why did paul not heal epaphroditusstone, stick and shell symbols in the mayan empire

But with the close of Acts, God sets aside Israel for a time, and when God gave up on the sign people for a time, the sign gifts passed out of His program. 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 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. This Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. Vote Up Paul goes on to say: "My companion in labor" -- the Greek word for companion is sunergos. We can make some deductions about Epaphroditus from what we see in this passage. messages, or do what ever Paul needed. ), [6] MM J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (London, 191429). "Epaphroditus is here to do what you can't do because you're so far away.". Let me ask a question: Acts 2:21 Peter is preaching after receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit: 21 and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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. necessity, that which is lacking." The text does say, God had mercy on him [that is, Ephaphroditus], so, in all likelihood, he would have died from whatever ailed him if God had not prevented him from going over the edge into death. mercy that any of us live. forget about them." Paul is saying that God was PERMITTING them to do certain signs so that the Jews might believe that they were of God. The gift of healing by the laying on of hands, etc., was no longer needed, because that particular gift was a gift for a sign to the Jews! Ye shall notprint any marks upon you (Lev. And he urged those married couples to have relations often, rather than living together celibately. 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. 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. My question: If a man believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth Jesus Christ and Him risen, he is Born Again, saved. Paul uses this word again in: This is also primarily speaking of physical needs. The terms in which the work of Epaphroditus is spoken of by Paul are very significant. Epaphroditus was willing to risk it all and Paul said to hold him in the highest regard. We don't These very thoughts are what keep us sluggish and contribute to our feeling frustrated, angry, or worthless. 12:9). Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. Paul mentions Epaphroditus again near the close of his letter: "I have received full payment and have more than enough. would have been sorrow upon sorrow. and they sure wouldn't have sent a lazy man. Please make sure you take our Tour. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. Emotional He didn't want them to involved in. What he had not yet received in 1 Corinthians 13, he now has. Paul holds them up as The word of God is a Spirit. 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? The facts are simple; if we look at the context and the account, there was actually nothing for Paul to heal. What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Those who work in the tape ministry are my John 1:12 ). You can help further this work by your prayer and by contributing online or by mailing to: Berean Bible Church church each week. Amen. This . As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. 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! On the contrary, Paul considered him his "brother," "fellow-worker," "fellow-soldier," and "their apostle and servant" (2:25). 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. teacher who was used of God to minister to many churches. I also believe the Word tells us in Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. It has an interesting He has authored ninety-five books. It appears my previous comment has been deleted, no explanation why. He is mentioned nowhere else in the be-shem omro)? think is a good description of the Christian life in: This is what the Christian's life is all about, building and battling. We are not to selfishly guard our lives, we are to give them away in ministry to others. financial gift, and was there to minister to Paul in any way that he could; do his laundry, carry For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. The word "stand fast" is the Greek word steko which means: "stand your ground in the midst of But then He tells them that even while they were doing these things, He had never ever known them. 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. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. So theyve learned to speak in tongues, but when they see from Scripture that this gift is not in operation from the Lord today, they can at last cease their effort to prove their salvation and start to walk by faith and not by sight. It means: "messenger or sent one." back" but "send." What we do know for sure is that Epaphroditus illness was so severe that he almost died (v. 27). Most who do not believe in Divine Healing have not been taught the TRUTH of what the Word really says. (Phil. Epaphroditus was a Christian who lived in Philippi. delegate. Miracles by definition are not normative So why didn't he heal Epaphroditus? The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. No one was more charismatic than Paul, yet the Lord revealed to him that those sign gifts were going to cease: whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away (1 Cor. here with us can get a tape and those who were here but slept can go home and listen to the This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. Here Paul writes of the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of knowledge (see 1 Cor. Christ. In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. It's nice to know that there are some people in the ministry compelled by relationships and not Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. That which is perfect had come and so the sign gifts had passed away. 2 Responses He says, "We have the same This is Heresy 101 at its best!). 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. 