Philippians 2:25

2:19-30 It is best with us, when our duty becomes natural to us. Naturally, that is, sincerely, and not in pretence only; with a willing heart and upright views. We are apt to prefer our own credit, ease, and safety, before truth, holiness, and duty; but Timothy did not so. Paul desired liberty, not that he might take pleasure, but that he might do good. Epaphroditus was willing to go to the Philippians, that he might be comforted with those who had sorrowed for him when he was sick. It seems, his illness was caused by the work of God. The apostle urges them to love him the more on that account. It is doubly pleasant to have our mercies restored by God, after great danger of their removal; and this should make them more valued. What is given in answer to prayer, should be received with great thankfulness and joy.

Php 2:25-27 . Yet I supposed it necessary to send Epaphroditus — Back immediately, who is near and dear to me as a brother and companion in labour — A fellow-labourer in the work of the Lord; and fellow-soldier — “So he seems to call him, to show how full of danger the work of the gospel was in that age, to those who executed it faithfully; and that the sincere preachers of it, together with the martyrs who sealed it with their blood, formed a noble army commanded by Christ, which was successfully warring against idolaters, and the other powers of darkness who were in opposition to God.” But your messenger — The Philippians had sent him to Paul with their liberal contributions. For he longed after you all — Namely, to be with you again, and further useful to your souls; and was full of heaviness, because he supposed you would be afflicted at hearing that he was sick — As he could not but know how affectionately you love him. He was nigh unto death — In all human appearance; but God had mercy on him — Restoring him to health; and on me — To whom his death would have been a great affliction; lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow — Lest the sorrows of my imprisonment and my other troubles should be increased by the addition of my grief for his death. Doubtless the apostle had prayed for his recovery, and probably it was in answer to his prayers that Epaphroditus had been restored.

We see, however, in this instance, as we may see in many others recorded in the New Testament, that those who, in the apostolic age, possessed the power of working miracles, could not exercise it according to their own pleasure, but according to the direction of the Holy Ghost: otherwise St. Paul would most certainly have healed Epaphroditus, who, as is insinuated Php 2:30 , had fallen into this dangerous sickness through the fatigue which he underwent in assisting the apostle. Miracles of healing were generally wrought for convincing unbelievers.

Php 2:25 . Ἐπαφρόδιτον , Epaphroditus ) Php 4:18 .— συστρατιώτην , a fellow-soldier ) ch. Php 1:27 ; Php 1:30 .— ὑμῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον , and your deputy or messenger ) The Philippians had deputed him as a messenger to Paul [ Php 4:18 ].— λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου , the minister to my necessity ) To this also refer your [viz. your minister, the one sent by you to minister to my necessity]; for he had been serviceable to Paul in the name of the Philippians. Also see how highly even external ministration is estimated: Php 2:30 .— πέμψαι , to send ) He says, to send , not to send back; for he had come to Paul for the purpose of remaining with him: Php 2:30 .

Epaphroditus Mentioned only in this epistle. See on Epaphras, Plm 1:23. The name is derived from Aphrodite (Venus), and means charming. Messenger (ἀπόστολον) The same word as apostle, one sent with a commission. He that ministered (λειτουργὸν) Kindred with λειτουργία service, in Philippians 2:17. Rev., minister.

Verse 25. - Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus ; translate, but I count it necessary. Ἡγησάμην here and in Ver. 28 are epistolary aorists; they point, that is, to the time of reading the letter, not to that of writing it; and are therefore to be rendered by the English present. Epaphroditus is mentioned only in this Epistle. Epaphras is the contracted form, but the name is a common one, and there is no evidence of his identity with the Epaphras of Colossians and Philemon. He seems to have been the bearer of this Epistle. St. Paul felt that to come himself, or even to send Timothy, might possibly not be in his power; he thought it necessary, a matter of duty, to send Epaphroditus at once . My brother, and companion in labor, and fellow-soldier . Mark how the epithets rise one above another; they imply fellowship in religion, in work, in endurance. But your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants . "Your" refers to both clauses; "your messenger, and (your) minister to my need." Epaphroditus had brought to St. Paul the contributions of the Philippians ( Philippians 4:18 ). Some think that the word rendered "messenger" ( ἀπόστολος , literally "apostle") means that Epaphroditus was the apostle, that is, the bishop of the Philippian Church. It may be so (comp. Philippians 4:3 , and note); but there is no proof of the establishment of any diocesan bishops, except St. James at Jerusalem, at so early a period.

The word ἀπόστολος . both here and in 2 Corinthians 8:23 ( ἀπόσψολος ἐκκλησιῶν ), is probably used in its first meaning in the sense of messenger, or delegate. The Greek word for minister, λειτουργός , seems to imply, like λειτουργία in Ver. 30, that St. Paul regarded the alms of the Philippians as an offering to God, ministered by Epaphroditus. (But see Romans 13:6 , also 2 Kings 4:43 ; 2 Kings 6:15 , etc. in the Greek.) Philippians 2:25

25. I supposed—"I thought it necessary." to send—It was properly a sending Epaphroditus back (Php 4:18). But as he had come intending to stay some time with Paul, the latter uses the word "send" (compare Php 2:30). fellow soldier—in the "good fight" of faith (Php 1:27, 30; 2Ti 2:3; 4:7). your messenger—literally, "apostle." The "apostles" or "messengers of the churches" (Ro 16:7; 2Co 8:23), were distinct from the "apostles" specially commissioned by Christ, as the Twelve and Paul. ministered to my wants—by conveying the contributions from Philippi. The Greek "leitourgon," literally, implies ministering in the ministerial office. Probably Epaphroditus was a presbyter or else a deacon.

(25) Epaphroditus. —The name was often shortened into Epaphras. But it was a common name; hence any identification with the Epaphras of Colossians 1:7 ; Colossians 4:12 ; Philemon 1:23 , is, to say the least, extremely precarious. It is hardly likely that one who was a native Colossian would be a resident and chosen messenger of Philippi. The three titles here given him are closely joined together in the original, and form a kind of climax—“brother” in a common Christianity, “fellow-worker” in the service of Christ, “fellow-soldier” in the “hardness” of daring and suffering, which the warfare of the Cross implies. (See 2Timothy 2:3-4 .) Your messenger.—The original word is apostle; and by some interpreters, ancient and modern, it has been thought that it is intended here to designate the chief pastor—or, in the modern sense, the bishop—of the Philippian Church (as probably is the case with the “angels” of the churches in the Apocalypse); and the word “your” is then explained in the same sense as the words “of the Gentiles” in Romans 11:13.

But this is very unlikely, (1) because there seems to be no example to confirm the statement that the chief pastor of a church was ever called its “apostle;” (2) because the character of the apostolate, being general and evangelistic, was very different from that of the local and pastoral episcopate; (3) because in this passage the word is inseparably connected with the following “and minister to my needs,” showing the latter phrase to be explanatory of the previous word; (4) because the style of commendation in Philippians 2:29 is hardly suitable as applied to one whose office alone should have commanded respect. Our version is, therefore, correct in rendering it “messenger,” just as in 2Corinthians 8:23 (“the messengers of the churches”), where there is a similar reference to the transmission of alms.