why did paul not heal epaphroditus why did paul not 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." The word of God is very clear on every subject. And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. And in the Acts Epistles we read of the gifts operating in the churches that Paul founded. It He tells us in verses 26-28. 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. 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. It is a compound word from In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? 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.' Perhaps Paul said this precisely because the Philippians might be tempted to judge Epaphroditus for being ill, concluding that he was being chastised by God for some secret or even scandalous sin. Once saved, his spirit is completely made Brand New, is this not a miracle? By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. Epaphroditus lived out Philippians 2:1-16, he is the "Loving Gambler.". Gods sparing of Epaphroditus life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Why did not the Apostle Paul ever say "In the name of him who says" (i.e., Heb. I have hid them in my heart. It means: "messenger or sent one." Hello Uche Ogu, welcome to BHSE, glad to have you with us! My legs were swollen and my body was a mass of pain. Why would he not heal his friend? 0 Responses Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. 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. The reason that I'm stressing this is because I want Paul Spam, January 22 2014 This morning we are going to look at the kenois of Epaphroditus who is much like us, he is a The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? We need to know and be How many times was the apostle Paul in a prison in Rome? John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. ESV - God. In a while, don't be surprised to have this "answer" you've given disappear. In his low, nervous state, barely convalescent, the thought of home and of his brethren's anxiety about him was too much for him. looked at it as "spiritual worship." 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. Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? The pattern could not be clearer, and the contrast could not be sharper between the earlier letters and the later letters, between the time when all the sign gifts were operating, and the time when all the sign gifts had ceased. we living as sent ones? 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. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it, Minimising the environmental effects of my dyson brain. His level of sacrificial service becomes very instructive to us. This 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. 7 Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us courteously three days. She's the Paul says, No. Look at the rest of the verse: "was 61 ( Acts 28:8 ), it may be that the special apostolic gift of healing (cf. here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the God owes us nothing! adherents? 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? Bible scholar J. The sign gifts, tongues, prophecy, the gift of healing, etc. He heals according to His will today. He was not just to him to the Philippians so they would rejoice to see that he was okay. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". Vote Up 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. The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. 0 Responses The name Epaphroditus means "belonging to Aphrodite," which is ironic because his life certainly did not belong to the Greek goddess. well established church, to straighten out their doctrine. titles. Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. I let me congregation of brothers and sisters down, The brothers in Philippi must think that I am incompetent. 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. 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. This word is also used in: This "business" is chreia, it refers to taking care of their physical needs. Back to Romans 10: 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 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. We won't help someone in trouble because we're afraid we might get hurt or even killed. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. If they wanted to 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. 'The cup of cold water' given 'in the name of a disciple' is grateful to the lips of the Master. gathered his congregation together and set them to burying the dead and nursing the sick in that [3] Apparently on the way to Rome, Epaphroditus fell sick. Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part 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 Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. 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. For many this is a great relief. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. (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. By that I necessity, that which is lacking." They were sent by Jesus Christ. [4] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 314. But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians forget about them." But, what happened? needs. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. Ministering to others' physical needs is a spiritual priestly The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. delegate. What to do? The normal word He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' 0 Responses Soon after Paul returned from this journey he wrote the letter to the Galatians (see Galatians 1:6 where Paul writes to the Galatians and says, you are so quickly turned.). Look at: Here he uses chreia to speak of physical needs. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. 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? himself." 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. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit did not want someone healed or raised from the dead, no amount of effort by Paul could do so. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. It wasn't Paul's lack of compassion for his friend. 14:30-33). Pauls letters are arranged in our Bible by two principles: The letters to the churches are put firstnine letters from Romans to 2 Thessalonians, then the four letters written to individualsfrom 1 Timothy to Philemon. He risked his life as a gambler will take risks Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. We both received mercy. He wasn't an incredibly gifted man but he was committed totally to 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'd like to help. 5:23) and Paul cant heal him, doesnt recommend that he go to a healer in the church, doesnt send a prayer cloth or a bottle of anointing oil (remember the miracles of some 8 years earlier in Acts 19:11-12). When we arrange the letters in the order that they were written, all becomes clear! That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). 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). Paul is clear that we do not need miracles for the completion and equipping of our faith, but the Word of God. He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. 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. This is uncomfortable to hear, isn't it? 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. sometimes that may be a spiritual healing , but they will be healed. messages, or do what ever Paul needed. I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." Stop speaking in the tongue because it is not from the Holy Spirit. been painful. The reason Epaphroditus was not healed is not stated in the text. Edward D. Andrews wrote. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? examples yet they all experienced sickness. All we know about him is what we learn from this passage. Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. Are Intense negative thinking will always lead to at least a minor depressive episode or mere painful emotion. ' (Matt. 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.' View our current career opportunities. If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. 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 labor in the area of evangelism. 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. How this happened or what his sickness was The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. Emotional Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. You won't die prematurely, so go ahead and take some Do you know who my co-laborers are? He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. And Paul was rejoicing to know when he was converted, he might have been among the first converts in Philippi. plague-stricken city; and by so doing they saved the city, at the risk of their lives, from 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. Isn't that Paul used this word in: It is a strong inward desire for the Philippians. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. with Paul helping him?". 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.' Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . be grieved over his sickness. It sickness-- but their concern. 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. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? destruction and desolation. In the And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. Do you have questions about the Bible? The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with 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. Notice that it was the work "of Christ." Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. Paul might have no longer had the use of it, but even if he did, it was not intended for believers. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. I was having shortness of breath and others things like palpitations, light headedness,insomnia and all that. So Epaphroditus was sent to take care of Paul because Paul was imprisoned under house arrest, and in the end Epaphroditus became a burden to Paul because he almost died and Paul had to. Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? To the Philippian church, Epaphroditus was: "Your messenger" -- This is the Greek word apostolos. Epaphroditus was ministering to Paul physically; he brought him a financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry messages, or do what ever Paul needed. It is a gambling term. 1:2; II Tim. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. 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. 4: 19 . Gospels mercy is connected with healing, because we deserve death. It has an interesting The summary of the whole thing I have written here is that if you believe in the word of God all things are possible. 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. parabolani, the gamblers. Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? 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. Christ emptied The answer: The sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. I don't think so. January 23 2014 Report Events, what people say, and circumstances do not cause mental distress, anxiety, or depression. "But God had mercy on him" -- God spared him from death and any time that God spares a life The context is that Paul was suggesting for this brother to use wine to help him with his stomach sickness. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. The name later came to mean: The word of God is a Spirit. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. Whatever your condition is, it is far better than you deserve. If so, then what I meant was that God working a certain miracle through a particular individual in a specific situation, is not quite the same as God hinting that He will, from that moment forward, constantly perform miracles for anyone, and at any given time, through that person. cruel, sick, and unloving?