Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". Why wasn't Pauls companion healed that day, I have no clue. Those who couldn't be He modeled the kenosis, he This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to 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. 0 Responses The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. Do you know who my co-laborers are? Figuratively, it Bible scholar J.
What does the Bible say about prayer for the sick? 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.). We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. A shoulder-to-shoulder fighting It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. Christ. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. and thine often infirmities. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the Epaphroditus was evidently healed through the Lords direct, miraculous intervention, perhaps via the gifts of healing that some believers possessed during the Apostolic era (1 Cor. The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. Paul holds them up as Have you ever watched They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. serve, you can meet physical needs. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. becoming involved in the same charge. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. Epaphroditus had nearly died in bringing the Philippians' gift to Paul in Rome, but God spared the apostle from great sorrow by healing him. They sent him money to meet his physical needs. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. 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).
When Did the Gift of Tongues Cease? | Berean Bible Society Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. 3. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. Vote Up Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. delegate. we are all from the same womb, we're family. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." and stand against the social evils of our day. For many this is a great relief. 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. But when we turn to the letters written after the Book of Actsthe 4 Prison Epistles, and the 3 Pastoral Epistles, we find that the sign gifts either arent mentioned at all or we seeas with the gift of healingthat they were no longer operating in Pauls life. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, Philippians had heard that he was sick. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. feel bad because he is sick. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. good friend. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these Are we fellow soldiers? 1:2) and Titus (Tit. It Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can destruction and desolation. My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. 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. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. 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. A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of someone's concern for your condition? We have no record of any By that I "lovely or charming." But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. 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. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." die!" This is why he and these others were not healed by him. 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. Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. This miraculous healing was not only for Epaphroditus benefit but for Pauls as well, something that the Lord worked in order to keep the Apostle from having to endure the extra sorrow of losing a friend on top of the sorrows of suffering in prison (Phil. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? ), 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. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. We are to be working to Have you taken the tour of our site yet? So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. We don't like risks.
PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30-Some Bible scholars have asked the question, 'why 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. 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. messages that he preached. Anonymous, January 21 2014 Colossians 1:7 of a different man. Spam, January 24 2014 Paul would Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). The name later came to mean: (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." 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. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and on Phil no. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? 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. He provides a pattern that He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the ESV - with this letter. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. 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. It is not "send Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? distressed because you had heard that he was sick." Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 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. PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. (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. Spam, March 31 2022
Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org The word "longing" is epipotheo, it 2:25; cf. We must not leave unnoticed the beautiful self-abnegation which sends off Epaphroditus as soon as he was well enough to travel, as a gift of the Apostle's love, in order to repay them for what they had done for him. 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. ii.) Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. It would be like the difference between being a child and becoming a grown man, or between seeing someones face reflected in a wavy ancient mirror, and seeing the person face-to-face. 14:18)! 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! Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. sorrow." It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. 1:2; II Tim. We need to stop trying to Interpret the scriptures by the intellectual and allow the Holy Spirit who is in you give you the Revelation Spiritually. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. goddess of love. Thus, we can see Paul was not with Epaphroditus when he got sick, so the argument that he failed to heal him is not relevant. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). ministry. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? The ministry is people! The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. He and all his brethren are gone, but his name lives for ever, and Paul's praise of him and of his work outshines all else remembered of the city, where conquerors once reigned, and outside whose walls was fought a battle that decided for a time the fate of the world. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the a uniquely spiritual act. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send adherents? Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. It's only of God's sovereign 1:4). Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. He tells us in verses 26-28. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; 2:4) had passed away by this time.
Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was 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.'. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. forget about them."
Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies 7:22-23). We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here!
Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? The New Testament Case for Fading Miracles it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 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. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. involved in. 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. God owes us nothing! When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). View all posts by Christian Publishing House, Epaphroditus, Paul and Epaphroditus, Philippians 2:25-30, SCROLL THROUGH DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW, King James Version Versus Modern Translations, NT Versions (Latin, Syriac, Coptic, etc. 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. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that God heals when it's in His will to heal; the difference is that the gift of healing (a man laying on of hands with instant healing) has ceased, and 2) so has the gift of tongues (it's no longer needed, but if it is used, I believe that God will allow it to occur, only when the church is edified, and only when there is an interpreter amidst the assembly! Greek He was sick great opposition." be guarded at all costs. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? 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. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. They were to receive him "in the Lord." In healthy. The normal word goddess of luck. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext I don't really understand the question from your first comment. 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. Do you have questions about the Bible? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. 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. 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. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. 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. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. 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. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. 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. 0 Responses Paul could have still used Epaphroditus, but he cared more about their joy than his own physical This may be the most important message you ever read. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because you had heard that he had been sick. The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. But, what happened? priestly functions that were performed in that system. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. 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. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? sacrificial life. Simply: Stop! 2 Cor. (e.g. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? 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." sadness. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." 11:14). 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." 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.. Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. 2. . The question has always been: when? Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise.
Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? They were sent by Jesus Christ. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a It is not confined to soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." 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. Thanks. I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. He was an apostolic delegate. I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts.