Philippians 2:25-30 - Homiletics

Epaphroditus.

I. HIS NAME MEANS " LOVELY ." It was not uncommon; it was assumed by the dictator Sulla; it was the name of a freedman of Nero, the master of the philosopher Epictetus. It is derived from the name of the goddess ἀφροδίτη he like the corresponding Latin word venustus from Venu s. But the character of this Epaphroditus was evidently:

1 . "Lovely" in the Christian sense. He seems to have been, like Jonathan, lovely and pleasant in his life. Like Daniel, he was a "man of loves," full of love both towards St. Paul and towards his friends at Philippi. He was a man of very tender feelings, almost tee tender, we might think. But:

2 . He was as brute as he was tender. St. Paul calls him his brother and companion in labor and fellow-soldier. He was not only a brother in love, a fellow-Christian, but he shared the apostle's labors; he threw himself, heart and soul, into the work of spreading the gospel at Rome; he worked hard, probably in an unhealthy season. He was also the messenger of the Philippians; he readily undertook the long journey, with all its perils and hardships, to minister to the apostle's wants. Doubtless he regarded those ministrations (as St. Paul himself regarded them; see note on Verse 25) as an offering offered gladly unto God. He knew that in ministering to the apostle be was ministering unto God. To relieve the necessities of the saints, to help them by alms, by sympathy, is a sacrifice well-pleasing to God. He was a brother in danger, too, a fellow-soldier. He hazarded his life; he shared the apostle's dangers; he willingly exposed himself to risk for the work's sake; his dangerous illness was in some way caused by his unselfish exertions. Yet he was very tender-hearted. He longed after the Philippians; he could not bear the thought of their sorrow and anxiety on account of his sickness and danger. He is an example of that union of seemingly opposite virtues which is sometimes conspicuous in Christ's saints, as it was in Christ himself.

II. HOW PRECIOUS IS THE LIFE OF HOLY MEN ! Epaphroditus was evidently one of the bishops (see note on Philippians 1:1 ), possibly the presiding bishop of the Philippian Church. His life was valuable. "God had mercy on him." Perhaps his longer life was necessary for himself, to perfect his repentance; for the Philippians, to carry on the good work which He had begun; for St. Paul, lest he should have sorrow upon sorrow. "God had mercy on him." Sometimes in mercy God spares the life of his servants; sometimes in mercy he takes them to himself. We are in his hands, and he is the Most Merciful. He knows Letter than we what is for our real good. We may pray for health and longer life for our friends, for ourselves, if the prayer is offered in submission to the higher will of God.

III. SUCH MEN SHOULD BE HELD IN REVERENCE . St. Paul bids the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with every joy—joy on every account, for his sake and for theirs. They were to honor him; for to honor good men is to honor God, the source of all goodness; and reverence for goodness elevates and refines the character,

Lessons .

1 . Learn from the example of Epaphroditus that. to minister to God's saints is a high privilege; he risked his life to supply the needs of St. Paul.

2 . His love for the apostle did not weaken his love for the Philippian Christians. We must love all God's people, not only his highest saints.

3 . We may pray that our sick friends may recover their bodily health, if it be God's gracious will.