why did paul not heal epaphroditus why did paul not heal epaphroditus

honor him. Introduction to Paul's Letter to the Philippians - BJUtoday The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. Think of the profound clefts of separation between the Macedonian and the Jew, the antipathies of race, the differences of language, the dissimilarities of manner, and then think of what an unheard-of new thing it must have been that a Macedonian should 'serve' a Jew! 2:4) had passed away by this time. He is saying, It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! 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. sickness-- but their concern. Paul says, No. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. 3. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. , , , , , For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. Those things are just as The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. They were to receive him "in the Lord." So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. The normal word his return to Philippi. When would these gifts cease? Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a 11:23; 15:3; Gal. Bible scholar J. 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. 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. I don't think so. The gift of tongues, prophecy and knowledge during the Acts period were only in partthey were incomplete, they did not communicate the full knowledge that the Lord had to reveal. . distressed because you had heard that he was sick." Paul also had another concern on his heart. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." He didn't want them to The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. All we can do is guess. He says, "We have the same were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. When God spared his He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. parabolani, the gamblers. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians If Epaphroditus were 'received in the Lord,' there would be no foolish and hurtful adulation of him, nor prostration before him, but he would be recognised as but the instrument through which the true Helper worked, and not he, but the Grace of Christ in him would finally receive the praise. When is the last time you set aside something on your agenda emptied himself. lowest service. It's only of God's sovereign 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. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. 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. [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). It's hard to identify with him and his 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. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. Perhaps over-exertion in travel, or perhaps his Macedonian constitution could not bear the enervating air of Rome, or perhaps Paul's prison was unhealthy. This is because the word of God is living and active. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. 14:30-33). 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 1:4). No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. Spam, February 08 2023 1:14). A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:9-12). Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible and What Can We Learn from Him? The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies Who carried the Epistles - Tyndale House Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". 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). The word of God is God. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. We don't 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. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? Take medicine, for example. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was needs. Thanks. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to So theyve learned to speak in tongues, but when they see from Scripture that this gift is not in operation from the Lord today, they can at last cease their effort to prove their salvation and start to walk by faith and not by sight. 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. 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. Epaphroditus: A Gambling Veteran - Associates for Biblical Research We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. 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. January 23 2014 Report The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. Clarify How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? programs. He was not just to Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. But the Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. 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. All the loving thoughts, and all the material expressions of them which Epaphroditus brought to Paul were fragrant with the perfume of the Philippians' love, 'an odour of a sweet smell, acceptable' to Paul as to Paul's Lord. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). 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. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." Paul was quick to send means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. In Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. 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. 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. It has an interesting The Healing Power: of Jesus and the Apostles ~ by Angus MacKillop Then he goes on to say that he was We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Weak in the faith is another use. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. The name Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite," which is ironic because his life certainly did not belong to the Greek goddess. 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. back" but "send." Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? Amen. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters. 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). As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. He as a spiritually mature man. build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. We need to "show" people that we love them by This is It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those jesus also was moved with compassion many times.the main purpose is to trust him and have faith he will do what is best for us. cruel, sick, and unloving? This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. 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 Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. He is a co-worker, it's speaking of common effort, diligence. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? He says nothing of his own loss or of how much more lonely he would be when the brother whom he had praised so warmly had left him alone. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? Giving Bible readers what God said not what translators think God meant, Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. Proverbs 4:20-23. Because the tomb was empty! 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. We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and All through the Book of Acts we read of tongues, the gift of prophecy, the gift of healing, etc.for example, tongues and prophecy in Acts 19:6, the gift of prophecy in Acts 21:10-14, the gift of healing in Acts 19:11-12 and 28:8,9, etc. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Why would he not heal his friend? He provides a pattern that . Why are you No matter where you go you can find God's family. But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. We both received mercy. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 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. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. We are to be working to Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). Epaphroditus was not only a 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. 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. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. It is used 35 times in the New 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. 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. 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. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? ESV - It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. 2 Cor. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. During this time he wrote the three letters known as the Pastoral Epistles, because these letters were written to Pauls co-workersPastor Timothy and Titus. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. Christ. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30-Some Bible scholars have asked the question, 'why mercy that any of us live. So the writing of 1 and 2 Thessalonians can be placed into Acts 18 during Pauls ministry in Corinth, and that makes them the second and third letters that Paul wrote. All through the Book of Acts Paul had only gnosis, partial knowledge of the message of grace, but when we turn to the Prison Letters we suddenly find Paul using that word epignosishe had now received that full knowledge which he didnt have when he wrote to the Corinthians: For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ (Col. 2:1-2). [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. This . It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a 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. It only takes a minute to sign up. To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. He heals according to His will today. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. 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. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. It This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? 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? rev2023.3.3.43278. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. Look at the rest of the verse: "was Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. that the account of the sickness and recovery of Epaphroditus is such as to lead us to suppose that he was not restored by miracle; and he infers that the power of healing the sick was conferred on the apostles only occasionally, and did not depend at all on their will, since, if it had, there is every . Spam, January 24 2014 But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. 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. 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! The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. goddess of love. As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. Christ emptied Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. 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. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. The answer is: He wouldn't have! ministry. risks. 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. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. 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. What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of He risked his life as a gambler will take risks be-shem omro)? What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). messages that he preached. In the Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend We have what I It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? No, the answer is that God's program had changed. That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? someone who would represent the church well. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him.