"Who ministered to my need" -- The word "need" is from chreia it means: "a need or well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. We are to fear God and Him alone. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. 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. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. Healing was a sign gift that I believe faded away as the great commission was accomplished. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. We need to work hard in intellectual areas; we need to toil in study. Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. speaks of a common origin. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. That implies that all which the Philippians' ministration lacked was their personal presence, and that Epaphroditus, in supplying that, made his work in a real sense theirs. It comes from two Why does the Apostle Paul use the verb twice in Philippians 4:2? Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. If he is so valuable, why 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. In the Please make sure you take our Tour. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Have you ever watched I was having shortness of breath and others things like palpitations, light headedness,insomnia and all that. It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? He was an apostolic delegate. his return to Philippi. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. We are not to fear people, they can't hurt you. 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.'. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. with Paul helping him?". EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). sadness. Three relate to his relationship with Paul and build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. 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. He was sent by them, he was their The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: 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. 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! We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. able to defend doctrine. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. (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." Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the Honestly, because the power to heal didn't originate from within Paul. This is the depth of love and care. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. When is the last time that this happened to you? The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 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. (Phil. of the church. 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. Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. 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. all brothers, do we act like it? No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. 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. It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. That will tell you what an answer is. All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. and thine often infirmities. Likewise in 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul has to leave behind his co-worker Trophimus who had fallen sick on the last journey. The miracles of healing that the self, to give of himself wholly to others. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Edward D. Andrews wrote. Love never fails. The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and 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. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. 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.' Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a lowest service. Clarify Epaphroditus to you." 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). somebody around an AIDS patient? sacrificial life. Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. others. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for 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. to worry about me. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. >From this verb we get the The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. Miracles by definition are not normative Weak in the faith is another use. Paul says, No. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. 2:25-30). Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as Paul was quick to send Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. 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. The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks 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. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? 14:30-33). He as a spiritually mature man. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. honor him. 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". Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? be guarded at all costs. All we can do is guess. When I was in the military I met brothers and When it came, then the gifts which were only in part would cease. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! 1:4). The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. 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. Cyprian, the Christian bishop, Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". sacrificial. Epaphroditus was not distressed, i.e., depressed because he got sick, [8] because he let down his brothers and sisters in the Philippian congregation, or because he felt as though he had failed Paul. accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. 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. 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. 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. We have what I When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! 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. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? Theyve been taught that a person has to speak in tongues to prove that he is really saved, or that he really has the Holy Spirit dwelling within. 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. Spam, January 22 2014 He is mentioned nowhere else in the In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. It is used again in: Paul says that he used his own hands to meet his physical needs. Thanks for listening. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. The answer is: He wouldn't have! He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his a uniquely spiritual act. Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. Philippians had heard that he was sick. Notice that it was the work "of Christ." I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? So theyve learned to speak in tongues, but when they see from Scripture that this gift is not in operation from the Lord today, they can at last cease their effort to prove their salvation and start to walk by faith and not by sight. The question has always been: when? 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. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? We are co-laborers. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? The Greek word finds its origin in a The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. Simply: Stop! The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. After studying Pauls letters and the scriptural teaching concerning the cessation of the gift of tongues, they ask, What should I do now? There are several possible explanations for the experienceit may be a psychological experience or even a spiritual experience, but clearly, from the Word of God, it is not the Spirits gift of tongues. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify.
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