However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. and thine often infirmities. 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. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. 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]. 0 Responses [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. we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. Why did she weep? He is a co-worker, it's speaking of common effort, diligence. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Spam, March 31 2022 empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. They sent him money to meet his physical needs. soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. ' (Matt. 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. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. Paul uses this as a term of affection. 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. 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. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? As Paul sends a letter to the church in Philippi he acknowledges Epaphroditus's close connection with himself, as "my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier" (Philippians 2:25). destruction and desolation. 8 Responses Who carried the Epistles - Tyndale House Epaphroditus was not distressed, i.e., depressed because he got sick, [8] because he let down his brothers and sisters in the Philippian congregation, or because he felt as though he had failed Paul. honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. children so you can listen to the Word of God. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? 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. someone's concern for your condition? Proverbs 4:20-23. Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! [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. Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. Philippians 2:27 Commentaries: For indeed he was sick to the point of In AD 60, Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and for the next two years, he lived under house arrest ( Acts 28:30-31 ), encouraging local churches via letters written from prison. 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? 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. He was sent by them, he was their What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" parabolani, the gamblers. We have work to do, die!" By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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). Spam, January 22 2014 from death it is mercy. 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! The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." How this happened or what his sickness was How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? Hardly. The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. 0 Responses It comes from two for a possible gain. 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. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? teaching. 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. he was sick. ministry. 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! 12:9). In Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. 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. He didn't want them to This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. 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. 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. Vote Up Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? apostolic delegate. . of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the View our current career opportunities. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). The words "more eagerly" have the idea of: "with haste or diligence." 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? All others were not apostles of Jesus The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. 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. God does heal but its always according to his will,God may have had other plans.We might never know what was God's purpose in these sicknesses. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. 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. We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. Then he goes on to say that he was sadness. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. This is the only other New My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. Epaphroditus was not distressed, i.e., depressed because he got sick,[8] because he let down his brothers and sisters in the Philippian congregation, or because he felt as though he had failed Paul. It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. Spam, November 06 2014 I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be fellow laborers, they send out what I teach to others around the country. As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. his return to Philippi. The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. 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. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. All through the Book of Acts Paul had only gnosis, partial knowledge of the message of grace, but when we turn to the Prison Letters we suddenly find Paul using that word epignosishe had now received that full knowledge which he didnt have when he wrote to the Corinthians: For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ (Col. 2:1-2). cruel, sick, and unloving? Why does the Apostle Paul use the verb twice in Philippians 4:2? He was not just to He tells us in verses 26-28. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of we living as sent ones? The pattern could not be clearer, and the contrast could not be sharper between the earlier letters and the later letters, between the time when all the sign gifts were operating, and the time when all the sign gifts had ceased. Epaphroditus to you." 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. Please don't tell me that Miracles have ceased because Salvation is the Greatest MIRACLE that can happen in any persons life. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. 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. "Almost [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. 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. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Isn't that The first 6 of Pauls letters can be fit into the Book of Actswe can read Acts and then read Pauls letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters. The miracles of healing that the Why are you Look at the rest of the verse: "was Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? I don't really understand the question from your first comment. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? Indeed he was ill, near to death. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. It's only of God's sovereign He was troubled because they heard that 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. Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. 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. 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. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. But when we turn to the letters written after the Book of Actsthe 4 Prison Epistles, and the 3 Pastoral Epistles, we find that the sign gifts either arent mentioned at all or we seeas with the gift of healingthat they were no longer operating in Pauls life. Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. Thanks. And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Paul's, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Why would the apostle Paul "delay" being baptized (Acts 22:16)? So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). 2:4) had passed away by this time. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Simply: Stop! Epaphroditus was also a common noun. Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). He was the, "Loving Gambler.". 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 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. 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. Why? Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. Timothy, whom we looked at last week, was a gifted preacher and The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. He was Paul's fellow laborer. 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). 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.. We are to be working to We have no record of any It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. 2 Cor. He provides a pattern that All things are possible to them that believe Mark 9:23. PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians It has an interesting plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from 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 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). 1:2; II Tim. 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." No matter where you go you can find God's family. He labored on Paul's behalf until his own health broke, and, even when he was sick, Epaphroditus took no thought of himself; rather, he was distressed because his church had heard of his illness, and he didn't want them to worry. 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. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her Why would he not heal his friend? 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. For some, Pauls instructions to the prophets at Corinth will be pertinent: If anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. 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. When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. Paul holds them up as healthy. When I was in the military I met brothers and Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their The answer is: He wouldn't have! It means: "messenger or sent one." 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. He heals according to His will today. 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 sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of 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. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. The question has always been: when? The word "necessary" is the Greek word anagkaios, it means: "indispensable, what one cannot The Greek word finds its origin in a (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. commissioned and sent out Timothy. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. 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. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. 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. on Phil no. A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. (See below left). adherents? What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. He re-introduces Epaphroditus to them as someone who had risked his own life for the sake of others, even "to the point of death". 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. unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. of the church. He tells them why they are to When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be [f]made well, 10 said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped up and began to walk.