If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith--Observe
I.
The sacrifice of faith. Christ is the only true sacrifice, faith offers it--every one must offer it for himself.
II. The libation. The blood of the martyrs--joyfully offered--in defence of the truth, and for the confirmation of our faith. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The law of the Christian life
The sacrifices of the Jews were not all sombre ceremonials. A solemn oppression rested on the people on the great day of Atonement; and it was not until the High Priest returned from the Most Holy Place, and proclaimed by His presence that the ceremonial was ended, that the people were able to breathe in gladness again. But there was one special festival which was of a joyous character--the whole burnt offering, or “splendour” offering, which was an expression of gratitude to God for His goodness. This was the service in which beasts in multitude smoked upon the altar, and wine was poured out in libation. It was to this that the apostle here refers. He delighted to think of humanity as presented in offering to the most Holy One--all presenting to God their faith and sacrifice, and to have part in such service was his highest joy. Life itself might be freely poured out upon it in libation. Christian history furnishes us with the reality of these two types. When the Saviour hung on Calvary, the sin-offering, there was no room for any but solemn accessories. “There was darkness,” etc.; but when He returned the whole spirit of piety was altered and enlarged. Sadness gave way to joy; death, suffering, endurance, became charged with joyous inspiration; so that the very word “sacrifice” took on a new significance.
I. In Christian service there must be sacrifice.
1. This is the law of Christian life. “If any man will come after me,” etc.
2. It is the impulse of Christian affection. “Enough for the disciple to be as his Lord.”
3. It is the revelation of a higher righteousness. “It is better to suffer,” etc., because “Christ also suffered the just,” etc.
4. It is the assurance of triumph and the way to spiritual influence. “If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him.”
(1) The spirit of sacrifice is the possession of all Christians.
(2) But there are those whose suffering is more conspicuous than that of others. Men foremost in office. “The Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” These draw most opposition. The qualities which make them worthy of confidence mark them out. Duty demands that they should be faithful in times of danger; and in times of peace they find room to offer themselves. A long life spent in Christ’s cause is as truly poured out as that which is cut short by the axe.
(3) There are others who, by a necessity of their being, cannot serve without sacrificing themselves. There is feeling in all their labour, and feeling wears out more than toil.
II. Faith knows how to vindicate and approve the law of sacrifice.
1. The cause of humanity is justly held to vindicate all the sacrifices that individual men can make to it. That story of Marcus Curtius, who threw himself into the gulf opened in the forum at Rome, is one of the noblest legends of history. Now and then we are thrilled by records of shipwreck, how that officers stand on the quarter-deck and go down with the ship. To what purpose is this waste? The cause of humanity demands it, and he would be a dastard who would count his own life dearer than that of the tiniest child. The gifted must not alone enjoy their gifts, but lay them out in the service of the undistinguished.
2. The Christian cause is the cause of man. Philanthropy has drawn its inspiration from the life of Christ. What was the sacrifice of which the apostle speaks, and which missionaries offer? To free the heathen from their licentiousness, to throw a new glory on the lot of the slave, to light the pathway of the dying, to raise woman from her degradation, etc., etc. Whatever be the talk about humanity, the opportunity for serving it must be sought in the fellowship of Christ.
3. The service of Christian faith contemplates not only humanity but also God.
III. The sacrifice of faith is a common sacrifice. Paul aims to draw the Philippians into the fellowship of his own sacrificial ecstasy, and assumes that they are already in sympathy with him. He speaks of himself as the libation only, and of them us the sacrifice. He calls it the sacrifice and liturgy of their faith.
1. It is to their service that he is devoted; how, then, could they do other than join with him in the sacrificial spirit which possesses him. They cannot blame the enthusiasm which carried him into danger at Rome when they remembered the vision of the man of Macedonia.
2. It was their cause because it was the cause of Christ, and they were Christians. The same law and sacrifice was binding on them and on him; they would be as ready as he to be offered if the same call should come. Here are two thoughts which should reconcile us to sacrifice, particularly when witnessed in others.
(1) We are debtors for all we have to others. The woman experiencing the pangs of motherhood and the anxiety of a family is paying her debt to humanity, for she, too, once costed beneath a mother’s heart. The man toiling for his fellows is the son of a toil-worn generation.