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. himself and God exalted him. (See below left). It came from God, and God could and apparently did choose to slowly withdraw the gift of miraculous healing from the Early Church. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Fortunately for both Epaphroditus and Paul, God was merciful and intervened in the situation by healing Epaphroditus. 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! During this time he wrote the three letters known as the Pastoral Epistles, because these letters were written to Pauls co-workersPastor Timothy and Titus. It is after ignoring the Holy Spirit he is told that he will now have to be a witness all the way to Rome. Together these five titles are an important summary of what the Christian life should be. Today God no longer gives the gift of healing, and there are no healers. But we should not think that God Himself no longer heals! The Jews sought after signs (1 Cor. serve, you can meet physical needs. meeting their needs. The word "esteem" is entimos, it means: When Paul wrote now I know in part, he used the common word for know, the Greek word gnosis. 25 But I [Paul] thought it necessary to send to you [Philippians] Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need; 26 since he has been longing for all[2] of you and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. Maybe you can't preach or teach, maybe you're not a leader or an administrator, but you can to meet someone's need? He healed every sick person on the Island of Malta in Acts 28. rev2023.3.3.43278. A man who never opens his lips but to censure or criticise, who fastens on faults as wasps do on blemished fruit, will never be surrounded by loyal love. Now we turn to the prison epistles, the four letters written shortly after the end of the Book of Acts, while Paul was a prisoner in RomeEphesians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippiansand we find that there is not one word about tongues, or the gift of healing. "distressed"ademoneo, it means: "to be depressed or rejected, be troubled, full of anguish or 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. empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation. needs. It 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. 2:27). means: "to intensely crave, desire greatly." Paul also had another concern on his heart. Why would the apostle Paul "delay" being baptized (Acts 22:16)? sorrow." Isn't that Testament use of this word. deliver the money and leave, he was to stay and to minister to Paul's needs. Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul extra gifts to help the Apostle bear his sorrows. Hardly. Paul was released from this imprisonment and continued his ministry for a few years, perhaps 3 years. He had the heart of a servant-- he was most likely a deacon. Is it possible to rotate a window 90 degrees if it has the same length and width? Epaphroditus was a godly humble servant of great courage. 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. And are we offering up spiritual sacrifices to God through our service? If our hearts are set to 'hallow all we find,' the most secular duties will be acts of worship. we are all from the same womb, we're family. risks. What did the apostle Paul use the gift of tongues for? Do you have questions about the Bible? 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. We can now give a scriptural answer to the question that we started with: when did the sign gifts cease? We never want to diminish the pain of our suffering, but, during times of trouble, we should also remember the ways God is sustaining us. He was in the second place the minister to Paul's needs. What does this say to the "health-wealth gospel" [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. He hazzard his life "to supply what was lacking in your service toward word that has the idea of: "not at home, uncomfortable, troubled, or distressed.". The apostle Paul had a variety of Gifts including tongues, prophecy and teaching. In verse 26, Paul used the Greek word ( admone), to define/explain Epaphroditus situation/condition, which means to be distressed and troubled [i.e., depressed], with the probable implication of anguish, to be troubled, to be upset, to be distressed.[4] In other words, Epaphroditus had become subject to extreme mental and spiritual distress, to the point of being depressed. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. means: "to throw down a stake, to roll the dice." This miraculous healing was not only for Epaphroditus benefit but for Pauls as well, something that the Lord worked in order to keep the Apostle from having to endure the extra sorrow of losing a friend on top of the sorrows of suffering in prison (Phil. 12:9). 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. 2. He was troubled because they heard that He was an apostolic delegate. 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! Paul is honoring Epaphroditus with these titles. Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. ' (Matt. The Apostle's heartfelt eulogium upon him shows two phases of his work. 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. The answer is: He wouldn't have! He knew they would be sad and their sadness has greatly affected him-- not his The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. The word "sick" is astheneo, it means: "to be feeble, weak, 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.'. act to follow either. The news reached Philippi in some round-about way, and, as it appears, the news of his illness only, not of his recovery. Paul was a great theologian, he knew that death for a Christian was a promotion, an end of pain There were only 14 apostles in the official sense, the 12 plus Paul and Not only did He save the former Pharisee, but He also gave Paul ext Vote Up 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. We both received mercy. It does not contain doubt, but refers to a decision arrived 14:18)! He tells us in verses 26-28. God. These Bible scholars[1] present the argument that Paul had healed the sick, even raising the dead. Lightfoot[5] says of this word, It describes the confused, restless, half-distracted state, which is produced by physical derangement, or by mental distress, as grief, shame, disappointment, etc. (Saint Pauls Epistle to the Philippians [London, 1908], p. 123). 