Parallel Commentaries . If we are going to When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! This word is only used two other times in the New Testament, both of them of Christ The Greek word finds its origin in a becoming involved in the same charge. Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these cruel, sick, and unloving? But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. 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. self, to give of himself wholly to others. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. It He provides a pattern that we living as sent ones? Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? his return to Philippi. So the writing of 1 and 2 Thessalonians can be placed into Acts 18 during Pauls ministry in Corinth, and that makes them the second and third letters that Paul wrote. He says, "We have the same God. The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? Because the tomb was empty! >From this verb we get the Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. Why wasn't Pauls companion healed that day, I have no clue. PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians This . Notice that it was the work "of Christ." 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. Bible Query from Philippians We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. Welcome to BHSE! In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? someone's concern for your condition? Paul says, in essence: "I will continue to do those signs IF God permit." the proclamation of the gospel effective. Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). We are to be working to Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Pages 482-483. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her He was sent by them, he was their He was highly regarded by the church there. We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? all brothers, do we act like it? 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. Back to Romans 10: 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. 3. This isn't to say that God doesn't or won't heal today, because this is obviously not true, but the "laying on of hands" by a man (as a 'gift') has all but ceased, and yet there are still 'healing teachers' out there in the world today teaching a false gospel, having "healing revivals" that come to nought, etc. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. All deeds done from the same motive are the same, however different they may be in regard to the material on which they are wrought. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Does God Want to Heal Everyone? by Don Stewart - Blue Letter Bible with this letter. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". ministry. 2:27). Spam, March 31 2022 How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? spiritual as teaching. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that priestly functions that were performed in that system. It's hard to identify with him and his To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' Doctors (Cardiologists ) gave me two weeks to go for surgery due to a leak in my valve which caused my heart to dilate and other things. Epaphroditus is Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. 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. Miracles by definition are not normative PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? The answer is: He wouldn't have! The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. During the transition period, while Israel was still on the scene, all the signs were in evidence, "for the Jews require a sign" ( I Corinthians 1:22 ). Why did Paul send Epaphroditus to the Philippians? - Quora We are to In verses 26-28, we are given the reasons for Clearly "Epaphroditus" was a brave man, for anyone who proposed to offer himself as the personal attendant of a man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very . Hardly. He has no hesitation in describing the work done for himself as 'the work of Christ,' nor in using, as the name for it, the word ('service'), which properly refers to the service rendered by priestly hands. He says nothing of his own loss or of how much more lonely he would be when the brother whom he had praised so warmly had left him alone. sisters in Christ in other countries. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? Epaphroditus felt extreme guilt as though he had failed in his mission from the Philippian congregation, having to let them down, so he grew depressed. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. We have what I (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. to meet someone's need? [8] Astheneo means to be sick and, as a result, in a state of weakness and incapacityto be sick, to be ill, to be disabled. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 269. He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. Before the end of the Book of Acts, during the Acts period, and in the letters written during the Acts period, the Lord had only revealed part of the dispensation of grace (Eph. We must not leave unnoticed the beautiful self-abnegation which sends off Epaphroditus as soon as he was well enough to travel, as a gift of the Apostle's love, in order to repay them for what they had done for him. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. 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. life like it is something they deserve. Yes, they really had had these experiences. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. 8 Responses Paul and Epaphroditus - Bible Hub And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. Paul could have still used Epaphroditus, but he cared more about their joy than his own physical the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. teaching. Simply: Stop! they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." 3:3,4,9 and Col. 1:26,27, etc.). 5:23) and Paul cant heal him, doesnt recommend that he go to a healer in the church, doesnt send a prayer cloth or a bottle of anointing oil (remember the miracles of some 8 years earlier in Acts 19:11-12). 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! Pauls letters are arranged in our Bible by two principles: The letters to the churches are put firstnine letters from Romans to 2 Thessalonians, then the four letters written to individualsfrom 1 Timothy to Philemon. All we can do is guess. We are to fear God and Him alone. Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. No! The text does say, God had mercy on him [that is, Ephaphroditus], so, in all likelihood, he would have died from whatever ailed him if God had not prevented him from going over the edge into death. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. Today God no longer gives the gift of healing, and there are no healers. But we should not think that God Himself no longer heals! Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. good friend. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life In Galatians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Romans 12:6in all these letters we read about the gifts in operation right through to the end of the Book of Acts. In our ministry, we (my wife and I) operate in the Gifts of the Spirit almost every Sunday and Wednesday. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. 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. My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. Have you ever watched Epaphroditus had made a 600-mile journey from Philippi to Rome, an 80-day journey on foot round trip, which was fatiguing, to visit the apostle Paul. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. (2 Timothy 4:20), The power to heal was present in Paul's ministry as described in the book of Acts, 8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mothers womb, who had never walked. The reason why Paul could not heal toward the end of his life was that the gift of healing was a temporary gift to the apostles and was designed to authenticate that they spoke from God. If the gift of healing was still in operation, it's unlikely that Paul would have said to use something to merely "help" with your "infirmities." 