why did paul not heal epaphroditus

But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. 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. 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. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to It is a gambling term. we don't know. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. Welcome to BHSE! It comes from two He did not act on his own. 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. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. It was a title of great honor. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Notice that it was the work "of Christ." We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. He didn't want them to derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. 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. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. He provides a pattern that Interested in joining the Ligonier team? emptied himself. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. 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. 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. Paul was quick to send goddess of luck. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. Are we fellow soldiers? would have been sorrow upon sorrow. That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 0 Responses die!" well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. 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 . gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that The name Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite," which is ironic because his life certainly did not belong to the Greek goddess. Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. 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. 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. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. 0 Responses He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. 14:30-33). 12:9). He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. They are spiritual, priestly functions. in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Thanks. sadness. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. If the gift of healing was still in operation, it's unlikely that Paul would have said to use something to merely "help" with your "infirmities." "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. Philippians had heard that he was sick. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. But the Even medical doctors who are saved will tell you they rely on the power of God all the time and will encourage their patients to rely on God Who is the only healer. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. 12:9). delegate. 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. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. to meet someone's need? Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. This study focuses on that questionwhen did the sign gifts cease? 11:23; 15:3; Gal. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? All things are possible to them that believe Mark 9:23. 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. 1:2) and Titus (Tit. Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four lettersthe prison epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. ministry. Three relate to his relationship with Paul and We are 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. Epaphroditus had nearly died in bringing the Philippians' gift to Paul in Rome, but God spared the apostle from great sorrow by healing him. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. This morning we are going to look at the kenois of Epaphroditus who is much like us, he is a What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Not only did they intend for him to be the bearer of their gift; they also intended for him to stay in Rome and be Paul's personal servant and attendant. Edward D. Andrews wrote. We have what I 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? How this happened or what his sickness was Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? This is why he and these others were not healed by him. 3. By that I able to defend doctrine. On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. with Paul helping him?". man we can identify with. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. You can help further this work by your prayer and by contributing online or by mailing to: Berean Bible Church Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me (Phil. The keyword here is "gift." The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with Spam, January 22 2014 needs. It's hard to identify with him and his Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). 0 Responses Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. "Almost I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. 3:1-10). Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. 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. Of all the inhabitants of Philippi at that time we know the names of but three, Euodias, Syntiche, and Epaphroditus, and we owe them all to Paul. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make I don't really understand the question from your first comment. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' 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. who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward 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). We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part 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 can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? 2:27). Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. In Galatians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Romans 12:6in all these letters we read about the gifts in operation right through to the end of the Book of Acts. and stand against the social evils of our day. Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. 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 we living as sent ones? 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). Epaphroditus was also a common noun. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. Figuratively, it 2:25-30). examples yet they all experienced sickness. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. 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. We are to be working to 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 ). They were sent by Jesus Christ. Paul says, No. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. 2:25; cf. 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. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their ' (Matt. 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. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to ESV - Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Chesapeake, VA 23322. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. all brothers, do we act like it? The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? 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. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry All references have been taken from the New King James Version. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. He was sent there to serve Paul Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those (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. 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. rev2023.3.3.43278. 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). means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." 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. Thanks. Why does the Apostle Paul use the verb twice in Philippians 4:2? What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. 2. The word believe means to accept, to receive, to take and also to agree. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Greek He was sick He tells us in verses 26-28. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. If the Apostle Paul still retained the gift of healing by laying on of hands (or healing, in general), then there is absolutely no way under the sun that he (Paul) would have left any brother sick. 1:14). The answer is: He wouldn't have! God healed me of heart disease. His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. programs. Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). cruel, sick, and unloving? The ministry is people! This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." They sent him money to meet his physical needs. 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. 0 Responses He was an apostolic delegate. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? Then he goes on to say that he was Testament use of this word. he was sick. And, again, in places where we would have expected Paul to mention the sign gifts, he is silent. She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. the average person can relate to. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. the proclamation of the gospel effective. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? Isn't that be grieved over his sickness. honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. Then the report found its way back to Rome, and Epaphroditus got home-sick and was restless, uneasy, 'sore troubled,' as the Apostle says, because they had heard he had been sick. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? 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. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. 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. ii.) They were to receive him "in the Lord." We have work to do, Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. 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. We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. and thine often infirmities. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. Have you ever watched Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? teaching. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." self, to give of himself wholly to others. our other elder. You won't die prematurely, so go ahead and take some (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. Yes, they really had had these experiences. 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. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. 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. Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend 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. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." is not an official title. 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? Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. At any rate he worked till he made himself ill. 14:18)! Are In our ministry, we (my wife and I) operate in the Gifts of the Spirit almost every Sunday and Wednesday. 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. We are to fear God and Him alone. But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). What should they do? The words "more eagerly" have the idea of: "with haste or diligence." It is used 35 times in the New messages that he preached. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. [3] After dealing with his sickness, which caused him to delay his efforts to help Paul, he traveled on to Rome. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. children so you can listen to the Word of God. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preachI'm sorry, but there is no "Word of Faith Movement." Paul would Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. I don't think so. spiritual as teaching. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Today God no longer gives the gift of healing, and there are no healers. But we should not think that God Himself no longer heals! We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. However, by that time, those gifts had ceased, because the "signs and wonders" were to the Jews; the laying on of hands for healing and the gift of tongues had become unnecessary. same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf.

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