Philippians 2:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then he adds much concerning his love, saying: "Because he greatly desired to see you all, and was deeply distressed that you had heard of his illness. For he was sick, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow," Phil. 2:27. Here the Apostle suggests something else also, namely, that Epaphroditus knows very well that you love him. This is no small inducement to love. How so? He was ill, he says, and you suffered. He recovered, and he freed you from the sorrow you had because of his illness. Yet he himself was not without sorrow. He grieved that, having recovered, he had not seen you. Here he suggests something else too. He justifies himself for sending him to them after a considerable time. It was not from carelessness, he says. I kept Timothy because I had no one else, for "I have no one," he says, "like-minded." Epaphroditus, however, I kept because of illness.

Because he greatly desired to see you all, and was deeply distressed that you had heard of his illness. For he was sick, near to death. Knowing, he says, that you love him and are saddened by his illness, he therefore desires to see you. He wants to free you from the sorrow that came upon you because of his illness. Here he also presents something else. He justifies himself before them for sending him to them late, saying something like this: this did not happen through my negligence. I keep Timothy with me as one of one soul with me. But Epaphroditus fell ill and therefore could not come earlier. The illness was prolonged, and he was even near death. But God had mercy on him. What do you say, Manichaean?

The people were grieved by Epaphroditus's illness, and so was he himself. They wished to see him and be assured that he had recovered from his illness. He wished to see them and be delivered from anxiety for them. For Paul had chosen him as an apostle for them, sending him to support them. And since he was an honest man, the people longed for him.

The Apostle excuses the previous delay, points to the severity of the illness that had visited him, and reveals Epaphroditus's affection for them. He says that he grieved because of the delay caused by the illness and because of his care for them. The phrase "He had mercy on him" expresses Epaphroditus's zeal for accomplishing contests. For he did not wish to be delivered from this life of many sufferings, knowing the benefit that comes from it. And on me also, says the Apostle, God had mercy, by not depriving me of a fellow-worker.

The reason for this haste was that Epaphroditus himself greatly desired to return quickly to his Philippian flock. For he "was sick almost to death," and the Philippians, having heard of this, did not yet know the outcome of his illness and were therefore deeply anxious. "Therefore I sent him the more eagerly," the Apostle writes, "so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful."

As though unwilling to leave the Philippians without his care even for a single day, the Apostle writes to them about immediately sending Epaphroditus to them. He also praises him for many good qualities. In addition, he points to Epaphroditus's love for the Philippians and to their concern for him. This was expressed with special clarity when they heard of his grave illness, endured by him for faith in Christ. He had been sent by the Philippians to the Apostle with assistance, and therefore is called a minister to his need, cf. Rom. 15:16. The Right Reverend Theophan supposes that God had mercy on Epaphroditus in his illness through a miracle by the Apostle Paul. "In Ephesus, handkerchiefs and aprons soaked with the Apostle's sweat healed diseases and cast out demons, Acts 19:12.

Now the Apostle comforts the Philippians by sending to them their delegate, Epaphroditus, who himself burned with desire to see his fellow citizens. While with the Apostle, Epaphroditus fell ill. But God raised him from the bed of sickness, so that the Apostle, already grieving in imprisonment, might not have new sorrow added. Such sorrow would naturally have been stirred in him by the illness of his friend and fellow worker. The Philippians must receive Epaphroditus with special joy, because he did not spare his life, παραβ»λευσάμενος τή ψυχή, in serving the work of Christ. By his own services alone he supplied the services which all the Philippians owed to the Apostle.

This is why St. Paul considered it more necessary to send Epaphroditus quickly: to calm both him and the Philippians. They had great anxiety over him, and he over them. Seeing that he was gone for a long time, they learned the reason. When they learned that it was illness, they certainly grieved that, while fulfilling their wish, he had come into such danger. For his part, he grieved because he had not seen them for a long time. He also grieved because they were grieving over him on account of his illness. In this their strong mutual love is revealed. The Apostle expresses this from Epaphroditus's side, saying that he longed with longing to see them. He yearned for them, was irresistibly drawn to them, and was distressed because they had heard of his illness. He grieved bitterly and was sick in soul to the point of exhaustion. At the foundation of both things one must suppose the most sincere and deep bond.