G4689 σπένδω (spéndō)

Poured out as a drink offering (4689) (spendo) means to pour out or to make a libation. Libation refers to the practice of pouring out wine or some other liquid as a drink offering. After placing a sacrificial animal on the altar, the priests would take wine (or sometimes water or honey) and pour it either on the burning sacrifice or on the ground in front of the altar. That act symbolized the rising of the sacrifice into the nostrils of the deity to whom it was being offered. Wuest adds that spendo was used in the pagan Greek religions, of the drink-offering poured out upon the sacrifice itself, the latter being the major part of the offering to the gods, and the former, the minor part. Paul uses this drink-offering or libation to speak of the violent death he will some day die as a martyr. It will be his blood poured out." (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans) Among the Greeks and Romans this practice was an essential part of solemn sacrifices. The offerer poured wine either in front of or on top of the burning animal and the wine would be vaporized producing steam which symbolically ascended as an offering to the deity for whom the sacrifice was made (cf. 2Ki 16:13; Jer 7:18 Hos 9:4). Figuratively, which is the manner of use in this verse, spendo means to pour out oneself, as one’s blood and to offer up one’s strength and life to God. Note however that Paul did not pour himself out but was poured out (passive voice). The tense is present which pictures a continuous process, one which culminates in his physical death. Spendo - 19x in the Septuagint = LXX - Gen 35:14; Ex 25:29; 30:9; 37:16; Num 4:7; 28:7; 2 Sam 23:16; 1 Chr 11:18; Jer 7:18; 19:13; 32:29; 44:17, 19, 25; Ezek 20:28; Dan 2:46; Hos 9:4. Compared to only 2 uses in the NT, 2Ti 4:6 & Php 2:17. Moulton and Milligan have a statement that the putting to death of a prophet (of the false deity Apollo), who remained true to his "god", was described as "spendo". We have a similar use in the English language, when we say that a man sacrifices himself for his friends, family or country. In Genesis we see Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a libation on it; he also poured oil on it. (Ge 35:14) In Exodus the drink offering of wine was poured on the burning bronze altar along with a lamb each morning and evening. (Ex 29:40) In Numbers 3 times wine is specified for "the libation" (Nu 15:1-10) and was meant to give a pleasing aroma for God. What a picture of what our lives daily are to be unto our God! In Isaiah's prophecy we see Messiah's penultimate "libation", God declaring I will allot Him (Messiah) a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong, because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors. (Is 53:12) In sum, this practice of pouring out liquid on the sacrifice is a picture of the total sacrifice of one's life to the will of God. Just as Paul exhorted each believer to present himself or herself to the Lord as “a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Ro 12:1-note), he continuously offered himself to the Lord. Paul says that his life is continuously being offered to God which would soon culminate in one last act — the act of death. What a view of death! Seeing death as an offering and sacrifice being presented to God. Using this same verb, spendo, for pouring out a libation, Paul reminded the saints at Philippi that I am being poured out as a drink offering (spendo) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith. (Php 2:17-note). John MacArthur makes the point that here in Philippians, Paul was not speaking so much of his eventual martyrdom for spendo is in the present tense (which) clearly indicates that he was speaking of his current experience as a prisoner in Rome. He saw his life, not his death, as his ultimate act of sacrifice to the Lord. He was a living sacrifice, not a dead one." (Bolding added) (MacArthur, J. Philippians. Chicago: Moody Press) Paul regarded his own life as a sacrifice in the interests of the spiritual advancement of the Philippian believers. Marvin Vincent, commenting on (Php 2:17), adds that "the figure is that of a sacrifice, in which the Philippians are the priests, offering their faith to God, and Paul’s life is the libation poured out at this offering." (Vincent, M. R. Word studies in the New Testament. Vol. 3, Page 1-440). Wiersbe has an interesting comment that In effect Paul was saying, “Caesar is not going to kill me. I am going to give my life as a sacrifice to Jesus Christ. I have been a living sacrifice, serving Him since the day I was saved. Now I will complete that sacrifice by laying down my life for Him. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) As the contemporary martyr, Jim Elliot, once wrote He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Vine comments Paul’s whole life since his conversion had been devoted as a sacrifice to the service of God, and now, conscious of the acceptance of his sacrifice, he views his death in this way. This provides a high incentive to all who would be true to Christ to spend their lives in absolute devotion to Him. Hiebert says Paul's whole life has been presented to God as a living sacrifice; now his death, comparable to the pouring out of the wine as the last act of the sacrificial ceremony, will complete the sacrifice. Oswald Chambers asks "Are you ready to be offered?"... I am now ready to be offered.” It is a transaction of will, not of sentiment. Tell God you are ready to be offered; then let the consequences be what they may, there is no strand of complaint now, no matter what God chooses. God puts you through the crisis in private, no one person can help another. Externally the life may be the same; the difference is in will. Go through the crisis in will, then when it comes externally there will be no thought of the cost. If you do not transact in will with God along this line, you will end in awakening sympathy for yourself. “Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” The altar means fire—burning and purification and insulation for one purpose only, the destruction of every affinity that God has not started and of every attachment that is not an attachment in God. You do not destroy it, God does; you bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar; and see that you do not give way to self-pity when the fire begins. After this way of fire, there is nothing that oppresses or depresses. When the crisis arises, you realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do. What is your way of fire? Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be. Today in the Word (Moody Bible Institute) describes sacrifice “Capacocha” was the name for the human sacrifice ritual practiced by the ancient Incas of Peru. Such sacrifices were often offered after a significant event such as an earthquake or the death of an emperor. Once a physically perfect sacrifice was chosen, typically the child of a chief, a procession traveled from the child’s home village to Cuzco, the capital city. Then, in one form of sacrifice, the child was placed in a tomb, walled in alive, and given only a drugged potion to drink. In other cases, the priests sedated then strangled the child. The sacrifices, who were often deified later, were buried at the tops of mountains so as to be closer to the Inca sun god. Without God’s truth, the practice of sacrifice goes horribly wrong. When Paul calls himself a “drink offering” or urges us to be “living sacrifices” (tomorrow’s reading), he does not have in mind a horrifying scene like those practiced by the Incas, but the beauty of spiritual consecration and service to God. Service is another “sacrifice” we are instructed to offer. After all, Jesus led the way: “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13:15; cf. Mk 10:45). A drink offering never stood alone in the Old Testament, but was always offered with a greater sacrifice (see, for example, Nu 15:6, 7; 28:6, 7). Thus, in today’s reading, Paul places his individual service in the context of the larger body of believers (Php 2:17-note), and presumably in the context of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice as well (v16). To transform the Gentiles into an acceptable sacrifice was the consuming purpose of Paul’s life (Ro 15:16-note; 2Co 11:2)! Service and witness are inseparable in Paul’s writings. AND THE TIME OF MY DEPARTURE HAS COME: kai o kairos tes analuseos mou ephesteken (3SRAI): (Ge 48:21; 50:24; Nu 27:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17; Dt 31:14; Josh 23:14; Php 1:23; 2Pe 1:14 15) Other translations - the time of my release (Young's Literal); the strategic time of my departure is already present (Wuest) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_timothy_45-13.htm#Drink%20offering