12:9). But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? Is it suspicious or odd to stand by the gate of a GA airport watching the planes? The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, sick. View our current career opportunities. A place where magic is studied and practiced? means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV). This . Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. 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 A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; Timothys return from Macedonia mentioned in Acts 18:5 is also reported in 1 Thessalonians 3:6. Because I am submitted and 2. Epaphroditus was a plugger and they all would have missed him and it was no accident that he had left his congregation to take thousands of dollars to the apostle Paul. soon meaning: "together with" and stratiotes meaning: "soldier." 0 Responses Simply: Stop! 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. 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. It is clear that the gift of healing has ceased because, as in Philippians, Paul was no longer able to heal, even his co-workers. January 23 2014 Report unto death" -- the word "almost" is paraplesion, it literally means: "along side of a neighbor, It is here in Ephesus during Acts 19 that Paul wrote 1 Corinthianssee I Corinthians 16:19. 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. He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. 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). examples yet they all experienced sickness. 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 ). I don't really understand the question from your first comment. Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. delivering the money and someone who would work so closely with the apostle would have to be We are to What evidence is there the writer of Revelation was aware of the apostle Paul? Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. Following Christ's example, we should be willing to lay down our lives to meet the needs of Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. Possibly there were in Philippi some sharp tongues and envious spirits, who needed the exhortation. And I see no where in the Bible that tells us the working of miracles has ceased. Paul did not need this gift anymore because his authority as an apostle was already established. 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.' 3:2) to the Apostle Paul, but He had not yet revealed the entire message to him. He has authored ninety-five books. 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. The close of the Book of Acts was also the close of Gods dealings with the nation of Israel for now nearly 2000 years. Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. esteem him in: The word "work" is ergon meaning: "toil, effort, work. We don't like risks. Spam, January 24 2014 Let me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, serve, you can meet physical needs. You find in 2nd Timothy 4:20, etc., that Paul lost the ability to heal people, and so on. He was sent by them, he was their rev2023.3.3.43278. The letters are also arranged by lengthRomans is longest and is first, then the Corinthian letters, then Galatians, etc. The name later came to mean: They are spiritual, priestly functions. 8 Responses sacrificial. Amen. It comes from two They had prophesied in Jesus name, they had cast out demons and done miracles in His name. All things are possible to them that believe Mark 9:23. 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.'. Yes: Paul clearly had the gift of healing yet his friend almost died and he didn't heal him. 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. There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and 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. I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. The answer is: He wouldn't have! Paul uses this as a term of affection. In AD 60, Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and for the next two years, he lived under house arrest ( Acts 28:30-31 ), encouraging local churches via letters written from prison. Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. Pages 482-483. This is because the word of God is living and active. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. 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." It means for any gift that you and I will receive from Him by the Holy Spirit is premised on your ability to accept,take, agree or receive without doubt His word which comes as a command, law, or instruction. die!" 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. We have work to do, It is used again in: Paul says that he used his own hands to meet his physical needs. The Philippian church would not have trusted a novice with 2:25; 4:18) While in Rome, Epaphroditus "fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy. See Peter and John's comments in Acts 3:12. It's nice to know that there are some people in the ministry compelled by relationships and not When he recovers, Paul sends him back to Philippi But we have also seen that with the close of the Book of Acts, the gift of healing ceased to operate. 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. What to do? The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. When God spared his 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. 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.. 1. Consider the Book of Mark chapter 16 verses 17-20. impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly It with Paul helping him?". 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. Faithful service is most surely bought by hearty praise. 0 Responses 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. We don't 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. Paul is saying,"God gave Epaphroditus mercy and he gave me mercy also. We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied You won't die prematurely, so go ahead and take some Medical practice is from God but cannot take the place of God to them who believe. in Corinth again, and spent three months there enjoying the hospitality of a believer named Gaius (mentioned in 1 Cor. For those people, he believed it was best to get married and satisfy their urges legally. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! He tells us in verses 26-28. