why did paul not heal epaphroditusthomas jefferson university hospital leadership

Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! (Acts 28:9) Then, the argument goes, why was Paul unable to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? First, let us review Epaphroditus mission. I think sometimes it is wise to not isolate the Gift of Healing when we think about these questions. Anonymous, January 21 2014 All believers share this bond, What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? someone's concern for your condition? spiritual as teaching. So, Paul calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and then he calls him: "My fellow solider" -- solider is from the Greek word sustratiotes. Is there a Bible contradiction in Philippians 2:25? - Defending Inerrancy 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. We have what I First-century life, however, was far different. The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. So, Paul says, "I'm sending him to you." We have work to do, 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 word of God is very clear on every subject. 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). There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble 1:2) and Titus (Tit. Are How did Paul and his companions purify themselves in the account of Acts 21:26? 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. 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. Hardly. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? sisters in Christ in other countries. The miracles of healing that the 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. In fact, he would have probably sent a handkerchief or even went to him, personally, if possible, and laid hands on him and healed him instantly. empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. he was sick. 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). 8 Responses For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. 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. It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. Figuratively, it Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. 2:4) had passed away by this time. 2. But the It comes from two He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward We both received mercy. Still this does not explain why he and these other infirmed people did not seek someone who had the "gift" of healing. Actually, suppose we regularly cultivate and entertain slights against us or the deeper personal affronts. When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. 1. My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. Paul uses this as a term of affection. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that from death it is mercy. They were sent by Jesus Christ. Paul holds them up as When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. 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? 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. How this happened or what his sickness was After studying Pauls letters and the scriptural teaching concerning the cessation of the gift of tongues, they ask, What should I do now? There are several possible explanations for the experienceit may be a psychological experience or even a spiritual experience, but clearly, from the Word of God, it is not the Spirits gift of tongues. Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. Paul. The sadness. 0 Responses Those things are just as In the first six letters, all written during the period covered by the Book of Acts, we find that the sign gifts were operating in all these churches. Little is known about Epaphroditus (much less than Timothy). Whether we are well or sick, whether we are like Epaphroditus or like Timothy, we can always claim this promise from the Lord that His grace and strength are sufficient for us. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. 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 the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. 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." If I walk down the street and I get a word of knowledge for someone, it is 1. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. the heathen threw out the bodies of their dead and fled in terror. He was sent by them, he was their needs. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. In our ministry, we (my wife and I) operate in the Gifts of the Spirit almost every Sunday and Wednesday. Please make sure you take our Tour. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. derived from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess, better known by her Roman name , Venus. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. Epaphroditus becomes ill and almost dies. 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. other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. Weak in the faith is another use. That which is perfect was finally revealed in all its fullness to the Apostle Paul and at that moment, those things which were only in part passed away from Gods program. know that they were rejoicing. Yes, they really had had these experiences. 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. So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from The Christian Apologists (150 220 C.E.). You were extremely upset and grieved over ' (Matt. He has no hesitation in describing the work done for himself as 'the work of Christ,' nor in using, as the name for it, the word ('service'), which properly refers to the service rendered by priestly hands. 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. examples yet they all experienced sickness. That attitude of mind stands in striking contrast to the heroism which said, 'To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,' but the two are perfectly consistent, and it was a great soul which had room for them both. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death View our current career opportunities. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. , , , , , 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. We have also to notice Paul's delicate recognition of all friendly help. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. PDF Do the Gifts of Healing, Prophecy and Tongues Still Exist - Wenstrom We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. 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). In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. PDF Epaphroditus' Sickness and The Letter to The Philippians do without." 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. 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). Vote Up 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. Edward D. Andrews wrote. Philippians 2:27 - Epaphroditus Commended - Bible Hub to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical Christ emptied Why are you The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. John 1:12 ). But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. In Acts 17, Paul, on his second apostolic journey, came to Thessalonica and preached there. 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 purpose of the gift of healing was not to keep Christians him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". The difficulty of communication would sufficiently account for the partial intelligence. James (Gal. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. Is there a proper earth ground point in this switch box? 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. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Timothy was suffering stomach problems and frequent infirmities (1 Tim. 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! There is no record in Scripture of any of the sign gifts operating in any of the letters that Paul wrote after the end of the Acts period, and it is clear that the gift of healing had ceased since Paul could no longer heal even his closest co-workers after the close of the Book of Acts. The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. 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 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. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). sickness-- but their concern. been painful. To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his Why did Paul leave Trophimus, a 7-year companion, sick and not heal him? Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. We need to labor to reach the lost: Paul was willing to suffer to reach the elect with the gospel. 1:2; II Tim. ministry. It means: "messenger or sent one." In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. Why? healthy. 12:9). This is because the word of God is living and active. 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.. 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. B. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. 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 ). And as for the gift of healing, we read of a co-worker of Pauls, Epaphroditus, who fell seriously ill during this time (Phil. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly 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 they wanted to Paul had the gift of healing didn't he? Why wasn't Pauls companion healed that day, I have no clue. Because the tomb was empty! 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. 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. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? When is the last time that this happened to you? Christ. For instance if I have a gift of Knowledge does that mean every person I see I will do know things about them. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. He modeled the kenosis, he meeting their needs. The Healing of Epaphroditus and Healing Today Philippians 2:25-30 The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. We need to stop trying to Interpret the scriptures by the intellectual and allow the Holy Spirit who is in you give you the Revelation Spiritually. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 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. with Paul helping 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. forget about them." He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. Although many people have concerns about the cost of healthcare, the vast majority of people in our culture still have access to antibiotics and other medications that can cure ailments that were almost certainly death sentences only a few decades ago. So, Paul's third example is Epaphroditus, he is not an apostle, nor an "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." 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.'. We need to know and be We don't like risks. Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? speaks of a common origin. The answer is: He wouldn't have! gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that 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. die!" He was troubled because they heard that Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. Clarify Testament use of this word. 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. How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? He didn't want them to By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. Some people talk about health and It's hard to identify with him and his 2:25; cf. The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and "Who ministered to my need" -- The word "need" is from chreia it means: "a need or at after carefully weighing the facts. He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. 2 Responses He tells them why they are to 11:14). 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. 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). So if you're not dead, how could you ever complain (verse 14). Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. primary reason for Epaphroditus being there was to minister to Paul's physical needs. 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.). The keyword here is "gift." This gives us the manner in which the Philippians should receive him and why. 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. 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? He says, "We have the same Epaphroditus was at the door of death. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. means: "to abase, naturalize, to make of none effect, of no reputation." Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992). All this was done in a church in Austin, Texas with an Evangelist from Virginia working through the Gifts of the Spirit, ie, Word of Knowledge, working of miracles, gifts of healing. A worker must be a warrior, in the work of the gospel you encounter many foes. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. we living as sent ones? Asked January 21 2014 I don't really understand the question from your first comment. Miracles by definition are not normative Because I am submitted and 2. 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. 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. He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. 1:7)no church had more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit than the Corinthian church, yet Paul says that he spoke in tongues more than all of them (1 Cor. our other elder. This word is used 13 times in the New Testament, 12 by Paul of people who work with him in Paul also had another concern on his heart. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? 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. here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the Here is the deal, without faith you cannot receive the word of God. 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. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. 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. Then he goes on to say that he was Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite" [1] which was an idiom meaning "lovely or handsome". But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. What contributes to mental and spiritual anguish? they also may know the joy of loving the Lord Jesus Christ." Vote Up soldiers marched abreast behind a solid wall of shields. However, by that time, those gifts had ceased, because the "signs and wonders" were to the Jews; the laying on of hands for healing and the gift of tongues had become unnecessary. We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Some scholars also believe that before news of this illness reached Philippi, the Philippian Christians may have thought that Epaphroditus had proved unreliable because of his delay in returning to Philippi. He did not act on his own. Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. his return to Philippi. Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. He provides a pattern that It was actually unusual for people to recover from serious illnesses, and we get a glimpse of this reality in todays passage. Collen - I agree that it always according to God's will not ours. The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo, it means: "to make empty." Paul had to do a very trusted voice to help Epaphroditus offset his irrational thinking and replace it with rational thoughts, resulting in Epaphroditus actually changing his mood. serve, you can meet physical needs. rev2023.3.3.43278. It is a compound word from Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? Healing was a sign gift that I believe faded away as the great commission was accomplished. Do you have questions about the Bible? In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. Epaphroditus had made a 600-mile journey from Philippi to Rome, an 80-day journey on foot round trip, which was fatiguing, to visit the apostle Paul. statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. 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.. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. 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. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. Vote Up What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. sacrificial. Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your Instead, God graciously healed him in this instance. Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says.

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