For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

For this particular verse I would like to provide two posts, specifically due to the multiple issues dealt with in relation to Paul, Epaphroditus and the church back in Phillippi.

2:25   I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

Paul has completed his discussion on Timothy, on his reintroduction of his companion in the gospel to the Philippians, of his hopes to provide Timothy to them quickly, and of his desire to visit them also. For this post, He takes on the subject of a man named Epaphroditus. This is the epistle’s first mention of him, but the Philippians knew of this man. It is he who came from Philippi to bring Paul the latest gift from the church. See Philippians 4:18.

It turns out that though Epaphroditus delivered the gift to Paul, he had become sick, even to the point of death.

Let’s consider if you were Epaphroditus for a moment. You are entrusted with delivering a gift to the father of your church in a far away city, and to provide a blessing to him in his trials. Instead, you become a “burden”, sick and needing care in a strange and foreign city, possibly depending on the one you came to bless for help during the sickness. The sickness became so dire, death was a possibility. (See Philippians 2:30)

The church had heard of his illness (See Philippians 2:27) and internal discussions most likely ensued within the church. Some may have thought it not wise in sending Epaphroditus, since he had become a burden for Paul. Paul may have anticipated this attitude and due to this, provided a gentle corrective to the church, speaking of Epaphroditus in five glowing terms.

Nevertheless Paul provides five descriptors of this man, reinforcing his opinion of him to the Philippians, and in the process, opening our eyes to the character of this man of God.

We shall review those five descriptors in our next post, but for this one, I would like to return to the general outlook of the apostle Paul.

He described his desire to send Timothy, and only placed a condition on it due to an outside influence – that is the determination if he would keep his head after his trial ended. I mentioned that in his decision, he had to “look away” from the Philippians and on his own situation in order to explain his thinking.

He looked away from the Philippians.

Remember – he is on trial for his life, and his concern centers on a church hundreds of miles away. A bit selfless in my opinion.

Such is it also with this servant of the church, Epaphroditus. He speaks of the Christ like character Epaphroditus exhibits in his mission to Paul, and of his love to the church. Though he was in prison, and the church had sent him to Paul for ministry, Paul was sending him back. It was necessary to send him back to the church.

Might it have been due to the sickness? Might it have been that Epaphroditus was simply homesick, desiring to be with his brothers and sisters? The motivation Paul is under is not clear to me, but one thing is clear. Epaphroditus was sent by the church for the sake of Paul, and again, Paul finds a way to send the blessing back, to accept less than the church or Epaphroditus intended.

Paul considered others. Does anyone hear Philippians 2:3 ringing in their ears?

Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Yes, Paul was writing about the Christian life, or should I say, Paul was living out the life of Christ, and as he needed to, wrote it out for the church to benefit from.

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