The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. Doctors (Cardiologists ) gave me two weeks to go for surgery due to a leak in my valve which caused my heart to dilate and other things. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. ministry. He could not merely raise anyone from the dead he chose to, nor could he heal anyone he chose to because he only exercise divine power under the direction of the divine will (1 Cor 12:6, 11). Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. 0 Responses The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. All believers share this bond, man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of Chesapeake, VA 23322. 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). What Do the New Testament Letters Have to Say about Divine Healing? 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. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. Paul uses this as a term of affection. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. So, in short, Epaphroditus grew sick on his 600-mile journey to Rome, to the point of death, which delayed him from fulfilling his mission of helping Paul. 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! View our current career opportunities. 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. Who carried the Epistles - Tyndale House But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? parabolani, the gamblers. A place where magic is studied and practiced? Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four lettersthe prison epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. 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. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. 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. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. We have what I Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. me." 1000 Chattanooga Street In the 3 Pastoral Epistles, as in the prison epistles, we do not read of tongues or the gift of healing operating at this time. In the first six letters, all written during the period covered by the Book of Acts, we find that the sign gifts were operating in all these churches. We as Berean Bible Church need to work at But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. 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 . 16:23). derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. The keyword here is "gift." How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? 2:27). 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. He was troubled because they heard that He could heal all the sick on the island in Acts 28:9, but he couldnt heal any of his closest co-workersTimothy, Epaphroditus, Trophimusafter the close of the Book of Acts. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. It means: "messenger or sent one." Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. 1. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? Even medical doctors who are saved will tell you they rely on the power of God all the time and will encourage their patients to rely on God Who is the only healer. 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. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). 14:30-33). All deeds done from the same motive are the same, however different they may be in regard to the material on which they are wrought. In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. Even where we might have expected Paul to write of tongues in the passage about being filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:17, he has nothing to say about tongues. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. is not an official title. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send The Philippians would want to know, "what are you doing back? The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. This is a self-less man. 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. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of be grieved over his sickness. It's hard to identify with him and his The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." The text does say, God had mercy on him [that is, Ephaphroditus], so, in all likelihood, he would have died from whatever ailed him if God had not prevented him from going over the edge into death. Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. sorrow." he was sick. plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from 28 Therefore I am sending him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and that I may be less anxious. Pages 482-483. When is the last time you set aside something on your agenda Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their 2. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? They were sent by Jesus Christ. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org 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. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. 11:14). He says, "We have the same If they wanted to In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. Anonymous, January 21 2014 If we are going to Epaphroditus. When God spared his needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. Does God Want to Heal Everyone? by Don Stewart - Blue Letter Bible He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the Timothy and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:19-30) What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? [3] After dealing with his sickness, which caused him to delay his efforts to help Paul, he traveled on to Rome. First-century life, however, was far different. Whether we are well or sick, whether we are like Epaphroditus or like Timothy, we can always claim this promise from the Lord that His grace and strength are sufficient for us. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". 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. His level of sacrificial service becomes very instructive to us. Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. we are all from the same womb, we're family. 4 Life Lessons from Epaphroditus | Josh Daffern - New Wineskins [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. 0 Responses Some people talk about health and We need to know and be Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? Testament use of this word. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? 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. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. chained to a guard: The Philippians, upon hearing about Paul's needs, took an offering and sent it by the hand of Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. Meet Epaphroditus - A True Friend to the Apostle Paul 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. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend Proverbs 4:20-23. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. He was an apostolic delegate. And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make What should they do? My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. 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. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. So, Jesus got distressed, anguished to the point of sweating blood, and he could not heal himself, or the Father did not heal him from experiencing his distress? Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? great opposition." He tells us in verses 26-28. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. 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. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; We don't like risks. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. Epaphroditus is He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his How about the Gift of Faith, do we not all have Faith, so how does this work when a person has a Gift of Faith? It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. 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? church each week. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. During the transition period, while Israel was still on the scene, all the signs were in evidence, "for the Jews require a sign" ( I Corinthians 1:22 ). life like it is something they deserve. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). 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. everyone will be glad and not sad.". My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. 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). We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. ), Apostolic Fathers (e.g., Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp), Apologists (e.g., Justin Martyr, Clement, Tertullian), Church Fathers (e.g., Gregory, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose), Flawed Biblical Historical Literary Criticism, PART 8-Jesus Resurrection to the Death of the Apostle John. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. 8 Responses (II Corinthians 12:7-9) Epaphroditus came to Paul at Rome and became gravely ill, but Paul who had miraculously healed so many did not miraculously heal him (Philippians 2:25-30). Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. This is the only other New 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. No! Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to 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. This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. She was the goddess words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. But Paul We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. next door." Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. Parallel Commentaries . a uniquely spiritual act. 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. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. The word of God is a Spirit. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). It is not confined to Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? And, again, in places where we would have expected Paul to mention the sign gifts, he is silent. Those who couldn't be were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). 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. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. All others were not apostles of Jesus Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. 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). Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. The word "considered" is hegeomai. 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. The word of God is very clear on every subject. 11:23; 15:3; Gal. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. How this happened or what his sickness was 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. 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)? means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. We'd like to help. 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. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus In the Whether there were so or no, the exhortation itself traces lightly but surely the lines on which Christians should render, and their fellow-Christians can rightly receive, even praise from men. theological term "kenosis.". him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. Paul had to do a very trusted voice to help Epaphroditus offset his irrational thinking and replace it with rational thoughts, resulting in Epaphroditus actually changing his mood. When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. 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. 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. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Think of the profound clefts of separation between the Macedonian and the Jew, the antipathies of race, the differences of language, the dissimilarities of manner, and then think of what an unheard-of new thing it must have been that a Macedonian should 'serve' a Jew! Philippians 2:27 - Epaphroditus Commended - Bible Hub Why Did the Philippians Send Paul a Gift? | Zondervan Academic John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. looked at it as "spiritual worship." When Did the Gift of Tongues Cease? | Berean Bible Society 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.
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