Teks -- Philippians 2:17 (NET)

2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Phi 2:17 - And if I am offered

And if I am offered ( ei kai spendomai ).

Though I am poured out as a libation. Old word. In N.T. only here and 2Ti 4:6. Paul pictures his life-blood as being poured upon (uncertain whether heathen or Jewish offerings meant and not important) the sacrifice and service of the faith of the Philippians in mutual service and joy (both chairō and sunchairō twice in the sentence). Joy is mutual when the service is mutual. Young missionaries offer their lives as a challenge to other Christians to match their money with their blood.

Vincent: Phi 2:17 - I am offered

I am offered ( σπένδομαι )

Lit., I am poured out as a libation . The figure is that of a sacrifice, in which the Philippians are the priests, offering their faith to God, and Paul's life is the libation poured out at this offering. Compare 2Co 12:15; 2Ti 4:6. Ignatius: " Brethren, I am lavishly poured out in love for you" (Philadelphia, 5).

Vincent: Phi 2:17 - Upon the sacrifice, etc

Upon the sacrifice, etc. ( ἐπί )

The image is probably drawn from heathen rather than from Jewish sacrifices, since Paul was writing to converted heathen. According to Josephus, the Jewish libation was poured round and not upon the altar; but the preposition ἐπί used here, was also used to describe it. At all events, ἐπί may be rendered at , which would suit either.

Vincent: Phi 2:17 - Sacrifice and service

Sacrifice and service ( θυσίᾳ καὶ λειτουργίᾳ )

Sacrifice , as uniformly in the New Testament, the thing sacrificed . Service , see on ministration , Luk 1:23, and see on ministered , Act 13:2. In the Old Testament, used habitually of the ministry of priests and Levites; also of Samuel's service to God; 1Sa 2:18; 1Sa 3:1. Of service to men, 1Ki 1:4, 1Ki 1:15. In the apostolic writings this and its kindred words are used of services to both God and man. See Rom 13:6; Rom 15:16; Luk 1:23; Rom 15:27; 2Co 9:12; Phi 2:25.

Vincent: Phi 2:17 - Of your faith

Of your faith

Offered by you as a sacrifice to God.

Vincent: Phi 2:17 - Rejoice with

Rejoice with ( συγχαίρω )

There seems to be no sufficient reason for rendering congratulate .

Wesley: Phi 2:17

Here he begins to treat of the latter clause of Phi 1:22. Yea, and if I be offered - Literally, If I be poured out.

Wesley: Phi 2:17 - Upon the sacrifice of your faith

The Philippians, as the other converted heathens, were a sacrifice to God through St. Paul's ministry, Rom 15:16. And as in sacrificing, wine was poured at the foot of the altar, so he was willing that his blood should be poured out. The expression well agrees with that kind of martyrdom by which he was afterwards offered up to God.

JFB: Phi 2:17 - Yea, and if

Rather as Greek, "Yea, if even"; implying that he regarded the contingency as not unlikely: He had assumed the possibility of his being found alive at Christ's coming (for in every age Christ designed Christians to stand in preparedness for His coming as at hand): he here puts a supposition which he regards as more likely, namely, his own death before Christ's coming.

JFB: Phi 2:17 - I be offered

Rather as Greek, "I am poured out." "I am made a libation." Present, not future, as the danger is threatening him now. As in sacrifices libations of wine were "poured upon" the offerings, so he represents his Philippian converts, offered through faith (or else their faith itself), as the sacrifice, and his blood as the libation "poured upon" it (compare Rom 15:16; 2Ti 4:6).

JFB: Phi 2:17 - service

Greek, "priest's ministration"; carrying out the image of a sacrifice.

JFB: Phi 2:17 - I joy

For myself (Phi 1:21, Phi 1:23). His expectation of release from prison is much fainter, than in the Epistles to Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon, written somewhat earlier from Rome. The appointment of Tigellinus to be Prætorian Prefect was probably the cause of this change. See Introduction.

JFB: Phi 2:17 - rejoice with you all

ALFORD translates, "I congratulate you all," namely on the honor occurring to you by my blood being poured out on the sacrifice of your faith. If they rejoiced already (as English Version represents), what need of his urging them, "Do ye also joy."

