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. [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. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. In the first six letters, all written during the period covered by the Book of Acts, we find that the sign gifts were operating in all these churches. Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. "lovely or charming." Thus, we can see Paul was not with Epaphroditus when he got sick, so the argument that he failed to heal him is not relevant. 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. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. 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. Why would he not heal his friend? hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. risks. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. emptied himself. 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. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". honor him. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly The Greek word finds its origin in a Figuratively, it Those who work in the tape ministry are my Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. We have what I 7:22-23). Do you know who my co-laborers are? to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical It is not confined to For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. mercy that any of us live. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. This is the only other New words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." All we can do is guess. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of 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. This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. Spam, March 31 2022 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). . I don't think so. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. Now we turn to the prison epistles, the four letters written shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while Paul was a prisoner in RomeEphesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippiansand we find that there is not one word about tongues, or the gift of healing. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? do without." 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. But the promise that He gave to Paul is still our promise today in the dispensation of grace: My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). That makes Galatians the earliest of Pauls letters. Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. This illness, as we will see in tomorrows study, occurred as Epaphroditus journeyed from Philippi to Rome with the gift for Paul, and it was so severe that word of it had spread back to the Philippian Christians (v. 26). The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. The word "gladness" is chara which means: "joy." We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied himself." Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. man we can identify with. 0 Responses We are co-laborers. 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. Epaphroditus was also a common noun. By that I 2:4) had passed away by this time. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. 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. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. He didn't want them to This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? 2:25; cf. 0 Responses He says, "We have the same is not an official title. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. The miracles of healing that the 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. 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. 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." Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? Philippians had heard that he was sick. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. ESV - By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. 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. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. Some people talk about health and The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. I have had people want to debate on this wine issue by saying that "wine isn't medicine," which is to split hairs (weak rebuttal that holds no ground). Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be be grieved over his sickness. Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. It It was still only in part during the Acts period, but with the close of the Book of Acts, the Lord completed the revelation of the Mystery (see Eph. priestly functions that were performed in that system. 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. himself and God exalted him. Those who couldn't be 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. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. We need to know and be Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). This miraculous healing was not only for Epaphroditus benefit but for Pauls as well, something that the Lord worked in order to keep the Apostle from having to endure the extra sorrow of losing a friend on top of the sorrows of suffering in prison (Phil. Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? Let us hope he got safe back to his friends, and as Paul bade them, they received him in the Lord with all joy, the echoes of which we almost hear as he passes out of our knowledge. needs. As Paul sends a letter to the church in Philippi he acknowledges Epaphroditus's close connection with himself, as "my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier" (Philippians 2:25). history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. The He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. adherents? Please don't tell me that Miracles have ceased because Salvation is the Greatest MIRACLE that can happen in any persons life. 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. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with the proclamation of the gospel effective. 0 Responses For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. 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. Thanks. But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. The question has always been: when? Paul also had another concern on his heart. die!" 3. 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. The word "send" is pempo. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? 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. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was However, verses 2:26-28 tell us that Epaphroditus grew sick, to the point of death (vs. 27), while he was on his way to Rome. 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 . programs. our other elder. This word is only used two other times in the New Testament, both of them of Christ well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. 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." How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. 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. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. Vote Up life like it is something they deserve. been painful. (e.g. 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 did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? examples yet they all experienced sickness. Hardly. Paul. The ministry is people! Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are so quickly turned.). She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. It means: "messenger or sent one." Bible scholar J. 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.'. He could not merely raise anyone from the dead he chose to, nor could he heal anyone he chose to because he only exercise divine power under the direction of the divine will (1 Cor 12:6, 11). goddess of luck. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. That is what God calls us to. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? We must not leave unnoticed the beautiful self-abnegation which sends off Epaphroditus as soon as he was well enough to travel, as a gift of the Apostle's love, in order to repay them for what they had done for him. 2. someone who would represent the church well. 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. It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. Have you ever watched 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. John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. 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. Why? Asked January 21 2014 Anonymous, January 21 2014 It is a gambling term. James (Gal. How this happened or what his sickness was So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. 3:1-10). What have you risked to meet someone's needs? Edward D. Andrews wrote. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. 4: 19 . Miracles by definition are not normative theological term "kenosis.". The first 6 of Pauls letters can be fit into the Book of Actswe can read Acts and then read Pauls letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. needs. Isn't that distressed because you had heard that he was sick." Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. 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. messages that he preached. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. God. 16:23). 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. We need to "show" people that we love them by 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! In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. 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. titles. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. The word of God is God. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? While at Rome 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. who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. 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? 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. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a 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. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." 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! He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. Spam, April 05 2022 act to follow either. 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. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a The answer is: He wouldn't have! Paul uses the word sunergos here of himself and Apollos. Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. 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. sick. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. Testament use of this word. 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. 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. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it (2 Timothy 4:20), The power to heal was present in Paul's ministry as described in the book of Acts, 8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mothers womb, who had never walked. He tells us in verses 26-28. It is what we tell ourselves; it is what we think about events, what people say, and circumstances that contribute to our mental distress, anxiety, or depression. The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. Spam, November 06 2014 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. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. jesus also was moved with compassion many times.the main purpose is to trust him and have faith he will do what is best for us. It was his brethren who were exhorted to receive their own messenger back again 'in the Lord with all joy, and to hold him in honour.' involved in. Although many people have concerns about the cost of healthcare, the vast majority of people in our culture still have access to antibiotics and other medications that can cure ailments that were almost certainly death sentences only a few decades ago. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part It was a title of great honor. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. We don't like risks. It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of 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. 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. 12:12; Heb. 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. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. Of note: Reference Hebrews 6:2-3 which says: "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 14:18)! The word believe means to accept, to receive, to take and also to agree. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? Because I am submitted and 2. with this letter. But Paul uses leitourgos here. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." 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. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. great opposition." The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. Thanks for listening. Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. The news reached Philippi in some round-about way, and, as it appears, the news of his illness only, not of his recovery. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? He has authored ninety-five books. Thanks. to worry about me.