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Php_2:17. The connection of ideas is this: What Paul had said in Php_2:16 : εἰς καύχημα κ . τ . λ ., presupposed, in the first place, that he himself would live to see the further development described in Php_2:15 : ἵνα γένησθε ἄμεμπτοι . Now, however, he puts the opposite case, so as to elevate his readers to the right point of view for this also, and says: “But even if I should be put to death in my vocation dedicated to your faith,” etc. Van Hengel finds in these words the contrast to the hope of living to see the Parousia. But this hope is not expressed in what precedes, since the result εἰς καύχημα κ . τ . λ . was conditioned, not by the apostle’s living to see the Parousia, but only by his living to see the described perfection of his readers; inasmuch as, even when arisen at the Parousia, he might glory in what he had lived to see in the Philippians. Many others are satisfied with making these words express merely a climax (in relation to ἐκοπίασα ) (see especially Heinrichs and Matthies); but this is erroneous, because ἐκοπίασα in the preceding verse is neither the main idea, nor specially indicative of tribulation. Arbitrary and entirely unnecessary is, further, the assumption of an opponent’s objection (“at vero imminent tristissima!”) to which Paul replies; or the explanation of ἀλλά by the intervening thought: “non, ie n’ai pas travaillé en vain, mais au contraire,” etc., Rilliet; comp. also Erasmus, Paraphr. In a similar but direct way Hofmann gains for ἀλλά the explanation, but on the contrary, by connecting it antithetically with the preceding negative clauses ὅτι οὐκ εἰς κενόν κ . τ . λ ., which, with the right explanation of the following words, is impossible. According to de Wette (comp. also Storr and Flatt), Php_2:17 connects itself with Php_1:26, so that ἀλλά forms a contrast to Php_2:25, and all that intervenes is a digression. But how could any reader guess at this? The suggestion is the more groundless, on account of the χαίρω in Php_2:17 corresponding so naturally and appositely with the καύχημα in Php_2:16.
εἰ καὶ κ . τ . λ .] if I even (which I will by no means call in question) should be poured out, etc. On the concessive sense of εἰ καί (1Co_4:7; 2Co_4:3; 2Co_4:16; 2Co_5:16; 2Co_7:8, al.), see Herm. ad Viger. p. 832; Klotz, ad Devar. p. 519. The case supposed is thus rendered more probable than by the reading of E G, καὶ εἰ (even assuming that I). Stallbaum, ad Plat. Ap. S. p. 32 A; Gorg. p. 509 A; Schmalf. Syntax d. Verb. sec. 99 f. The protasis beginning with ἀλλʼ εἰ καί extends to τ . πίστ . ὑμῶν . As in Php_2:12, so also here Hofmann makes the violent assumption that the apodosis already begins at ἐπὶ τ . θυσίᾳ κ . τ . λ . with σπένδομαι again to be supplied, whilst at the same time there is imputed to this ἐπὶ τ . θυσίᾳ κ . τ . λ ., in order to give an appropriate turn to the assumed antithesis for ἀλλά , a tenor of thought which the words do not bear; see below.
σπένδομαι ] I become offered as a, libation, poured out as a drink-offering (2Ti_4:6, frequently in all classical writers; see also Schleusner, Thes. V. p. 79; Suicer, Thes. II. p. 993). The sense stripped of figure is: if even my blood is shed, if even I should be put to death.[132] Paul represents his apostolic exertions for the faith of the Philippians as an offering (comp. Rom_15:16); if he is therein put to death, he is, by means of the shedding of his blood in this sacrifice, made a libation, just as among the Jews (Num_28:7; Num_15:4 ff.; Joseph. Antt. iii. 9. 4; see generally, Ewald, Alterth. p. 46 f.; Saalschütz, M. R. p. 314 f.) in the sacrifices, together with meat-offerings, libations of wine were made, which were poured upon the ground from sacred vessels ( σπονδεῖα ) at the altar. As to the Hellenic sacrificial libations, see Hermann, Gottesd. Alterth. § 25, 15 f. On the figurative representation of the shedding of blood as a σπονδή , comp. Anthol. ix. 184. 6: ξίφος αἷμα τυράννων ἔσπεισεν , Ignatius, Romans 2; σπονδισθῆναι Θεῷ ὡς ἔτι θυσιαστήριον ἑτοιμὸν ἐστί .
