Philippians 1:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"According to my confidence and hope," he says, "that in nothing I shall be put to shame." Such is Paul's hope: I hope that I shall never be put to shame. Do you see what it is to hope in God? Whatever happens, the Apostle says, "I shall not be put to shame," that is, the enemies will not overcome me.

"With all boldness, now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body." The enemies hoped to catch Paul in their net and destroy the teaching he had preached, as if their cunning could accomplish this. Therefore he says that this will not happen. I shall not die now: "Now as always, Christ will be magnified in my body."

How? Often I have been in such dangers that not only did everyone despair of us, but we ourselves despaired of ourselves: "We had the sentence of death in ourselves" (2 Cor 1:9). But the Lord delivered us from all things. So "now also He will be magnified in my body."

And lest someone think and say, If you die, will He then be magnified? He says: Yes, I am confident. For this reason I did not say that He will be magnified only by life, but also by death.

First, however, he said, "by life," meaning, they will not kill me. But if they do kill me, then through this also Christ will be magnified. How? By life, because He saved me. By death, because even death did not force me to deny Him, because He gave me such zeal and made me stronger than death.

In the first case, He delivered me from dangers. In the latter, He did not allow me to fear a violent death. This is how the Lord will be magnified by life and by death.

He says this not because death already stood before him, but so that even in the event of his death they would not be crushed in a human way. That he did not say this because he was about to die, which would have greatly grieved them, see how he comforts them, as if saying: I do not say this as one who is about to die.

Therefore he adds further: "And I know certainly that I shall remain and continue with you all." The words, "I shall be put to shame in nothing," mean: it is not shameful for me to die. On the contrary, it is most useful.

Why? Because I am not immortal. Yet I shall be in greater glory than I would have been if I had remained immortal on earth. For it is not the same thing to despise death while immortal and to despise it while mortal.

Therefore it is not in the least shameful to die even now, though I shall not die. "I shall be put to shame in nothing," that is, whether I live or die, I shall receive both with good courage, whether it is for me to live or to die.

Well said. Such precisely is the character of a Christian soul. "But with all boldness," he says. Do you see how I am not put to shame? If fear of death had taken boldness from me, then to die would be shameful.

But when even approaching death does not frighten me in the least, then it is not shameful. If I live, I am not ashamed to live, because I preach the gospel. If I die, I am not ashamed to die, because I am not afraid.

In both cases I show equal boldness. Do not consider what I have said about chains to be shameful. They were the cause of such great blessings for me that they even gave boldness to others.

It is not shameful to be in chains for Christ. It is shameful to betray Christ in anything because one feared chains. As long as this is not present, chains produce boldness in me.

Often I did not avoid dangers, and by this I can boast before unbelievers. But if something contrary happens to me, then consider me put to shame, because the latter is no less than the former and gives you boldness.

See how the Apostle applies this to his own person. He does the same in many other places. For example, in the Epistle to the Romans he says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel" (Rom 1:16). And to the Corinthians: "I have applied these things to myself and Apollos" (1 Cor 4:6).

"Whether by life or by death." He says this not because he did not know. He knew that he would not die then, but later. He prepares their soul for this beforehand.

For the prophet says, "Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in Thee" (Ps 32:22). And elsewhere, "Who has believed in the Lord and been put to shame?" (Sir 2:10). Paul himself says, "Hope does not put to shame" (Rom 5:5).

"That in nothing I shall be ashamed." That is, neither in life, because I preach the Gospel, nor in death, because the enemies will not prevail. Even if they put me to death, then still more unashamed glory will be revealed for me. But they will not succeed in this.

"But with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death." They thought, he says, that through their plots they would cast me into dangers and death. Yet this zealous effort of theirs will not succeed.

On the contrary, "with all boldness," that is, openly and immovably, "Christ will be magnified in my body," that is, while I live and bear this body, for I am not dying.

But lest someone say, "What then? If you, Paul, die, will Christ not be magnified?" he adds that He will also be magnified by his death, since He has made him stronger than death itself.

Yet now He is glorified for the present by life, for He has granted it to me and delivered me from danger. He speaks of death not because he must soon die, but so that, if this happens, they may not be troubled. For they loved him greatly.

In this case, according to one interpreter, there may also have been a mitigating circumstance. "The impure motives and bad inward disposition of the preachers could remain hidden from the hearers, while their word about Christ had to contribute to the spread of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God."

According to Blessed Theodoret, "The Apostle accused them not because they taught evil, but because they taught good things badly, having as their aim not piety, but extreme hostility."

In the words of Saint John Chrysostom, the Apostle speaks as if saying, "They assist me against their will, though they will suffer punishment for their labors, while I, without helping them at all, shall receive a reward."

