unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. 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. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. We need to meet people's needs 2:25-30). This is Spam, January 24 2014 We need to "show" people that we love them by 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. Then he goes on to say that he was The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. 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. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. Epaphroditus to you." Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry messages, or do what ever Paul needed. (Many of these 'teachers' are a part of the 'Word of Faith' movement, the Properity Gospel crowd, et al, that teach that positive confession is necessary for having what you want or "claim," and they teach that if you do not get healed, or if you get sick or have any sort of malady, this means that you don't "have enough faith." We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. That is what God calls us to. 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. Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. 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". cruel, sick, and unloving? Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. Simply: Stop! 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. The keyword here is "gift." himself." 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). 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. Why? The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? Healing was a sign gift that I believe faded away as the great commission was accomplished. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). Vote Up 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 We need to work hard in intellectual areas; we need to toil in study. well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be . In the Most likely it was not the apostle Paul who led him to faith in the Lord Jesus as his Savior because he would have called Epaphroditus "his son in the faith" as he did Timothy (I Tim. 1000 Chattanooga Street 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. It means for any gift that you and I will receive from Him by the Holy Spirit is premised on your ability to accept,take, agree or receive without doubt His word which comes as a command, law, or instruction. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. 2 Cor. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? everyone will be glad and not sad.". What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. we don't know. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and But the If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. 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. Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Paul uses this as a term of affection. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, speaks of a common origin. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so 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. teaching. 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. Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." We don't He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to His was a singular fate -- to cross Paul's path, and for one short period of his life to be known to all the world, and for all the rest before and after to be utterly unknown. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? 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. (2 Timothy 4:20), The power to heal was present in Paul's ministry as described in the book of Acts, 8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mothers womb, who had never walked. He was sent there to serve Paul We have work to do, I have had people want to debate on this wine issue by saying that "wine isn't medicine," which is to split hairs (weak rebuttal that holds no ground). Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ 1:14). 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. 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. All believers share this bond, God owes us nothing! I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be Have you ever watched 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). Bible scholar J. All we can do is guess. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. Paul also had another concern on his heart. Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend The answer is: He wouldn't have! 2:25; cf. 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. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. He tells them why they are to But when Epaphroditus fell sicknear to deathPaul was no longer able to heal him because the gift of healing had ceased to operate. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? She was the goddess But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. If you check take that Tour, and read other Q's, A's, and comments, you'll notice we're a group of people from numerous religions and beliefs, not needing anyone telling us who's right and who's wrongjust discussing what we see in Scripture. sacrificial. It is a gambling term. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. 1 Corinthians 7:5. lowest service. Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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. 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)? ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death , , , , , 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. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. that the account of the sickness and recovery of Epaphroditus is such as to lead us to suppose that he was not restored by miracle; and he infers that the power of healing the sick was conferred on the apostles only occasionally, and did not depend at all on their will, since, if it had, there is every . our other elder. 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). Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. himself and God exalted him. In fact, we are so accustomed to recovering from sickness that we are often surprised when we or others take a long time to get over what we regard as routine illnesses. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. 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.' It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make Why did she weep? 0 Responses same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. This word is only used two other times in the New Testament, both of them of Christ He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. For many this is a great relief. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. mercy that any of us live. That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. If they wanted to Weak in the faith is another use. 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. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. Thanks for listening. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. The answer is: He wouldn't have! 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. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. 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. You won't die prematurely, so go ahead and take some We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. The question has always been: when? [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. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. We are co-laborers. 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). Emotional When we remember that Paul is the subject of at least half of the Book of Acts, we realize that half of the 27 books in the New Testament are either about him (The Book of Acts) or were written by him (13 letters). 7:22-23). 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. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. He has no hesitation in describing the work done for himself as 'the work of Christ,' nor in using, as the name for it, the word ('service'), which properly refers to the service rendered by priestly hands. 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. he was sick. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. Paul could have still used Epaphroditus, but he cared more about their joy than his own physical Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. And Paul was rejoicing to Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 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. Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. Spam, November 06 2014 If we are going to Not only did they intend for him to be the bearer of their gift; they also intended for him to stay in Rome and be Paul's personal servant and attendant. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Hardly. Proverbs 4:20-23. adherents? jesus also was moved with compassion many times.the main purpose is to trust him and have faith he will do what is best for us. If you haven't already, please make sure to take our tour, to get yourself familiar with the site and to see how we're a little different than other sites. theological term "kenosis.". The word "considered" is hegeomai. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? 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. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. He tells us in verses 26-28. [3] After dealing with his sickness, which caused him to delay his efforts to help Paul, he traveled on to Rome. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. And in the Acts Epistles we read of the gifts operating in the churches that Paul founded. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? Philippians had heard that he was sick. 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. 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.. He was an apostolic delegate. There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. 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. Do you have questions about the Bible? This study focuses on that questionwhen did the sign gifts cease? Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters. It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. No! sacrificial life. Welcome to BHSE! Those who couldn't be titles. 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. 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." Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! 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. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. It's hard to identify with him and his Because the tomb was empty! Chesapeake, VA 23322. The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that "distressed"ademoneo, it means: "to be depressed or rejected, be troubled, full of anguish or January 23 2014 Report 8 Responses Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. "Who ministered to my need" -- The word "need" is from chreia it means: "a need or But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. programs. Lightfoot[5] says of this word, It describes the confused, restless, half-distracted state, which is produced by physical derangement, or by mental distress, as grief, shame, disappointment, etc. (Saint Pauls Epistle to the Philippians [London, 1908], p. 123). 1:4). Are we fellow soldiers? The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. 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. And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a Figuratively, it Those things are just as Epaphroditus. 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. 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." and stand against the social evils of our day. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). Christ emptied I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. die!" We are to fear God and Him alone. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? There are very many Christian workers who never get their due of recognition and welcome from their brethren, and there are many who get far more of both than belongs to them, and both they and the crowds who bring them adulation would be freed from dangers, which can scarcely be over-stated, if the spirit of Paul's warm-hearted praise of Epaphroditus were kept in view.