SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:26
porque tenía gran deseo de veros a todos vosotros, y gravemente se angustió porque habíais oído que había enfermado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philippians 2:26
Verse 26. Ye had heard that he had been sick.] "In this passage," says Dr. Paley, "no intimation is given that the recovery of Epaphroditus was miraculous, it is plainly spoken of as a natural event. This instance, together with that in the Second Epistle to Timothy, Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick, affords a proof that the power of performing cures, and, by parity of reason, of working other miracles, was a power which only visited the apostles occasionally, and did not at all depend upon their own will. Paul undoubtedly would have healed Epaphroditus if he could; nor would he have left Trophimus at Miletum sick, had the power of working cures awaited his disposal. Had this epistle been a forgery, forgery on this occasion would not have spared a miracle; much less would it have introduced St. Paul professing the utmost anxiety for the safety of his friend, yet acknowledging himself unable to help him, which he does almost expressly in the case of Trophimus, Him have I left sick; and virtually in the passage before us, in which he felicitates himself on the recovery of Epaphroditus in terms which almost exclude the supposition of any supernatural means being used to effect it. This is a reverse which nothing but truth would have imposed." Horae Paulinae, page 234.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. For he longed after you , etc.] This verse and ( Philippians 2:28) contain the reasons of the apostle's sending him; and the first is, because he had a very vehement and longing desire after all of them; to see them, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add, and as it is read in the Alexandrian and Claromontane copies, and in others: it was not the city of Philippi he longed to see, which might be his native place, nor his natural relations and family, but the church there; and not the officers of it only, the bishops and deacons, but all the members of it, rich and poor, high and low, strong and weak believers: and was full of heaviness : almost pressed down, quite disheartened and dispirited, ready to sink and die away, not so much with his own disorder and illness, as with sorrow on account of the church at Philippi: because that ye had heard that he had been sick : he understood that the news of his sickness had reached them, and he knew how distressing it would be to them, that it would cut them to the heart, and press them heavily, fearing they should never see his face, nor hear his voice more. We have here an instance of that mutual love, tender affection and sympathy; which were in the first churches, and what subsisted between ministers and people; see how they loved one another! but, alas! this first love is left.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-30 - It is best with us, when our duty becomes natural to us. Naturally that is, sincerely, and not in pretence only; with a willing heart an upright views. We are apt to prefer our own credit, ease, and safety before truth, holiness, and duty; but Timothy did not so. Paul desire liberty, not that he might take pleasure, but that he might do good Epaphroditus was willing to go to the Philippians, that he might be comforted with those who had sorrowed for him when he was sick. I seems, his illness was caused by the work of God. The apostle urge them to love him the more on that account. It is doubly pleasant to have our mercies restored by God, after great danger of their removal and this should make them more valued. What is given in answer to prayer, should be received with great thankfulness and joy __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
επειδη 1894 επιποθων 1971 5723 ην 2258 5713 παντας 3956 υμας 5209 και 2532 αδημονων 85 5723 διοτι 1360 ηκουσατε 191 5656 οτι 3754 ησθενησεν 770 5656
Vincent's NT Word Studies
26. Was full of heaviness (hn adhmonwn). Rev., was sore troubled. Used of Christ in Gethsemane, Matt. xxvi. 27.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:26 {He longed after} (epipoth"n ˆn). Periphrastic imperfect of epipoqew (#Php 1:8), "he was yearning after." {You all} (pantas humas). So again (#1:5,7,8). {Was sore troubled} (adˆmon"n). Periphrastic imperfect again (repeat ˆn) of the old word adˆmone" either from an unused adˆm"n (a privative and demos, away from home, homesick) or from adˆm"n, adˆsai (discontent, bewilderment). The _Vocabulary_ of Moulton and Milligan gives one papyrus example in line with the latter etymology. See already #Mt 26:37; Mr 14:33. In any case the distress of Epaphroditus was greatly increased when he knew that the Philippians (the home-folks) had learned of his illness, "because ye had heard that he was sick" (dioti ekousate hoti ˆsthenˆse), "because ye heard that he fell sick" (ingressive aorist). {He was sick} (ˆsthenˆse). Ingressive aorist, "he did become sick." {Nigh unto death} (paraplˆsion qanatwi). Only example in N.T. of this compound adverbial preposition (from the adjective paraplˆsios) with the dative case.
