Philippians 2:25 (Paul's Man, Epaphroditus)

Greek (NA28): Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ ἡγησάμην Ἐπαφρόδιτον τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν καὶ συστρατιώτην μου, ὑμῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον καὶ λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου, πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς

Hawthorne translates δὲ, "In the meantime." John P. Heil compares Ἀναγκαῖον in Philippians 2:25 with the word choice in Philippians 1:24 (Philippians, page 107); the designation τὸν ἀδελφὸν marks Epaphroditus as a "fellow Christian" of Paul and cements a nexus with Philippians 1:12 (Heil, Philippians, page 108) while the anarthrous συνεργὸν identifies Epaphroditus as a fellow worker of Paul in spreading the Christian good news; notice the sending language in 2:23 and 2:25 (πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς).

Ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην is evidently an "epistolary cliché," (Holloway) that details why Paul is writing the Philippians at this specific time, because he is sending back "their emissary." Epaphroditus was appointed by the Philippians to take a financial gift to Paul. Holloway favors the rendering, "I felt compelled and so I acted." This way of handling the Greek stresses the adjective Ἀναγκαῖον which Paul ostensibly fronted in order to supply emphasis. Compare Philippians 1:23-24.

ἡγησάμην is aorist middle indicative 1st person singular ("I think, consider"). For the word ἀπόστολον, Cousar adds: " 'Apostle' is used here in the sense of God’s messenger without extraordinary status or authority. Epaphroditus was a messenger, only in the sense of bearing the Philippians’ gift to Paul."

Charles Cousar and others refer to this section of Philippians as the travelogue portion of the letter. Within this section, Paul commends both Timothy and Epaphroditus. Regarding ἡγησάμην, Cousar professes: "The aorist tense is likely an epistolary aorist, in which the writer takes the stance and time of his readers." Ralph Martin reckons that the aorist is probably epistolary, if one assumes that Epaphroditus bore the letter to the Philippian congregation as Paul's emissary although the NIV does not treat the verb that way: "But I think it is necessary to send back . . ." Martin points out that "send back" also does not occur in the Greek text and he considers it likely that the Philippians never meant for Epaphroditus to return (πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς). Commenting on "apostle" and shaliach, Martin offers this view: "This term [shaliach] underlies the word apostolos here, which is not used in this place in any technical sense but rather carrying the thought of John 13:16, ‘he that is sent.’ " Compare 2 Corinthians 8:23.

Holloway frames Philippians 2:25-30 as the fifth consolatory argument of the letter: Paul will supply consolation to the ecclesia by sending his emissary Epaphroditus: he dispatches his fellow worker with a missive to console and encourage those at Philippi. Lynn Cohick takes note of Paul's "glowing" language within the epistle. She offers these remarks:

“ 'Brother' is a generic term Paul uses to speak of other believers in the Lord. But to add 'my' is distinctive and suggests affection and personal commendation. 'Co-worker' is also a designation shared by several New Testament figures, including Euodia and Syntyche in 4:2–3. 'Fellow soldier' is used to praise Archippus in Philemon 2. Paul uses such military language to describe his ministry as a campaign (2 Cor 10:3–4; see also 1 Cor 9:7)."

Now what about the terminology ὑμῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον? Cohick raises questions pertaining to the nature of Epaphroditus' office as an apostolos. Is he an "apostle" like the twelve and Paul or should we merely view him as a messenger appointed by the Philippians? Again, she points to a number of early Christians designated as "apostles" like Silvanus, Apollos, Barnabas, Junia, the group mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:23, and the "apostles" in 2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:11. (See Revelation 2:2) Cohick reasons that a definite conclusion cannot be reached in this matter. Was Epaphroditus meant to serve Paul for life? Did he fail to achieve his goals as Paul's emissary? That is a conclusion I personally doubt. Cohick suggests that if Epaphroditus was appointed by the Philippians to serve Paul's needs, then maybe the congregation wanted him to serve in one place--no determinate conclusion is reached.

The final description of Epaphroditus in 2:25 is λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου. We learn that Paul uses a word which could mean "civic official." The apostle to the nations is possibly identifying Epaphroditus as a "public worker" in the sense that he ministers religiously as ancient leitourgoi did by officiating city festivals and presiding over thusia to their deities (compare Philippians 4:18). Martin mentions the NIV translation for λειτουργὸν ("servant"): in the first century,[a] the term evidently has both sacred and solemn connotations (Romans 15:16):

"Such service is thus invested with an aura of special solemnity, and Paul views it as rendered to the Lord, as well as to himself."

Despite the "glowing" recommendation from Paul, Cohick raises questions about Epaphroditus' fitness as an emissary and leitourgos. Why does Paul encourage the Philippians to welcome him with joy? Why did he send Epaphroditus back in the first place? Did he not fulfill his mission? Despite the questions, she reckons that the emissary did his job: he was deathly sick and this might explain Paul's reason for returning him and why he asked the Philippians to honor this man. See Philippians 2:29. Epaphroditus did not fulfill all of his desires for the Kingdom, but he risked life and limb for the Christian congregation while doing his utmost to serve Paul's needs and those of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Although the name was common in the ancient world, Epaphroditus is only mentioned by name twice in the GNT: Philippians 2:25 and 4:18. Philip Comfort notes five ascriptions that Paul gives him: τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν καὶ συστρατιώτην μου, ὑμῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον καὶ λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου . . .

Comfort does not think that ἀπόστολον places Epaphroditus among the twelve intimate followers of Jesus: he is an apostle qua emissary for Paul. As for λειτουργὸν, Comfort explains:

The term was often employed in classical Greek to describe public service rendered at the expense of the citizen. In biblical Greek, as Plummer has noted (1896:18), it is used “of priestly service in the worship of God” (Heb 8:6; 9:21; Num 8:22; 16:9; 18:4; 2 Chr 31:2) and also of service to the needy (2 Cor 9:12; Phil 2:30).” Paul also used this word in urging Christians to present their lives as living sacrifices to God, which is their priestly service (Rom 12:1). (For a good discussion of the word, see EDNT 2.347-349.)

soldier and apostle/COs

Note:

[a]: I need to verify what Martin writes about the NIV translation for leitourgos.

Sources:

Lynn H. Cohick. Philippians. The Story of God Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2013.

Philip Comfort, Peter Davids, and Harold W. Hoehner. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, Philemon. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol. 16. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2008.

Charles Cousar. Philippians and Philemon: A Commentary. New Testament Library.
Louisville, Kentucky : Westminster/John Knox Press, 2009.

Gordon Fee. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. NICNT. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1995.

Gerald Hawthorne. Philippians. WBC 43; revised edition. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2004.

John P. Heil. Philippians: Let Us Rejoice in Being Conformed to Christ. Atlanta, GA: SBL, 2010.

Paul Holloway. Philippians: A Commentary. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2017.

Ralph P. Martin. The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester: Eerdmans; InterVarsity Press, 1959.