Clarke: Phi 2:17 - Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service

Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service - The metaphor appears to be still carried on. As it was customary for the weather-beaten mariner, when he had gained his port, to offer a sacrifice, θυσια, to God, of some particular animal which he had vowed while in his state of danger, and this was considered to be a religious service, λειτουργια· the apostle, pursuing the idea, states himself to be willing to become the libation, (for so much the word σπενδομαι imports), that was to be poured upon the sacrifice. Parkhurst observes that the apostle compares the faith of the Philippians to the sacrificial victim, and his own blood shed in martyrdom to the libation, i.e. the wine poured out on occasion of the sacrifice. Raphelius observes that Arrian uses the phrase σπενδειν επι τῃ θυσιᾳ for pouring out the libation after the sacrifice. The apostle had guided them safely into port; their faith in the atoning death of Christ was their sacrifice; and he was willing that his blood in martyrdom should be poured out as a libation on that sacrificial offering.

Calvin: Phi 2:17 - If I should be offered // I rejoice with you,

17.If I should be offered ¹³⁸ The Greek word is σπένδομαι, and accordingly there appears to be an allusion to those animals, by the slaughter of which agreements and treaties were confirmed among the ancients. For the Greeks specially employ the term σπονδὰς to denote the victims by which treaties are confirmed. In this way, he calls his death the confirmation of their faith, which it certainly would be. That, however, the whole passage may be more clearly understood, he says that he offered sacrifice to God, when he consecrated them by the gospel. There is a similar expression in Rom 15:16; for in that passage he represents himself as a priest, who offers up the Gentiles to God by the gospel. Now, as the gospel is a spiritual sword for slaying victims, ¹³⁹ so faith is, as it were, the oblation; for there is no faith without mortification, by means of which we are consecrated to God.

He makes use of the terms, καὶ λειτουργίαν — sacrifice and service, the former of which refers to the Philippians, who had been offered up to God; and the latter to Paul, for it is the very act of sacrificing. The term, it is true, is equivalent to administration, and thus it includes functions and offices of every kind; but here it relates properly to the service of God — corresponding to the phrase made use of by the Latins — operari sacris — (to be employed in sacred rites ¹⁴⁰) Now Paul says that he will rejoice, if he shall be offered up upon a sacrifice of this nature — that it may be the more ratified and confirmed. This is to teach the gospel from the heart — when we are prepared to confirm with our own blood what we teach.

From this, however, a useful lesson is to be gathered as to the nature of faith — that it is not a vain thing, but of such a nature as to consecrate man to God. The ministers of the gospel have, also, here a singular consolation in being called priests of God, to present victims to him; ¹⁴¹ for with what ardor ought that man to apply himself to the pursuit of preaching, who knows that this is an acceptable sacrifice to God! The wretched Papists, having no knowledge of this kind of sacrifice, contrive another, which is utter sacrilege.

I rejoice with you, says he — so that if it should happen that he died, they would know that this took place for their profit, and would receive advantage from his death.

TSK: Phi 2:17 - and if // offered // the sacrifice // I joy

and if : Phi 2:30, Phi 1:20; Act 20:24, Act 21:13; 2Co 12:15; 1Th 2:8; 2Ti 4:6; 1Jo 3:16

offered : Gr. poured forth

the sacrifice : Phi 4:18; Rom 12:1, Rom 15:16; Heb 13:15, Heb 13:16; 1Pe 2:5

I joy : 2Co 7:4; Col 1:24; 1Th 3:7-9

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Phi 2:17 - Yea, and if I be offered // Upon the sacrifice // And service of your faith // I joy // And rejoice with you all