The present tense is used, because Paul has strongly in view his present danger (Php_1:20 ff.); Kühner, II, 1, p. 119 f. Rilliet (comp. Wetstein) takes the passive erroneously: I am besprinkled (which also does not correspond with the present tense), making Paul say, “que la libation préparatoire du sacrifice a coulé sur sa tête.” Confusion with κατασπένδεσθαι , Plut. Alex. 50, de def. orac. 46; Strabo, iv. p. 197; Eur. Or. 1239; Antip. Sid. 73 (Anthol. 7:27).
ἐπὶ τ . θυσ . κ . λειτ . τ . π . ὑμ .] at the sacrifice and priestly service of your faith, that is, whilst I present your faith as a sacrifice and perform priestly service in respect to it; the sense of this, stripped of the figure, is: whilst I, by furtherance of your faith in Christ, serve God, as by the offering and priestly ministration of a sacrifice. τῆς πίστ . is the object which is conceived as sacrificed and undergoing priestly ministration; ΘΥΣΊᾼ and ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΊᾼ have one article in common, and are thereby joined so as to form one conception. But ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΊᾼ (priestly function, comp. Luk_1:23; Heb_8:6; Heb_9:21, and frequently in the LXX.; see Schleusner, Thes.; comp. also Diod. Sic. i. 21, and, for the figurative use of the word, Rom_15:16; Rom_15:27) is added by the apostle as a more precise definition, because the mere θυσίᾳ would leave it uncertain whether he was to be considered as a priest, whereas Paul desires expressly to describe himself as such. θυσίᾳ , as always in the N. T., is sacrifice, so that the idea is: at the sacrifice and priestly service of your faith; hence there is no necessity for taking it as sacrificing, or the act of sacrifice (Herod. iv. 60, viii. 99; Herodian, viii. 3. 5, i. 36. 12, al.). The ἐπί , however, is simply to be taken as at, as in Php_1:3 and frequently; not as to, in addition to (Beza, Raphel, Matthies, de Wette, Weiss, and many others; comp. also Hofmann), or with the Vulgate as supra (Heinrichs, Hoelemann, van Hengel), in the sense of the (heathen) mode[133] of the libation, an interpretation which should have been precluded by the addition of the abstract κ . λειτουργ . Finally, although Paul’s official activity concerned the faith of all his churches, he says ὑμῶν with the same right of individualizing reference as in δἰ ὑμᾶς at Php_1:24 and many other passages. The passage is peculiarly misunderstood by Hofmann, who holds that ἐπί has the sense in association with; that τῆς πίστεως ὑμ . is the genitive of apposition to θυσίᾳ and λειτουργ .; that the sacrificing and ministering subject is not the apostle, but the Philippian church, which, when it became believing, had presented its own sacrifice to God, and has been constantly honouring Him with its own work of service. Accordingly Paul says that, even though his labours should end in a violent death, yet the shedding of his blood would not be an isolated drink-offering, but would associate itself with their sacrifice. But this would only make him say, with artificial mysteriousness, something which is perfectly self-evident (namely: after that ye became believers, and whilst ye are believers). Moreover, ἐπί would thus be made to express two very different relations, namely, with τῇ θυσίᾳ after, after that, and with the λειτουργίᾳ at, during. And how could a reader discover from the mere ἐπί κ . τ . λ . the alleged antithetical reference of an isolated drink-offering, especially as no antithesis of the persons is even indicated by ὑμῶν being placed first (immediately after ἐπί )? The entire explanation is a forced artificial expedient in consequence of the mistaken assumption that an apodosis begins after σπένδομαι , and a new section sets in with χαίρω .[134]
ΧΑΊΡΩ ] Apodosis down to ὙΜῖΝ : I rejoice, not at the θυσία κ . λειτουργία τῆς πίστ . ὑμ (Chrysostom, who connects ἘΠῚ Τ . ΘΥΣ . Κ . Τ . Λ . with ΧΑΊΡΩ ; comp. Oecumenius; so also Rilliet), for it is mere arbitrariness to separate the sacrificial expressions ΣΠΈΝΔΟΜΑΙ and ἘΠῚ Τ . ΘΥΣΊᾼ Κ . Τ . Λ . and attach them to different parts of the sentence, and because ΧΑΊΡΩ , as the point of the apodosis, would have been placed before ἐπὶ τ . θυσ . κ . τ . λ .; but at the σπένδεσθαι : I rejoice to be employed for so sacred a destination. Theophylact appropriately remarks: οὐχ ὡς ὁ ἀποθανούμενος λυποῦμαι , ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρω … ὅτι σπονδὴ γίνομαι , and Theodoret: ΤΑῦΤΑ ΔῈ ΛΈΓΕΙ ΨΥΧΑΓΩΓῶΝ ΑὐΤΟῪς Κ . ΔΙΔΆΣΚΩΝ ΤΟῦ ΜΑΡΤΥΡΊΟΥ ΤῸ ΜΈΓΕΘΟς . Comp. Grotius, Heinrichs. The ground of the apostle’s joy, assumed by many (including Flatt, Hoelemann, Matthies, de Wette): because my death will tend to the advantage of the gospel (Php_1:20), and also the interpretation of Weiss: that joy at the progress of the Philippians towards perfection is intended, are both quite gratuitously imported into the passage. The explanation of it as referring generally to inward joyfulness of faith (Wiesinger) or divine serenity (Ewald), does not correspond with the protasis, according to which it must be joyfulness in the prospect of death. “Even if I am compelled to die in this sacrificial service, I rejoice therein,” and that, indeed, now for the case supposed; hence not future.
