Why wasn't Pauls companion healed that day, I have no clue. She's the I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! Thanks. 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 . We'd like to help. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? 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.'. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. (Phil. Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. And, again, in places where we would have expected Paul to mention the sign gifts, he is silent. The Name: Epaphroditus was a common name, a shortened form of it is Epaphrus, used in But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). We need to know and be would have been sorrow upon sorrow. What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? 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. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. Paul could not heal Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-27) "Yet I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger and he who ministered to my wants. We but feebly echo Paul's rapture when he thought that there was 'neither Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but all were one in Christ Jesus,' and for all our talk about the unity of humanity and the like, we permit the old gulfs of separation to gape as deeply as ever. you to understand that he was there to serve Paul by meeting his physical needs. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. "Almost He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. 2:25; cf. know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. It is a gambling term. Weak in the faith is another use. next door." By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. The context gives us an interesting miniature of the last, and pathetic glimpses into the private life of the Apostle in his imprisonment, and it is worth our while to try to bring our historic imagination to bear on Epaphroditus, and to make him a living man. It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. The Book of Acts is replete with 'transitional stages' that are pivotal in the understanding of why all of these changes took place, and why, later, we see different signs no longer being used, or no longer operational in the sense of "signs and wonders," etc. What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). 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). Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. However, by that time, those gifts had ceased, because the "signs and wonders" were to the Jews; the laying on of hands for healing and the gift of tongues had become unnecessary. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. 8 Responses Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. 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). priestly functions that were performed in that system. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. God healed me completely and perfectly today. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? 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). Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. 12:9). What have you risked to meet someone's needs? That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with Paul also had another concern on his heart. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." 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. know that they were rejoicing. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. Then he goes on to say that he was 2:4) had passed away by this time. for a possible gain. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. He tells us in verses 26-28. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. 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. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? Did Paul's handkerchief heal sick people (Acts 19:11-12)? himself and God exalted him. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? 2 Responses The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. This is 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. Today God no longer gives the gift of healing, and there are no healers. But we should not think that God Himself no longer heals! primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. John 1:12 ). 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. 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. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. A place where magic is studied and practiced? We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. We have work to do, I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. 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. He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his 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. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." a uniquely spiritual act. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that Paul holds them up as It is not "send 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. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. He was sent by them, he was their He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. Epaphroditus was not only a He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. 1000 Chattanooga Street 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 . lowest service. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? It is used 35 times in the New were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be [f]made well, 10 said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped up and began to walk. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. He was highly regarded by the church there. It means: "messenger or sent one." 3:3,4,9 and Col. 1:26,27, etc.). someone who would represent the church well. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain his return to Philippi. examples yet they all experienced sickness. 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. I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. The answer is: He wouldn't have! 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 Scripture serves the purpose to do that work necessary and there is no mention to Timothy of the need for miracles to sanctify us. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. 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. I have hid them in my heart. sacrificial. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. from death it is mercy. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. die!" 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. If he is so valuable, why He modeled the kenosis, he 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). 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. children so you can listen to the Word of God. Chesapeake, VA 23322. We both received mercy. 1:14). Why would he not heal his friend? 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. Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. 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. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. We are to fear God and Him alone. necessity, that which is lacking." So, in short, Epaphroditus grew sick on his 600-mile journey to Rome, to the point of death, which delayed him from fulfilling his mission of helping Paul. In Galatians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Romans 12:6in all these letters we read about the gifts in operation right through to the end of the Book of Acts. He heals according to His will today. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. We are not to fear people, they can't hurt you. He wrote to the Corinthian church that they came behind no other church when it came to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. . They sent him money to meet his physical needs. 3:1-10). We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and destruction and desolation. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. He speaks of Epaphroditus' recovery as a mercy to himself 'lest he should have the sorrow of imprisonment increased by the sorrow of his friend's death.' This is why he and these others were not healed by him. speaks of a common origin. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). two to his relationship with the Philippian church. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her We are not to selfishly guard our lives, we are to give them away in ministry to others. Bible scholar J. Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and It was a title of great honor. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. needs. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. 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. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to Paul uses the word sunergos here of himself and Apollos. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. 2 Cor. 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. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. So Paul with rare abnegation sent him away at once, though Timothy was to follow shortly, and accompanied him with this outpouring of love and praise in his long homeward journey. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. Vote Up I don't really understand the question from your first comment. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? God. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." It has an interesting 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]. emptied himself. I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. 2:27). with this letter. He was not just to Thanks for listening. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 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. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. Vote Up Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. 3. 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 close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. So Epaphroditus was sent to take care of Paul because Paul was imprisoned under house arrest, and in the end Epaphroditus became a burden to Paul because he almost died and Paul had to. That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? involved in. Do you have questions about the Bible? life, it was mercy to me. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. 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.. Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. Epaphroditus wanted to go back to Philippi so they would see that he was alright and end their 7:22-23). For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:9-12). mercy that any of us live. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them.
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