Yea, and if I be offered: that he might further confirm and encourage them in their duty, he doth not here conclude the certainty of his death, at his first imprisonment, having expressed before some confidence of his surviving it, Phi 1:19,25 ; but, in imitation of Christ, the good Shepherd, Joh 10:11 , to demonstrate his constant affection to them, (as he doth to others, 2Co 12:15 1Th 2:8 ), he argues upon supposition of his own death, which might afterwards happen, 2Ti 4:6 ; using an elegant allegory, borrowed from legal offerings, Lev 2:6 Num 15:5,7 Nu 23:4 Jud 11:13 ; to show that he could cheerfully lay down his life for their salvation; not for reconciling them to God, for that was done before by Christ’ s own offering up himself, Heb 7:27 , a sacrifice of a sweet smell unto God, Eph 5:2 ; but whereby they might be confirmed in the faith sealed with his blood, for bearing witness to Christ, precious to God, Psa 116:15 . The Greek word he hath here, is borrowed from the usage in sacrificing, of pouring wine or oil upon the victim, Exo 30:9 2Ki 16:13 Jer 19:13 , when that which was poured forth was called the drink-offering, to the confirming of covenants.

Upon the sacrifice by sacrifice, he means either specially their alms, prepared by them, and presented by Epaphroditus, for supporting him in his sufferings, and in the person of the apostle offered up unto God, Phi 4:18 2Co 9:12 ; or, more generally, the Philippians’ conversion, because sanctified by a principle of faith, and so made a sacrifice. For he doth more than once write of believers being offered, and resigned to God, under the notion of a sacrifice, Rom 12:1 15:16 ; and so doth another, 1Pe 2:5 .

And service of your faith to bring them unto which by his ministration, was a very pleasing service to him, who by pouring out his blood in this martyrdom, would confirm the doctrine of the gospel, or new covenant, and fix it more strongly in the hearts of them and others of God’ s chosen people.

I joy whereupon he expresseth his joy and delight in that, which, upon this supposition, would in the issue be so much to their honour and advantage, when it should seem good to the Lord. They would reckon it no small honour, to have him, the apostle that planted the gospel amongst them, satisfied in their vouching of the truth, which therefore could not but be profitable to the establishing of them in it, who had cordially embraced it.

And rejoice with you all whereupon he doth heartily congratulate with each of them, the meanest as well as the greatest of them, who would be so privileged.

Haydock: Phi 2:17 - and if I be made a victim upon the sacrifice

and if I be made a victim upon the sacrifice [5] and service of your faith, I rejoice, &c. The sense of these obscure words seems to be: that I shall rejoice, and you also may rejoice and congratulate with me, if after having first offered up you faith and obedience to the gospel, as an acceptable sacrifice to God, I myself (or my blood, by martyrdom) be also added, and poured out as a second sacrifice upon the other. It is be understood with an allusion to those sacrifices of the old law called libations, consisting of liquid things, as wine, oil, blood, which were poured out, or at least sprinkled, upon other victims and things sacrificed: so that he compares the shedding of his blood to these libations, and their submission to the faith of Christ to the sacrifice before offered to God. (Witham)

===============================

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Sed etsi immolor super sacrificium, et obsequium fidei vestræ, Greek: alla ei kai spendoma: epi to thusia, kai leitourgia tes pisteos umon: spendesthai, est libari, eo modo quo sanguis effunditur super sacrificia.

====================

Gill: Phi 2:17 - Yea, and if I be offered // Upon the sacrifice and service of your faith // I joy and rejoice with you all

Yea, and if I be offered,.... Or "poured out", as the drink offerings of wine or oil were; meaning the effusion of his blood, which he compares to a libation, or drink offering, which was poured upon the sacrifice; and the laying down of his life for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel: which he knew not how soon might be, though he was in some hopes of a deliverance for the present, and therefore speaks of it in an hypothetical way: yet he expected it sooner or later; and that whenever it was, it would be as the libation upon the offering,

Upon the sacrifice and service of your faith; he had been the means of bringing them to the faith of Christ, in which they were an offering acceptable to God, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost; see Rom 15:16; and should he suffer and shed his blood in the cause of Christ, it would be as a libation on them, as a sacrifice; it would be for the sake of preaching the doctrine of faith, by which they were brought to believe on Christ; and it would be for the further confirmation of their faith, and as a drink offering acceptable unto God; upon all which accounts it would be matter of joy to him,

I joy and rejoice with you all; meaning at his sufferings and death, and the advantages thereof to Christ, to his churches, and to himself.