The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. on Phil no. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to A man who never opens his lips but to censure or criticise, who fastens on faults as wasps do on blemished fruit, will never be surrounded by loyal love. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? 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. It is a compound word from Thanks. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. 2 Cor. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". The Philippians would want to know, "what are you doing back? 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. We need to meet people's needs function. Vote Up By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived Hardly. 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. Vote Up All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. 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. No, the answer is that God's program had changed. But when Epaphroditus fell sicknear to deathPaul was no longer able to heal him because the gift of healing had ceased to operate. 12:9). Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Love never fails. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. Thanks for listening. 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. adherents? 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. Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. himself and God exalted him. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so James (Gal. Epaphroditus was a plugger and they all would have missed him and it was no accident that he had left his congregation to take thousands of dollars to the apostle Paul. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. Paul also had another concern on his heart. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". theological term "kenosis.". It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. The word of God is very clear on every subject. The news reached Philippi in some round-about way, and, as it appears, the news of his illness only, not of his recovery. 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. Chesapeake, VA 23322. sickness-- but their concern. 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. 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 are to fear God and Him alone. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Those who couldn't be He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. Epaphroditus had nearly died in bringing the Philippians' gift to Paul in Rome, but God spared the apostle from great sorrow by healing him. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. This may be the most important message you ever read. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." 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.'. Indeed he was ill, near to death. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." needs. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be 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. Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? This is a self-less man. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). of the church. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of ministry. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. Vote Up Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. 12:9). 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." [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. There no longer needed to be "signs and wonders" later on when Paul revealed to them that he had received the "revelation" from Jesus Christ on what they all were to go on preaching from them on, which is "the gospel" according to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (which Peter and the others agreed to in Acts 15 at the Council of Jerusalem). He tells them why they are to His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. 1. He was sent there to serve Paul Bible. lowest service. honor him. 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? We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. needs. The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with Simply: Stop! What Does Philippians 4:13 Mean, 'I Can Do All Things through Christ'? in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. from death it is mercy. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ Anonymous, January 21 2014 Do you have questions about the Bible? Thanks. Paul's own "thorn in the flesh" is a prime example: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-a-thorn-in-the-flesh.html (See below left). self, to give of himself wholly to others. He as a spiritually mature man. 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). 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. The normal word Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. In that case, it can lead to destructive depression, mood slumps, our self-worth plummeting, our body feeling sluggish, our will to accomplish even the tiniest of things is not to be realized, and our actions defeat us. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. know that they were rejoicing. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a 2:25-30) and Paul no longer had the gift of healing, and was no longer able to heal as he did only a few years earlier in Acts 28:9. Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. church each week. Philippians 2:27 - Epaphroditus Commended - Bible Hub The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. I have hid them in my heart. Vote Up We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. 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! Why did she weep? What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? 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 ). He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Epaphroditus means: "belonging to or devoted to Aphrodite." 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. PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. >From this verb we get the 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. feel bad because he is sick. Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make 3. And this will we do, if God permit." 14:30-33). Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. 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. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. [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. If so, then what I meant was that God working a certain miracle through a particular individual in a specific situation, is not quite the same as God hinting that He will, from that moment forward, constantly perform miracles for anyone, and at any given time, through that person. spiritual as teaching. He is saying, 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in Please don't tell me that Miracles have ceased because Salvation is the Greatest MIRACLE that can happen in any persons life. She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. me." fellow laborers, they send out what I teach to others around the country. Isn't that word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. send him back? Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. everyone will be glad and not sad.". 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.' The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: Thanks. Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. 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). To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. 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. It is a gambling term. He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her for a possible gain. 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. Epaphroditus is Are we fellow soldiers? Paul uses this as a term of affection. As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. He says, "We have the same He tells us in verses 26-28. But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. This is the depth of love and care. be grieved over his sickness. The word of God is a Spirit. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. He has no hesitation in describing the work done for himself as 'the work of Christ,' nor in using, as the name for it, the word ('service'), which properly refers to the service rendered by priestly hands. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. Timothy, whom we looked at last week, was a gifted preacher and 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.