why did paul not heal epaphroditus

That makes Galatians the earliest of Pauls letters. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? Those who couldn't be Keyword: "IF". We have work to do, My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. Are we fellow soldiers? Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. All we can do is guess. his return to Philippi. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. Why would the apostle Paul "delay" being baptized (Acts 22:16)? Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. 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." rev2023.3.3.43278. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. 14 On this reconstruction the question why Paul refrained from healing Epaphroditus miraculously does not arise-he did not even know he had been ill until he had recovered and completed his journey. 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." Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. Proverbs 4:20-23. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Have you ever watched They sent him money to meet his physical needs. Colossians 1:7 of a different man. But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. Greek He was sick Vote Up 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. All others were not apostles of Jesus That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). 1:4). 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 The Lord warned that experiences can be deceiving: Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Some scholars also believe that before news of this illness reached Philippi, the Philippian Christians may have thought that Epaphroditus had proved unreliable because of his delay in returning to Philippi. 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. life, it was mercy to me. The word "considered" is hegeomai. How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? John 1:12 ). This is a self-less man. forget about them." 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). risks. 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. A place where magic is studied and practiced? 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. The word of God is very clear on every subject. B. 1. Do you have questions about the Bible? We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and When God spared his But, what happened? When is the last time you set aside something on your agenda We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. If he is so valuable, why Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Honestly, because the power to heal didn't originate from within Paul. (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. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. needs. Why did she weep? I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. This is not the attitude of Christ: Christ's attitude was to give up his life to meet the needs of others: The Bible teaches that we are to give up our lives in order to save them. 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. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. We'd like to help. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. I don't think so. 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. January 23 2014 Report you to understand that he was there to serve Paul by meeting his physical needs. No, the answer is that God's program had changed. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. 1:2) and Titus (Tit. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. Thanks. But he suns himself in the thought of the Philippians' joy, and in the hope that some reflection of it will travel across the seas to him, and make him, if not wholly glad, at any rate 'the less sorrowful.'. with this letter. speaks of a common origin. As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. 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. 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. 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. Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. Hebrews 11:6 we are taught: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. with his life to serve Christ and man. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. They labor in setting up the 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. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. The Severity of Epaphroditus' Illness | Reformed Bible Studies We are not to fear people, they can't hurt you. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. 3. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. 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 . 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. 1:1, 15-19). He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. 0 Responses 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. 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. 12:12; Heb. Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. 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. 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. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. They were sent by Jesus Christ. Why would he not heal his friend? We are co-laborers. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. The name later came to mean: It is a gambling term. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." Edward D. Andrews wrote. Indeed he was ill, near to death. 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. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians apostolic delegate. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. Testament use of this word. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Epaphroditus appears to have been a tremendous help to Paul, and somehow, possibly as a result of caring for Paul (Philippians 2:30), Epaphroditus gets sick and nearly dies. 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. If they wanted to But Paul uses leitourgos here. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. We are to fear God and Him alone. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? 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. The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. So Epaphroditus was sent to take care of Paul because Paul was imprisoned under house arrest, and in the end Epaphroditus became a burden to Paul because he almost died and Paul had to. And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. 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. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was Meet Epaphroditus - A True Friend to the Apostle Paul Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? would have been sorrow upon sorrow. We need to meet people's needs Timothy, whom we looked at last week, was a gifted preacher and 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? means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." Epaphroditus is (e.g. Philippians 2:27 Commentaries: For indeed he was sick to the point of God owes us nothing! Clarify Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. 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 ). gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that 19:28). I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. 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. This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." What should they do? Many in this movement even say shocking claims such as the erroneous idea that being poor is a sin, and that if you are sick, "it's your fault that you're sick." Timothy and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:19-30) 0 Responses Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus The Healing Power: of Jesus and the Apostles ~ by Angus MacKillop unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, 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. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? delegate. The miracles of healing that the So, in short, Epaphroditus grew sick on his 600-mile journey to Rome, to the point of death, which delayed him from fulfilling his mission of helping Paul. Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an The keyword here is "gift." The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: We are to be working to And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. And this will we do, if God permit." Why are you Whether we are well or sick, whether we are like Epaphroditus or like Timothy, we can always claim this promise from the Lord that His grace and strength are sufficient for us. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). destruction and desolation. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? 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. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext Philippians had heard that he was sick. Paul Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain 8 Responses 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. What to do? adherents? The ministry is people! Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy 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. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? He was sent there to serve Paul Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a But when Epaphroditus fell sicknear to deathPaul was no longer able to heal him because the gift of healing had ceased to operate. Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. 1 Corinthians 7:5. There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. The normal word He provides a pattern that 12:9). function. 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. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. It is not "send View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. man we can identify with. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. He has authored ninety-five books. It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. be-shem omro)? That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with used for minister is deokonos -- deacon. Paul and Epaphroditus - Bible Hub Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. 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. Paul would God healed me of heart disease. So, Paul calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and then he calls him: "My fellow solider" -- solider is from the Greek word sustratiotes. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! serve, you can meet physical needs. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want The Kenosis of Epaphroditus - Berean Bible Church But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." 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. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. It's hard to identify with him and his This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to PDF Do the Gifts of Healing, Prophecy and Tongues Still Exist - Wenstrom When Did the Gift of Tongues Cease? | Berean Bible Society needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. She was the goddess 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. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). to meet someone's need? We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. Paul was quick to send We need to labor in the area of evangelism. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. 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." Bible scholar J. He was in the first place Paul's helper in the Gospel, and his faithfulness there is set forth in a glowing climax, 'My brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier.' "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life 14:30-33). [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). 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. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death Spam, November 06 2014 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. 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.). Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. But the My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. send him back? It is used 35 times in the New 12:9). I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. 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.

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