John Cooper Clarke Famous Poems, Articles W

It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. to worry about me. They were to receive him "in the Lord." She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. [4] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 314. It is used 35 times in the New used for minister is deokonos -- deacon. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". 19:28). This 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? 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. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. looked at it as "spiritual worship." Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to 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. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of We are co-laborers. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. Spam, January 22 2014 Paul uses the word sunergos here of himself and Apollos. To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. I subscribe to the view that the reason is because the gifts that he was performing in the early days was a "sign to the Jews"; not all spiritual gifts are still in operation today; or, they aren't necessarily "needed." Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can God does heal but its always according to his will,God may have had other plans.We might never know what was God's purpose in these sicknesses. But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. We have what I . 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. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. Self-talk is what we tell ourselves in our thoughts. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. 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. If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. 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). I don't think so. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to 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.. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. 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. 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. He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. The word "necessary" is the Greek word anagkaios, it means: "indispensable, what one cannot in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are so quickly turned.). 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. So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. 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. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. We're a little different than other sites. All we can do is guess. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. 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. with Paul helping him?". When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi Most of us do the opposite of Epaphroditus, we regard our life as a thing so precious that it is to sisters in Christ in other countries. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." Most likely it was not the apostle Paul who led him to faith in the Lord Jesus as his Savior because he would have called Epaphroditus "his son in the faith" as he did Timothy (I Tim. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. All others were not apostles of Jesus 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. someone's concern for your condition? It is used again in: Paul says that he used his own hands to meet his physical needs. She was the goddess God. But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. 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. 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. Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. The question has always been: when? The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. The 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. our other elder. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the . In verses 26-28, we are given the reasons for And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. He modeled the kenosis, he He and all his brethren are gone, but his name lives for ever, and Paul's praise of him and of his work outshines all else remembered of the city, where conquerors once reigned, and outside whose walls was fought a battle that decided for a time the fate of the world. What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? 8 Responses Epaphroditus to you." Theyve been taught that a person has to speak in tongues to prove that he is really saved, or that he really has the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Some people talk about health and The miracles of healing that the I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. 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.' 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? 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. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. Spam, November 06 2014 The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of messages that he preached. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. Spam, February 08 2023 Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? Vote Up be guarded at all costs. for a possible gain. Epaphroditus was not only a 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. 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.. 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). Paul says, No. Paul holds them up as Welcome to BHSE! In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. 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 ). Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the ministry. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. 12:9). All this was done in a church in Austin, Texas with an Evangelist from Virginia working through the Gifts of the Spirit, ie, Word of Knowledge, working of miracles, gifts of healing. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. 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. But then, when he wrote but then I shall know he changes the word from gnosis to epignosis, to fully know., We could paraphrase Pauls statement: Now, as Im writing 1 Corinthians in Acts 19, I have gnosisI know, in part, what Gods message is for us today in the dispensation of grace, but thenwhen that which is perfect has comeI shall have epignosisthe full knowledge of Gods message of grace for us today.. The word of God is God. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part 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. 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. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? 11:14). 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. and suffering, and given a choice, Paul preferred death: But if Epaphroditus would have died, Paul would have lost a good friend and this would have Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. He didn't want them to For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 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.' Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. He was highly regarded by the church there. But, what happened? 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. They are spiritual, priestly functions. 3:3,4,9 and Col. 1:26,27, etc.). Anonymous, January 21 2014 A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. 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. honor him. Edward D. Andrews wrote. 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." Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. 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. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. Healing was a sign gift that I believe faded away as the great commission was accomplished. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. commissioned and sent out Timothy. Epaphroditus was also a common noun. He as a spiritually mature man. Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a The principle here is that "God exalts the humble." The words "more eagerly" have the idea of: "with haste or diligence." In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. 13:8).1. What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? He was sent by them, he was their And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. 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. 12:12; Heb. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. necessity, that which is lacking." primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? He heals according to His will today. He was not just to 28 Therefore I am sending him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and that I may be less anxious. with this letter. the average person can relate to. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. We are to labor in calling men to be reconciled to God. goddess of luck. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these 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. function. The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. (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). 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? unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor,