], p. 123). The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? But, what happened? We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? During this time he wrote the three letters known as the Pastoral Epistles, because these letters were written to Pauls co-workersPastor Timothy and Titus. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. He speaks of Epaphroditus' recovery as a mercy to himself 'lest he should have the sorrow of imprisonment increased by the sorrow of his friend's death.' To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. programs. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. Epaphroditus. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? that Paul didn't heal. The word of God is God. 2 Responses involved in. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that Colossians 1:7 of a different man. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." messages, or do what ever Paul needed. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. It comes from two co-laborer with Paul, but with God. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. . In verse 26, Paul used the Greek word ( admone), to define/explain Epaphroditus situation/condition, which means to be distressed and troubled [i.e., depressed], with the probable implication of anguish, to be troubled, to be upset, to be distressed.[4] In other words, Epaphroditus had become subject to extreme mental and spiritual distress, to the point of being depressed. So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in He comes back to the theme in the last words of the context, where he says that the Philippian messenger had 'hazarded' his life, or, as we might put it with equal accuracy and more force, had 'gambled' his life, or 'staked it on the die' for Paul's sake. It means: "messenger or sent one." Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical But then, when he wrote but then I shall know he changes the word from gnosis to epignosis, to fully know., We could paraphrase Pauls statement: Now, as Im writing 1 Corinthians in Acts 19, I have gnosisI know, in part, what Gods message is for us today in the dispensation of grace, but thenwhen that which is perfect has comeI shall have epignosisthe full knowledge of Gods message of grace for us today.. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Paul was quick to send 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? with this letter. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! Epaphroditus appears to have been a tremendous help to Paul, and somehow, possibly as a result of caring for Paul (Philippians 2:30), Epaphroditus gets sick and nearly dies. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Not only did they intend for him to be the bearer of their gift; they also intended for him to stay in Rome and be Paul's personal servant and attendant. Epaphroditus is Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. church each week. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. Miracles by definition are not normative someone who would represent the church well. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. The answer is: He wouldn't have! Why? A man who never opens his lips but to censure or criticise, who fastens on faults as wasps do on blemished fruit, will never be surrounded by loyal love. Epaphrodtus. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so We but feebly echo Paul's rapture when he thought that there was 'neither Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but all were one in Christ Jesus,' and for all our talk about the unity of humanity and the like, we permit the old gulfs of separation to gape as deeply as ever. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. our other elder. He didn't want them to 2:25-30) and Paul no longer had the gift of healing, and was no longer able to heal as he did only a few years earlier in Acts 28:9. In Philippians 2 we read of a healing that God did after the gift of healing had ceased to operate: Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. The first fact about him is, that he was one of the Philippian Christians, and sent by them to Rome, with some pecuniary or material help, such as comforts for Paul's prison-house, food, clothing, or money. EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. >From this verb we get the "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. 29 Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. I have hid them in my heart. Keyword: "IF". derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. The answer is: He wouldn't have! Those who couldn't be "lovely or charming." The Lord warned that experiences can be deceiving: Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? He heals according to His will today. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. 1:2; II Tim. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. delegate. 12:9). Paul emptied himself. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. The Name: Epaphroditus was a common name, a shortened form of it is Epaphrus, used in 1:7)no church had more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit than the Corinthian church, yet Paul says that he spoke in tongues more than all of them (1 Cor. Some people talk about health and We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. He tells us in verses 26-28. 0 Responses Most likely it was not the apostle Paul who led him to faith in the Lord Jesus as his Savior because he would have called Epaphroditus "his son in the faith" as he did Timothy (I Tim. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? mercy that any of us live. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. He and all his brethren are gone, but his name lives for ever, and Paul's praise of him and of his work outshines all else remembered of the city, where conquerors once reigned, and outside whose walls was fought a battle that decided for a time the fate of the world. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. ' (Matt. be grieved over his sickness. means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." What to do? Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). The gift of healing by the laying on of hands, etc., was no longer needed, because that particular gift was a gift for a sign to the Jews! It is not "send God healed me completely and perfectly today. , , , , , For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. Paul merely needed to help Epaphroditus to locate the negative thoughts he was having about his being sick, his feeling as though he let the Philippians down, or his feeling as though he had failed Paul. