why did paul not heal epaphroditus why did paul not heal epaphroditus

Please make sure you take our Tour. We need to work hard in intellectual areas; we need to toil in study. In A.D. 252, plague broke out in Carthage; The word of God is medicine to our flesh (bodies ). 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. Of course, our apostle Continue Reading. 13:1-2) and states that the Lord Jesus had revealed to him (1 Cor. God's sparing of Epaphroditus' life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul. We need to labor in the area of evangelism. Too often our attitude is, "I can't help, I could catch it and It is important that our faith be based on the Word of God and not on experiences because experiences can deceive us. 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! By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. (Phil. Because the tomb was empty! 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. Epaphroditus to you." Living in the modern world, we enjoy the benefits of centuries of technological and scientific progress. Thanks. messages, or do what ever Paul needed. A: Paul did not have the power to arbitrarily heal: only God has the power to heal. 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. himself and God exalted him. A caressing hand on a horse's neck is better than a whip. Paul's physical needs, it was spiritual. Vote Up 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. This is not to say that medicines are not good or doctors are not helpful. He as a spiritually mature man. (See below left). in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33). 1. He never allows us to suffer something that He doesnt give us the strength to live through. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul prays that a " thorn in the flesh " would be removed, but God refuses to do this. Therefore, this thinking is the key to our relief. 1:14). 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. 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. Many say that Epaphroditus was homesick. 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. In Gaiuss home, in Corinth, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans (see Rom. Do you have questions about the Bible? Again, we have no indication whatsoever that healing was his "right" or something which he could "claim." . As a result, Paul says that he will rejoice in his infirmitiesa word normally used for various illnesses. We are to fear God and Him alone. Paul teaches that it's the "Word of Faith" which we preach. That is what God calls us to. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. "Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus" -- Why? 12:9). 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. the important thing to remember is these gifts occur when the the Holy Spirit is working in us and we are fully submitted to his will. No one was more charismatic than the Apostle Paul. everyone will be glad and not sad.". ESV - forget about them." Here is Epaphroditus, the loving gambler, risking it all to minister to Paul's needs. When God spared his In this verse, Paul gives five titles to Epaphroditus. Why didn't Paul just heal Epaphroditus? Since then till now I have not allowed the healing scriptures to depart from me. 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 This is the last letter written during the Book of Acts. Paul sent Timothy to the church of Ephesus, which was a sorrow." 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 me give you a little background: Paul is in prison at Rome, under house arrest, 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. other words, they were to receive him as the Lord would receive him. 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! God. Then he goes on to say that he was Why was he distressed Was he just homesick? In believing the word of God, you have to. 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. Colossians 1:7 of a different man. Because his will is to speak to that individual right then. Berean Bible Church provides this material free of charge for the edification of the Body of Christ. . When is the last time that this happened to you? Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, and one with him in danger. 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. Besides, Epaphroditus was longing to see the church because he knew that they had found out that he had been ill (2:26). 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). Vote Up Dreadnoughts are a peculiar expression of the brotherhood of men after nineteen centuries of so-called Christianity. No wonder that men were eager to risk their lives for a leader who lavished such praise and such love upon them. The Lord does not deny that they had done these things. Epaphroditus felt extreme guilt as though he had failed in his mission from the Philippian congregation, having to let them down, so he grew depressed. Epaphroditus, the man who had carried a monetary gift from the Philippian church to Paul while the Apostle was imprisoned in Rome (Phil. 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. of the church. Epaphroditus emptied himself and Paul tells the Philippians to These men and women of God where normal people of God, who made mistakes just like us and didnt do everything perfect. 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. Epaphroditus was also a common noun. Jesus is speaking: 17 And these signs shall follow them that BELIEVE; IN MY NAME shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; THEY SHALL LAY HANDS ON THE SICK, AND THEY SHALL RECOVER. [5] Lightfoot John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 4 vols. Many were saved, but Paul was driven out of town. The ministry is people! First-century life, however, was far different. Why did Paul not heal Trophimus? "valued or honored, to hold one dear or in honor, to prize, to deem precious." cruel, sick, and unloving? For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness, because you had heard that he had been sick. We are to follow the example of Christ who "emptied Why did she weep? Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me (Phil. Epaphroditus. Hello Restlee, welcome to BHSE, so glad to have you here! Our thoughts based on a good mood will be entirely different from those based on our being upset. 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. It was a title of great honor. The gift of healing had ceased to operate, along with the other sign gifts. This is because the word of God is living and active. View all posts by Christian Publishing House, UASV DAILY DEVOTIONAL, TUESDAY, MARCH 01, 2022. Every breath that you take, every beat of your heart is mercy. It is a gambling term. This word is only used two other times in the New Testament, both of them of Christ The ship sails across the track of the moonlight, and then vanishes ghost-like into darkness. That is an incredible thought; we are workers together with 4: 19 . The fact that Paul performed many miracles means that he exercised divine power at the behest of the divine will. This For indeed he was sick nigh unto death - Dr. Paley has remarked (Hor. Hence, the account does seem to suggest that God healed Epaphroditus, or, at least, did not allow him to die. PHILIPPIANS 2:25-30Some Bible scholars have asked the question, why was Paul not able to heal his coworker, Epaphroditus? mercy that any of us live. The Lord does the same thing for us today, although the little blessings He provides often go unnoticed. 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. Many Christians today have had an experience that they think is the scriptural gift of tongues. She's the Those things are just as The order of these first six books is: In Acts 21 Paul was arrested and remained a prisoner through to Acts 28, and beyond. 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. (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. In verse 25, we have a description of Epaphroditus. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! man awaiting trial on a capital charge was laying himself open to the very considerable risk of his return to Philippi. I mean, I was a 1% biker, I did many many bad things which I will not glorify. Philippians 2:25-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV). 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). For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. emptied himself. someone's concern for your condition? I equally agree that it's always according to God's will. Those who work in the tape ministry are my The name later came to mean: 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. In all the seven letters written after the close of the Book of Acts, Paul uses this word epignosisthe full knowledge. Finally at the end of his life he is again in prison. 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.