Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

LWB Philp. 2:27 For truly he was so critically ill that he nearly died, but God had mercy on
him, and not only him, but also me [blessing by association], so that I might not have
sorrow upon sorrow [excessive grief].
KW Philp. 2:27 For truly he was ill, next door to death. But God had mercy upon him, and not
upon him alone, but also on me, in order that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.
KJV Philippians 2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not
on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
TRANSLATION HIGHLIGHTS
In actuality, the rumour the Philippians had heard about Epaphroditus was correct; he was so
critically ill (Dramatic Aorist tense) that he almost died (Latin: mortem). Paul uses a hapax
legomena that means Epaphroditus “resembled death.” But God had mercy on him (Culminative
Aorist tense) and healed him. And not only did He have mercy on Epaphroditus, but He also had
mercy on Paul by healing Epaphroditus. Paul received a blessing by his association with
Epaphroditus; if something terrible would have happened to him, Paul would have been
devastated. It’s also possible that Epaphroditus received a blessing by association from Paul,
because the Lord allowed Epaphroditus to befriend the apostle and learn from him firsthand. God
spared Epaphroditus and in turn also spared Paul from having (Culminative Aorist tense) grief
on top of grief. If Epaphroditus would have died, Paul would have grieved for his loss of a dear
friend and for the Philippian believers who sent him to Rome.
REVELANT OPINIONS
This verse implies that the previous statement that Epaphroditus had become ill was really an
understatement. It had not been exaggerated in earlier reports. (J. Lightfoot) This marvelous
recovery was due to a sovereign merciful act of God Himself. (J.F. Collange) Paul himself did not
miraculously heal Epaphroditus, but rather regarded the recovery as an intervention of God. The gift
of healing had been removed, discontinued. (H.A. Kent) He and death were next door neighbors. (K.
Wuest) Why did not the apostle heal him, who was endued with a power of curing diseases, as well
as raising the dead? Perhaps the apostle had not that power at all times, and at his own discretion, but
only when some great end was to be served by it, and when God saw fit. (M. Henry)
There is no indication that Paul had the ability to heal him or that he tried to do so. (R. Lightner)
Epaphroditus’ sickness proves that the apostles had not the permanent gift of miracles any more than
inspiration: both were vouchsafed only for each occasion, as the Spirit thought fit. (R. Jamieson) On
the day the Church Age began, temporary gifts accompanied the divine dynashpere. Initially the
ministry of the Spirit included functions that have since ceased to legitimately exist. In the Scriptures
we must distinguish these overt, temporary ministries of the Spirit from His invisible, permanent
ministries if we are to avoid the trap of emotional arrogance. We must “rightly divide the Word of
truth” in order to execute God’s game plan for our lives. (R.B. Thieme, Jr.)