καὶ συγχ . πᾶσιν ὑμῖν ] is wrongly explained by most commentators: “and I rejoice with you all” (so Chrysostom, Theophylact, Luther, Calvin, Heinrichs, Matthies, van Hengel, Rilliet, de Wette, Wiesinger, Ewald, Schneckenburger, Weiss, Hofmann, and many others); along with which explanation Chrysostom, Theophylact, and various of the older expositors, bring forward another ground for this joint joy than for the χαίρω (Chrysostom: ΧΑΊΡΩ ΜῈΝ , ὍΤΙ ΣΠΟΝΔΉ ΓΊΝΟΜΑΙ · ΣΥΓΧΑΊΡΩ ΔῈ , ὍΤΙ ΘΥΣΊΑΝ ΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓΚΏΝ ; comp. Schneckenburger). Decisive against this interpretation is the ΧΑΊΡΕΤΕ which follows in Php_2:18,—a summons which would be absurd, if ΣΝΓΧ . ὙΜ . meant: “I rejoice with you.” The Vulgate already rightly renders: congratulor (comp. Jerome, Beza, Castalio, Grotius, Storr, Flatt, Rheinwald, Hoelemann, Bisping, Ellicott, Lightfoot), I congratulate you, all, namely, on the fact that I am poured out in the service of your faith. Such a martyrdom, namely, for the sake of their faith, how it must have elevated and honoured the readers, their whole church; for such a martyr death concerned them all! Comp. on Eph_3:13; it redounds to their glory, if the apostle sheds his blood on account of their Christian standing established by him. It is in this light that Paul wishes his σπένδεσθαι , should it occur, to be regarded by his readers, and therefore gracefully and ingeniously represents it (though Hofmann holds this to be impossible) as something on which he must congratulate them all. Pauline linguistic usage is not to be urged in objection to this view (Weiss), as Paul employs συγχαίρω elsewhere only in the passages 1Co_12:26; 1Co_13:6, and these are balanced by Php_2:17-18 here. Van Hengel and de Wette have erroneously objected that it would have been ΣΥΓΧΑΊΡΟΜΑΙ (3Ma_1:8). The active as well as the middle may convey either meaning, to rejoice along with, or gratulari (Polyb. xxix. 29:7. 4, xxx. 10. 1; Plut. Mor. p. 231 B; 3Ma_1:8). See Valckenaer, Schol. I. p. 54.
[132] This (since the time of Chrysostom) unanimous interpretation of the figurative expression has been abandoned by Otto, Pastoralbr. p. 214 f., who explains it as referring, not to the shedding of blood, but to the severance of the apostle’s life in his vocation from intercourse with the world by his imprisonment. An abortive suggestion, the forced result of incorrect assumptions.
[133] On this mode of libation rests the expression ἐπισπένδειν , to pour a libation over something (Herod. ii. 39, iv. 60. 62, vii. 167; Aesch. Ag. 1395; Plut. Romans 4).
[134] In which χαίρω κ . σνγχαίρω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν are supposed to serve merely as an introduction for the exhortation which follows; thus Paul would be made to say, that even for that supposed case of the σπένδεσθαι he is in a joyful mood, and he rejoices with any person in the church whose heart is joyful (all this is supposed to be implied in πᾶσιν ὑμῖν !).