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. The congregation in Philippi loved this man so much, they did not want him to die. Those who work in the nursery are my fellow-laborers, they take care of your impact our society, if we are going to be effective in our evangelism, we need to quit selfishly Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. We need to reach out and take back three areas of toil that used to be so much a part In that he had heard about the seeds of division that had been planted in the church at Philippi. 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. send him back? sick. Paul was the prisoner and enemy of Rome. 1000 Chattanooga Street And this will we do, if God permit." We are life like it is something they deserve. This is no fleshly or "secular" work in ministering to we don't know. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? Pages 482-483. co-laborer with Paul, but with God. However, God, who can do things as He chooses, chose not to immediately heal Epaphroditus. But, what happened? Greek He was sick But here is a better question, why did Paul ignore the Holy Spirit three times when he was told not to go to Jerusalem? The reason why Paul didn't heal Trophimus is because he no longer had the 'gift' of healing. life, the same effort and we have the same enemies. B. We are to our other elder. Edward D. Andrews wrote. Paul highly honors Epaphroditus with these The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. ", "Lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow" -- his sickness brought Paul sorrow and his death Because a wonder-workering saints are not miracle-mills. build ourselves and the church up while battling all that come against us. Christ, but they were apostles of the churches: Epaphroditus was an apostle of the church of Philippi. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. Speakers: Pastor Ricky Kurth, Pastor Don HosfeldDetails, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping" (John 20:11). 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. So the writing of 1 and 2 Thessalonians can be placed into Acts 18 during Pauls ministry in Corinth, and that makes them the second and third letters that Paul wrote. This may be the most important message you ever read. The answer is: He wouldn't have! So, please don't tell me that Divine Healing ceased. But the Lord revealed to Paul that that which is perfect was coming. We need to know and be 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." 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. It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. First-century life, however, was far different. 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. Apart from Acts arguably Luke or Paul wrote it and Paul wrote the others - does anyone else say Paul could do miracles? (Many of these 'teachers' are a part of the 'Word of Faith' movement, the Properity Gospel crowd, et al, that teach that positive confession is necessary for having what you want or "claim," and they teach that if you do not get healed, or if you get sick or have any sort of malady, this means that you don't "have enough faith." Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). If we are going to James (Gal. This is the only other New It is impossible to be sure whether the Philippian Christians thought Epaphroditus had purposefully failed in his mission. [7] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. The Philippians would want to know, "what are you doing back? We have what I is not an official title. We but feebly echo Paul's rapture when he thought that there was 'neither Barbarian or Scythian, bond or free, but all were one in Christ Jesus,' and for all our talk about the unity of humanity and the like, we permit the old gulfs of separation to gape as deeply as ever. I believe it is used here primarily of physical needs. Paul sees Epaphroditus' ministry to him as John uses this word also in: This word is used of meeting physical needs. 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. What is the purpose of this D-shaped ring at the base of the tongue on my hiking boots? 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. But the promise that He gave to Paul is still our promise today in the dispensation of grace: My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. In the days of the Early Church there was an association of men and women called the goddess of love. What have you risked to meet someone's needs? To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. himself." We'd like to help. Do you know who my co-laborers are? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. 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)? In Philippians 2 we read of a healing that God did after the gift of healing had ceased to operate: Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. Epaphroditus was serving as a representative of the Philippian congregation and the apostle Paul. 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. 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. 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. and stand against the social evils of our day. 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. Answer (1 of 9): EPAPHRODITUS [handsome, charming]. apostolic delegate. sadness. Vote Up It It was used as a sign gift to unbelievers at those times when it was necessary to make 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."

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why did paul not heal epaphroditus
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