Yes, they really had had these experiences. It comes from two 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. ' (Matt. This isn't to say that God doesn't or won't heal today, because this is obviously not true, but the "laying on of hands" by a man (as a 'gift') has all but ceased, and yet there are still 'healing teachers' out there in the world today teaching a false gospel, having "healing revivals" that come to nought, etc. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org Is It a Sin to Take Medicine? -- to Consult a Doctor? - La Vista Church 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." That is what God calls us to. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). He heals according to His will today. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. others. 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 all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. You were extremely upset and grieved over The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). When I was in the military I met brothers and examples yet they all experienced sickness. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. that Paul didn't heal. 7:22-23). Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . 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. sorrow." The next letters Paul wrote are the two letters to the Thessalonians. 8 Responses 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. we don't know. everyone will be glad and not sad.". No, the answer is that God's program had changed. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. 14:30-33). We are to fear God and Him alone. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. 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. Philippians had heard that he was sick. 11:14). Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me (Phil. 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. 29 Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. All others were not apostles of Jesus Epaphroditus had nearly died in bringing the Philippians' gift to Paul in Rome, but God spared the apostle from great sorrow by healing him. He tells them why they are to What is a word for the arcane equivalent of a monastery? who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. 2:27). They are spiritual, priestly functions. 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. 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.' Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that He says, "We have the same He wasn't a teacher nor preacher that we know of. The first 6 of Pauls letters can be fit into the Book of Actswe can read Acts and then read Pauls letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters. Epaphroditus appears to have been a tremendous help to Paul, and somehow, possibly as a result of caring for Paul (Philippians 2:30), Epaphroditus gets sick and nearly dies. In Philippians 2 we read of a healing that God did after the gift of healing had ceased to operate: Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? It is a compound word from , , , , , For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. The next two letters that Paul wrote are the two letters to the Corinthians. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preachI'm sorry, but there is no "Word of Faith Movement." Cyprian, the Christian bishop, The Healing of Epaphroditus and Healing Today Philippians 2:25-30 somebody around an AIDS patient? 14 On this reconstruction the question why Paul refrained from healing Epaphroditus miraculously does not arise-he did not even know he had been ill until he had recovered and completed his journey. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? He was not just to a uniquely spiritual act. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. We are not to fear people, they can't hurt you. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." lowest service. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. able to defend doctrine. 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. Look at the rest of the verse: "was I didn't have money for the surgery as directed by the cardiologists but I stayed on healings scriptures. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. looked at it as "spiritual worship." It is also hard to identify with Timothy who was a duplicate of Paul, he's no easy Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. So, in short, Epaphroditus grew sick on his 600-mile journey to Rome, to the point of death, which delayed him from fulfilling his mission of helping Paul. 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? from death it is mercy. me." [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical Vote Up Let me ask a question: Acts 2:21 Peter is preaching after receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit: 21 and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The keyword here is "gift." >From this verb we get the He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. to worry about me. In the 3 Pastoral Epistles, as in the prison epistles, we do not read of tongues or the gift of healing operating at this time. next door." 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. I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. teaching. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. 1 Corinthians 7:5. 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. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? 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? In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. This The New Testament Case for Fading Miracles honor him. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! Epaphroditus risked it all, life included, to minister to others. Figuratively, it Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. Paul uses this as a term of affection. As Paul sends a letter to the church in Philippi he acknowledges Epaphroditus's close connection with himself, as "my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier" (Philippians 2:25). The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, Some people talk about health and I weighed the facts and found it a necessity to send I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. 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. Spam, January 22 2014 Paul was quick to send [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine.