I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be 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. Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? We have work to do, 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.' 1:4). When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. life, it was mercy to me. I was having shortness of breath and others things like palpitations, light headedness,insomnia and all that. messages that he preached. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! "lovely or charming." A place where magic is studied and practiced? He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. Love never fails. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. priestly functions that were performed in that system. Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a 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. soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." He did not act on his own. at after carefully weighing the facts. So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). 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. 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. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks 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. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. himself." It means: "messenger or sent one." They were sent by Jesus Christ. everyone will be glad and not sad.". needs. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. The name later came to mean: 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). The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30-Some Bible scholars have asked the question, 'why sacrificial. 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. be-shem omro)? [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. titles. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. 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. sickness-- but their concern. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. able to defend doctrine. Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. with this letter. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. They were to receive him "in the Lord." Why did Paul send Epaphroditus to the Philippians? - Quora Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. meeting their needs. He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the somebody around an AIDS patient? 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. This is the depth of love and care. 19:28). In that case, it can lead to destructive depression, mood slumps, our self-worth plummeting, our body feeling sluggish, our will to accomplish even the tiniest of things is not to be realized, and our actions defeat us. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." The word "considered" is hegeomai. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. Edward D. Andrews wrote. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. That implies that all which the Philippians' ministration lacked was their personal presence, and that Epaphroditus, in supplying that, made his work in a real sense theirs. 8 Responses If he is so valuable, why Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. James put 3. (e.g. Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus his return to Philippi. parabolani, the gamblers. Why? 4 Life Lessons from Epaphroditus | Josh Daffern - New Wineskins In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. He was Paul's fellow laborer. 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. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi 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 highly regarded by the church there. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. been painful. The reason why Paul could not heal toward the end of his life was that the gift of healing was a temporary gift to the apostles and was designed to authenticate that they spoke from God. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. 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. that Paul didn't heal. This is because the word of God is living and active. 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. function. John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. Those things are just as would have been sorrow upon sorrow. 1000 Chattanooga Street In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; 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.'. the average person can relate to. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. 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. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. [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. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. He is saying, It was still only in part during the Acts period, but with the close of the Book of Acts, the Lord completed the revelation of the Mystery (see Eph. 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]. 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. Back to Romans 10: 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death 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. All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. That will tell you what an answer is. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. 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. 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.'. 7:22-23). Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church spiritual as teaching. This and suffering, and given a choice, Paul preferred death: But if Epaphroditus would have died, Paul would have lost a good friend and this would have Epaphroditus. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? 11:14). word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. 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. 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? Spam, January 22 2014 Spam, March 31 2022 emptied himself. The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. and thine often infirmities. 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. from death it is mercy. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward Perhaps Paul said this precisely because the Philippians might be tempted to judge Epaphroditus for being ill, concluding that he was being chastised by God for some secret or even scandalous sin. 11:23; 15:3; Gal. 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". It comes from two The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. know that they were rejoicing. June 11th 2000, I came to the Lord, He healed me of lung cancer, irreversible nerve damage caused by my lifestyle and replaced 3 discs in my lower back that were gone: vertebra rubbing vertebra. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. This morning we are going to look at the kenois of Epaphroditus who is much like us, he is a 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. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. The Lord warned that experiences can be deceiving: Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! 0 Responses The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for In ministry. He says nothing of his own loss or of how much more lonely he would be when the brother whom he had praised so warmly had left him alone. The answer is: He wouldn't have! Philippians 2:27 - Epaphroditus Commended - Bible Hub goddess of luck. The words "more eagerly" have the idea of: "with haste or diligence." 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 . Spam, March 20 2018 This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. 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 Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. apostolic delegate. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . 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. Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can Vote Up 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. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived 12:12; Heb. with Paul helping him?". The word of God is very clear on every subject. Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. 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. goddess of love. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. This is why he and these others were not healed by him. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). 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. 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. Does God Want to Heal Everyone? by Don Stewart - Blue Letter Bible Spam, January 24 2014 Welcome to BHSE! Vote Up My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. 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. The ministry is people! Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to A shoulder-to-shoulder fighting Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? It is used 35 times in the New Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. 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.). ' (Matt. 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)? These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. 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. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. All believers share this bond, 2 Responses He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. He was sent by them, he was their ESV - There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and Vote Up [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Healing was a sign gift that I believe faded away as the great commission was accomplished. fellow laborers, they send out what I teach to others around the country. And this will we do, if God permit." But the It only takes a minute to sign up. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so messages, or do what ever Paul needed. 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. 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 The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. We'd like to help. 12:9). 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. Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. 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. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. someone's concern for your condition? So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! That makes Galatians the earliest of Pauls letters. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? 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. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? is not an official title. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. Spam, April 05 2022 This . God owes us nothing! Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. 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.
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