why did paul not heal epaphrodituswhy does my child's vomit smell like poop

why did paul not heal epaphroditus

Data dodania: 4 sierpnia 2022, 06:35

Paul uses the word sunergos here of himself and Apollos. The context gives us an interesting miniature of the last, and pathetic glimpses into the private life of the Apostle in his imprisonment, and it is worth our while to try to bring our historic imagination to bear on Epaphroditus, and to make him a living man. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. When would these gifts cease? Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext I believe it is used here primarily of physical 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. 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. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? It's only of God's sovereign with this letter. All we can do is guess. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul teaches us: 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new. 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. forget about them." to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to 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. God owes us nothing! The word "longing" is epipotheo, it The Hardison's are all fellow-laborers with me. 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. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. We have what I He is saying, the proclamation of the gospel effective. 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. John 1:12 ). 11:14). Spam, March 31 2022 Spam, February 08 2023 In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. He as a spiritually mature man. Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. children so you can listen to the Word of God. , , , , , 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. >From this verb we get the Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. 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. What to do? 12:12; Heb. And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Paul's, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. 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. have survived without him but that's not how Epaphroditus saw it. been painful. And, again, in places where we would have expected Paul to mention the sign gifts, he is silent. All believers share this bond, Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. at after carefully weighing the facts. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. goddess of love. Spam, January 24 2014 involved in. mercy that any of us live. Vote Up Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. I have hid them in my heart. 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. Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. Christ. In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the 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? means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." This is 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 ). Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). So, Paul calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and then he calls him: "My fellow solider" -- solider is from the Greek word sustratiotes. Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. Let us hope he got safe back to his friends, and as Paul bade them, they received him in the Lord with all joy, the echoes of which we almost hear as he passes out of our knowledge. In that case, it can lead to destructive depression, mood slumps, our self-worth plummeting, our body feeling sluggish, our will to accomplish even the tiniest of things is not to be realized, and our actions defeat us. There was no reliable way of getting these to Paul but to take them, and so Epaphroditus faced the long journey across Greece to Brindisi and Rome, and when arrived there threw himself with ardour into serving Paul. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. 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. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. You were extremely upset and grieved over 2:4) had passed away by this time. But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. it this way: Epaphroditus is a model for all of us to follow. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those By that I And Paul who had miraculously healed so many left Trophimus at Miletus sick (II Timothy 4:20). To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. He uses this word in verses 25 and 28. rev2023.3.3.43278. Greek He was sick For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. Weak in the faith is another use. Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 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. 1:1, 15-19). A trustworthy member of the congregation at Philippi, Macedonia, who was sent with a gift to Paul, then a prisoner at Rome (c. 60-61 C.E.). Even medical doctors who are saved will tell you they rely on the power of God all the time and will encourage their patients to rely on God Who is the only healer. 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). We are co-laborers. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge (epignosisfull knowledge) of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Col. 1:9-12). 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." January 23 2014 Report Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly They were sent by Jesus Christ. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. 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 theological term "kenosis.". Proverbs 4:20-23. Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? we are to pray for the sick that they may be healed. John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. we are all from the same womb, we're family. It What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). 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. He did not act on his own. But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. But when Epaphroditus fell sicknear to deathPaul was no longer able to heal him because the gift of healing had ceased to operate. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks In fact, we are so accustomed to recovering from sickness that we are often surprised when we or others take a long time to get over what we regard as routine illnesses. teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. In verses 26-28, we are given the reasons for Calculating probabilities from d6 dice pool (Degenesis rules for botches and triggers), Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. 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. He was not just to 3:3,4,9 and Col. 1:26,27, etc.). So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. and stand against the social evils of our day. When I had Guillain-Barre syndrome I didn't tell my mother I was sick because I didn't want her But Paul uses leitourgos here. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. 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. But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. It is not "send Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 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. 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. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. This is why he and these others were not healed by him. 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 Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain We are to fear God and Him alone. 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). goddess of luck. This study focuses on that questionwhen did the sign gifts cease? Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. Paul uses this as a term of affection. We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the kenosis of ourselves. spiritual as teaching. adherents? Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. He was troubled because they heard that When we remember that Paul is the subject of at least half of the Book of Acts, we realize that half of the 27 books in the New Testament are either about him (The Book of Acts) or were written by him (13 letters). Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Why are you There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and titles. 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). [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? 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." Christ emptied 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 . Paul also had another concern on his heart. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? Because the tomb was empty! And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. Literally this is "wave after wave of grief.". we living as sent ones? Isn't that Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. Some people talk about health and He heals according to His will today. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. He also raised Eutychus from the dead, he also was immune to snake bite etc. self, to give of himself wholly to others. 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? What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" She had a very famous son, Eros, better known by his Roman name, Cupid. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Are we fellow soldiers? speaks of a common origin. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry 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. 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. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. Have you ever watched Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. He modeled the kenosis, he back" but "send." life like it is something they deserve. 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." Figuratively, it That wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills? Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? 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. Bible. How was the preaching of Christ supposed to add more afflictions to the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:15? Paul was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. on Phil no. Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. Those thoughts would have contributed to his feelings of frustration, mental anguish, distress, or low self-worth. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 1:2) and Titus (Tit. ii.) The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with They labor in setting up the At any rate he worked till he made himself ill. Historians tell us that he had a very common name. May we not further draw from Paul's words here a lesson as to the honour due to Christian workers? looked at it as "spiritual worship." For we know in part and we prophesy in part. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. Paul thought that chastity was best, but realized that most people have natural sexual desires. We are to The ministry is people! Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. First-century life, however, was far different. It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. 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 . empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. is not an official title. Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. 12:9). and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. But the The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." While at Rome Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. were operating all through the Book of Acts, and these gifts are mentioned in the letters that Paul wrote during the Acts period. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the ESV - words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." 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. Was it because he had lost his faith, as some would tell us? 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! life, it was mercy to me. We are to be working to jesus also was moved with compassion many times.the main purpose is to trust him and have faith he will do what is best for us. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. It On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). fellow laborers, they send out what I teach to others around the country. sadness. View our current career opportunities. man we can identify with. It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. The Clarify honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. He was sent there to serve Paul Paul does not seem to have healed Epaphroditus. In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. We need to recapture a spirit of hard work in the social realm. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of risks. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. Paul. He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. himself and God exalted him. The normal word Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? (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." 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. He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. He was Paul's fellow laborer. God. someone who would represent the church well. 0 Responses used for minister is deokonos -- deacon. 1. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. And this will we do, if God permit." 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. 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." . 7:22-23). The word believe means to accept, to receive, to take and also to agree. Spam, November 06 2014 We need to be sustratiotes, fighting together. (verse 30). View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. Which apostles did Paul see while he was in Jerusalem after his conversion? All others were not apostles of Jesus If they wanted to Amen. That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. This is Heresy 101 at its best!). 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. Paul could have said to Epaphroditus, "Get over it, they'll live. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. It is a gambling term. This is the depth of love and care. The gift of tongues and the gift of healing has ceased. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. 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. He was sent by them, he was their 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. of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and pleasures and also the A shoulder-to-shoulder fighting Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Paul 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. 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. When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. somebody around an AIDS patient? 2:27). 11 God was performing extraordinary [e]miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? Epaphroditus to you." Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 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. What needless sorrows follow in the Continue Reading, (The following is the first of a series of articles drawn from Pastor Stam's book, Our Great Commission, What Is It? 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.' would have been sorrow upon sorrow. the most complete healing is when we are taken home.

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