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. We are to fear God and Him alone. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. 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. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27? Take medicine, for example. 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. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. Pages 482-483. We know that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus were all godly men. A place where magic is studied and practiced? Why wasn't Pauls companion healed that day, I have no clue. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." mercy that any of us live. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; 12:9). They labor in setting up the 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. While at Rome The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. 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. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. God heals when it's in His will to heal; the difference is that the gift of healing (a man laying on of hands with instant healing) has ceased, and 2) so has the gift of tongues (it's no longer needed, but if it is used, I believe that God will allow it to occur, only when the church is edified, and only when there is an interpreter amidst the assembly! The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with Does ZnSO4 + H2 at high pressure reverses to Zn + H2SO4? It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make honor him. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that Lesson #19 Why Paul Felt It Necessary To Send Epaphroditus great opposition." By that I Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. 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. 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). Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. 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. Paul says, in essence: "I will continue to do those signs IF God permit." PDF Do the Gifts of Healing, Prophecy and Tongues Still Exist - Wenstrom healthy. 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. 4 Life Lessons from Epaphroditus | Josh Daffern - New Wineskins Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. 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. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. He tells us in verses 26-28. and stand against the social evils of our day. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. [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. Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. 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. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Epaphroditus to you." See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? 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." 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. Timothy was sick and he didn't heal him: Why didn't Paul heal his friends? Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. What does the Bible say about prayer for the sick? 12:9). It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want All believers share this bond, So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, 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. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. 2. Once on his way again, he was distressed, i.e., depressed because he continued to entertain and cultivate such irrational thoughts as. Why would he not heal his friend? He as a spiritually mature man. ), 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. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. We have no reason to suppose that Epaphroditus took part with Paul in his more properly apostolic work, and the fact that the purely material help, and pecuniary service which most probably comprised all his 'ministering,' is honoured by Paul with these lofty designations, carries with it large lessons as to the sanctity of common life. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." 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). 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. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. we living as sent ones? Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your I have stayed beyond two weeks, this is the third year and half after the diagnosis. But when we turn to the letters written after the Book of Actsthe 4 Prison Epistles, and the 3 Pastoral Epistles, we find that the sign gifts either arent mentioned at all or we seeas with the gift of healingthat they were no longer operating in Pauls life. needs. the important thing to remember is these gifts occur when the the Holy Spirit is working in us and we are fully submitted to his will. This is not a rebuke, it literally means: "to complete your service to me." 1:2) and Titus (Tit. (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. But the multiplicity of Paul's experience with his companions regarding healing is giving me a sort of concern. 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). The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. In Simply: Stop! other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. The answer is: He wouldn't have! The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. The name later came to mean: At all events he gladly undertook even servile work for love of Paul. 12:9). 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. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. The word "longing" is epipotheo, it He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward titles. church each week. 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? That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? Then he goes on to say that he was adherents? But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. Spam, January 22 2014 Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. That is what God calls us to. (verse 30). 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. He did not act on his own. Epaphroditus was not only a This is not the attitude of Christ: Christ's attitude was to give up his life to meet the needs of others: The Bible teaches that we are to give up our lives in order to save them. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Testament use of this word. 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. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. sacrificial. 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 ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). looked at it as "spiritual worship." financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry 8 And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with recurrent fever and dysentery; and Paul went in to see him and after he had prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. 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. Figuratively, it Timothy and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:19-30) 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 Clearly "Epaphroditus" was a brave man, for anyone who proposed to offer himself as the personal attendant of a man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very . forget about them." They were sent by Jesus Christ. 2:25; cf. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. 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. distressed because you had heard that he was sick." A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. They sent him money to meet his physical needs. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to No! And Paul was rejoicing to Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. Vote Up delegate. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. It is used 35 times in the New Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). life, it was mercy to me. Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. 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. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. But the in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). We have no record of any 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 He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. 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. He modeled the kenosis, he The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. 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. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. How this happened or what his sickness was Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. 4: 19 . PROVERBS 1:1 How can we accept the majority of Proverbs by Solomon when Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of God? The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for send him back? 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. What Do the New Testament Letters Have to Say about Divine Healing? What have you risked to meet someone's needs? When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her Though Paul had the gift of healing, he did not heal this individual. To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. We are not to fear people, they can't hurt you. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. He provides a pattern that 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. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. 3:1-10). Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. At any rate he worked till he made himself ill. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. 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. When God spared his 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. Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. 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. good friend. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 1:1, 15-19). Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. 3. (See below left). 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. Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived This is the depth of love and care. Paul The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. Therefore, Paul sent Epaphroditus back with his letter to the Philippians so that they could stop worrying and rejoice too (2:25-30). 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. He was troubled because they heard that . What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? 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. do without." history, used all through the LXX to refer to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant and the These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? 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. build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. Spam, March 31 2022 it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. This Epaphroditus. The Lord warned that experiences can be deceiving: Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. Thanks. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because you had heard that he had been sick.