Philippians 2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
Sometimes translating from one language to another can be very difficult. Different people groups have a different set of reference points from which they draw as they communicate. 9/11 doesn’t have the same meaning to someone from South Africa as it does to New Yorkers. We all have a catalogue of experiences that get put into language that we use to communicate experiences. Think of all the times that quotes from movies or TV shows get entered into our daily scripts.
The movies produced in Bollywood in India have over a billion people as an audience. They don’t watch Hollywood movies nearly as often. They have their own selection of stories and images that get incorporated into everyday life that are quite distinct from our stories and images. We talk about a horse head placed in the bed of an enemy, an image for the Godfather, but the Indian people don’t have this as part of their vocabulary.
Now I want you to imagine allowing two thousand years to pass, and what you are reading has a picture that came directly from their culture, a culture very different from our culture today. How would you translate that picture? How much context would need to be known in order for you to understand the message that was conveyed with then use of that picture?
We have just such a picture in our text today. The words “I am being poured out like a drink offering” are one word in Greek, spendomai, the language of the text. We don’t have drink offerings that get poured out to a deity as part of our everyday life. That image is not part of our life vocabulary.
So as Paul writes these words he incorporates an image that both he and his audience would understand to convey a meaning that will enlighten them. So, in order to understand this verse, we need our experience vocabulary expanded. So here it goes.
Back then, sacrifices were offered to gods using fire, burning coals, animals, grains and drinks. The fire would be active and the animal, grain, or drink would be added to the fire, consuming the offering. Part of a sacrifice to a god was the cost of the offering. People would give their best in their attempts to influence the god to bring a better outcome in their lives.
Our text tells us that Paul is that sacrifice being offered. The fire is the “sacrifice and service coming from your faith.” Their obedience is what fuels the flames. And Paul is happy to give his best to ensure that their obedience continues. He willingly gives himself up for them.
Of course the offering gets used up when it is offered. The wine, once it hits the flames, is no longer drinkable, and soon evaporates and the sugars are burned leaving no trace of its presence. Only the fire continues.
We are either the fire or the drink offering. We are either obedient to our faith, or we are expending ourselves for the sake of others. Paul willingly places himself on their fire. His obedience to share the Gospel brought about their conversion and obedience. It cost Paul to share the Gospel.
They received what Paul gave, and it turned into a sacrifice acceptable to the LORD. Their obedience fueled an offering that continued to multiply those who came to faith in Christ. Their actions are still encouraging us even today. We read this text and we are challenged to be more obedient and more willing to offer ourselves for others.
The Arnold Journey 