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Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as It comes from two When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. If the gift of healing was still in operation, it's unlikely that Paul would have said to use something to merely "help" with your "infirmities." It's only of God's sovereign It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? They sent him money to meet his physical needs. Miracles by definition are not normative (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." For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. 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. He was sent there to serve Paul Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. 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)? Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? In AD 60, Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and for the next two years, he lived under house arrest ( Acts 28:30-31 ), encouraging local churches via letters written from prison. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. 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. Epaphrodtus. Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly 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). Thanks. apostolic delegate. It really isn't an answer to a legitimate question. 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. I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. It's hard to identify with him and his 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 reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. All believers share this bond, During this time he wrote the three letters known as the Pastoral Epistles, because these letters were written to Pauls co-workersPastor Timothy and Titus. 0 Responses Why would he not heal his friend? parabolani, the gamblers. 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. I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. Greek He was sick Epaphroditus: A Gambling Veteran - Associates for Biblical Research When Did the Gift of Tongues Cease? | Berean Bible Society Why? If he is so valuable, why So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. 14:18)! 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. >From this verb we get the Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? honor him. We are co-laborers. 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? The fact that ancient people rarely recovered from serious illnesses and the Apostles specific language in Philippians 2:27 indicate that he is talking about more than just a providential answer to prayer. Because the tomb was empty! 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.' The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. 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. 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. Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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." 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. . 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. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. serve, you can meet physical needs. I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be Epaphroditus was evidently healed through the Lords direct, miraculous intervention, perhaps via the gifts of healing that some believers possessed during the Apostolic era (1 Cor. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. Vote Up me." Vote Up Figuratively, it Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. 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). "lovely or charming." Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the send him back? "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." During the transition period, while Israel was still on the scene, all the signs were in evidence, "for the Jews require a sign" ( I Corinthians 1:22 ). delegate. 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? Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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. (See below left). Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can 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. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. Look at the rest of the verse: "was The word of God is a Spirit. And this will we do, if God permit." 2. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. Shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while he was still a prisoner, now in Rome, Paul wrote four lettersthe prison epistles: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians. Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . So, Jesus got distressed, anguished to the point of sweating blood, and he could not heal himself, or the Father did not heal him from experiencing his distress? All others were not apostles of Jesus Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. 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 word "considered" is hegeomai. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. on Phil no. 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. ESV - When God spared his ministry. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? It only takes a minute to sign up. How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". 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. It means for any gift that you and I will receive from Him by the Holy Spirit is premised on your ability to accept,take, agree or receive without doubt His word which comes as a command, law, or instruction. Take medicine, for example. we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. (verse 30). 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. This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? sacrificial life. 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. "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life 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.'. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." 2:4) had passed away by this time. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. Paul and Epaphroditus - Bible Hub 1 Corinthians 7:5. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. from death it is mercy. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with 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. 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. that Paul didn't heal. The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with Are risks. 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. Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering the most complete healing is when we are taken home. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). 12:9). They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. (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. That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? 11:23; 15:3; Gal. As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. ), 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. But Paul uses leitourgos here. same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Clarify And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Notice that it was the work "of Christ." The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. emptied himself. It The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." 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.' The word "longing" is epipotheo, it Philippians had heard that he was sick. 16:23). In the 3 Pastoral Epistles, as in the prison epistles, we do not read of tongues or the gift of healing operating at this time. (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. 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. 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. But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. He was troubled because they heard that Colossians 1:7 of a different man. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. We're a little different than other sites. 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. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? with this letter. and thine often infirmities. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. 4: 19 . In cruel, sick, and unloving? 2. There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. be grieved over his sickness. B. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. 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. He heals according to His will today. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." We don't like risks. 2:25; cf. Why Did the Philippians Send Paul a Gift? | Zondervan Academic 1. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians a uniquely spiritual act. 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. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison.