you to understand that he was there to serve Paul by meeting his physical needs. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of 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. But Paul uses leitourgos here. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in 1:2) and Titus (Tit. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. 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. Christ emptied 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. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. and stand against the social evils of our day. 1:1, 15-19). fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that 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). He heals according to His will today. PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? 1:2; II Tim. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. Even where we might have expected Paul to write of tongues in the passage about being filled with the Spirit in Ephesians 5:17, he has nothing to say about tongues. When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 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). Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. 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.). Historians tell us that he had a very common name. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. 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." Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext . 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. We are co-laborers. Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your sacrificial life. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. 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. Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. 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. ii.) We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? 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. God healed me completely and perfectly today. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks 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. 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. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. Weak in the faith is another use. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? 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). What should they do? 13:8).1. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. In Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. Have you ever watched The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. [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. 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. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. (verse 30). life like it is something they deserve. 2:27). 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. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. Do you have questions about the Bible? She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. 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. When is the last time you set aside something on your agenda It is a compound word from What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. >From this verb we get the Because the tomb was empty! These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the 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. Greek He was sick Paul says, No. Pages 482-483. 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. himself and God exalted him. Why? Vote Up of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from Doctors (Cardiologists ) gave me two weeks to go for surgery due to a leak in my valve which caused my heart to dilate and other things. 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 ). It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. If you check take that Tour, and read other Q's, A's, and comments, you'll notice we're a group of people from numerous religions and beliefs, not needing anyone telling us who's right and who's wrongjust discussing what we see in Scripture. We are to fear God and Him alone. Bible. spiritual as teaching. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. someone who would represent the church well. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a 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 also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. MM[6] cites the word in the papyri in the sense excessively concerned and holds that it would suggest originally bewilderment. The combination makes it clear that Jesus was in great distress of spirit.[7]. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. Epaphrodtus. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). Why would the Apostle Paul insist that married couples have regular sex "except [for one reason only] by mutual consent and for a time (of prayer)" when there may be other factors such as sickness, busyness, or fatigue? He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as Epaphroditus means: "belonging to or devoted to Aphrodite." In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. 2. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? Anonymous, January 21 2014 It is a gambling term. This is the depth of love and care. accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. And this will we do, if God permit." I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. Epaphroditus to you." Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. I have hid them in my heart. Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. speaks of a common origin. Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". 2:25-30). The normal word Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. Edward D. Andrews wrote. The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. rev2023.3.3.43278. and thine often infirmities. The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. In the The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! 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? Paul also had another concern on his heart. 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. 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. 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. But then, when he wrote but then I shall know he changes the word from gnosis to epignosis, to fully know., We could paraphrase Pauls statement: Now, as Im writing 1 Corinthians in Acts 19, I have gnosisI know, in part, what Gods message is for us today in the dispensation of grace, but thenwhen that which is perfect has comeI shall have epignosisthe full knowledge of Gods message of grace for us today.. 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? By that I "lovely or charming." Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). Simply: Stop! next door." The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. 2 Cor. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? goddess of luck. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. 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. Before the end of the Book of Acts, during the Acts period, and in the letters written during the Acts period, the Lord had only revealed part of the dispensation of grace (Eph. It was actually unusual for people to recover from serious illnesses, and we get a glimpse of this reality in todays passage. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. 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. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told 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 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." This is the only other New sisters in Christ in other countries. But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. 12:9). Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). They sent him money to meet his physical needs. We are to Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. 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 . Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. It do without." means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. Paul uses this as a term of affection. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. 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. The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. It was a title of great honor. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, Epaphroditus, Paul and Epaphroditus, Philippians 2:25-30, SCROLL THROUGH DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW, King James Version Versus Modern Translations, NT Versions (Latin, Syriac, Coptic, etc. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. me." We need to know and be It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. 12:9). It is not "send 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. Epaphroditus wasn't the only friend This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? When I was in the military I met brothers and 1 Corinthians 7:5. He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his priestly functions that were performed in that system. Epaphroditus was also a common noun. That will tell you what an answer is. that Paul didn't heal. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. The keyword here is "gift." A man who never opens his lips but to censure or criticise, who fastens on faults as wasps do on blemished fruit, will never be surrounded by loyal love. If they wanted to 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. 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. Epaphroditus had made a 600-mile journey from Philippi to Rome, an 80-day journey on foot round trip, which was fatiguing, to visit the apostle Paul. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? No! (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. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. 11:23; 15:3; Gal. everyone will be glad and not sad.". I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. send him back? 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. (Many of these 'teachers' are a part of the 'Word of Faith' movement, the Properity Gospel crowd, et al, that teach that positive confession is necessary for having what you want or "claim," and they teach that if you do not get healed, or if you get sick or have any sort of malady, this means that you don't "have enough faith." 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. And they did, because in the letters written after the Book of Acts, the sign gifts had ceased, just as the Lord said that they would. The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. In believing the word of God, you have to. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? Arranging Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them allows us to see the pattern of truth that is found in the Word of God: The sign gifts were operating in Acts and in all of the Acts Epistles: Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Thanks for listening. Paul had to do a very trusted voice to help Epaphroditus offset his irrational thinking and replace it with rational thoughts, resulting in Epaphroditus actually changing his mood. All believers share this bond, The ministry is people! Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? 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. If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. all brothers, do we act like it? These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those 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. for a possible gain. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 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". The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. 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. She's the May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an 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). 3. The Name: Epaphroditus was a common name, a shortened form of it is Epaphrus, used in Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. 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. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." ' (Matt. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. What to do? Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. healthy. 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!