Philippians 2:25

“But. counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need”

“I counted it necessary”: “Yet. deem it important” (Wey). It is easy to overlook why this explanation was necessary. Some in Philippi might complain, “Why did you (Epaphroditus) leave Paul? Especially in view of the fact that the verdict was not in yet?” Paul is saying, “Let no one say, ‘How shameful for you to have acted contrary to the charge which we gave you, and to have deserted Paul at the very time when that honored prisoner, who is awaiting. life-or-death verdict needs you most' Says Paul, as it were, ‘Bear in mind, Philippians, that Epaphroditus is returning to you because. myself consider it necessary to send him back to you'” (Hendriksen p. 140). “Epaphroditus”: “Little is known of this good man. He obviously was from. pagan background for his Greek name corresponds to the Latin, Venustus (belonging to Venus)” (Jackson p. 56). Hawthorne observes, “It is interesting to observe that although it embodies the name of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and fertility--the personification of the sexual instinct--who was worshipped throughout almost all of the Greek world, no believer, not even the apostle Paul, demanded that (he) change his pagan idolatrous name” (pp. 115-116). “My brother”: A member of the same spiritual family. “Fellow-worker”: United with Paul in the effort to spread the gospel. Could Paul honestly refer to us as fellow-workers?

“Fellow-soldier”: “A worker must needs to. warrior, for in the work of the gospel one encounters many foes” (Hendriksen p. 139). “Epaphroditus was one with Paul in sympathy, one with him in work, one with him in danger. He in truth has stood in the firing-line” (Barclay p. 49). “Your messenger”: Epaphroditus had brought financial assistance from Philippi to Paul (Philippians 4:14-18). “Minister to my need”: This probably suggests that in addition to delivering their financial support, Epaphroditus had also been sent to take care of whatever needs Paul might have. Erdman points out, “The word minister describes one who is engaged in. ‘priestly service'. Thus does Paul, with true spiritual insight, express the real dignity of all tasks undertaken in the name of Christ and in his service. Epaphroditus was probably engaged chiefly in humble or menial tasks in providing for the physical needs of the apostle” (p. 101). See Matthew 25:31. “Paul is making it easy for Epaphroditus to go home. It is touching to think of Paul, himself in the very shadow of death, in prison and awaiting judgment, showing such Christian consideration for Epaphroditus. He was facing death, and yet it mattered to him that Epaphroditus should not meet with embarrassment when he went home. Paul was. true Christian in his attitude to others; for he was never so immersed in his own troubles that he had no time to think of the troubles of his friends” (Barclay p. 50).