(2) It is in us to offer ourselves when called upon. There is no tale of manful endurance or womanly self-devotion that does not thrill us. Why? Because of sympathy. It is only the expression of a common passion. There are differences of gifts, but it is the same spirit. The sacrifice of the missionary warrants and inspires our sacrifice. (A. Mackennal, D. D.)
The spirit of the martyrs
I. Faith. They died in faith for the faith.
II. Love--to Christ and His cause--to the brethren.
III. Joy, in the prospect of glory, of the benefit derived by the Church.
IV. Triumph over persecution and death. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The Christian service
I. The sacrifice. The Jewish sacrifices were propitiatory and eucharistic. Our Lord by the offering of Himself once for all has fulfilled the former, but Christians are “to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,” “to present their bodies living sacrifices,” and “with such God is well pleased.”
1. All sacrifices involve something given up. Thus we say a man “sacrificed half his fortune;” a father “sacrificed his time for his son.”
2. Faith is here represented as a sacrifice, because out of it all other sacrifices spring--love, zeal, liberality. Is our faith such? Do we in it surrender anything really valued? Does it cost us a struggle? If not, may we not suspect that it is a mere assent to doctrine.
3. Real faith is sacrifice, inasmuch as it is a renunciation of pride.
(1) The pride of reason. Reason loves to elaborate for itself, but the gospel claims to be believed. Its absolute authority, its simplicity, its mysteries, are all hateful to intellectual arrogance.
(2) The pride of self-righteousness. There is a great proneness to dream that eternal life may be earned. With this the spirit of the gospel will not suit; for the reality and universality of sinfulness, and our utter inability to satisfy the claims of the Divine law, and the absolute gratuitousness of salvation are its very essence.
(3) The pride of self-will (verse 5, etc.).
II. The priestly service connected with the sacrifice.
1. The New Testament recognizes but one priest in the strict sense of the word, but by a figurative application of the name, Christians are priests as by “the unction of the Holy One.” Set apart from the world for the service of God, “a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices.” Such a spiritual sacrifice was the Philippians’ faith.
2. In speaking of this faith St. Paul introduces a variation of the ordinary figure, to bring out the relation between him and them. His labours had been blessed to their conversion and advancement, and thus had been a kind of priestly service. Through the spiritual energy given them from heaven, they brought faith and love as a free-will offering to God; and the apostle’s part in the work, his teachings, and prayers, corresponded with the priestly act of laying the offering on the altar (Romans 15:15-16).
3. See, then, the comprehensive work of the Christian priest. He is called on to present his whole life by personal holiness, and also to bring other men to God and help them onward. This work belongs to all Christians.
4. The apostle thought it not unlikely that he should close his relations with his converts by a violent death. This would be his “being offered” (lit., poured forth)
the libation or drink offering by which his priestly service connected with their sacrifice of faith should be completed. The apostle’s joy in this prospect is very sublime, and is a magnificent proof of the sustaining power of the Christian faith. The sources of Christian joy in prospect of martyrdom are two-fold.
(1) The confident hope of glory.
(2) The knowledge that glory will accrue to God.
5. In this the joy was mutual. (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
The joy of the Church in her martyrs and confessors
I. In their faithful testimony and noble triumph.
II. In the confirmation of the faith and its consequent diffusion.
III. In the encouragement afforded by their example. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Priest and sacrifice
In the first place, he compares himself to a priest, and sets before us the conversion of the Philippians to the faith of the gospel, brought about by his preaching, and their piety as its consequence, under the image of a sacrifice. He speaks in the same way in Romans 15:16. In this mystical sacrifice the apostle was the high priest; the gospel was, as it were, the knife with which he spiritually immolated his victims. The Philippians converted to Jesus Christ were his victims; for as also the ancient priests consecrated to God the victims that they offered, so also the apostle, and all the faithful preachers of the gospel, lead and offer to the Lord those to whom they preach the word with effect. Besides, as the priests of old put their victims to death, so now do the ministers of the gospel in some manner immolate men who receive their preaching, making them die to the world and the flesh, drawing out of their hearts vain affections and lusts, in which their life consisted. And as for the ancient victims, they remained purely and simply dead, without receiving from the hand of the priest any kind of life instead of that of which he had deprived them. But it is not so with the men whom the ministers of the Lord immolate with the sword of His gospel. For instead of this miserable, earthly, and carnal life which they take from them, they clothe them with another that is holy and Divine, changing them by this mystical sacrifice from children of Adam into children of God, from old and perishing creatures into new and heavenly men. Besides this difference, there is still another. For whereas those poor animals, destitute as they were of reason and intellect, suffered death simply, without any act on their part; now the victims of Jesus Christ are only immolated when they knowingly and willingly receive the stroke of the gospel. Thus you see that the apostle here expressly mentions the faith of the Philippians, as it was through that they had been offered to God. From whence again a third difference arises between these two kinds of victims. For whereas the ancient victims remained entirely deprived of their being, without obtaining any new one; men now offered to God by the gospel, besides being made by it new creatures, become also themselves priests, to offer themselves henceforth to God, by a true faith, presenting their bodies to him in sacrifice (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:5). And this is the reason that the Scripture honours with the name of sacrifices all those actions of their spiritual life which they practise in faith, as their alms giving, their repentance, their patience, their hymns, their prayers, and such like. St. Paul comprehends here all those spiritual oblations under the name of sacrifice and service of faith of the Philippians. (J. Daille.)
