Philippians 2:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“But even if I am being poured out as a sacrifice.” He did not say, “But even if I die,” just as in the Epistle to Timothy he used the same word, saying, “For I am already being poured out as a sacrifice” (2 Tim 4:6). He both consoles them concerning his death and teaches them willingly to endure death for Christ. I become, he says, as it were a libation and a sacrifice. O blessed soul! He calls their being brought to faith a sacrifice. Truly, to offer a soul in sacrifice is much better than to offer oxen. Therefore, if I also join myself to this offering as a libation, I rejoice, he says, over my death. He hints at this when he says: “Upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice together with you all.” Why do you rejoice together? Do you see how he shows that they too must rejoice? I rejoice, he says, because I become a recompense. And I rejoice together, as one who offers the sacrifice.

Although I die, he says, for he calls death an offering in sacrifice, I become a sacrifice upon the sacrifice and ministry of your faith. That is, first I made you a sacrifice to God, dedicated you to the service of God, and first made you believers. But in view of death I am not at all grieved. Rather, I rejoice and rejoice together with you all. I rejoice that I am becoming a sacrifice, and I rejoice together with you because I offer your faith to Christ as a sacrifice.

But if I am also offered in sacrifice, in sacred vows, for the sake of the service of your faith, then I rejoice and rejoice together with you all, if you prove worthy of this.

The Apostle said "of your faith" instead of "of the faith of all who came to believe through him." I rejoice and delight as a sacrifice offered to God for your faith. You also ought to share in my gladness. He says this to comfort them and to show the greatness of martyrdom, because it takes the place of a libation and sacrifice.

"If I am being poured out upon the sacrifice and service of your faith." The Apostle is offered in sacrifice for the very thing that is the object of faith, service, and sacrifices for the Philippians. Therefore he wished them not to murmur in sufferings (Phil 2:14), but rather to rejoice, lest they lose their reward. He wished them to look on his sufferings with the same joy as on a sacrifice pleasing to God.

Having explained the highest example of humility and patience in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle also showed us the foundation for these virtues. We have nothing of our own that would exalt us; everything belongs to the cooperating grace of God. Therefore the Apostle commands us to do all things without murmuring against men and without disputing. That is, we must act without doubts and wavering of faith in the providence of God, as befits “blameless children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” Pointing also to his own example, the Apostle informs his Philippian disciples that.

Knowing the Philippians' love for him, the Apostle urges them to hold firmly to the word of life preached to them. Thus his labor among them would not only be not in vain, but would also serve as his boast at the future judgment. “By setting this forth in relation to himself, he also inspires them with the same hopes. For if his labor in preaching will be crowned, then their following of this preaching will also be crowned” (Bishop Theophan). “The Apostle calls the bringing of the Philippians to faith a sacrifice.” And by saying, “rejoice and rejoice together,” he also inspires them to endure sufferings. I rejoice, he says, over what I have already endured, over what I am enduring, and over what lies before me to endure. I am ready with joy for every kind of death.

The aim Christians must have in view, while refraining from murmuring and doubts, is that they become blameless before the judgment of God and free from the stains of sin (ακέραιοι). Thus they are to become true children of God, upon whom the terrible sentence will not fall. That sentence will fall upon the crooked and perverse children among whom the Philippians, preserving the word of life, or the Gospel, appear like lamps of the world. This will give the Apostle great joy, when he sees that his labors have not been in vain. To show how much the firmness of the Philippians in preserving the Gospel rejoices him, the Apostle says this.

Having such assurance, he says, and nourishing such definite and undoubted hopes, I rejoice within myself even though I must suffer for your conversion to the faith. I also rejoice together with all of you, because I have succeeded in bringing you onto the right path of salvation toward the receiving of eternal blessedness. Just as I rejoice within myself and rejoice together with you, so also rejoice within yourselves that you are walking the right path toward eternal blessedness. Rejoice together with me, because through you my inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ is increased. The Apostle wishes to say this: our path is sure, and we are walking according to God. There is no need to be troubled by hardships.