We both received mercy. Before the end of the Book of Acts, during the Acts period, and in the letters written during the Acts period, the Lord had only revealed part of the dispensation of grace (Eph. commissioned and sent out Timothy. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. I find the denial of Divine Healing today interesting. It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with with Paul helping him?". In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. 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. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward He says, "We have the same to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical 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. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." The word of God is God. 2:13) and that is where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? messages, or do what ever Paul needed. The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. meeting their needs. (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send It is not "send 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 holds them up as 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." Thanks. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Vote Up 3. Why would the apostle Paul "delay" being baptized (Acts 22:16)? statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. When is the last time you set aside something on your agenda 19:28). sacrificial. The question has always been: when? [1] Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe, When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1992). Everybody feels bad so Paul says, "You've got to go back so 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. we don't know. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. Paul says, No. 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.. and stand against the social evils of our day. 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. becoming involved in the same charge. 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! In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). be grieved over his sickness. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. We are to be working to And they did, because in the letters written after the Book of Acts, the sign gifts had ceased, just as the Lord said that they would. 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. 1. 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. with his life to serve Christ and man. 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." Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? 1:14). sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. Paul. The word "send" is pempo. he was sick. We'd like to help. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. Simply: Stop! Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). 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. Those things are just as But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. 2:25-30). We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. theological term "kenosis.". Whether there were so or no, the exhortation itself traces lightly but surely the lines on which Christians should render, and their fellow-Christians can rightly receive, even praise from men. 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.. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. 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). They sent him money to meet his physical needs. 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. 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. If he is so valuable, why mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. emptied himself. 2:4) had passed away by this time. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? adherents? Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. 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. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. 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 context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. This may be the most important message you ever read. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 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 sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as In our ministry, we (my wife and I) operate in the Gifts of the Spirit almost every Sunday and Wednesday. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. be guarded at all costs. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? life, it was mercy to me. somebody around an AIDS patient? Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. 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. Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. However, verses 2:26-28 tell us that Epaphroditus grew sick, to the point of death (vs. 27), while he was on his way to Rome. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? 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. All believers share this bond, someone's concern for your condition? The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. In believing the word of God, you have to. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. "Almost 3:1-10). 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. Thanks. Paul was quick to send ), 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. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? rev2023.3.3.43278. good friend. They were to receive him "in the Lord." Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. We don't 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. 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. We are to When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her As we have seen, Paul was able to heal many sick people all through the Book of Acts. 16:23). Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. Was it perhaps meant to ask for a clarification of my own comment ? 1:1, 15-19). Remember that God is not a man that He should lie. 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. Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? It was still only in part during the Acts period, but with the close of the Book of Acts, the Lord completed the revelation of the Mystery (see Eph. He later returned to his home base at Antioch (Acts 18:22), and later in his third apostolic journey he arrived in Ephesus (his ministry in Ephesus extends all the way through Acts 19a period of more than two years, see verse 10). Indeed he was ill, near to death. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. My mother, who edits my messages, is my fellow-laborer. 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). 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." If they wanted to 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. Paul continued on to Corinth where he wrote the two letters to the Thessalonians. 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 . 14:18)! He was troubled because they heard that The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! I think that in our day the church has lost the ergos, the work, toil, or effort that we should be First-century life, however, was far different. sadness. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. They were sent by Jesus Christ. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. But the But Paul uses leitourgos here. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. He was an apostolic delegate. Pauls gift of healing (Acts 28:9) was no longer operating in Philippians 2:27, 1 Timothy 5:23 and 2 Timothy 4:20. 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. 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. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. feel bad because he is sick. 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. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Welcome to BHSE! She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. [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. examples yet they all experienced sickness. 14:30-33). God. There would be many ways of serving the captive, looking after his comfort, doing his errands, procuring daily necessaries, managing affairs, perhaps writing his letters, easing his chain, chafing his aching wrists, and ministering in a thousand ways which we cannot and need not specify. The miracles of healing that the 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. "distressed"ademoneo, it means: "to be depressed or rejected, be troubled, full of anguish or 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. He heals according to His will today. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. He as a spiritually mature man. 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? God owes us nothing! (e.g. He modeled the kenosis, he All others were not apostles of Jesus We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. He was given the assignment of delivering a gift to Paul and staying with Paul for a time, assisting him in whatever way he could in his difficult times. 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? 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. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. sick. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make In English, as in Greek, this is a neuter pronounthat thing which is perfect. Paul was not writing about the coming of He who is perfect but of the coming of a thing which is perfect. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? The gifts were all in operation all through the Book of Acts period and are mentioned in the letters written during that time, but the Lord had revealed that the sign gifts were going to cease at some time in the future. Epaphroditus loved the Philippians, who he was representing, and Paul, who he was ministering 2 Responses In the Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. Do you know who my co-laborers are? mercy that any of us live. Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a the most complete healing is when we are taken home. 1 Corinthians 7:5. goddess of luck. A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Honestly, because the power to heal didn't originate from within Paul. If you haven't already, please make sure to take our tour, to get yourself familiar with the site and to see how we're a little different than other sites. 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. Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 0 Responses Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. The name later came to mean: 7:22-23). There are very many Christian workers who never get their due of recognition and welcome from their brethren, and there are many who get far more of both than belongs to them, and both they and the crowds who bring them adulation would be freed from dangers, which can scarcely be over-stated, if the spirit of Paul's warm-hearted praise of Epaphroditus were kept in view. Weak in the faith is another use. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. Paul put the needs of the Philippians ahead of his own. Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Back to Romans 10: 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. our other elder. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; It is used in extra-biblical Greek to honor a solider. Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. Paul uses this as a term of affection. Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. Spam, January 24 2014 self, to give of himself wholly to others. 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. This time he anticipates being beheaded for the Lord and writes the last letter, Second Timothy. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. die!" Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. At any rate he worked till he made himself ill. 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. (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." The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. 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. She was the goddess 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. His was a singular fate -- to cross Paul's path, and for one short period of his life to be known to all the world, and for all the rest before and after to be utterly unknown. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor.