Philippians 1:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It was very necessary for them to preach in this way. Why? If they had preached otherwise than Paul, and taught otherwise than he did, they would not have intensified the king's anger. But now, by spreading his preaching, teaching as he did, and gaining such disciples for him, they could arm the king against him, since a great multitude of disciples appeared.

But some impious and foolish man, fastening upon this passage, will say: If they wished to grieve Paul, they would surely have done the opposite. They would have scattered those who had already believed, and would not have multiplied the faithful.

What shall we say to this? They had one aim, to expose Paul to present dangers, to prevent him from escaping them. They thought that by this, more than by the other course, they would grieve him and end the preaching.

Otherwise they would have appeased the king's anger and allowed the Apostle to leave prison and preach again. But by killing him, they thought they would destroy everything with him. Not many grasped this, but only certain harsh and very wicked men.

Then the Apostle says: "In this I rejoice, and will rejoice." What does "and will rejoice" mean? It means, even if they do this more and more. Against their will they assist me, and for their labors they will suffer punishment. But I, without assisting them at all, will receive a reward.

What could be more wicked than the devil, who contrived to turn the very preaching into a cause of punishment for those whom he persuaded to accept this preaching? Do you see into what calamity he casts his servants? He devises punishment and torment for them through preaching and labors.

What other adversary and enemy of their salvation would have arranged everything so? Do you see that the enemy of truth has no strength, and rather wounds himself, like one kicking against the goads?

No affliction occurring in the present life can disturb a great and philosophic soul. Neither hostility, nor reproaches, nor slanders, nor calamities, nor plots can disturb it. It is as though it had fled to the summit of a high mountain, where it is safe from all arrows shot upward from the earth below.

Such was Paul's soul. It had found a place higher than every summit, the place of spiritual wisdom, true philosophy. What outsiders, the pagans, occupy themselves with is only words and childish games. But we are not speaking of them now, since we are speaking of Paul's deeds.

This blessed man, though persecuted by the king, had still other enemies who caused him various griefs and cruelly slandered him. Yet what does he say? Not only do I not grieve over this, and not lose heart, but I even "rejoice, and will rejoice." That is, not only now, but I shall always rejoice in this.

It is necessary to make clear and evident the apostolic saying read today. It seems to provide many with a pretext for carelessness. Therefore, lest some draw from it an empty excuse and become negligent about their own salvation, we shall now turn our discourse to it.

What is this saying? "Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached." Many repeat this simply and at random, without reading what precedes or follows. They detach it from its connection with the other clauses and offer it to the most careless, to the destruction of their own soul.

They try to draw them away from the sound faith. Then, seeing that they are timid and afraid of this as unsafe, and wishing to scatter their fear, they cite this apostolic saying and say: Paul permitted this, saying, "Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached."

It is not so, not so. First of all, the Apostle did not say, "Let us preach," but, "Christ is preached." There is a great difference between the two. To say, "Let us preach," belongs to one who commands. To say, "Christ is preached," befits one who reports.

That Paul does not establish heresies by law, but turns away from them all who listen to him, hear what he says: "If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be anathema, even if we or an angel from heaven" (Gal 1:8-9).

He would not have anathematized both himself and an angel if he regarded this matter as safe. Again he says: "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor 11:2-3).

See, he pointed even to simplicity, yet did not recognize this as excusable. If it were excusable, there would be no danger. If there were no danger, Paul would not have feared. Nor would Christ have commanded the tares to be burned, if it were indifferent to attend to this and that and everything generally.

What, then, do the words mean? I wish to tell you this whole history, beginning a little earlier. We must know the circumstances in which Paul was when he wrote this.

What were those circumstances? He was in prison, in chains, in unbearable dangers. From where is this clear? From his epistle itself (see Phil 1:7, 12 and following).

If their teaching contained errors and they introduced heresies, Paul could not have rejoiced. But since their teaching was sound and genuine, he says: "In this I rejoice, and will rejoice."

But what if, doing this through hostility, they destroy themselves? Even unwillingly, they increase my work. Have you seen the power of Paul, and how he is not caught by any device of the devil? Not only is he not caught, but by these very things he takes the devil into his own hands.

Truly great is the baseness of the devil and the wickedness of his servants. Under the appearance of the same way of thinking, they wished to extinguish the preaching. But He Who "catches the wise in their craftiness" (1 Cor 3:19) did not allow this to happen then.

Expressing this very thing, Paul says: "But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. And I know surely that I shall remain and continue with you all" (Phil 1:24-25).

They seek to deprive me of this present life, and for this they undertake everything. But God does not allow it, for your sake.

Remember all this carefully, so that with all wisdom you may correct those who use the Scriptures rashly, at random, and to the destruction of their neighbors. We shall be able both to remember what has been said and to correct others when we continually flee to prayer and call upon God, Who gives the word of wisdom. May He grant understanding of what has been heard and the exact, invincible preservation of this spiritual deposit.

Then, even if he had said this as a law, he still would not have opened access to heresies. How so? Because those of whom he speaks did not introduce false teaching.

They preached the truth, though not righteously and not with a true intention. Heretics, above all, preach not the truth, but distorted and false teaching. Besides this, they also have a distorted aim.

