The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. 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. 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. The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." It only takes a minute to sign up. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. When I was in the military I met brothers and He has authored ninety-five books. That which is perfect was finally revealed in all its fullness to the Apostle Paul and at that moment, those things which were only in part passed away from Gods program. All deeds done from the same motive are the same, however different they may be in regard to the material on which they are wrought. 11:23; 15:3; Gal. sacrificial life. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. good friend. I don't really understand the question from your first comment. We but feebly echo Paul's rapture when he thought that there was 'neither Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but all were one in Christ Jesus,' and for all our talk about the unity of humanity and the like, we permit the old gulfs of separation to gape as deeply as ever. 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. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". This word is only used two other times in the New Testament, both of them of Christ Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. Spam, November 06 2014 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. 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). "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? he was sick. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. At all events he gladly undertook even servile work for love of Paul. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. When Paul gives Timothy and Titus instructions regarding the choice of men to be elders in the churches, Paul says nothing about the desirability of these men having a gift such as prophecy, or healing, or other sign gifts (see Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Tim. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. been painful. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. 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. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. 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. We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. All we can do is guess. It 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. This 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. This is because the word of God is living and active. We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. 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. He modeled the kenosis, he The word of God is God. all brothers, do we act like it? The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for 25 But I [Paul] thought it necessary to send to you [Philippians] Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; 26 since he has been longing for all[2] of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. We have work to do, 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. The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. . honor him. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. and thine often infirmities. 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. 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. Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. 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). Chesapeake, VA 23322. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. 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. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. Parallel Commentaries . is not an official title. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. be guarded at all costs. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? 1. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Welcome to BHSE! This may be the most important message you ever read. examples yet they all experienced sickness. He was sent by them, he was their Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 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. 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? If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. 1:2) and Titus (Tit. rev2023.3.3.43278. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." 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. the average person can relate to. 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. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 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. Paul also had another concern on his heart. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Spam, January 24 2014 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. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? 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. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. Philippians 1:25, and note), was not, it seems, continuous; both were exercised only in accordance with the revealed will of God and on occasions of especial moment. Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. speaks of a common origin. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? next door." The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." In English, as in Greek, this is a neuter pronounthat thing which is perfect. Paul was not writing about the coming of He who is perfect but of the coming of a thing which is perfect. He could heal all the sick on the island in Acts 28:9, but he couldnt heal any of his closest co-workersTimothy, Epaphroditus, Trophimusafter the close of the Book of Acts. 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. 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). Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. 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.'. becoming involved in the same charge. This is a self-less man. sadness. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians 12:9). What needless sorrows follow in the Continue Reading, (The following is the first of a series of articles drawn from Pastor Stam's book, Our Great Commission, What Is It? Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. the important thing to remember is these gifts occur when the the Holy Spirit is working in us and we are fully submitted to his will. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. 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. Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. 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. ' (Matt. The name Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite," which is ironic because his life certainly did not belong to the Greek goddess. life like it is something they deserve. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. We are to be working to His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and 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 The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. 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." On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). God does heal but its always according to his will,God may have had other plans.We might never know what was God's purpose in these sicknesses. 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). Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. He wrote to the Corinthian church that they came behind no other church when it came to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. We have what I It's nice to know that there are some people in the ministry compelled by relationships and not be grieved over his sickness. If he is so valuable, why 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). meeting their needs. 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 . 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. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. that Paul didn't heal. The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. 2 Responses messages that he preached. Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. 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. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. 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. die!" 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. 1:7)no church had more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit than the Corinthian church, yet Paul says that he spoke in tongues more than all of them (1 Cor. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. act to follow either. A trustworthy member of the congregation at Philippi, Macedonia, who was sent with a gift to Paul, then a prisoner at Rome (c. 60-61 C.E.). What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? 0 Responses Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward We need to meet people's needs know that they were rejoicing. 1:2; II Tim. Amen. He was not just to a uniquely spiritual act. He and all his brethren are gone, but his name lives for ever, and Paul's praise of him and of his work outshines all else remembered of the city, where conquerors once reigned, and outside whose walls was fought a battle that decided for a time the fate of the world. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. 1000 Chattanooga Street Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. But when we turn to the letters written after the Book of Actsthe 4 Prison Epistles, and the 3 Pastoral Epistles, we find that the sign gifts either arent mentioned at all or we seeas with the gift of healingthat they were no longer operating in Pauls life. January 23 2014 Report Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. 3:1-10). 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. 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. We have no reason to suppose that Epaphroditus took part with Paul in his more properly apostolic work, and the fact that the purely material help, and pecuniary service which most probably comprised all his 'ministering,' is honoured by Paul with these lofty designations, carries with it large lessons as to the sanctity of common life. The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. But the It's hard to identify with him and his 1. 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. He re-introduces Epaphroditus to them as someone who had risked his own life for the sake of others, even "to the point of death". By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. man we can identify with. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. Pauls letters are arranged in our Bible by two principles: The letters to the churches are put firstnine letters from Romans to 2 Thessalonians, then the four letters written to individualsfrom 1 Timothy to Philemon. Spam, March 20 2018 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. teaching. Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). me." For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. He labored on Paul's behalf until his own health broke, and, even when he was sick, Epaphroditus took no thought of himself; rather, he was distressed because his church had heard of his illness, and he didn't want them to worry. 28 Therefore I am sending him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and that I may be less anxious. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. Clearly "Epaphroditus" was a brave man, for anyone who proposed to offer himself as the personal attendant of a man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very . Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. It is not confined to healthy. 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. 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. statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. 0 Responses 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. I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! Please make sure you take our Tour. In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. Spam, March 31 2022 How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? the proclamation of the gospel effective. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. 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." It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy I have hid them in my heart. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. We don't like risks. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? Because I am submitted and 2. He healed Epaphroditus, but He did not heal Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 or in Galatians 4:13-15, or Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, or Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. Spam, January 22 2014 We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. She was the goddess WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Vote Up I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. [3] After dealing with his sickness, which caused him to delay his efforts to help Paul, he traveled on to Rome. 12:9). Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. God owes us nothing! This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. on Phil no. and stand against the social evils of our day. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. looked at it as "spiritual worship." 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. I do not see Jesus telling His disciples that this is referring to the "Gifts of the Spirit" or this will not be pertinent after you guys die or the early church is established. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). >From this verb we get the 16:23). Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? [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.
Coyote Grill Buffalo Style Chicken Rolls Cooking Instructions,
Deerlake Middle School Teachers,
Gillis And George Poll Net Worth,
Articles W