Fellow Soldiers In Christ
God’s grace and mercy be yours today!
We have come to the halfway point of Paul’s epistle to the Philippian Christians and at this juncture we find an interesting individual. Paul makes know to us one of his fellow workers by the name of Epaphroditus. This individual played a large role in the life of Paul and in the life of the church of Philippi!
The name Epaphroditus means “charming, lovely, or fascinating.” This sounds wonderful but the literal meaning of his name is “belonging to Aphrodite” who is the pagan goddess of love. This would seem to indicate that his parents were devoted worshipers of the pagan gods. It would also mean that as a child Epaphroditus was devoted to this particular god in much the same way that we baptize an infant and from that point forward the child belongs to God.
In addition to this it is very possible that Epaphroditus was once a soldier, but not just any soldier! He may have been part of the Praetorian Guard. The reason for this is that it was the Praetorian Guard who went to war in the battle of Philippi in 42BC. Following this, many of the members of the Praetorian Guard were granted land to settle and farm. It became a practice for soldiers retiring from the Guard to be granted land and Philippi was the location of choice because of the history there associated with the Praetorian Guard.
When we add this history to the way in which Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, it all seems to fit. Listen to Paul’s words concerning this faithful servant.
But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need, 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me. Philippians 2:25-30
Paul makes three statements about Epaphroditus. He calls him my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier. The first two we readily hear Paul use concerning others who work with him. The term “fellow soldier” seems unique to his designation for Epaphroditus. While Paul does use the term “soldier” at other times, they are few and far between.
This designation as a “soldier” would serve to identify Epaphroditus in his role as one who has gone on a mission to reinforce Paul as he awaits his trial in Rome. Remember, Paul is imprisoned in Rome awaiting trial before Caesar. And who would be the ones guarding Paul as he awaits his audience with Caesar? The Praetorian Guard!
This may be why Epaphroditus was chosen as the one to deliver aid to Paul in Rome. This man was a member of the church in Philippi, and he has undertaken a mission to deliver a gift from the church to Paul who is in Rome. This would put a man like Epaphroditus back in familiar territory. Both the travel across many borders and the sense of a mission being undertaken to help a fellow soldier in need.
If all this is correct, imagine the scene when the mission work of Paul in Philippi first happened. Paul is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a retired member of the Praetorian Guard, a soldier among soldiers, hears of Jesus. And this man whose very name devotes him the pagan god Aphrodite turns his heart to Christ in faith. He then steps away from everything he has ever known and dedicates his service to the work of the Kingdom of God. This mission and journey to Paul demonstrates this point!
Paul informs us that once Epaphroditus arrived in Rome he set himself to work along side of Paul and in the midst of all he was doing, he became ill and almost died! Paul expresses thankfulness to God for his healing for to have him die would have been sorrow upon sorrow. Paul expresses his desire that Epaphroditus return to the Philippi church so that all those there may be encourage by seeing him and knowing he has been healed.
Epaphroditus was the one who carried this epistle with him on his return to Philippi! He would have personally brought greetings from Paul to the church. He was in a unique position to explain first-hand how the process would work and what it would be like for Paul to stand before Caesar. Having been with Paul, he was able to express Paul’s heart, his love for them and his sincere desire to return to Philippi and serve with them again.
Paul gives the highest praise for Epaphroditus to the members of the church. He says, Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me. Epaphroditus saw himself as one who served Christ and Paul on behalf of all the Christians in Philippi! He believed as he served, he was revealing their love for Paul and their faithfulness to Jesus! Indeed, he was! The character of the church was seen in the service of one man. What would our world be like if every member of every church served each other and the Gospel with the same heartfelt desire? What a real difference we could make for the Kingdom!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
We have come to the halfway point of Paul’s epistle to the Philippian Christians and at this juncture we find an interesting individual. Paul makes know to us one of his fellow workers by the name of Epaphroditus. This individual played a large role in the life of Paul and in the life of the church of Philippi!
The name Epaphroditus means “charming, lovely, or fascinating.” This sounds wonderful but the literal meaning of his name is “belonging to Aphrodite” who is the pagan goddess of love. This would seem to indicate that his parents were devoted worshipers of the pagan gods. It would also mean that as a child Epaphroditus was devoted to this particular god in much the same way that we baptize an infant and from that point forward the child belongs to God.
In addition to this it is very possible that Epaphroditus was once a soldier, but not just any soldier! He may have been part of the Praetorian Guard. The reason for this is that it was the Praetorian Guard who went to war in the battle of Philippi in 42BC. Following this, many of the members of the Praetorian Guard were granted land to settle and farm. It became a practice for soldiers retiring from the Guard to be granted land and Philippi was the location of choice because of the history there associated with the Praetorian Guard.
When we add this history to the way in which Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, it all seems to fit. Listen to Paul’s words concerning this faithful servant.
But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need, 26 because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, 30 because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me. Philippians 2:25-30
Paul makes three statements about Epaphroditus. He calls him my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier. The first two we readily hear Paul use concerning others who work with him. The term “fellow soldier” seems unique to his designation for Epaphroditus. While Paul does use the term “soldier” at other times, they are few and far between.
This designation as a “soldier” would serve to identify Epaphroditus in his role as one who has gone on a mission to reinforce Paul as he awaits his trial in Rome. Remember, Paul is imprisoned in Rome awaiting trial before Caesar. And who would be the ones guarding Paul as he awaits his audience with Caesar? The Praetorian Guard!
This may be why Epaphroditus was chosen as the one to deliver aid to Paul in Rome. This man was a member of the church in Philippi, and he has undertaken a mission to deliver a gift from the church to Paul who is in Rome. This would put a man like Epaphroditus back in familiar territory. Both the travel across many borders and the sense of a mission being undertaken to help a fellow soldier in need.
If all this is correct, imagine the scene when the mission work of Paul in Philippi first happened. Paul is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a retired member of the Praetorian Guard, a soldier among soldiers, hears of Jesus. And this man whose very name devotes him the pagan god Aphrodite turns his heart to Christ in faith. He then steps away from everything he has ever known and dedicates his service to the work of the Kingdom of God. This mission and journey to Paul demonstrates this point!
Paul informs us that once Epaphroditus arrived in Rome he set himself to work along side of Paul and in the midst of all he was doing, he became ill and almost died! Paul expresses thankfulness to God for his healing for to have him die would have been sorrow upon sorrow. Paul expresses his desire that Epaphroditus return to the Philippi church so that all those there may be encourage by seeing him and knowing he has been healed.
Epaphroditus was the one who carried this epistle with him on his return to Philippi! He would have personally brought greetings from Paul to the church. He was in a unique position to explain first-hand how the process would work and what it would be like for Paul to stand before Caesar. Having been with Paul, he was able to express Paul’s heart, his love for them and his sincere desire to return to Philippi and serve with them again.
Paul gives the highest praise for Epaphroditus to the members of the church. He says, Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate for your absence in your service to me. Epaphroditus saw himself as one who served Christ and Paul on behalf of all the Christians in Philippi! He believed as he served, he was revealing their love for Paul and their faithfulness to Jesus! Indeed, he was! The character of the church was seen in the service of one man. What would our world be like if every member of every church served each other and the Gospel with the same heartfelt desire? What a real difference we could make for the Kingdom!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
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