Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a All others were not apostles of Jesus teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. 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). The miracles of healing that the Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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". Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. 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. Think of the profound clefts of separation between the Macedonian and the Jew, the antipathies of race, the differences of language, the dissimilarities of manner, and then think of what an unheard-of new thing it must have been that a Macedonian should 'serve' a Jew! 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. Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. 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. Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus his return to Philippi. 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. 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. It is used 35 times in the New unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. Jesus is speaking: 17 And these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE; IN MY NAME shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER. We don't like risks. All references have been taken from the New King James Version. 2:4) had passed away by this time. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. 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. 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. Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so If he is so valuable, why In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. Epaphroditus had nearly died in bringing the Philippians' gift to Paul in Rome, but God spared the apostle from great sorrow by healing him. It comes from two 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). 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. This may be the most important message you ever read. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. himself." Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. next door." Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. We have no record of any Spam, March 31 2022 Christ. Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. 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. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical Three relate to his relationship with Paul and 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? All through the Book of Acts Paul had only gnosis, partial knowledge of the message of grace, but when we turn to the Prison Letters we suddenly find Paul using that word epignosishe had now received that full knowledge which he didnt have when he wrote to the Corinthians: For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ (Col. 2:1-2). me." Paul was quick to send What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? He is saying, Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org 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). 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 ). Simply: Stop! hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/tour Thanks! 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. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. We're a little different than other sites. 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. commissioned and sent out Timothy. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. two to his relationship with the Philippian church. 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. We may further note the intensity of Paul's sympathy. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. 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. 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. Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to act to follow either. Welcome to BHSE! PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians 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 We have what I 1:2; II Tim. 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. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Arranging Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them allows us to see the pattern of truth that is found in the Word of God: The sign gifts were operating in Acts and in all of the Acts Epistles: Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans. The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. If Epaphroditus were 'received in the Lord,' there would be no foolish and hurtful adulation of him, nor prostration before him, but he would be recognised as but the instrument through which the true Helper worked, and not he, but the Grace of Christ in him would finally receive the praise. Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." 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. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. to meet someone's need? She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. 4 Life Lessons from Epaphroditus | Josh Daffern - New Wineskins He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. What Does Philippians 4:13 Mean, 'I Can Do All Things through Christ'? Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? 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. The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. goddess of luck. He as a spiritually mature man. It There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and 2:25-27) He likely longed to know that they knew of and understood his circumstances. They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. If we are going to 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. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. 2:25; cf. 1. Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry Keyword: "IF". 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. He was an apostolic delegate. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. This is a self-less man. The word "send" is pempo. In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. honor him. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). This study focuses on that questionwhen did the sign gifts cease? In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. 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. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. No, the answer is that God's program had changed. It's only of God's sovereign I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. back" but "send." 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. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? This is because the word of God is living and active. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). Look at the rest of the verse: "was What does the Bible say about prayer for the sick? He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. die!" We don't Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. Why would he not heal his friend? I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? (Phil. And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. be guarded at all costs. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of Philippians had heard that he was sick. involved in. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these 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. Not only did they intend for him to be the bearer of their gift; they also intended for him to stay in Rome and be Paul's personal servant and attendant. I don't think so. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. 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. What to do? ESV - Why did she weep? Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? Vote Up We do read of prophecies that had been made about Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18 and 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6, but these were given years before. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. >From this verb we get the Spam, November 06 2014 at after carefully weighing the facts. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 1:14). means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." somebody around an AIDS patient? What Do the New Testament Letters Have to Say about Divine Healing? Pages 482-483. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. The Healing of Epaphroditus and Healing Today Philippians 2:25-30 They are spiritual, priestly functions. and stand against the social evils of our day. church each week. I have hid them in my heart. children so you can listen to the Word of God. Are He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. 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. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. 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. 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. Of all the inhabitants of Philippi at that time we know the names of but three, Euodias, Syntiche, and Epaphroditus, and we owe them all to Paul. (See below left). Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. 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. When Jesus said in Mark 16:17-20 that these signs shall follow those who believe. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his [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. He did not act on his own. Why did Paul send Epaphroditus to the Philippians? - Quora Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. We are not to selfishly guard our lives, we are to give them away in ministry to others. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. sickness-- but their concern. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. How this happened or what his sickness was someone's concern for your condition? But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians to worry about me. Epaphroditus means: "belonging to or devoted to Aphrodite." It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy Hebrews 11:6 we are taught: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Epaphroditus was not only a So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). It's hard to identify with him and his the most complete healing is when we are taken home. There is healing today, but there is no gift of healing, there are no divine healers. There is no gift of healing today but God still heals sometimes. Those things are just as And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). ii.) Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. They were to receive him "in the Lord." Historians tell us that he had a very common name. The answer is: He wouldn't have! serve, you can meet physical needs. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. adherents? 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. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? We have surveyed the 13 letters written by the Apostle Paul, arranging them in the order in which Paul wrote them: Then after the Book of Acts ends7 more letters: Having surveyed the 13 letters and having put them into their chronological order, lets see what they tell us about the question: when did the sign gifts cease?
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