When I was in the military I met brothers and children so you can listen to the Word of God. Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus That is what God calls us to. He was an apostolic delegate. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. back" but "send." What should they do? 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. We are to be working to Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. It is a gambling term. Epaphroditus but passes across the illuminated disc of the lantern for a moment, and we have scarcely time to catch a glimpse of his face before it is lost to us. We'd like to help. All the loving thoughts, and all the material expressions of them which Epaphroditus brought to Paul were fragrant with the perfume of the Philippians' love, 'an odour of a sweet smell, acceptable' to Paul as to Paul's Lord. lowest service. life like it is something they deserve. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? 2:4) had passed away by this time. somebody around an AIDS patient? We have work to do, Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? looked at it as "spiritual worship." The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." Let me ask a question: Acts 2:21 Peter is preaching after receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit: 21 and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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. It's nice to know that there are some people in the ministry compelled by relationships and not 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 who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 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 . Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. The answer is: He wouldn't have! So, Paul calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and then he calls him: "My fellow solider" -- solider is from the Greek word sustratiotes. 4: 19 . Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? All we can do is guess. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life [3] After dealing with his sickness, which caused him to delay his efforts to help Paul, he traveled on to Rome. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? We are 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. The word of God is very clear on every subject. 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. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Paul says, No. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. Honestly, because the power to heal didn't originate from within Paul. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? His level of sacrificial service becomes very instructive to us. 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 . "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. 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. The He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to that Paul didn't heal. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. Christ. needs. A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. 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. Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Vote Up 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.' becoming involved in the same charge. Those things are just as Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. 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). [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. After studying Pauls letters and the scriptural teaching concerning the cessation of the gift of tongues, they ask, What should I do now? There are several possible explanations for the experienceit may be a psychological experience or even a spiritual experience, but clearly, from the Word of God, it is not the Spirits gift of tongues. He was not just to We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians Testament use of this word. It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. 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. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those When Paul gives Timothy and Titus instructions regarding the choice of men to be elders in the churches, Paul says nothing about the desirability of these men having a gift such as prophecy, or healing, or other sign gifts (see Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Tim. Isn't that In fact, in 1 Timothy 5:23, look what Paul recommended: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake sick. He as a spiritually mature man. The Kenosis of Epaphroditus - Berean Bible Church Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. We are to fear God and Him alone. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. 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. ministry. Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. 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. 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. Keyword: "IF". It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). man we can identify with. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. 0 Responses 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. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. goddess of love. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. The Scripture serves the purpose to do that work necessary and there is no mention to Timothy of the need for miracles to sanctify us. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. If we are going to know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. 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.' soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preachI'm sorry, but there is no "Word of Faith Movement." There is healing today, but there is no gift of healing, there are no divine healers. There is no gift of healing today but God still heals sometimes. We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. Vote Up Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. He modeled the kenosis, he 0 Responses This is why he and these others were not healed by him. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". You were extremely upset and grieved over know that they were rejoicing. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. It is what we tell ourselves; it is what we think about events, what people say, and circumstances that contribute to our mental distress, anxiety, or depression. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. They labor in setting up the Those who couldn't be Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. life, it was mercy to me. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. Vote Up The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. is not an official title. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it spiritual as teaching. Hardly. He was sent there to serve Paul 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. Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? He heals according to His will today. We may note the generous heartiness of his praise in his associating Epaphroditus with himself as on full terms of equality, as worker and soldier, and the warm generosity of the recognition of all that he had done for the Apostle's comfort. necessity, that which is lacking." 1:1, 15-19). Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. Philippians 1:25, and note), was not, it seems, continuous; both were exercised only in accordance with the revealed will of God and on occasions of especial moment. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. 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. Introduction to Paul's Letter to the Philippians - BJUtoday needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. sadness. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Spam, April 05 2022 delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." next door." The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with send him back? 12:12; Heb. The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. 2 Responses 3:1-10). We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied Whether we are well or sick, whether we are like Epaphroditus or like Timothy, we can always claim this promise from the Lord that His grace and strength are sufficient for us. of the church. This study focuses on that questionwhen did the sign gifts cease? build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. The word "necessary" is the Greek word anagkaios, it means: "indispensable, what one cannot What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi Cyprian, the Christian bishop, Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. the proclamation of the gospel effective. adherents? Spam, January 22 2014 The New Testament Case for Fading Miracles 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. a uniquely spiritual act. Epaphroditus means: "belonging to or devoted to Aphrodite." Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to So theyve learned to speak in tongues, but when they see from Scripture that this gift is not in operation from the Lord today, they can at last cease their effort to prove their salvation and start to walk by faith and not by sight. God healed me of heart disease. What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. 1:14). [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Theyve been taught that a person has to speak in tongues to prove that he is really saved, or that he really has the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul teaches us: 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new. 1. We need to know and be Edward D. Andrews wrote. Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). (verse 30). In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. There would be many ways of serving the captive, looking after his comfort, doing his errands, procuring daily necessaries, managing affairs, perhaps writing his letters, easing his chain, chafing his aching wrists, and ministering in a thousand ways which we cannot and need not specify. The miracles of healing that the As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. He is a co-worker, it's speaking of common effort, diligence. It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. risks. It's only of God's sovereign teaching. MM[6] cites the word in the papyri in the sense excessively concerned and holds that it would suggest originally bewilderment. The combination makes it clear that Jesus was in great distress of spirit.[7]. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. 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. Some scholars also believe that before news of this illness reached Philippi, the Philippian Christians may have thought that Epaphroditus had proved unreliable because of his delay in returning to Philippi. history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. I don't think so. self, to give of himself wholly to others. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. 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. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. All this was done in a church in Austin, Texas with an Evangelist from Virginia working through the Gifts of the Spirit, ie, Word of Knowledge, working of miracles, gifts of healing. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of Work done for Paul was done for Jesus, and that, not because of any special apostolic closeness of relation of Paul to Jesus, but because, like all other Christians, he was one with his Lord. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. forget about them." Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. 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. Bible Query from Philippians The name later came to mean: We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. . To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and speaks of a common origin. It is a pathetic little picture of the Macedonian stranger in the great city -- pallid looks, recent illness, and pining for home and a breath of pure mountain air, and for the friends he had left. The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. First-century life, however, was far different. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Then the report found its way back to Rome, and Epaphroditus got home-sick and was restless, uneasy, 'sore troubled,' as the Apostle says, because they had heard he had been sick. Timothy and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:19-30) Jesus is speaking: 17 And these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE; IN MY NAME shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER. But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. all brothers, do we act like it? 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. 2. But, during this time in the Book of Acts, the Lord revealed to Paul that the sign gifts were going to cease1 Corinthians 13:8-12. But Paul uses leitourgos here. 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." Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? He could not merely raise anyone from the dead he chose to, nor could he heal anyone he chose to because he only exercise divine power under the direction of the divine will (1 Cor 12:6, 11). She was the goddess Do you have questions about the Bible? 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! Why Did the Philippians Send Paul a Gift? | Zondervan Academic we living as sent ones? ii.) We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." John 1:12 ). They were sent by Jesus Christ. Anonymous, January 21 2014 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. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? 16:23). It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. "Almost Many in this movement even say shocking claims such as the erroneous idea that being poor is a sin, and that if you are sick, "it's your fault that you're sick." Is there a Bible contradiction in Philippians 2:25? - Defending Inerrancy What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? There is no record in Scripture of any of the sign gifts operating in any of the letters that Paul wrote after the end of the Acts period, and it is clear that the gift of healing had ceased since Paul could no longer heal even his closest co-workers after the close of the Book of Acts. The ministry is people! Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. And Paul was rejoicing to In Acts 21:33 Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and would spend the next 5 years in prison, right through the end of the Book of Acts. We are co-laborers. fellow laborers, they send out what I teach to others around the country. Please make sure you take our Tour. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. 8 Responses Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. die!" What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. 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. So Paul with rare abnegation sent him away at once, though Timothy was to follow shortly, and accompanied him with this outpouring of love and praise in his long homeward journey. Why would the apostle Paul "delay" being baptized (Acts 22:16)? So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." 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. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. But the promise that He gave to Paul is still our promise today in the dispensation of grace: My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. Weak in the faith is another use. Epaphrodtus. Three relate to his relationship with Paul and 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.