“And in this I rejoice, and will rejoice.” They do this in order to cause me sorrow. But I rejoice that through this Christ is preached more widely.

If they continue to do this in the future, I will rejoice still more. Do you see how the devil’s plots destroy himself?

That he blames heretics in every respect is easy for anyone who wishes to learn. He openly exposes to shame Phygellus and Hermogenes, then Hymenaeus and Philetus. He commands, “Reject a heretical man after the first and second admonition” (Tit 3:10).

But let us return to the interpretation. “In this I rejoice, and will rejoice.” I am glad, says the Apostle, seeing that the truth is attested even by opponents.

Even against their will, says the Apostle, the enemies of truth assist the truth. Some foolish people supposed that this was also said of heresies. But they should have taken into account that the Apostle expressed this not as a command, but narratively.

He did not say, “Let Christ be preached in this way,” but, “Christ is preached by them in this way.” He blamed them not because they taught what was bad, but because they taught what was good badly. Their aim was not piety, but extreme hostility.

“The impure motives and bad inner disposition of the preachers could remain hidden from the hearers. Yet their word about Christ had to assist the spread of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”

According to Blessed Theodoret, “The Apostle blamed them not because they taught what was bad, but because they taught what was good badly. Their aim was not piety, but extreme hostility.”

According to St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle speaks as if saying, “They assist me against their will, although they will suffer punishment for their labors. And I, without helping them at all, will receive a reward.”

“No sorrow, no hostilities, no reproaches, no calamities, and no plots can disturb a great and philosophical soul. People caused him various griefs, and yet what does he say? Not only am I not grieved over this, but I even rejoice and will rejoice.”

Concerning the Apostle’s expression of hope that all this would be accomplished for good through the prayers of the Philippians and the action of the Holy Spirit, John Chrysostom says, “Notice the humility of this blessed man.

“He who acquired salvation by countless virtues writes to the Philippians, ‘I can be saved by your prayer.’ I hope that I will never be put to shame. Such is Paul’s hope.

“Do you see what it is to hope in God? Whatever happens, he says, I will not be put to shame.”

“The Apostle could expect a storm against himself at any hour. A weak soul could have been disturbed by this. But the Apostle was at peace, resting in the Lord.

“He says, as it were: whether I must live or die, I will accept both with good courage.” “And if I am handed over to death, the power of the preaching will amaze all, for it makes the preachers despise death” (Blessed Theodoret).

Whether he is put to death there for the work of Christ, or released for further activity, both will contribute to this magnifying of Christ.

The Apostle’s death, which he will accept with joy, will stir special courage in other preachers of the name of Christ. His life, if it continues, will of course be dedicated as before to glorifying the name of Christ among mankind.

The Apostle proves that his life and death alike will contribute to the glorification of Christ by saying that his life is Christ. That is, he lives only for Christ.

He regards death as something very profitable for the glory of Christ’s name, because it must give him perfect communion with Christ and thereby glorify Him. On the other hand, it must strengthen other teachers of the faith to suffer for Christ.

For those who preach impurely destroy their own good work, and this must be lamented. But those who hear them and believe in the Lord through them receive salvation and glorify the Lord. How can one not rejoice in this?

The Lord’s glory spreads, and my work succeeds. “They assist me against their will, although they will suffer punishment for their labors. And I, without helping them at all, will receive a reward.

“Is there anyone more evil than the devil, who contrived to turn even the preaching itself into a cause of punishment for those who agreed to assist him? Do you see into what calamity he casts his own?

“For preaching and labors he plots punishment and torment for them. What other enemy and adversary of their salvation would have arranged everything so?” (St. Chrysostom).

From this passage it is evident that the persons of whom St. Paul speaks here were not heretics. “They preached soundly. Only the aim and intention with which they acted were perverted, while the preaching itself was not changed” (St. Chrysostom).

“He blamed them not because they taught what was bad, but because they taught what was good badly. Their aim was not piety, but extreme hostility” (Blessed Theodoret).

Let no one think that St. Paul approves evil motives, provided only that the work is good. “One must take into account that St. Paul expressed this not as a command, but narratively.

“He did not say, ‘Let Him be preached,’ but, ‘He is preached’” (Blessed Theodoret). “He stated what was the case” (St. Chrysostom) and judges a deed already done, not giving a command.

Having renounced all personal concerns in the matter, even on the side by which it painfully touched him, he says that one cannot but rejoice in such a work.

Concerning these words, St. Chrysostom marvels at the exalted character of St. Paul. “No sorrow from those that occur in the present life can disturb a great and philosophical soul.

“Neither hostilities, reproaches, slanders, calamities, nor punishments can disturb it. For it is as though it had fled to the summit of a high mountain, where it became safe from all arrows shot from below, from the earth.

“Such was the soul of St. Paul. It found for itself a place higher than every summit, the place of spiritual philosophy, true philosophy.

“People caused him various griefs. Yet what does he say? Not only am I not grieved over this, nor despondent, but I even rejoice and will rejoice. That is, not only now, but always I will rejoice in this.”

Thus St. Paul sacrifices neither dogma to morality, nor morality to dogma.