61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. 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)? Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. becoming involved in the same charge. with Paul helping him?". Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so meeting their needs. 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. Chesapeake, VA 23322. 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. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to He is saying, It is not "send This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. (Phil. When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. Are we fellow soldiers? The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. Please make sure you take our Tour. Hardly. How this happened or what his sickness was ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). At all events he gladly undertook even servile work for love of Paul. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. Vote Up same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. 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. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. 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. Now we turn to the prison epistles, the four letters written shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while Paul was a prisoner in RomeEphesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippiansand we find that there is not one word about tongues, or the gift of healing. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). from death it is mercy. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. Parallel Commentaries . ii.) I don't think so. It is a compound word from Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? 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. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their 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. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of for a possible gain. all brothers, do we act like it? It has an interesting Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? 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. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. 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. 12:9). Greek He was sick Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as However, by that time, those gifts had ceased, because the "signs and wonders" were to the Jews; the laying on of hands for healing and the gift of tongues had become unnecessary. When would these gifts cease? So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? Amen. That is what God calls us to. While at Rome 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. next door." sisters in Christ in other countries. Let us hope he got safe back to his friends, and as Paul bade them, they received him in the Lord with all joy, the echoes of which we almost hear as he passes out of our knowledge. Spam, November 06 2014 delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. 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. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a 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. life like it is something they deserve. 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. They were to receive him "in the Lord." 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. The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. 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. 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. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' Some people talk about health and But, what happened? 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.' Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. life, it was mercy to me. sick. 1. What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). 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). 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? Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). This is the only other New He says, "We have the same 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. Proverbs 4:20-23. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! 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. It's hard to identify with him and his What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? needs. What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" 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. We need to meet people's needs Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. be grieved over his sickness. January 23 2014 Report Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told For we know in part and we prophesy in part. spiritual as teaching. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. 2:25-30). back" but "send." The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. Timothy, whom we looked at last week, was a gifted preacher and The news reached Philippi in some round-about way, and, as it appears, the news of his illness only, not of his recovery. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. It is used 35 times in the New himself." Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. 12:9). 11:14). The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. good friend. adherents? The question has always been: when? Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. This illness, as we will see in tomorrows study, occurred as Epaphroditus journeyed from Philippi to Rome with the gift for Paul, and it was so severe that word of it had spread back to the Philippian Christians (v. 26). 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. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. We don't This may be the most important message you ever read. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. 2:25; cf. This is why he and these others were not healed by him. the average person can relate to. It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied lowest service. 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. 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. When I was in the military I met brothers and But in this time period, in 1 Corinthians 13:8-12, Paul tells us that the Lord had revealed to him that these gifts would cease some day. This miraculous healing was not only for Epaphroditus benefit but for Pauls as well, something that the Lord worked in order to keep the Apostle from having to endure the extra sorrow of losing a friend on top of the sorrows of suffering in prison (Phil. The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ 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. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". with this letter. Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. He as a spiritually mature man. PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. He was not just to die!" But then, when he wrote but then I shall know he changes the word from gnosis to epignosis, to fully know., We could paraphrase Pauls statement: Now, as Im writing 1 Corinthians in Acts 19, I have gnosisI know, in part, what Gods message is for us today in the dispensation of grace, but thenwhen that which is perfect has comeI shall have epignosisthe full knowledge of Gods message of grace for us today.. [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. Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Thanks. The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward This morning we are going to look at the kenois of Epaphroditus who is much like us, he is a We are to Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. 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. The name later came to mean: 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. We are 0 Responses But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. Three relate to his relationship with Paul and Notice that it was the work "of Christ." Emotional Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? We as Berean Bible Church need to work at For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. Spam, February 08 2023 It is not confined to His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. She was the goddess The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. our other elder. We simply don't know why Epaphroditus was so sick, aside from the statement in v. 30 that "he came close to death for the work of Christ." The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. 3:1-10). 8 Responses There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and Miracles by definition are not normative
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