The joy of martyrdom
The Greeks of old delighted to tell how Phidippides--fleetest of foot among his countrymen--having borne himself gallantly in the great fight at Marathon, darted from the field immediately after victory was secure, ran to Athens, related his tidings to the fathers of the city, closing with the words, “Rejoice ye, as we rejoice,” and then, utterly exhausted by wounds and toil, fell down dead before them. The entire sinking of the thought or care of self in joy over the safety and glory of his native land was very beautiful. Yet the noblest feelings which arise out of any of the relations of man to what is earthly and visible, make but a feeble approach to the grandeur of spirit of him who “joys” to think of dying a cruel death, that the unseen God, the God whom he knows by faith only, may thereby be glorified. Paul believed that “out of the eater would come forth meat; and out of the strong, sweetness,”--that from the place of his martyrdom there would exhale a rich fragrance of Christ, which would bring spiritual joy to many souls;--and therefore he would gladly “endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they also might obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
The kindled torch
Perhaps one of the closest parallels with the apostle’s spirit and word is that of the venerable Latimer, as at the stake in front of Balliol College at Oxford he encouraged his younger companion in tribulation, Ridley: “Be of good cheer, brother! We shall this day kindle such a torch in England as by the blessing of God shall never be extinguished.” (J. Hutchinson, D. D.)
William Tyndale, the grandest figure, perhaps, take him all in all, of the English Reformation--a man of Pauline strength of character and singleness of devotion to the work which God had given him to do--suffered martyrdom in circumstances of such seclusion that we know scarcely anything more than the mere fact. But no information of his demeanour in the dungeon of Vilvorde could possibly either tell us more of his character, or speak more weightily for Christ to any one who has ears to hear, than these words, written years before, in his preface to “The Parable of the Wicked Mammon,”--“Some man will ask, peradventure, why I take the labour to make this work, inasmuch as they will burn it, seeing they burned the gospel. I answer, In burning the New Testament they did none other thing than that I looked for; no more shall they do if they burn me also, if it be God’s will it shall so be. Nevertheless, in translating the New Testament I did my duty, and so do I now, and will do as much more as God hath ordained me to do.” (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
Luigi Pascali, pastor of the Waldenses in Calabria, being condemned to death after the horrors of a long captivity, and but a little while before his death by fire, was visited by his brother. The spectacle he presented in consequence of his sufferings caused his brother to fall powerless when he attempted to embrace him. But as the visitor has himself told us, the martyr exclaimed, “My brother, if you are a Christian, why do you allow yourself to be thus cast down? Do you not know that not a single hair can fall from our heads without the will of God? Trust in Jesus and take courage. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.” “These are the feelings of my heart,” wrote the martyr; “My faith becomes stronger as the hour approaches, when I am to be offered as a sweet-smelling sacrifice unto Christ. Yes, my joy is so lively that I can fancy I see my fetters broken, and I would be ready to brave a thousand deaths, were that necessary for the cause of truth.” To his betrothed wife, Camilla Guarina, whom he was to see no more, he wrote, “My love to you increases with my love to God. The more I have suffered the more progress I have made in the Christian religion, and the more also have I loved you. Console yourself in Jesus Christ. May your life be a copy of His.” (M. Bonnet.)