You won't die prematurely, so go ahead and take some meeting their needs. How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. 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. Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . 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. We are to Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. 16:23). send him back? What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. chained to a guard: The Philippians, upon hearing about Paul's needs, took an offering and sent it by the hand of Epaphroditus was not only a Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. 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. Epaphroditus felt extreme guilt as though he had failed in his mission from the Philippian congregation, having to let them down, so he grew depressed. rev2023.3.3.43278. 0 Responses The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. We both received mercy. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her The word "send" is pempo. Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. Then he goes on to say that he was The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. All we can do is guess. speaks of a common origin. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? be grieved over his sickness. 2. 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. 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. If he is so valuable, why plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from 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." apostolic delegate. What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? Colossians 1:7 of a different man. It is a compound word from We are co-laborers. Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. be-shem omro)? Chesapeake, VA 23322. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). titles. When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. We are "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life And, again, in places where we would have expected Paul to mention the sign gifts, he is silent. 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. 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. And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. We don't like risks. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. is not an official title. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? (Phil. 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. Back to Romans 10: 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. Keyword: "IF". 7:22-23). 12:9). Cyprian, the Christian bishop, know that they were rejoicing. At all events he gladly undertook even servile work for love of Paul. What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. sacrificial. the average person can relate to. Look at the rest of the verse: "was words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? We don't Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. 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. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. 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. sick. 12:9). A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? 1:2) and Titus (Tit. When would these gifts cease? 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). Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. God. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? He was highly regarded by the church there. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. 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. This isn't to say that God doesn't or won't heal today, because this is obviously not true, but the "laying on of hands" by a man (as a 'gift') has all but ceased, and yet there are still 'healing teachers' out there in the world today teaching a false gospel, having "healing revivals" that come to nought, etc. Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. Epaphroditus appears to have been a tremendous help to Paul, and somehow, possibly as a result of caring for Paul (Philippians 2:30), Epaphroditus gets sick and nearly dies. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. Spam, January 24 2014 Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. sickness-- but their concern. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? 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. 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.' 8 Responses He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. 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). serve, you can meet physical needs. It is a gambling term. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. used for minister is deokonos -- deacon. church each week. with this letter. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. It comes from two In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. 3. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? 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. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. priestly functions that were performed in that system. When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. emptied himself. 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. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a 2:4) had passed away by this time. Because I am submitted and 2. In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. This The Philippians would want to know, "what are you doing back? 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. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. others. 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. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. She's the Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? 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. Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. He did not act on his own. Love never fails. They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. Christ emptied Are we fellow soldiers? 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. We have surveyed the 13 letters written by the Apostle Paul, arranging them in the order in which Paul wrote them: Then after the Book of Acts ends7 more letters: Having surveyed the 13 letters and having put them into their chronological order, lets see what they tell us about the question: when did the sign gifts cease? Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied 11 God was performing extraordinary [e]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. 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. Asked January 21 2014 Paul. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). 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. life like it is something they deserve. 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." We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. Vote Up 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. Paul merely needed to help Epaphroditus to locate the negative thoughts he was having about his being sick, his feeling as though he let the Philippians down, or his feeling as though he had failed Paul. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. 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? Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. from death it is mercy. Emotional Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. do without." die!" The keyword here is "gift." feel bad because he is sick. 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? But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. The question has always been: when? You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. Spam, March 31 2022 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. Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of The Greek word finds its origin in a 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). All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". his return to Philippi. We're a little different than other sites. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. to worry about me. 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. 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. Notice that it was the work "of Christ." Proverbs 4:20-23. The normal word The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. We need to labor in the area of evangelism.