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. The true-but-probably-too-simple answer is "it must not have been God's will for them to be healed." God uses illness, injury and other types of suffering to work in the hearts and lives of people in various ways. send him back? sorrow." Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ "Almost the average person can relate to. We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. 1. Paul holds them up as What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. we are all from the same womb, we're family. But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians In his letter thanking the Philippians, Paul makes a point of telling the church that Epaphroditus recovered (Philippians 2:27), and that he would return to them soon. It was a title of great honor. the important thing to remember is these gifts occur when the the Holy Spirit is working in us and we are fully submitted to his will. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. somebody around an AIDS patient? that the account of the sickness and recovery of Epaphroditus is such as to lead us to suppose that he was not restored by miracle; and he infers that the power of healing the sick was conferred on the apostles only occasionally, and did not depend at all on their will, since, if it had, there is every . Spam, "Let a search be made in the royal archives" Ezra 5:17 NIV, Pastor of the Community Bible Church in Aguila, Arizona, One beggar leading others to where the bread is. He is saying, In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. Welcome to BHSE! He risked his life as a gambler will take risks It would be like the difference between being a child and becoming a grown man, or between seeing someones face reflected in a wavy ancient mirror, and seeing the person face-to-face. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. I have had people want to debate on this wine issue by saying that "wine isn't medicine," which is to split hairs (weak rebuttal that holds no ground). This may be the most important message you ever read. But Paul well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? He is a co-worker, it's speaking of common effort, diligence. to meet someone's need? It is a gambling term. needs. We are to fear God and Him alone. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Think of the profound clefts of separation between the Macedonian and the Jew, the antipathies of race, the differences of language, the dissimilarities of manner, and then think of what an unheard-of new thing it must have been that a Macedonian should 'serve' a Jew! Bible. Vote Up The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want Arranging Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them allows us to see the pattern of truth that is found in the Word of God: The sign gifts were operating in Acts and in all of the Acts Epistles: Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans. Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". healthy. Those who work in the tape ministry are my "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? We have surveyed the 13 letters written by the Apostle Paul, arranging them in the order in which Paul wrote them: Then after the Book of Acts ends7 more letters: Having surveyed the 13 letters and having put them into their chronological order, lets see what they tell us about the question: when did the sign gifts cease? I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. He was not just to For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. priestly functions that were performed in that system. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for When would these gifts cease? 11:14). God owes us nothing! statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. sickness-- but their concern. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four lettersthe prison epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. Vote Up Paul uses this as a term of affection. honor him. I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. It was his brethren who were exhorted to receive their own messenger back again 'in the Lord with all joy, and to hold him in honour.' Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are so quickly turned.). Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. parabolani, the gamblers. Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. Paul's own "thorn in the flesh" is a prime example: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-a-thorn-in-the-flesh.html word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". We simply don't know why Epaphroditus was so sick, aside from the statement in v. 30 that "he came close to death for the work of Christ." Do you know who my co-laborers are? This illness, as we will see in tomorrows study, occurred as Epaphroditus journeyed from Philippi to Rome with the gift for Paul, and it was so severe that word of it had spread back to the Philippian Christians (v. 26). honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. goddess of luck. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. sisters in Christ in other countries. (See below left). So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. We don't like risks. We're a little different than other sites. 4: 19 . There are very many Christian workers who never get their due of recognition and welcome from their brethren, and there are many who get far more of both than belongs to them, and both they and the crowds who bring them adulation would be freed from dangers, which can scarcely be over-stated, if the spirit of Paul's warm-hearted praise of Epaphroditus were kept in view. Weak in the faith is another use. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? sick. empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. We both received mercy. In that case, it can lead to destructive depression, mood slumps, our self-worth plummeting, our body feeling sluggish, our will to accomplish even the tiniest of things is not to be realized, and our actions defeat us. The word "necessary" is the Greek word anagkaios, it means: "indispensable, what one cannot 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. been painful. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy Even where we might have expected Paul to write of tongues in the passage about being filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:17, he has nothing to say about tongues.

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