Paul's Love Letter from Prison
A Study of Philippians - 7
Our journey of discovery this time is going to take us into Philippians chapter 2 and verses 25 to 30. This section of "Paul's Love Letter From Prison" introduces us to his fourth example of one whose life displayed the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has an unusual name - it's Epaphroditus which, by the way, means "charming" or "agreeable". And this is just the kind of man he was! One Bible commentary in describing this man of God, says he was one of the most attractive and heroic characters found in the New Testament.
Epaphroditus lived in Philippi and was well known and loved by the Christians in that place. He had been sent as a messenger by the church, carrying a gift of money to Paul from his fellow-believers. In verse 25 Paul recognises the concern of his friends in Philippi for his situation in prison when he says:
"Epaphroditus.... whom you sent to take care of my needs."
We note that Paul calls him "My brother", emphasising the bond of Christian family love. To belong to the family of God is one of the greatest privileges the Christian believer has. He goes on to describe Epaphroditus as a "fellow worker". This is a term borrowed from the workshop, where people work together as a team. It also has the idea of comradeship in it. Clearly, here was a man who could work well with others; this is something that is essential in Christianservice. To do this, we must be prepared to recognise, and graciously accept, the differences of opinion and personality that exist in us all as individuals, and seek to work together in harmony.
When Paul spoke of Epaphroditus as his "fellow worker" he was, of cause, talking about the great work of spreading the gospel. You may remember that we noted in chapter 1 and verse 27 of this letter that Paul talked about the need for these Philippians to "stand firm in one spirit, contending (or working hard) for the faith of the gospel." Epaphroditus was a man who worked hard to make the Lord Jesus known.
Paul also describes him as a "fellow soldier." This reminds us that as Christians we are in a spiritual battle against the forces of evil. Paul's picture here is of the Christians in that day, fighting side-by-side against the onslaughts of godlessness and wickedness. These truly were "comrades in arms", as the Phillip's translation puts it. Let us remember, that as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will often be called on to be engaged in spiritual warfare as soldiers of the true King.
We need not be afraid, however, because the Lord has provided us with armour for this warfare. We read about this in Paul's letter to the Ephesian Christians, chapter 6 verses 10 to 17. Read this passage prayerfully and be encouraged by it. If you don't have a Bible, here are some of the pieces of armour that God has provided for you to protect you from the powers of darkness:
"The belt of truth"; "the breast-plate of righteousness"; "the shield of faith"; "the helmet of salvation", and "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."
In verse 25 of Philippians chapter 2, Paul describes Epaphroditus finally as, "your messenger, and the one who is taking care of my needs." This fine man of God was clearly willing to take on common or menial work, away from public notice. The work that he did, quietly and out of the sight of others, God took note of, as He always does. In ministering to Paul's needs there in that Roman prison, he was showing the love of Christ in a practical way. Someone has said that here Epaphroditus humbled himself, but God exalted him by having his work recognised and recorded in this letter. So may we be prepared to do whatever comes to our hand, for the Lord and to His glory.
Epaphroditus had travelled some eleven hundred kilometres to visit Paul in prison, and it seems clear that because of this journey he became very ill. In verse 27 we read that he almost died. However, says Paul, "God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me more sorrow". This fine man of God had become ill because of his faithfulness in carrying out his Christian duties. He almost died for the work of Christ and, as Paul says in verse 30:
"He risked his life to make up for the help you (the Philippian believers) could not give me."
We gather from all this that the illness was prolonged, and the recovery gradual, but in his mercy the Lord did heal Epaphroditus and he was able to return to Philippi. Some of the Lord's people in every age have been called upon to suffer illness, pain and discomfort. Through such trials they have learned patience and reliance upon God for His sustaining grace. Many a Christian character has been refined and enhanced as a result of such experience. Job is a perfect example of the Lord using suffering and the loss of health so as to prove and improve that man's faith and trust in Him.
One other touching picture that comes out of this passage is the concern that Epaphroditus had for his Christian friends at Philippi. He was worried that news of his illness would cause them distress. Because of this, Paul was eager to send him back to them speedily so that the believers might be relieved of their anxiety about him. These are further indications of the warmth of the love within this fine Christian church. So, Paul ends this section by encouraging the Philippians to welcome Epaphroditus back with great joy. In verse 29 he says that they should "honour men like him" because of his dedication to the work of Christ. The thought here is that such faithful men should be highly loved and regarded.
We do thank God for faithful men and women who, like Epaphroditus, have set us a godly example by the way they have lived for Christ. We have discovered in Philippians chapter 2 that Paul, Timothy and Epaphroditus each reflected something of the spirit of the Lord Jesus in the way they lived. We see in them aspects of "sacrifice", "shepherding" and "suffering". Clearly, they had taken in, personally, something of the mind of Christ Jesus their Lord. He is our greatest example, and it is the will of God that every true Christian believer be conformed to the likeness of His dear Son.