Difference between revisions of "Epaphras"

<p> Paul's "dear fellow servant, who is for you (the Colossian Christians, &nbsp;Colossians 1:7) a faithful minister of Christ," perhaps implying Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church. In &nbsp;Philemon 1:23, "my fellow prisoner." [[Apprehended]] possibly for his zealous labors in Asia Minor; literally, "fellow captive" ( '''''Sunaichmalootos''''' ), taken in the [[Christian]] warfare (&nbsp;Philippians 2:25), or else more probably designated so as Paul's faithful companion in imprisonment. He had been sent by the Colossians to inquire after and minister to Paul. </p> <p> [[Aristarchus]] is designated Paul's "fellow prisoner" in &nbsp;Colossians 4:10, and his "fellow laborer" in &nbsp;Philemon 1:24 (both epistles were sent at the same time). But, vice versa, Epaphras in the Epistle to Philemon is" his fellow prisoner," and in the Epistle to the Colossians "his fellow laborer." In &nbsp;Colossians 4:12 Paul thus commends him, "Epaphras who is one of you (a native or resident of Colosse), a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently ( '''''Agoonizomenos''''' , 'striving as in the agony of a contest') for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." </p>

<p> ( '''''Ε᾿Παφρᾶς''''' , usually considered a contraction of ''Epaphroditus,'' but the last syllable in that case is hardly regular), an eminent teacher in the Church at Colossae, denominated by Paul "his dear fellow-servant," and "a faithful minister ( '''''Διάκονος''''' ) of Christ" (&nbsp;Colossians 1:7; &nbsp;Colossians 4:12). A.D. 57. It has been inferred from &nbsp;Colossians 1:7 that he was the founder of the Colossian Church; and Dr. Neander supposes that the apostle terms him '''''Ὑπὲρ''''' '''''Ἡμῶν''''' '''''Διάκονος''''' '''''Χριστοῦ''''' ''(A [[Servant]] Of Christ In Our Stead)'' because he committed to him the office of proclaiming the [[Gospel]] in the three Phrygian cities Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea, which he could not visit himself (Hist. of Planting, 1:200, 373). This language, however, is by no means decisive; yet most probably Epaphras was one of the earliest and most zealous instructors of the Colossian Church (see Alford's prolegomena to that epistle, Gr. Test. 3:35 sq.). Lardner thinks that the expression respecting Epaphras in Coloss. 4:12, '''''Ὁ''''' '''''Ἐξ''''' '''''Ὑμῶν''''' , is quite inconsistent with the supposition of his being the founder of the Church, since the same phrase is applied to Onesimus, a recent convert ''(Hist. Of The [[Apostles]] And Evangelists,'' c. 14; ''Works,'' 6:153). But in both cases the words in question seem intended simply to identify these individuals as the fellow-townsmen of the Colossians, and to distinguish them from others of the same name in Rome (see Macknight on &nbsp;Colossians 4:2). He was at that time with Paul at Rome (&nbsp;Colossians 4:12ὁ συναιχμαλωτός μου, my fellow-prisoner; but some regard the word there as only a tender and delicate expression of Epaphras's attention to the apostle in his imprisonment (comp. &nbsp;Romans 16:13). The martyrologies make Epaphras to have been first bishop of Colossee, and to have suffered martyrdom there. (See Epaphroditus). </p>

<p> ''''' ep´a ''''' - ''''' fras ''''' ( Ἐπαφρᾶς , <i> ''''' Epaphrás ''''' </i> ): A contracted form of Epaphroditus. He must not, however, be confounded with the messenger of the [[Philippian]] community. He was with Paul during a part of his 1st Roman imprisonment, joining in Paul's greetings to Philemon (&nbsp;Philippians 1:23 ). Epaphras was the missionary by whose instrumentality the Colossians had been converted to [[Christianity]] (&nbsp;Colossians 1:7 ), and probably the other churches of the [[Lycus]] had been founded by him. In sending his salutation to the Colossians Paul testified, "He hath much labor for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis" (&nbsp;Colossians 4:13 ). Epaphras had brought to Paul good news of the progress of the gospel, of their "faith in Christ Jesus" and of their love toward all the saints (&nbsp;Colossians 1:4 ). Paul's regard for him is shown by his designating him "our beloved fellow-servant," "a faithful minister of Christ" (&nbsp;Colossians 1:7 ), and "a bondservant of Christ Jesus" (&nbsp;Colossians 4:12 margin) . The last designation Paul uses several times of himself, but only once of another besides Epaphras (&nbsp; Philippians 1:1 ). </p>