Epaphroditus: Trusted Helper

Prayer:  Father, we see in this man Epaphroditus’ humble concern for the needs of others.  He was so loving. And we see him risking his life to meet the needs of the loving gambler. Lord, help us to be like him. Help us somehow to put relationships above things and not to find ourselves forever and ever trying to insulate ourselves into comfort zones, but put us out there on the cutting edge where we risk, where we can see the mighty hand of deliverance in our behalf.  Amen[1] – John MacArthur

Main Scripture:

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.  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.  Therefore, I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.  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 (Philippians 2:25-30, NKJV).

Associated Scriptures: (None: Epaphroditus is mentioned only here)

Correlative Quotes:

Epaphroditus is not a statesman. He is not an Apostle. We have no indication that he was even an elder in the church at Philippi. There is nothing said to lead us to believe that his ministry was anything - dramatic or dynamic, unforgettable, earthshaking. He, in a sense, is the hero of the common man.[2]  – John MacArthur

God’s sparing of Epaphroditus’ life was a tangible expression of His abundant grace to Paul… 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.[3] – R. C. Sproul

So Epaphroditus was the Philippians’ minister of mercy to Paul.  His last act of service to Paul was to carry this letter back to Philippi. Beyond these details, we know nothing about this man whom Paul gives a very high commendation of.[4]  – Brian McGuffin

Study:

INTRODUCTION

We don’t know much about Epaphroditus. Our knowledge is limited to what is written and implied in this passage.  We will try to construct a textual profile of this unique man.

Paul is a prisoner.  He has been incarcerated in his own house by the Roman government for two years. The Romans have chained Paul to one of their soldiers. Realizing he could no longer work to earn a living to support himself in his ministry, the Philippian church wanted to send him money and a person who could meet his needs. So, they collected sacrificial gifts of love and they sent it to Paul via Epaphroditus.  THESE ARE SOME OF EPAPHRODITUS’ GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Servant: Epaphroditus was a man with a heart of a servant. For him to go to simply meet all the needs of the Apostle Paul would indicate that he saw himself in the role of coming alongside to serve. The Philippian congregation chose him as their ambassador.
2. Courageous: Epaphroditus was a man of great courage because he knew exactly what he was walking into. There was no question in his mind how the Roman government felt about Paul. If in fact Paul's life was taken away, it would probably be a matter of course for them to at least consider taking the lives of those who served alongside of him.
3. Godly man: Epaphroditus became Paul’s companion in ministry. He was probably one of Paul’s converts since his name tells us that he came out of a pagan environment. The name Epaphroditus comes from the goddess Aphrodite.  Neither Christians nor Jews would never name a child for a goddess.

HIS TITLES

There were five titles which Paul gives to Epaphroditus: (vs. 25) The first three titles express his relationship to Paul and the final two indicate Epaphroditus’ importance to the Philippian church.

1. My brother: My Spiritual Brother in the sense of spiritual birth, they share the same spiritual Father, the same spiritual birth, and the same hope of eternal life. This word brother not only means that they carry a common spiritual nature because of their relationship with Christ but, as friends, they were as close as brothers.
2. My Fellow Worker: in this sense Epaphroditus is Paul’s companion in Christian labor. When he arrived he came alongside Paul to assist in the continuation and expansion of the gospel. What Paul could not do while incarcerated, he could continue through Epaphroditus.
3. My Fellow Soldier: Paul needed the help. He was battling against Satan and his angels, the Roman authorities (Ephesians 6:12), local and national Jews (Galatians 2:11-21), all who denied and resisted the gospel (Romans 3:23), and itinerant preachers who taught heresy (2 Corinthians 11:13). In addition, it was difficult for Paul to fight this fight being chained to a Roman soldier. 
4. Your Messenger: The Philippian church, who loved Paul, would never have sent a man to work closely with him unless that man was representative of the godliness of that congregation. We can be surmise that Epaphroditus was a man of genuine spiritual virtue and a man of depth in terms of his love and devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Your Minister: Sacrificial Friendship – (vs. 30, The Message) “Remember the ministry to me that you started but weren't able to complete? Well, in the process of finishing up that work, he put his life on the line and nearly died doing it.”

Summary Statement:

It is easy for Christians to get out of balance.  That is, we are prone to focus on one area of our Christian walk to the exclusion of other areas that are just as important.  When a Christian, or a church for that matter, gets out of balance, they bring reproach upon the cause of Christ.  They are like a wobbly tire on an automobile.  The tire throws everything else out of balance as well.  Epaphroditus wasn’t like this. He was balanced in his walk with the lord and with others.[5]  As a result Epaphroditus brought joy to Paul.

Lesson within the Lesson:

What was Epaphroditus doing that was so important to Paul?

What traits did Epaphroditus display in his life that served Paul?

How do we incorporate these traits into our lives?

How would this inclusion bring balance to our lives?

[1] John MacArthur, Model Spiritual Servant, Part 3: Epaphroditus, Grace to You, February 19, 1989, gty.org/resources/sermons/50-26/model-spiritual-servants-part-3-

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[2] Ibid

[3] From Ligonier Ministries, The Teaching Fellowship Of R.C. Sproul. All Rights Reserved. Website: www.Ligonier.Org | Phone: 1-800-435-4343

[4]Brian McGuffin A Tale of Two Men, forestbaptist.ca/sermons-new/A%20Tale%20of%

20Two%20Men%20Part%202.pdf

[5] Alan Carr, Anatomy of a Loving Christian, sermonnotebook.org/new%20testament/Phil%202_25-30.htm