Commentators sense that Paul’s commendation of Epaphroditus has been influenced by the portrayal of Jesus in the Christ Hymn—e.g., “Christ was accomplishing his will and doing his work through Epaphroditus” (Hansen 2009, 208; cf. O’Brien 1991, 342-343; Bockmuehl 1998, 174). The most obvious connection is Jesus’ having become obedient unto death [μέχρι θανάτου]” (Phil 2:8), to which may be compared Epaphroditus’ drawing nigh “unto death [identically]” (2:30a). Then there are the following portrayals to which this paper shall draw attention: “Since he was longing for you all” (2:26a); “and troubled because you heard that he was sick” (2:26b); and “but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, in order that I might not have grief upon grief” (2:27b-c). These formal correspondences can be linked to the portrayal of Jesus in especially Matthew’s gospel (cf. 26:37; 25:36; 9:27, respectively). Not only did Paul regard Epaphroditus’ selflessness toward the Philippian Christians to be noble and imitable in its own right (cf. Phil 2:2-3), but precisely in his inabilities to measure up to what was expected of him—in his failures—Epaphroditus resembled Jesus as the horrors of the Passion closed in on him at Gethsemane (Mt 26:37; cf. Mk 14:33).