Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical We are 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. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. able to defend doctrine. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). They were to receive him "in the Lord." These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. He later returned to his home base at Antioch (Acts 18:22), and later in his third apostolic journey he arrived in Ephesus (his ministry in Ephesus extends all the way through Acts 19a period of more than two years, see verse 10). of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? ' (Matt. 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. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. looked at it as "spiritual worship." 0 Responses Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. He was Paul's fellow laborer. Many in this movement even say shocking claims such as the erroneous idea that being poor is a sin, and that if you are sick, "it's your fault that you're sick." two to his relationship with the Philippian church. Yes, they really had had these experiences. A place where magic is studied and practiced? Paul was quick to send 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. Indeed he was ill, near to death. And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. 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. John 1:12 ). Epaphroditus to you." 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. 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). Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. ii.) 4: 19 . Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). Before the end of the Book of Acts, during the Acts period, and in the letters written during the Acts period, the Lord had only revealed part of the dispensation of grace (Eph. Are we fellow soldiers? 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). 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 ). Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. 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.. The Greek word finds its origin in a Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. 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. that Paul didn't heal. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. the average person can relate to. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? We don't Vote Up Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? Epaphroditus means: "belonging to or devoted to Aphrodite." ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? He was highly regarded by the church there. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to He provides a pattern that 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly They labor in setting up the When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. He didn't want them to This morning we are going to look at the kenois of Epaphroditus who is much like us, he is a In English, as in Greek, this is a neuter pronounthat thing which is perfect. Paul was not writing about the coming of He who is perfect but of the coming of a thing which is perfect. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? We need to labor in the area of evangelism. 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. It comes from two Do you have questions about the Bible? The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. 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. "lovely or charming." Spam, February 08 2023 Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! (e.g. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. life, it was mercy to me. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." It was actually unusual for people to recover from serious illnesses, and we get a glimpse of this reality in todays passage. They were sent by Jesus Christ. Bible scholar J. 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. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. Testament use of this word. 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. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). 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. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was would have been sorrow upon sorrow. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." He was not just to [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. It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. 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. God healed me completely and perfectly today. What Does Philippians 4:13 Mean, 'I Can Do All Things through Christ'? That is what God calls us to. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. The answer is: He wouldn't have! This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. Weak in the faith is another use. 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. Why Did the Philippians Send Paul a Gift? | Zondervan Academic The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that When would these gifts cease? Figuratively, it Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. In Acts 21:33 Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and would spend the next 5 years in prison, right through the end of the Book of Acts. I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. We are co-laborers. 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. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. 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. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make Philippians 1:25, and note), was not, it seems, continuous; both were exercised only in accordance with the revealed will of God and on occasions of especial moment. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. 0 Responses means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." Epaphroditus but passes across the illuminated disc of the lantern for a moment, and we have scarcely time to catch a glimpse of his face before it is lost to us. 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 . 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. We but feebly echo Paul's rapture when he thought that there was 'neither Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but all were one in Christ Jesus,' and for all our talk about the unity of humanity and the like, we permit the old gulfs of separation to gape as deeply as ever. 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. 1:4). were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those be guarded at all costs. Epaphroditus had made a 600-mile journey from Philippi to Rome, an 80-day journey on foot round trip, which was fatiguing, to visit the apostle Paul. 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. When I was in the military I met brothers and 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. soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. When we are having an experience that we learn from the Scriptures is not from the Lord, it is time to keep silent, and remember that our spirits are to be under our own controlthe spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.. 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. destruction and desolation. 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.' Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. Asked January 21 2014 Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. 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)? The word of God is God. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a 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. In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Paul could not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27) "Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and he who ministered to my wants. The word "considered" is hegeomai. The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies The Philippians would want to know, "what are you doing back? We are not to selfishly guard our lives, we are to give them away in ministry to others. We may note the generous heartiness of his praise in his associating Epaphroditus with himself as on full terms of equality, as worker and soldier, and the warm generosity of the recognition of all that he had done for the Apostle's comfort. 1:14). 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 Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". What to do? Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). Epaphroditus: A Gambling Veteran - Associates for Biblical Research derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. on Phil no. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? Epaphrodtus. Vote Up He labored on Paul's behalf until his own health broke, and, even when he was sick, Epaphroditus took no thought of himself; rather, he was distressed because his church had heard of his illness, and he didn't want them to worry. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). Paul. The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. We have no record of any How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi Thanks. 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. Love never fails. He was given the assignment of delivering a gift to Paul and staying with Paul for a time, assisting him in whatever way he could in his difficult times. And this will we do, if God permit." 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? The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant?
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