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. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. God. The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. God heals when it's in His will to heal; the difference is that the gift of healing (a man laying on of hands with instant healing) has ceased, and 2) so has the gift of tongues (it's no longer needed, but if it is used, I believe that God will allow it to occur, only when the church is edified, and only when there is an interpreter amidst the assembly! delegate. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. with Paul helping him?". These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. serve, you can meet physical needs. That makes Galatians the earliest of Pauls letters. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. 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 ). Philippians 2:27 Commentaries: For indeed he was sick to the point of Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? There was no reliable way of getting these to Paul but to take them, and so Epaphroditus faced the long journey across Greece to Brindisi and Rome, and when arrived there threw himself with ardour into serving Paul. We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks It is possible for us in the ordering of our own lives to fulfil the great prophecy with which Zechariah crowned his vision of the Future, 'In that day shall there be on the bells of the horses Holiness unto the Lord'; and the 'pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.'. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 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. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, When I was in the military I met brothers and Three relate to his relationship with Paul and I have hid them in my heart. Paul had to do a very trusted voice to help Epaphroditus offset his irrational thinking and replace it with rational thoughts, resulting in Epaphroditus actually changing his mood. 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. In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. 8 Responses goddess of luck. What Does Philippians 4:13 Mean, 'I Can Do All Things through Christ'? , , , , , 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. We need to "show" people that we love them by 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. 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. Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. All things are possible to them that believe Mark 9:23. die!" Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). It's only of God's sovereign 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. It means: "messenger or sent one." Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. needs. Epaphroditus. [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. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. 2 Responses 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. [4] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 314. Amen. Clarify [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. 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, Jesus got distressed, anguished to the point of sweating blood, and he could not heal himself, or the Father did not heal him from experiencing his distress? This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. 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. The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. It is clear that the gift of healing has ceased because, as in Philippians, Paul was no longer able to heal, even his co-workers. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. 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. been painful. that Paul didn't heal. The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. 13:8).1. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. 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! The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. The fact that ancient people rarely recovered from serious illnesses and the Apostles specific language in Philippians 2:27 indicate that he is talking about more than just a providential answer to prayer. We have no reason to suppose that Epaphroditus took part with Paul in his more properly apostolic work, and the fact that the purely material help, and pecuniary service which most probably comprised all his 'ministering,' is honoured by Paul with these lofty designations, carries with it large lessons as to the sanctity of common life. to worry about me. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. In the 3 Pastoral Epistles, as in the prison epistles, we do not read of tongues or the gift of healing operating at this time. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. We have what I The Apostolic Gifts are no longer in operation today: 1) Laying on of hands to heal someone (if this were still the case, then people could walk into nursing homes and hospitals and begin healing people left-and-right, but this doesn't happen. at after carefully weighing the facts. 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. The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). 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. But the The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". somebody around an AIDS patient? Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? We do read of prophecies that had been made about Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18 and 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6, but these were given years before. When is the last time that this happened to you? Do you know who my co-laborers are? Have you ever watched Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain It only takes a minute to sign up. Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. The word of God is God. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. life like it is something they deserve. 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. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ Epaphroditus - Grace Bible Church Fort Worth He was sent by them, he was their messages that he preached. 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. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. 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. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. Who carried the Epistles - Tyndale House Paul could have still used Epaphroditus, but he cared more about their joy than his own physical Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. 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! In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? 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. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. 1. 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. 14:30-33). See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. a uniquely spiritual act. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. We're a little different than other sites. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. 2:25; cf. Notice that it was the work "of Christ." financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can The word "considered" is hegeomai. First-century life, however, was far different. My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? No one was more charismatic than Paul, yet the Lord revealed to him that those sign gifts were going to cease: whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away (1 Cor. In fact, he would have probably sent a handkerchief or even went to him, personally, if possible, and laid hands on him and healed him instantly. Spam, March 31 2022 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. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was Giving Bible readers what God said not what translators think God meant, Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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.'.

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