Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. risks. all brothers, do we act like it? Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. Paul uses this as a term of affection. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? messages that he preached. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. The word "receive" means: "to receive to one's self. 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. Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. January 23 2014 Report Paul. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 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. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? But neither does it say Paul attempted to heal him and failed. good friend. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. to meet someone's need? Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. 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. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. Then he goes on to say that he was 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. This may be the most important message you ever read. (e.g. On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). This . soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." Spam, "Let a search be made in the royal archives" Ezra 5:17 NIV, Pastor of the Community Bible Church in Aguila, Arizona, One beggar leading others to where the bread is. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. forget about them." The word of God is a Spirit. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. We have what I No! What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. 2 Cor. The word "send" is pempo. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of It is not "send No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 2:4) had passed away by this time. at after carefully weighing the facts. himself." do without." At any rate he worked till he made himself ill. He tells them why they are to 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. Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. 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. Bible. It has an interesting "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". 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. We don't We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and Paul It is clear that the gift of healing has ceased because, as in Philippians, Paul was no longer able to heal, even his co-workers. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. 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 And this will we do, if God permit." Because the tomb was empty! it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. And in 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his teaching, as if it had not been very long since he had been with them. 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. The keyword here is "gift." 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. [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". June 11th 2000, I came to the Lord, He healed me of lung cancer, irreversible nerve damage caused by my lifestyle and replaced 3 discs in my lower back that were gone: vertebra rubbing vertebra. 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. 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? 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. ministry. When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi While at Rome Since this book never appeared as Continue Reading, Under the Law of Moses, Gods people in Israel were told Testament use of this word. 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). Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! The purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. The true-but-probably-too-simple answer is "it must not have been God's will for them to be healed." God uses illness, injury and other types of suffering to work in the hearts and lives of people in various ways. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. 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.. We simply don't know why Epaphroditus was so sick, aside from the statement in v. 30 that "he came close to death for the work of Christ." In believing the word of God, you have to. It's hard to identify with him and his 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. 0 Responses Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. 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. Why would he not heal his friend? 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). View our current career opportunities. When is the last time that this happened to you? The first fact about him is, that he was one of the Philippian Christians, and sent by them to Rome, with some pecuniary or material help, such as comforts for Paul's prison-house, food, clothing, or money. Since no exercise of the gift of healing is recorded past about ?._. Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. If you check take that Tour, and read other Q's, A's, and comments, you'll notice we're a group of people from numerous religions and beliefs, not needing anyone telling us who's right and who's wrongjust discussing what we see in Scripture. Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. At all events he gladly undertook even servile work for love of Paul. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. 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. 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. 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. Thanks. These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. 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. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). He healed Epaphroditus, but He did not heal Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 or in Galatians 4:13-15, or Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, or Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. Where was Paul when he wrote to the Philippians? It is used 35 times in the New He could heal all the sick on the island in Acts 28:9, but he couldnt heal any of his closest co-workersTimothy, Epaphroditus, Trophimusafter the close of the Book of Acts. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. That will tell you what an answer is. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. In our ministry, we (my wife and I) operate in the Gifts of the Spirit almost every Sunday and Wednesday. sickness-- but their concern. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. In the remainder of this sermon we shall simply deal with the two figures which the text sets before us, and we may look first at the glimpses of Paul's character which we get here. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Why are you 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. 4: 19 . 0 Responses >From this verb we get the They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? Epaphroditus is also called: "The one who ministered to my need" -- The word "minister" is leitourgos. Colossians 1:7 of a different man. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. He is mentioned nowhere else in the I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". Spam, April 05 2022 The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. But in this time period, in 1 Corinthians 13:8-12, Paul tells us that the Lord had revealed to him that these gifts would cease some day. man we can identify with. Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain Christ emptied We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. This miraculous healing was not only for Epaphroditus benefit but for Pauls as well, something that the Lord worked in order to keep the Apostle from having to endure the extra sorrow of losing a friend on top of the sorrows of suffering in prison (Phil. 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. involved in. Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? church each week. So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. 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.'. Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. Asked January 21 2014 Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. 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 The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. He tells us in verses 26-28. How can the Pastoral Epistles not be Pauline? 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).
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