Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

KJV
Philippians 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had
heard that he had been sick.
TRANSLATION HIGHLIGHTS
Paul decided to send Epaphroditus because he was homesick (Dramatic Aorist tense) to see his
friends and family in Philippi. He couldn’t wait to be back home (Voluntative Imperfect tense),
but was staying with Paul because that was what his home-church in Philippi commissioned him
to do when he left for Rome. He was also distressed (Descriptive Present tense) because his
fellow believers in Philippi had heard a rumour (Epistolary Aorist tense) that he was critically ill
(Dramatic Aorist tense). His friends were evidently very tender-hearted and he could not bear the
fact that they thought he was sick (Latin: infirm) and might not make it back home again. It
would be a catastrophe to lose both Paul and Epaphroditus at the same time. He knew they
would be worried sick and he cared for them so much that he wanted to come back and reassure
them that Paul was fine and he was fully recovered from his illness.
REVELANT OPINIONS
Epaphroditus, who was on behalf of the Philippians, to do so much for Paul, almost died on Paul's
hands. He wished he was back home where he wouldn't be a "terrible burden" to Paul and those who
had to take care of him ... What worried Epaphroditus was the fact that the people who had sent him,
probably at considerable expense to themselves, to do so much for Paul, heard that all their good
plans and intentions had failed, had only put a further burden on Paul instead of relieving him his
other burdens. (R.C.H. Lenski) The Greek word finds its origin in a word that has the idea of “not
home,” thus “uncomfortable, troubled, distressed.” (K. Wuest) The rejection of a Bible-teaching
preacher is the death knell of many churches across this land of ours. You see, the devil has been
very clever. He has shifted his attack from the Word of God itself to the man who teaches the Word
of God. I find this is true across the length and breadth of our nation. The real test of a church is its
attitude toward its pastor. (J. McGee)
Philp. 2:26 Because (causal) he was longing (evpipoqe,w, PAPtc.NSM,
Dramatic, Causal, periphrastic; a persistent continuance in mental
distress) to be (eivmi, Imperf.AI3S, Voluntative) with all (Acc.
Measure) of you (Gen. Association; he was homesick) and
(continuative) was concerned (avdhmone,w, PAPtc.NSM, Descriptive,
Causal; distressed) because (subordinating) you heard (avkou,w,
AAI2P, Epistolary; a rumour) that (conj.) he was critically ill
(avsqene,w, AAI3S, Dramatic),
WHO
Philippians 2:26 evpeidh. evpipoqw/n h=n pa,ntaj u`ma/j Îivdei/nÐ kai. avdhmonw/n dio,ti hvkou,sate
o[ti hvsqe,nhsen
VUL
Philippians 2:26 quoniam quidem omnes vos desiderabat et maestus erat propterea quod
audieratis illum infirmatum