But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need
– Philippians 2:25
Paul wrote that Epaphroditus “came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me” (Phil. 2:30). In reading this, it is possible to take the apostle Paul as the center of Epaphroditus’s ministry. In this case the verse would mean that Epaphroditus, a minister, drew near to death to fill up the lack of service toward Paul. Paul himself, however, was not the center. This ministry was a practical service, but it was carried out spiritually. Epaphroditus’s calling was not merely to care for Paul’s need but to care for God’s need through Paul. Paul’s well-being was not the center; God and His work were the center.
Adapted from Philippians: That I May Gain Christ, by Titus Chu, page 172.
Tomorrow: “Carrying Out Practical Matters Spiritually (3)”