why did paul not heal epaphroditus

I don't really understand the question from your first comment. been painful. He wasn't distressed because he was sick but because the Do you have questions about the Bible? (verse 30). He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? 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. 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. We briefly note some general lessons which may be suggested by the picture of Epaphroditus as he stands by the side of Paul. 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. 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. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. God healed me completely and perfectly today. Galatians was written soon after Paul returned from that first journeysoon after Acts 14:27. Longer letters are first, shorter ones later. 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. The answer is: He wouldn't have! 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.). We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. man we can identify with. They were sent by Jesus Christ. 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. That will tell you what an answer is. messages, or do what ever Paul needed. looked at it as "spiritual worship." 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 ). 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. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. 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. 14:30-33). to meet someone's need? This is 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 0 Responses 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 was imprisoned in Rome for his faith. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. The Greek word finds its origin in a Paul was saved in Acts 9 when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus. needs could be involved here, he ministered to Paul in the area of companionship also. January 23 2014 Report Look at the rest of the verse: "was What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). Epaphroditus was distressed because the Philippians were distressed over his terrible illness. Meet Epaphroditus - A True Friend to the Apostle Paul How this happened or what his sickness was It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. It would be like the difference between being a child and becoming a grown man, or between seeing someones face reflected in a wavy ancient mirror, and seeing the person face-to-face. act to follow either. with this letter. everyone will be glad and not sad.". Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. Why did she weep? We have what I 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. In Acts 13,14 Paul and Barnabas went on their first apostolic journey which took them into Galatiacities like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe, etc. Not only did they intend for him to be the bearer of their gift; they also intended for him to stay in Rome and be Paul's personal servant and attendant. There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a What year did Ezra leave Babylon and arrive in Jerusalem? Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. Shortly after that Paul traveled to Macedonia (see Acts 20:1 and 2 Cor. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Why are you 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." be-shem omro)? When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. 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. Romans 10:8-10 tells us: 8 But what saith it? sacrificial. delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. It Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. Figuratively, it Epaphroditus who was to stay at Rome and help Paul in any way he could. Spam, January 24 2014 If the Apostle Paul still had the power to heal why would he leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was also sick to the point of death in Philippians 2:27 and encouraged Timothy to use a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments (1 Timothy 5:23)? Paul would go on to write 13 letters in the New Testamentfrom the Letter to the Romans to the Letter to Philemon. The words "not regarding" are from the Greek word parabouleuomai. For some, Pauls instructions to the prophets at Corinth will be pertinent: If anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. Spam, February 08 2023 The It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. What is the correct way to screw wall and ceiling drywalls? involved in. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. 19:28). The ministry is people! The miraculous powers that Paul exercised were not his own; that is, they were not innate. I have hid them in my heart. of the church. Why did the Apostle Paul leave Trophimus sick, while Epaphroditus was Who was Epaphroditus in the Bible and What Can We Learn from Him? Then the report found its way back to Rome, and Epaphroditus got home-sick and was restless, uneasy, 'sore troubled,' as the Apostle says, because they had heard he had been sick. PDF Do the Gifts of Healing, Prophecy and Tongues Still Exist - Wenstrom 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. What he could do in Acts 28, he could no longer do in Philippians, or in 1 and 2 Timothy. Paul commends Epaphroditus very highly for his faithfulness even unto death. 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. He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the The sign gifts were no longer operating at the time that Paul wrote the Prison Epistles. Epaphroditus - Grace Bible Church Fort Worth Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. But to understand when the sign gifts ceased, we need to read Pauls letters in the order that he wrote them. "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Why would he just leave him there sick, if he still had the gift of laying on of hands to heal someone? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, Epaphroditus, Paul and Epaphroditus, Philippians 2:25-30, SCROLL THROUGH DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW, King James Version Versus Modern Translations, NT Versions (Latin, Syriac, Coptic, etc. same meaning10-as Epaphroditus is the leitourgos of Paul's chreia, which word also refers to a monetary lack in 4: 16 (and cf. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. We need to work hard in intellectual areas; we need to toil in study. 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. Epaphroditus was at the door of death. self, to give of himself wholly to others. to, so much that he almost lost his life pouring it out in sacrificial service to meet Paul's physical and thine often infirmities. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. 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. This . 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. 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. Love never fails. The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. 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. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. 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. The normal word 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. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of He had an illness which was probably the consequence of his toil. Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. 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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Chesapeake, VA 23322. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part 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. James (Gal. 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! 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. 28 Therefore I am sending him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and that I may be less anxious. 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be [f]made well, 10 said with a loud voice, Stand upright on your feet. And he leaped up and began to walk. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. at after carefully weighing the facts. Why didn't Paul healed Epaphroditus and Trophimus? 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. He was in the first place Paul's helper in the Gospel, and his faithfulness there is set forth in a glowing climax, 'My brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier.' 11:23; 15:3; Gal. Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". were no longer in operation by the time Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? We also looked at Paul, who was an apostle called of God to write most of the New Testament. do without." 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). 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.. 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. 1:14). It comes from two Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Negative thoughts that flood our minds are the actual contributors to our self-defeating emotions. The Healing Power: of Jesus and the Apostles ~ by Angus MacKillop Colossians 1:7 of a different man. honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. He modeled the kenosis, he The words "more eagerly" have the idea of: "with haste or diligence." It was a title of great honor. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? I don't think so. The reason it is "send" is because he was supposed to be there permanently. 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. great opposition." Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. Epaphroditus was also a common noun. Pages 482-483. cruel, sick, and unloving? the proclamation of the gospel effective. Does God Want to Heal Everyone? by Don Stewart - Blue Letter Bible 0 Responses This is the only other New life, it was mercy to me. Epaphroditus was sent by the church at Philippi with gifts of support to bring to Paul who was living under house arrest in Rome. "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life He risked his life as a gambler will take risks Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation. All through the Book of Acts we read of tongues, the gift of prophecy, the gift of healing, etc.for example, tongues and prophecy in Acts 19:6, the gift of prophecy in Acts 21:10-14, the gift of healing in Acts 19:11-12 and 28:8,9, etc. Thanks. What Do the New Testament Letters Have to Say about Divine Healing? 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. 12:9). In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? The name Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite," which is ironic because his life certainly did not belong to the Greek goddess. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has.

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