Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
17. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice 17. Quin etiam si immoler super hostia et
and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with sacrificio fidei vestrae, gaudeo et congaudeo
you all.
vobis omnibus.
18. For the same cause also do ye joy, and
rejoice with me.
18. De hoc ipso gaudete, et congaudete mihi.
19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send 19. Spero autem in Domino, Timotheum
Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be brevi me ad vos missurum, ut ego tranquillo sim
of good comfort, when I know your state. animo, postquam statum vestrum cognoverim.
20. For I have no man likeminded, who will 20. Neminem enim habeo pari animo
naturally care for your state.
praeditum, qui germane res vestras curaturus sit.
21. For all seek their own, not the things 21. Omnes enim quae sua sunt quaerunt: non
which are Jesus Christ’s.
quae sunt Christi Iesu.
22. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a 22. Porro experimentum eius tenetis, quod
son with the father, he hath served with me in the tanquam cum patre filius, ita mecum servivit in
gospel.
Euangelium.
23. Him therefore I hope to send presently, 23. Hunc igitur spero me missurum, simulac
so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. mea negotia videro.
24. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself 24. Confido autem in Domino quod ipse
shall come shortly.
quoque brevi sim venturus.
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 Romans 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
138 Paul’s statement here is interpreted by Dr. John Brown as equivalent to the following: — “If my life be poured out as a
libation over your conversion to Christ, ‘I joy and rejoice with you all.’ It could not be better sacrificed than in the cause of his
glory and your salvation.” — Brown’s Discourses and Sayings of our Lord illustrated, vol. 3 p. 379. — Ed.
139 “Pour tuer les bestes qu’on doit sacrifier;” — “For killing the animals that ought to be sacrificed.”
140 See Liv. 50:1, c. 31, ad fin. — Ed.
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John Calvin