Epaphroditus 2

Dottie and I are so computor dumb. I finally had to get instructions from Tim just to get our phone on wi-fi so we can stay in contact with everyone. Dottie is staying in contact with Gladys concerning Michelle. She, Estela and Analy are the care givers for Michelle when we are away.

We spent most of the day purchasing those necessary items to last 6 months such as vitamins. I always have to get USBs & scientific calculators for the university and high school seniors for next year.  Also Dottie began buying the little gifts for those children who are either grandchildren or who give us special help throughout the year.

Yesterday I shared with you the introduction to Epaphroditus whom we meet in Philippians 2. He was a follower of Paul and when Paul was in prison he wrote to the Philippians and actually said that everyone had deserted him. He recants and adds “Only Timothy and Epaphroditus have remained with me”. Now the church at Philippi was Paul’s most trustworthy churches so he was referring to the other churches he had established.

Epaphroditus is a Greek name meaning that he was dedicated to the pagan god, Aphrodite(Venus or Ishtar).  Paul is now writing to this man he calls “My dear brother”. They would have had no contact with one another and nothing at all in common. But the conversion of them both now makes them “dear brothers”.

One of the marvels of Jesus and the message of Christianity is that there is no Jew or Greek, male or female, rich or poor, black or white, nor any other barrier. Brothers we now are in Jesus!

From the short writings by Paul concerning Epaphroditus we can see he is a trusted co-worker with Paul. He is a messenger of the writings of the Apostles. He had brought ‘gifts’ to Paul and Paul refers to the gifts as “generous” and “ample” and “fragrant”. (Verse 4:18)  Whatever the gifts were they were to support Paul while he was in prison. Even here in Guatemala if you are in prison your family must provide the majority of your meals and all of your toiletries, clothing, medications, etc. Just like Paul a prisonor must pay for his keep.

Paul refers to Epaphrodius in verse 25 as a “fellow worker”. Reading all the books of Paul we come to realize that this term means they worked together with and for God and the message of Jesus. All classes of people are to be workers together for the purposes of God. Sadly we see too many who work for a denomination or only their church etc.

But Paul goes further in that he says Epaphroditus is a soldier. What is behind this term?

Stay tuned!