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Theophile2 -> RE: The Drink Offering (8/9/2008 8:38:19 AM)
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quote:
2:17 being poured out. From the Gr. that means “to be offered as a libation or drink offering.” Some connect this with Paul’s future martyrdom, but the verb is in the present tense, which means he is referring to his sacrificial ministry among the Philippians. drink offering. This refers to the topping off of an ancient animal sacrifice. The offerer poured wine either in front of or on top of the burning animal and the wine would be vaporized. That steam symbolized the rising of the offering to the deity for whom the sacrifice was made (cf. Ex. 29:38–41; 2 Kin. 16:13; Jer. 7:18; Hos. 9:4). Paul viewed his entire life as a drink offering, and here it was poured on the Philippians’ sacrificial service. service of your faith. “Service” comes from a word that refers to sacred, priestly service (cf. Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 9:12) and was so used in the Gr. OT. Paul sees the Philippians as priests who were offering their lives sacrificially and faithfully in service to God (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9). John Jr MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville: Word Pub., 1997, c1997), Php 2:17. quote:
The libation-wine, set apart from its common use, serving as an expression of joy (Ps. 104:15; Eccles. 10:19), as an image of quickening grace (Prov. 9:2; Isaiah 55:1), as a sweet savor (2 Cor. 3:15; Rom. 15:16), serves to represent the Apostle (separated from them by his δεσμοί), as giving up his personal and official ego, his life and his desires, pouring out in a martyr’s death his blood as a sweet savor. John Peter Lange, Philip Schaff, Karl Braune and Horatio B. Hackett, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures : Philippians (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2008), 42. quote:
My life’s blood is to be poured out like an offering translates a single Greek verb, which means literally “I am poured out” (that is, as a libation or drink offering). The drink offering was usually a cup of wine poured out on the ground to honor a deity. When used of a person, the verb denotes a violent or bloody death. This kind of offering was common in both pagan and Jewish worship (cf. Num 15.3–10). In talking about the possibility of his martyrdom, Paul likens his life’s blood to a drink offering poured out to honor God (cf. Rom 15.16; 2 Tim 4.6). The possibility of death is for Paul not a cause for grief, but of joy. This joy is based on the confidence that death will be a gain, because by it Christ will be glorified and the gospel proclaimed. Here again we have the characteristic refrain of this letter, “joy” and “you all.” In this verse and the following, Paul employs the verb “to rejoice” twice, and also its compound “to rejoice with” twice. Here he says I am glad and share my joy with you all. If that is so refers, not to the sacrifice that your faith offers to God, but to the possibility of Paul’s death. Therefore if that is so may by rendered as “if that turns out to be the case,” or “if I die.” I-Jin Loh and Eugene Albert Nida, A Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Philippians, Originally Published: A Translators Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Philippians, c1977., UBS Helps for translators; UBS handbook series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1995], c1977), 74-76. In other words, we can take Paul's reference to the sacrificial system as describing: the primacy he places on his service to God over and above his own life, a sacrifice he willingly makes - poured out - as a sweet savor to God; his allusion to the possibility of being martyred, and his internal peace with that possibility, for as he said previously: Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. How do you, manichunter, take this teaching and make it a practical application in your life? Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf. 2Co 5:15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. ... consider also, would you be willing to die for your faith? If someone was threatening you to deny Christ or die for your profession of faith in Christ - which choice would you make? [sm=icon_smile_fish.gif]
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