Christian Unity is Detailed to the Philippians Volume 29

Paul Sends Brother Epaphroditus Back to the Philippian Church Part 1

Philippians 2:25-27 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 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. KJV

The evidence of the love for Paul from the Philippian Church came not in mere words, but in the flesh and blood body of a person or one of the fellow brethren of the Church at Philippi sent by the entire body to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the Apostle Paul while he was currently confined under Roman imprisonment. The Brother’s name was Epaphroditus (a Greek name) and his name means agreeable, fair, lovely, and graceful. This certainly held true to this man named Epaphroditus by his parents, for he was the man selected by the Philippian Church to go to Paul in Rome while he was in prison bringing him gifts from the Church (Philippians 4:18). Epaphroditus also remained there in Rome with Paul devoting himself to the work of the Gospel serving both as Paul’s attendant and assistant in missionary work. Although Paul was confined in one place during his imprisonment in Rome at this time, he was not barred from sending out other Brother’s or Sister’s ‘in Christ’ to spread the message of the Gospel throughout the Roman land. Epaphroditus was probably the stenographer used by Paul to pen this letter to his fellow brethren in Philippi and also to deliver it to them, when Paul is now sending him back as he declares here with these words, “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” (Philippians 2:25) (KJV).

The English phrase ‘companion in labor’ the Apostle uses here to describe this Brother is translated by one Greek word sunergos meaning a co-laborer, that is, fellow-helper, or a workfellow, colleague, or co-worker. Today we use these terms loosely without much substance to them, but it meant to Paul that Epaphroditus was so much of a companion in the work of spreading the Gospel with Paul, that he Paul considered him as if he were joined or connected to Paul in a spiritual sense as though they were Siamese twins spiritually, but not physically. Paul also calls him a ‘fellow-soldier’ and this English word is translated by the Greek word sustratiotes meaning a co-campaigner; a warrior literally and figuratively in the Christian ministry of the Gospel of Christ such as Paul spoke to Brother Timothy using these words, “So you, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus. And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit {and} entrust [as a deposit] to reliable {and} faithful men who will be competent {and} qualified to teach others also. Take [with me] your share of the hardships {and} suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy {and} please the one who enlisted him.” (2 Timothy 2:1-4) (Amplified Bible).

Epaphroditus had become soberly, seriously, and severely ill during the time he spent ministering to Paul and for the Gospel while he was in Rome and this news got back to the fellowship of the Philippian Church. This bout with illness perhaps hastened Epaphroditus desire to return home to Philippi and to the fellowship of the Church he poured himself into after hearing the Gospel preached by Paul and being converted by God the Holy Spirit. Paul uses the English phrase (speaking of Epaphroditus’ desire for them) ‘he longed after’ which is translated by one Greek word epipotheo meaning to (to yearn); to dote upon, that is, intensely crave having excessive affection for them or earnestly desiring greatly to be in their presence just as it is documented of the desire King David had for his son Absalom when he fled after murdering his brother Amnon, “But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch looked up, and behold, many people were coming by the way of the hillside behind him. And Jonadab said to the King, See, the King’s sons are coming. It is as your servant said. And as he finished speaking, the King’s sons came and lifted up their voices and wept; and the King also and all his servants wept very bitterly. But Absalom fled and went to [his mother’s father] Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son [Amnon] every day. So Absalom fled to Geshur and was there three years. And the spirit of King David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted about Amnon, seeing that he was dead.” (2 Samuel 13:34-39) (Amplified Bible).

The fact that the message had gotten back to the fellowship in Philippi that he (Epaphroditus) was so sick in Rome, caused him to become as Paul describes it that he ‘was full of heaviness’ and this English phrase is translated by one Greek word ademoneo meaning to be in distress (of mind) just as the Prophet Jeremiah was distressed over the people of Israel when he wrote these words, “For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I [Jeremiah] hurt; I go around mourning; dismay has taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people restored? [Because Zion no longer enjoyed the presence of the Great Physician!]” (Jeremiah 8:21-22) (Amplified Bible). Epaphroditus so wanted to return at this time to relieve the minds and remove the anxiety of the Brothers and Sisters in Philippi who loved him so much, so that they might not be consumed or filled up with sorrow upon sorrow for him (2 Corinthians 2:7). The sickness or illness that came upon Brother Epaphroditus was very severe as Paul speaks of it with these words, “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.” (Philippians 2:27) (KJV).

The severity of the illness of this dear Brother to Paul appears to have been overcome, not by the Apostle Paul’s laying on of hands and the Power of God flowing through him to bring about an instant miraculous healing, for the description of this illness by Paul shows the fear and deep concern he had for Epaphroditus’ recovery, which proves to us and to all that the miraculous healing power that worked through Paul and the other Apostles was at the determination of God the Father as it benefited to prove the authenticity of the Gospel message and the one’s proclaiming said  message throughout the world. Paul without doubt prayed continuously for Epaphroditus’ recovery, but was not endowed with the power to raise him up from illness immediately, maybe it was for the benefit of the faith of both men that God allowed him to be healed with natural methods of medication and rest, along with the prayer of all the saints in Philippi for him. Paul thanked God immensely for his healing because of the tremendous loss (at this time) would he have been for Paul’s spirit and emotions, seeing that Paul had already continuing sorrow for being confined and away from the Church at Philippi, but the loss of the man who worked so hard with him and for him would have devastated the Apostle.  

“In addition to all the sorrows of imprisonment, and the prospect of a trial, and the want of friends. The sources of his sorrow, had Epaphroditus died, would have been such as these: (1) He would have lost a valued friend, and one whom he esteemed as a brother and worthy fellow-laborer. (2) He would have felt that the church at Philippi had lost a valuable member. (3) his grief might have been aggravated from the consideration that his life had been lost in endeavoring to do him good. He would have felt that he was the occasion, though innocent, of his exposure to danger.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…