Epaphroditus

Who Epaphroditus is

Epaphroditus is named twice in one letter. Paul says he thought it necessary to send him back, and gives him five descriptions at once: my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. Three of them describe him in relation to Paul, and one, your messenger, names him as the readers' own, so he stands between the two parties. The reason for sending him back is his condition. He had been longing for the Philippians and was full of heaviness because they had heard he was ill, and Paul says he was indeed sick nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him, and on Paul too, who would otherwise have had sorrow upon sorrow. Paul sends him so that seeing him again will make them rejoice and leave Paul less sorrowful, and asks them to receive him in the Lord with all gladness and to hold such men in reputation, because he came close to death for the work of Christ, not regarding his life, to supply their lack of service toward Paul. Later in the same letter Paul says he now has everything he needs, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, and calls that gift an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Cited passages: Philippians 2:25, Philippians 2:26, Philippians 2:27, Philippians 2:28, Philippians 2:29, Philippians 2:30, Philippians 4:18, Philippians 4:10, Philippians 4:14

Historical setting

The letter never says what the illness was, only that he was sick nigh unto death and that God had mercy on him. It gives no time frame, no place where he fell ill, no journey details and no account of what happened to him afterwards. His home is implied rather than stated, since he is called your messenger and is being sent back, and no family, trade or age is mentioned. The phrase to supply your lack of service toward me states a shortfall on the readers' side without explaining it or blaming anyone. This source also prints a line inside the final verse of the letter saying it was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus; that line stands in the verse text and not as a heading, and the body of the letter never names Rome or says who carried it. The letter never connects him with Epaphras, who is named in other letters.

Cited passages: Philippians 2:25, Philippians 2:26, Philippians 2:27, Philippians 2:30, Philippians 4:18, Philippians 4:23

How the story is told

The paragraph about Epaphroditus does in plain terms what the letter's famous passage about Christ does in exalted ones. That passage describes someone who did not regard his own standing and became obedient unto death; this one describes a man who was nigh unto death, not regarding his life. The letter is careful with the distress, and does not tidy it. It records that he was full of heaviness, that Paul would have had sorrow upon sorrow, and that sending him back is partly for Paul's own relief, that I may be the less sorrowful. It also protects his reputation in advance. Being sent home could look like failure, so the instruction is to receive him with all gladness and hold such in reputation, and the reason is given in the same sentence.

Cited passages: Philippians 2:7, Philippians 2:8, Philippians 2:26, Philippians 2:27, Philippians 2:28, Philippians 2:29, Philippians 2:30

Story moments

1. Five descriptions at once (Philippians 2:25). He is called brother, fellow worker, fellowsoldier, messenger and minister to Paul's needs.
2. Distressed at being heard about (Philippians 2:26). His heaviness is attributed to the Philippians hearing he had been sick.
3. Sick nigh unto death (Philippians 2:27). The letter states how serious the illness was and calls his recovery mercy.
4. Receive him with gladness (Philippians 2:29). Paul asks the readers to welcome him and honour men like him.
5. Not regarding his life (Philippians 2:30). The reason given is the risk he took for the work of Christ.
6. The gift delivered (Philippians 4:18). What he carried is called a sacrifice acceptable to God.

Key passages

Philippians 2:25

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

Philippians 4:18

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Philippians 4:23

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Printed after this letter in the King James Version: It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus.

King James Version. 3 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

Epaphroditus is reported as distressed not by his illness but by the fact that other people had heard about it. Why is being worried over sometimes harder than being unwell?

Books Epaphroditus appears in

• Philippians

Related people

• Jesus Christ
• Timothy