why did paul not heal epaphroditus why did paul not heal epaphroditus

Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. 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. His letter to the Philippians was just one of four "Prison Epistles" written during this time. In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the 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. So, to sum up what we have seen so far, from Acts 9 through Acts 28 we read of the earlier ministry of the Apostle Paul and find that during these years he wrote 6 of his 13 letters. But, what happened? Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. Vote Up This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to children so you can listen to the Word of God. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? A place where magic is studied and practiced? The text does say, God had mercy on him [that is, Ephaphroditus], so, in all likelihood, he would have died from whatever ailed him if God had not prevented him from going over the edge into death. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. 2:25; cf. 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. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. That will tell you what an answer is. This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). 0 Responses here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). [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. But when we turn to the letters written after the Book of Actsthe 4 Prison Epistles, and the 3 Pastoral Epistles, we find that the sign gifts either arent mentioned at all or we seeas with the gift of healingthat they were no longer operating in Pauls life. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. He is saying, 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. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. 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. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. ii.) What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. 12:9). Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. been painful. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). (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. 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. They were to receive him "in the Lord." Vote Up Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." 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.). The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. spiritual as teaching. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). In verses 26-28, we are given the reasons for on Phil no. 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. great opposition." By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 1. 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.' 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.' Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so He comes back to the theme in the last words of the context, where he says that the Philippian messenger had 'hazarded' his life, or, as we might put it with equal accuracy and more force, had 'gambled' his life, or 'staked it on the die' for Paul's sake. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. 12:9). 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. We have no reason to suppose that Epaphroditus took part with Paul in his more properly apostolic work, and the fact that the purely material help, and pecuniary service which most probably comprised all his 'ministering,' is honoured by Paul with these lofty designations, carries with it large lessons as to the sanctity of common life. He as a spiritually mature man. becoming involved in the same charge. We are to No! The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. 0 Responses Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. Because the tomb was empty! primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. 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. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. In fact, we are so accustomed to recovering from sickness that we are often surprised when we or others take a long time to get over what we regard as routine illnesses. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. Vote Up Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. The Apostolic Gifts are no longer in operation today: 1) Laying on of hands to heal someone (if this were still the case, then people could walk into nursing homes and hospitals and begin healing people left-and-right, but this doesn't happen. 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. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. This What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. He was sent by them, he was their I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks Bible scholar J. feel bad because he is sick. The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. Some people talk about health and destruction and desolation. Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want messages that he preached. She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can In his letter thanking the Philippians, Paul makes a point of telling the church that Epaphroditus recovered (Philippians 2:27), and that he would return to them soon. He tells them why they are to This is the only other New He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these Sustratiotes is a very honorable title used in Philemon 2 of Archipus. ), Apostolic Fathers (e.g., Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp), Apologists (e.g., Justin Martyr, Clement, Tertullian), Church Fathers (e.g., Gregory, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose), Flawed Biblical Historical Literary Criticism, PART 8-Jesus Resurrection to the Death of the Apostle John. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. Indeed he was ill, near to death. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for 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). By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. mercy that any of us live. 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? risks. goddess of luck. 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. That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . function. Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. the most complete healing is when we are taken home. Bible. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. 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. We don't like risks. James put But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: I don't really understand the question from your first comment. Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". The word believe means to accept, to receive, to take and also to agree. Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. 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? for a possible gain. "Almost Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. 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. (II Corinthians 12:7-9) Epaphroditus came to Paul at Rome and became gravely ill, but Paul who had miraculously healed so many did not miraculously heal him (Philippians 2:25-30). He says, "We have the same Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). The first one suggested is the very familiar one of the great uniting principle which a common faith in Christ brought into action. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? 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). His level of sacrificial service becomes very instructive to us. 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 1:1, 15-19). He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to adherents? In Acts 21:33 Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and would spend the next 5 years in prison, right through the end of the Book of Acts. It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. 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. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 1. 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. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. But, during this time in the Book of Acts, the Lord revealed to Paul that the sign gifts were going to cease1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Look at the rest of the verse: "was Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." The gift of tongues, prophecy and knowledge during the Acts period were only in partthey were incomplete, they did not communicate the full knowledge that the Lord had to reveal. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. somebody around an AIDS patient? Epaphroditus was at the door of death. send him back? He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? chained to a guard: The Philippians, upon hearing about Paul's needs, took an offering and sent it by the hand of means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because you had heard that he had been sick. [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death 1:4). Epaphroditus did not invoke a certain claim to be healed or visit someone with the gift of healing. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. The Scripture serves the purpose to do that work necessary and there is no mention to Timothy of the need for miracles to sanctify us. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. 1:2; II Tim. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. 11 God was performing extraordinary [e]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Figuratively, it 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. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. Spam, February 08 2023 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 . Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. All believers share this bond, Colossians 1:7 of a different man. the average person can relate to. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. 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. 0 Responses It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. sorrow." Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. 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. able to defend doctrine. someone's concern for your condition? Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. In fact, in 1 Timothy 5:23, look what Paul recommended: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake 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. When I was in the military I met brothers and Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. We have work to do, Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. 12:9). In believing the word of God, you have to. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. 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. In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." accounted for the success of Rome's armies, they were the terror of the ancient world. We need to know and be Thanks. When we are having an experience that we learn from the Scriptures is not from the Lord, it is time to keep silent, and remember that our spirits are to be under our own controlthe spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.. If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. Keyword: "IF". I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. God healed me completely and perfectly today. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? She's the 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. Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. lowest service. looked at it as "spiritual worship." This is a self-less man. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. 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). Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. at after carefully weighing the facts. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). It's only of God's sovereign act to follow either. Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. God healed me of heart disease. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. We are to be working to I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. And in the Acts Epistles we read of the gifts operating in the churches that Paul founded. Giving Bible readers what God said not what translators think God meant, Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. back" but "send." This is the depth of love and care. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. church each week. The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? He didn't want them to Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. What to do? 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. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your He heals according to His will today. Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. Paul uses the word sunergos here of himself and Apollos. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. be-shem omro)? But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Asked January 21 2014 necessity, that which is lacking." He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. If the Apostle Paul still had the power to heal why would he leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27 and encouraged Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23)? The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. 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. statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. Paul was quick to send 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. 2. This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. No matter where you go you can find God's family. 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.