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25. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ. As against the less obligatory call for Timothy’s journey. There was a duty, to Epaphroditus and to Philippi, and it must not be postponed.
ἡγησάμην. Render, in English idiom, “I have counted,” or “I count.” The aorist is “epistolary,” and gives the writer’s present thought as it will appear when the reader gets the letter. (Cp. e.g. ἀνέπεμψα, Phm 1:11.)
Ἐπαφρόδιτον. He has been identified with Epaphras (Col 1:7; Col 4:12; Phm 1:23); and the shorter name is an abbreviation of the longer. But Epaphras belonged to Colossæ in Asia Minor, Epaphroditus to Philippi in Europe. Both names were very common.—It is observable that this saint’s name embodies that of Aphrodite. Cp. the names Phœbe, Nereus, &c., Romans 16. Little scruple seems to have been attached in the early Church to the retention of pre-baptismal idolatrous names.—We know Epaphroditus only from this Epistle; the one brief portrait shews a noble and lovable character.
τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ συνεργὸν καὶ συνστρατιώτην μου. A singularly emphatic commendation. Evidently he had toiled and striven “in the Gospel,” in no common way, at St Paul’s side, whether at Philippi in the past or now recently at Rome, as Lightfoot suggests. For the word συνστρατιώτης cp. Phm 1:2, where it is applied to Archippus; and for the imagery of warfare cp. 2Co 10:3; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:3-4. The Christian is not only a worker, but in his work has to deal, soldier-wise, with “all the power of the enemy” (Luk 10:19).
ὑμῶν δὲ ἀπόστολον. “Your delegated messenger.” Cp. 2Co 8:23; ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν, ἀπόστολοι ἐκκλησιῶν. There is no Scripture evidence for giving the word ἀπόστολος in N.T. the meaning of chief pastor of a church or district. Meanwhile, it seems to mean more than merely a messenger; it has gathered a certain sacredness from our Lord’s use of it (Luk 6:13) for His twelve chosen Messengers; it has a religious colour, like our word missionary. May not this word fairly represent it here?—“your missionary to me,” with a gracious pleasantly, as if the Philippians were sending a εὐαγγέλιον of pious love to St Paul.
λειτουργὸν τῆς χρείας μου. Group these words, as does R.V., still under the ὑμῶν just above: “Your missionary and minister to (lit., of) my need.” The λειτουργία is explained below, Php 4:18, where Epaphroditus appears as the conveyer of the Philippian offerings to St Paul.—Λειτουργός is a public servant or minister. At Athens, λειτουργία and λειτουργεῖν (the noun has not yet been found in this use, though it is more than probable that it bore it) denoted the discharge of a public office at the citizen’s own cost. Later, the meaning widened, but commonly retaining the idea of publicity and commission. In the Greek Scriptures λειτουργός is used of a king’s servant (1Ki 10:5); of a magistrate, as the minister of God’s order (Rom 13:6); of a priest, as minister of the temple (Heb 8:2).—Like ἀπόστολος above, λειτουργός here may carry something of its higher meaning; he came publicly commissioned by the Philippians’ love.