"No sorrow, neither enmities, nor reproaches, nor calamities, nor plots, can disturb a great and philosophical soul. They caused him various griefs, and yet what does he say? Not only do I not grieve over this, but I even rejoice and shall rejoice."

Concerning the Apostle's expression of hope that all this will turn out for good through the prayers of the Philippians and the action of the Holy Spirit, John Chrysostom says, "Observe the humility of this blessed man. He, who had gained salvation by countless virtues, writes to the Philippians, 'I can be saved through your prayer.'"

"I hope that I shall 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 shall not be ashamed."

"The Apostle could expect a storm against himself at any hour. This could have troubled a weak soul, but the Apostle was at rest by resting in the Lord. He says, as it were, whether I must live or die, I will receive either with a noble spirit."

"And if I am delivered over to death, the power of the preaching will amaze everyone, for it makes the preachers despise death" (Blessed Theodoret).

Whether he is put to death here for the work of Christ, or released for further activity, both outcomes will contribute to this magnification of Christ. The Apostle's death, which he will accept with joy, will arouse special courage in other preachers of Christ's name.

His life, if it continues, will of course be dedicated as before to the glorification of Christ's name among mankind.

That the Apostle's life and death will equally contribute to Christ's glorification, the Apostle proves by saying that his life is Christ. That is, he lives only for Christ.

He also regards death as something very advantageous for the glory of Christ's name. It must bring him perfect communion with Christ and thereby glorify Him. On the other hand, it must strengthen other teachers of the faith for sufferings for Christ.

Having them, he says with confidence that he will not be put to shame. For hope does not put to shame (cf. Rom 5:5), as he himself teaches. And who has hoped in the Lord and been put to shame? (cf. Sir 2:10).

"That in nothing I shall be put to shame." "Such is Paul's hope: I hope that I shall never be put to shame. Do you see what it is to hope in God? Whatever happens, he says, I shall not be put to shame" (St. Chrysostom).

"But with all boldness." By boldness here we must understand what he spoke of above in verse 14, that the brethren, encouraged by St. Paul's chains, began to proclaim the word of God with boldness. Some of them were bold with good intent, and others without a good heart.

The Apostle says that in all such boldness, both well-intentioned and ill-intentioned, "as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body." The goal of the Apostle's life is Christ the Lord. In the Epistle to the Galatians he said: I have died. The life I now live is Christ living in me. I am wholly given over to Him, and to the glory of His name I dedicate all the days of my life, all my cares, and all my labors.

If shame occurs when someone chooses a goal and does not attain it, then my shame would be if someone succeeded in turning anything in me or around me not to the magnifying of the Lord, but to His diminishing. But no one will manage to do this.

For the One acting in me is the Lord Himself, who will not permit His glory to be darkened in vain. Everything I do, I do for Him. Therefore, whatever comes out of present circumstances, through everything the Lord will be magnified. And this is the goal of my life. Consequently, in nothing shall I be put to shame.

Shall I live? Through life the Lord will be magnified. Shall I die? Through death He will be magnified. "Often I have been in such dangers that not only did everyone despair of us, but we ourselves despaired of ourselves: 'we had the sentence of death in ourselves' (cf. 2 Cor 1:9). But the Lord delivered us from all things. So now also He will be magnified in my body.

"And lest someone think and say, If you die, will He then be magnified? He says: Exactly so, I am confident. For this reason I did not say that He will be magnified only by life, but I added, also by death. By life, because He saved me. By death, because death did not force me to deny Him, because He gave me such zeal and made me stronger than death.

"In the first case, because He delivered me from dangers. In the latter, because He did not allow me to fear a violent death. This is how the Lord will be magnified by life and by death."

"He said, 'will be magnified,' that is, the greatness of His power will be made manifest. The Apostle says: Whether I escape mortal danger or undergo death, the might of my Master Christ will be equally revealed. If I overcome dangers, all will marvel at the One who snatched me from so many nets. If I am handed over to death, the power of the preaching will amaze everyone, for it makes the preachers despise death" (Blessed Theodoret).

"In my body" means in me, or in my life, whether it continues or is cut short. The Apostle says this because of those unreasonable men who dared to proclaim the word of God. Acting not according to the Apostle's will, and even contrary to him, they could overstep the measure of prudence, stir up disturbance, and turn the eyes of the authorities toward what was happening. The Apostle would then have to answer for it.

The Apostle could expect a storm for himself from hour to hour. This could trouble a weak soul, but the Apostle was at rest with rest in the Lord. He speaks as if saying: whether I must live or die, I shall accept both with good courage (cf. St. Chrysostom).

I have already irrevocably given my life into the hands of the Lord. What is pleasing to Him, that He will do. But whatever He is pleased to do, through all of it His name will be magnified.