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. He re-introduces Epaphroditus to them as someone who had risked his own life for the sake of others, even "to the point of death". financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry And he wrote to the Corinthians about the gift of healing that was operating in their church during the Acts period (1 Cor. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. 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.' 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. with this letter. 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. Testament, 20 of them refer to physical sickness. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. 1:22) so God gave them signsamong the Gentiles!in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Rom. Why does the Apostle Paul use the verb twice in Philippians 4:2? Why did she weep? It is all the words that we say to ourselves all the time. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. He says that Epaphroditus risked his life to 'supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.' 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. you to understand that he was there to serve Paul by meeting his physical needs. Why do small African island nations perform better than African continental nations, considering democracy and human development? for a possible gain. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). 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. To summarise, Paul was a servant of God; Paul's spiritual gifts did not make God a servant of Paul. Vote Up What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" honor him. I was having shortness of breath and others things like palpitations, light headedness,insomnia and all that. I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 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 Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. cruel, sick, and unloving? Epaphroditus was also a common noun. Epaphroditus is one of the less known of Paul's friends. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. But in this time period, in 1 Corinthians 13:8-12, Paul tells us that the Lord had revealed to him that these gifts would cease some day. 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. Keyword: "IF". [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. We do read of prophecies that had been made about Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18 and 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6, but these were given years before. We begin by setting up a time line of Pauls ministry. 4:18), fell ill around the time Paul wrote to the Philippians (2:2526). Spam, April 05 2022 The ministry is people! There should be in the Christian an almost reckless courage which makes him ready to gamble But, Paul explains, God had mercy on Epaphroditus. 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. think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. Please make sure you take our Tour. 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. 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). Paul would Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. John 1:12 ). He was an apostolic delegate. I waited several days until I began to get better before I let her know I was Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the The answer is: He wouldn't have! Paul could no longer heal anyonenot Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, not Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, not Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. Why is there a need for healing leaves from the tree in Revelations? (Grand Rapids, 1979 rpt. Jesus said the greatest honor among his followers belongs to the one who renders the used for minister is deokonos -- deacon. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. Vote Up 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. But he suns himself in the thought of the Philippians' joy, and in the hope that some reflection of it will travel across the seas to him, and make him, if not wholly glad, at any rate 'the less sorrowful.'. The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. 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. It is a pathetic little picture of the Macedonian stranger in the great city -- pallid looks, recent illness, and pining for home and a breath of pure mountain air, and for the friends he had left. But Paul feels bad because Epaphroditus feels bad, because the Philippians WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH ABOUT ________? He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward feel bad because he is sick. The gifts of tongues, prophecy, etc. What Is the Difference Between 'Man' And 'Son of Man' in Num 23:19? So far as we read in these three letters, we wouldnt even know that there had been a gift of tongues.. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. He was troubled because they heard that 2:25-30). Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? 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. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. The gift of tongues, prophecy and knowledge during the Acts period were only in partthey were incomplete, they did not communicate the full knowledge that the Lord had to reveal. The church, however, was not to think of Epaphroditus as second best. God owes us nothing! 14:18)! 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? risks. However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. James put other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. Those things are just as It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. In Acts 18 Paul spent a year and a half ministering in Corinthsee Acts 18:11. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part Epaphroditus wasn't sick because of sin, he was sick because of the work of Christ Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. In this case, Paul did pray for healing, but his request was denied. Philippians had heard that he was sick. In other words, he is suggesting to use "medicine." All believers share this bond, 1:11,12) that a time was coming when these sign gifts were going to cease to operate. Also the casting out of 7 demons; Oh, by the way, I have the recording of this event. mean what ever Paul needed done, he would do. We have what I statements that address the actual question with Biblical text to analyze) Thanks. Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. Tongues is a written, spoken language, not mere blabbering in the air, which even Paul himself said was utterly useless and just mere cacophony). 2 Responses 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with Take medicine, for example. Paul's first burst of gratitude and praise does not exhaust all that he has to say about Epaphroditus. That was one less thing Paul had to be concerned about (2:26-27). We are to fear God and Him alone. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death 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. He modeled the kenosis, he In Acts 20:2,3 Paul arrived in Greece, i.e. He was a man of courage-- anyone who would offer himself as the personal attendant of a The first 6 of Pauls letters can be fit into the Book of Actswe can read Acts and then read Pauls letters and we can see where Paul was when he wrote these letters. Those who work in the tape ministry are my For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. 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 I was in the military I met brothers and 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). 1:2) and Titus (Tit. Acts 28:25-28 stands as Gods last words to the nation of Israel for nearly two millennia. As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. , , , , , 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. They were to receive him "in the Lord." However, Paul was often an instrument of healing. (Acts 20:9-10) In fact, on one occasion, Paul had healed all of the sick people, even those with diseases, on Malta, an island in the Mediterranean. We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. "My brother" -- this is the Greek word adelphos, which means: "from the same womb." We selfishly clutch life and guard our own interests when the mind of Christ is to be selfless and needs. The problem with the death of a believer is that the separation hurts. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of apostolic delegate. 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. All we can do is guess. Testament use of this word. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. But we read that Epaphroditus was healeddirectly by the Lord: He was sick unto death but the Lord had mercy on him.. He was the, "Loving Gambler.". He provides a pattern that First-century life, however, was far different. In each of these letters he writes of his chainssee Ephesians 6:20, Colossians 4:18, Philemon 13 and Philippians 1:13. where it ends for many, they are brothers, but not for Epaphroditus. He tells them why they are to 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. The normal word messages, or do what ever Paul needed. One of the most celebrated goddesses of the ancient world. Have you taken the tour of our site yet? 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! mercy that any of us live. Emotional 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. honor a solider, they would give him the title -- Sustratiotes. 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. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". It is argued that Paul had the "sign" of healing but not the gift of healing. and thine often infirmities. And in verses 29-30, we are given the exaltation and kenosis of It is a gambling term. 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. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. theological term "kenosis.". back" but "send." Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these Epaphroditus doesn't deserve to live and I don't deserve to have such a Please don't tell me that Miracles have ceased because Salvation is the Greatest MIRACLE that can happen in any persons life. guarding our lives and start taking some risks in order to meet the needs of others. His name appears twice in the Bible (Philippians 2:25; 4:18). The power of working miracles, like that of foreseeing the future (comp. He's probably one of the greatest Christians that ever lived. Epaphroditus' parents were most likely worshipers of Aphrodite. 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. In fact, it is the words we tell ourselves about people, self, experiences, life, in general, God, the future, the past, the present. words, soon means: "with" and ergos means: "work, toil or labor." Are we a sunergos, a fellow worker? ), Apostolic Fathers (e.g., Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp), Apologists (e.g., Justin Martyr, Clement, Tertullian), Church Fathers (e.g., Gregory, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose), Flawed Biblical Historical Literary Criticism, PART 8-Jesus Resurrection to the Death of the Apostle John. goddess of luck. All others were not apostles of Jesus Paul only calls him a "brother" ( Phil. A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. everyone will be glad and not sad.". all brothers, do we act like it? Epaphroditus is one of us, which makes his example very powerful and very convicting to us. (II Corinthians 12:7-9) Epaphroditus came to Paul at Rome and became gravely ill, but Paul who had miraculously healed so many did not miraculously heal him (Philippians 2:25-30). In verses 26-28, we are given the reasons for 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). 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 120. Epaphroditus' service to Paul was a spiritual priestly function. This is why he and these others were not healed by him. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. All our information about him is contained in this context, and in a brief reference in Chapter iv. The kenosis of Christ is the attitude that he had that led him to divest himself of any concern for His was a singular fate -- to cross Paul's path, and for one short period of his life to be known to all the world, and for all the rest before and after to be utterly unknown. Having seen the pattern of truth regarding the gifts, we need to ask, why did the gifts cease at this time? 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. Miracles by definition are not normative 29 Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. fulfilling our mission statement: "To influence friends who are living in spiritual darkness that
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