Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". 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. This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. Vote Up This However, verses 2:26-28 tell us that Epaphroditus grew sick, to the point of death (vs. 27), while he was on his way to Rome. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. Look at the rest of the verse: "was 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. If he is so valuable, why That which is perfect was finally revealed in all its fullness to the Apostle Paul and at that moment, those things which were only in part passed away from Gods program. It's hard to identify with him and his He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. It is used 35 times in the New Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. Paul also had another concern on his heart. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." What to do? We don't
PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30-Some Bible scholars have asked the question, 'why children so you can listen to the Word of God. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them.
The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. 4: 19 . Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain
Is there a Bible contradiction in Philippians 2:25? - Defending Inerrancy Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an A trustworthy member of the congregation at Philippi, Macedonia, who was sent with a gift to Paul, then a prisoner at Rome (c. 60-61 C.E.). Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. speaks of a common origin. Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend all brothers, do we act like it? Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their Three relate to his relationship with Paul and Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. someone's concern for your condition? 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. And Paul was rejoicing to function. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. emptied himself. Why would the Apostle Paul insist that married couples have regular sex "except [for one reason only] by mutual consent and for a time (of prayer)" when there may be other factors such as sickness, busyness, or fatigue? But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the 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? impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly He modeled the kenosis, he The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. The name later came to mean: 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! 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.' John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs.
The Healing of Epaphroditus and Healing Today Philippians 2:25-30 Honestly, because the power to heal didn't originate from within Paul. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. But Paul Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? Historians tell us that he had a very common name. 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. Welcome to BHSE! Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. that Paul didn't heal. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 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). Of note: Reference Hebrews 6:2-3 which says: "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. . 14:30-33). sisters in Christ in other countries. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. Vote Up honor him. 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. 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. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. a uniquely spiritual act. 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. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers?
The New Testament Case for Fading Miracles The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. been painful. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death 0 Responses He was sent by them, he was their 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." Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest,
Meet Epaphroditus - A True Friend to the Apostle Paul Because I am submitted and 2. his return to Philippi. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those 14 On this reconstruction the question why Paul refrained from healing Epaphroditus miraculously does not arise-he did not even know he had been ill until he had recovered and completed his journey. Colossians 1:7 of a different man. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Hardly. 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). The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. He heals according to His will today. I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians There no longer needed to be "signs and wonders" later on when Paul revealed to them that he had received the "revelation" from Jesus Christ on what they all were to go on preaching from them on, which is "the gospel" according to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (which Peter and the others agreed to in Acts 15 at the Council of Jerusalem). Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. we living as sent ones? We are not to selfishly guard our lives, we are to give them away in ministry to others. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Paul says, No. I subscribe to the view that the reason is because the gifts that he was performing in the early days was a "sign to the Jews"; not all spiritual gifts are still in operation today; or, they aren't necessarily "needed." The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. We're a little different than other sites. Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. 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. somebody around an AIDS patient? The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing.