2 Corinthians 5:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore do not think that for eternal life mere separation from the body is enough. Virtue is needed everywhere. Thus, when speaking about the resurrection, he did not give grounds to rely on it alone, saying, "provided that when clothed we shall not be found naked."

So too, when speaking about separation from the body, lest you think this alone is sufficient for salvation, he added that one must also be pleasing to God.

Having thus stirred their zeal by manifold blessings, the Apostle did not forget to move them also by fear of threatening evils. For our blessedness consists both in acquiring blessings, that is, the heavenly kingdom, and in avoiding evils, that is, Gehenna.

Yet the desire to escape torments has a stronger effect. If the harm were limited only to deprivation of eternal blessings, many would easily agree to it. But if it is joined to torments, hardly anyone would agree.

Of course, the former should be considered more unbearable. But for many, because of their weakness and attachment to earthly things, the latter appears more grievous.

David says this: "With You I am a stranger while I am on the earth. For now I am not a resident of Your paradise." And he added by way of explanation: "a sojourner, as all my fathers were."

The Apostle Paul also revealed this, acknowledging that, while we remain in the body, we are away from the Lord (2 Cor 5:6). And even if faith is in us, still "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7). That is, we are not yet face to face as those present before the Lord. We still walk enigmatically, not in the truth. See 1 Cor 13:12.

"We are bold and firmly hope that it is better to depart from the body and dwell with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8), the Apostle adds. "We are bold" is not an expression of recklessness, but of the hope of one who believes in God.

"We firmly hope" means this: we desire and strive for this by our own will. We are not defending the judgment of an all-knowing science, but rather inclining toward our own opinion. We desire that what we long for may be fulfilled, namely that we may draw near to God, from whom the distance between the present and the future separates us.

We are bold to be near Him, and therefore "we are zealous" (2 Cor 5:9). You understand that to be zealous means that a man is still striving to attain something, not that he has already attained it. It is a condition, not the result.

Ask about the very meaning of the Apostle's words. Rather, listen to the one speaking, or rather, listen to the one hesitating: "Therefore we are zealous, whether absent or present with Him, to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor 5:9). While still absent, we are so by faith. When present, we shall already see Him.

Thus this may be understood: both here and there we wish to be pleasing to our Judge and the Redeemer of our souls. We must be present with Him in vision, so that each, when his lot is examined, may receive the recompense deserved for his deeds: rest for the righteous and torment for the impious.

"Give ear to my tears" (Ps 38:13), David weeps, because man came to earth as a stranger. He lingered far from his homeland, held by long exile.

Now consider with me Adam, cast out of paradise and dwelling in a place far from paradise, from which he was thrown down. He weeps bitterly, remembering what he lost and whence he fell.

Therefore let us give thanks to God, who freed us from eternal exile by opening the door through which we return to our homeland. The Apostle foresaw this: "Therefore you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household" (Eph 2:19).

For this purpose, both when we give ourselves to this life and when we rise above it and hasten toward the higher, heavenly life, we must constantly please God. This is also necessary because judgment awaits us all. It will be according to each one's works, and a spiritual-bodily recompense will follow, corresponding to our earthly bodily-spiritual activity.

In explanation of these verses Bishop Theophan says: "We feel that the body walls us off from God. Yet we must remain in the body until the time appointed by the Lord, so that we may be strengthened in this life, grow for the other, and prove our faithfulness before the Lord while He abides in hiddenness. Life in the body, even with a strong awareness of its inconveniences, has its attractions. One cannot become completely estranged from it without a sharp breaking of oneself. Such a breaking cannot take place without bold resolve. Therefore the Apostle said: we are bold and well pleased, that is, we boldly and manfully desire this."

"Therefore," says St. John Chrysostom, "do not think that mere removal from the body is enough for eternal life. Virtue is needed everywhere. Therefore, when speaking about the resurrection of bodies, he did not allow them to rest on knowledge of it alone, saying, 'provided that when clothed we shall not be found naked.' So too, when speaking about removal from the body, lest you think this alone is enough for salvation, he added that one must also become pleasing to God."

"Having stirred the zeal of the Corinthians by manifold blessings, the Apostle did not forget to move them also by fear of threatening evils. For our blessedness consists both in acquiring blessings and in avoiding evils, that is, in acquiring the kingdom of heaven and avoiding Gehenna. Yet the fear of torments works more powerfully upon us. For some, perhaps, might agree to be punished by exclusion from the inheritance of eternal blessings. But hardly anyone will agree to endure torments."

Therefore, when speaking about the resurrection of bodies, he did not allow them to rest on knowledge of it alone, saying, "provided that when clothed we shall not be found naked." So too, when speaking about departure from the body, lest you think this alone is enough for salvation, he added that one must also become pleasing to God (St. Chrysostom).