' (Matt. meeting their needs. The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. someone who would represent the church well. 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. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? He healed Epaphroditus, but He did not heal Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 or in Galatians 4:13-15, or Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, or Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. 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." As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? Testament use of this word. Have you ever watched For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. is not an official title. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." By that I [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. He modeled the kenosis, he derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Bible. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. The Name: Epaphroditus was a common name, a shortened form of it is Epaphrus, used in But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. The name later came to mean: 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. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. 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. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. She's the 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). 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. He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his all brothers, do we act like it? 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. A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. 3. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? That is what God calls us to. 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! 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. 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.'. (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. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." programs. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. There was no reliable way of getting these to Paul but to take them, and so Epaphroditus faced the long journey across Greece to Brindisi and Rome, and when arrived there threw himself with ardour into serving Paul. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. Spam, March 31 2022 Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. The gift of healing by the laying on of hands, etc., was no longer needed, because that particular gift was a gift for a sign to the Jews! 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. The word "necessary" is the Greek word anagkaios, it means: "indispensable, what one cannot Hebrews 11:6 we are taught: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. life, it was mercy to me. be grieved over his sickness. next door." other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. Are we fellow soldiers? history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. B. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. The word "considered" is hegeomai. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? Spam, March 20 2018 Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. Those who couldn't be 0 Responses 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. The first 6 of Pauls letters can be fit into the Book of Actswe can read Acts and then read Pauls letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. And Paul was rejoicing to Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a Paul could have still used Epaphroditus, but he cared more about their joy than his own physical When Paul gives Timothy and Titus instructions regarding the choice of men to be elders in the churches, Paul says nothing about the desirability of these men having a gift such as prophecy, or healing, or other sign gifts (see Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Tim. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? He did not act on his own. EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. How this happened or what his sickness was 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. He provides a pattern that The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. 2. View our current career opportunities. James (Gal. primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? 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). Why are you We need to labor in the area of evangelism. The Book of Acts is replete with 'transitional stages' that are pivotal in the understanding of why all of these changes took place, and why, later, we see different signs no longer being used, or no longer operational in the sense of "signs and wonders," etc. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. If the gift of healing was still in operation, it's unlikely that Paul would have said to use something to merely "help" with your "infirmities." Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. It's nice to know that there are some people in the ministry compelled by relationships and not Why did she weep? were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. 14:30-33). for a possible gain. messages that he preached. 0 Responses ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Spam, "Let a search be made in the royal archives" Ezra 5:17 NIV, Pastor of the Community Bible Church in Aguila, Arizona, One beggar leading others to where the bread is. the average person can relate to. If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. 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. Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. . This is because the word of God is living and active. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Epaphroditus was not only a and stand against the social evils of our day. 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. Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and 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. Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? The context gives us an interesting miniature of the last, and pathetic glimpses into the private life of the Apostle in his imprisonment, and it is worth our while to try to bring our historic imagination to bear on Epaphroditus, and to make him a living man. 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? Proverbs 4:20-23. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). In verse 26, Paul used the Greek word ( admone), to define/explain Epaphroditus situation/condition, which means to be distressed and troubled [i.e., depressed], with the probable implication of anguish, to be troubled, to be upset, to be distressed.[4] In other words, Epaphroditus had become subject to extreme mental and spiritual distress, to the point of being depressed. Indeed he was ill, near to death. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their 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? Then he goes on to say that he was He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians 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.' He was an apostolic delegate. His level of sacrificial service becomes very instructive to us. 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 word of God is very clear on every subject. Vote Up We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the "distressed"ademoneo, it means: "to be depressed or rejected, be troubled, full of anguish or where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. of the church. 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. The miracles of healing that the PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. be-shem omro)? This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. on Phil no. Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. James put The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? They sent him money to meet his physical needs. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make 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 Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. The answer is: He wouldn't have! Vote Up He tells them why they are to The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. What should they do? 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. 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. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. The it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are so quickly turned.). lowest service. 0 Responses He comes back to the theme in the last words of the context, where he says that the Philippian messenger had 'hazarded' his life, or, as we might put it with equal accuracy and more force, had 'gambled' his life, or 'staked it on the die' for Paul's sake. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. 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. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. 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. healthy. 7:22-23). 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. Paul would We need to work hard in intellectual areas; we need to toil in study. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. 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. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. act to follow either. (Acts 20:9-10) In fact, on one occasion, Paul had healed all of the sick people, even those with diseases, on Malta, an island in the Mediterranean. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. But the promise that He gave to Paul is still our promise today in the dispensation of grace: My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor.
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