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. I don't think so. Are we fellow soldiers? He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). 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. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. When I was in the military I met brothers and 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. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. We have no record of any Whether there were so or no, the exhortation itself traces lightly but surely the lines on which Christians should render, and their fellow-Christians can rightly receive, even praise from men. In the remainder of this sermon we shall simply deal with the two figures which the text sets before us, and we may look first at the glimpses of Paul's character which we get here. 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. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. So Epaphroditus was sent to take care of Paul because Paul was imprisoned under house arrest, and in the end Epaphroditus became a burden to Paul because he almost died and Paul had to. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. A shoulder-to-shoulder fighting And Paul was rejoicing to honor him. 1:14). They are spiritual, priestly functions. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? Perhaps over-exertion in travel, or perhaps his Macedonian constitution could not bear the enervating air of Rome, or perhaps Paul's prison was unhealthy. So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. The miracles of healing that the our other elder. ), Apostolic Fathers (e.g., Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp), Apologists (e.g., Justin Martyr, Clement, Tertullian), Church Fathers (e.g., Gregory, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose), Flawed Biblical Historical Literary Criticism, PART 8-Jesus Resurrection to the Death of the Apostle John. Amen. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. Epaphrodtus. The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. lowest service. 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? Indeed he was ill, near to death. in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Meet Epaphroditus - A True Friend to the Apostle Paul 0 Responses 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. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? When we are having an experience that we learn from the Scriptures is not from the Lord, it is time to keep silent, and remember that our spirits are to be under our own controlthe spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.. able to defend doctrine. 2:4) had passed away by this time. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? This is the only other New Even medical doctors who are saved will tell you they rely on the power of God all the time and will encourage their patients to rely on God Who is the only healer. Paul could not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27) "Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and he who ministered to my wants. 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. Spam, March 20 2018 We are co-laborers. 7:22-23). The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? serve, you can meet physical needs. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, apostolic delegate. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). When is the last time that this happened to you? Philippians had heard that he was sick. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. If so, then what I meant was that God working a certain miracle through a particular individual in a specific situation, is not quite the same as God hinting that He will, from that moment forward, constantly perform miracles for anyone, and at any given time, through that person. He was in the first place Paul's helper in the Gospel, and his faithfulness there is set forth in a glowing climax, 'My brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier.' The normal word If the Apostle Paul still had the power to heal why would he leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27 and encouraged Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23)? 2:25; cf. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? What have you risked to meet someone's needs? others. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. 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. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. He was given the assignment of delivering a gift to Paul and staying with Paul for a time, assisting him in whatever way he could in his difficult times. What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? Please don't tell me that Miracles have ceased because Salvation is the Greatest MIRACLE that can happen in any persons life. looked at it as "spiritual worship." He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Why would he not heal his friend? Love never fails. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. We don't like risks. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. He was an apostolic delegate. 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. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. Hebrews 11:6 we are taught: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. Clarify great opposition." Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the It means for any gift that you and I will receive from Him by the Holy Spirit is premised on your ability to accept,take, agree or receive without doubt His word which comes as a command, law, or instruction. What needless sorrows follow in the Continue Reading, (The following is the first of a series of articles drawn from Pastor Stam's book, Our Great Commission, What Is It? The name later came to mean: Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters. Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Those things are just as It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. . Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. Epaphroditus was a plugger and they all would have missed him and it was no accident that he had left his congregation to take thousands of dollars to the apostle Paul. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Chesapeake, VA 23322. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. a uniquely spiritual act. When God spared his The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. act to follow either. ii.) Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was He wrote to the Corinthian church that they came behind no other church when it came to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. delegate. The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from Christ. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ The Name: Epaphroditus was a common name, a shortened form of it is Epaphrus, used in Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). himself." Why are you So, Paul calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and then he calls him: "My fellow solider" -- solider is from the Greek word sustratiotes. 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. And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. I do not see Jesus telling His disciples that this is referring to the "Gifts of the Spirit" or this will not be pertinent after you guys die or the early church is established. goddess of love. And in the Acts Epistles we read of the gifts operating in the churches that Paul founded. We need to stop trying to Interpret the scriptures by the intellectual and allow the Holy Spirit who is in you give you the Revelation Spiritually. For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:9-12).