Philippians 1:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Likewise death is not good, but to be with Christ after death is good. What follows death is either good or evil. Therefore we must not simply grieve over those who die, nor simply rejoice over those who live.

How then? We must weep over sinners, not only when they die, but also while they live. We must rejoice over the righteous, not only while they live, but also when they have departed.

The former are dead even during life. The latter live even after death. The former are pitiable to all even in this life, since they offend God. The latter, even when they have moved there, are blessed, since they have departed to Christ.

Sinners, wherever they are, are far from the King and therefore worthy of tears. The righteous, whether here or there, are with the King. There they are much closer to Him, not by contemplation or by faith, but, as it is said, "face to face."

Therefore let us not simply lament the dead, but those who have died in sins. They are worthy of lamentation, wailing, and tears. Tell me, what hope is there in departing in sins to that place where one can no longer put off sins?

While they were here, one could very much hope that they would change and become better. But when they have gone to Hades, there they cannot receive benefit from repentance. "In the distress of Hades," it is said, "who will call upon You?" (Ps 6:5).

How then are they not worthy of tears? Let us weep for those who die in this way. I do not forbid it. Let us weep, but without violating propriety. Let us not tear out our hair, bare our arms, lacerate our face, or wear black garments. Let us only quietly shed bitter tears in the soul.

One can weep bitterly without this ritual, and not merely play at grief. What some do differs in no way from playacting. These public lacerations arise not from compassion, but for display, from ambition and vainglory. Many women do this as a trade.

Weep bitterly and groan long where no one sees. This will be the work of compassion, and it will bring benefit to you. Whoever weeps so for another will strive all the more not to suffer the same. After this, sin will become fearful to you.

Weep for unbelievers. Weep for those who do not differ at all from them, who die without Baptism and Chrismation. Truly such people are worthy of tears and lamentation. They are outside the royal chamber with the accused and condemned. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (Jn 3:5).

Weep for those who died in wealth and did not contrive from their wealth anything for the comfort of their souls. They had the ability to cleanse their sins, but they did not wish to do so.

Let us weep for them, both each separately and all together, but with propriety, without losing dignity, and so as not to make a spectacle of ourselves. Let us weep for them not one or two days, but throughout our whole life.

These tears are the fruit not of irrational passion, but of tender love. Those others come from mad passion, and therefore they quickly dry up. Only what comes from the fear of God is lasting.

Therefore let us lament them and help them as we are able. Let us devise for them some aid, small though it may be, yet able to help. How and in what way? By praying ourselves, by persuading others to pray for them, and by constantly giving to the poor on their behalf.

This brings some relief. Indeed, listen to what God says: "I will defend this city for My own sake and for the sake of David My servant" (4 Kgs 20:6). If the mere memory of a righteous man was so powerful, how will the works done for the departed not be powerful?

The Apostles did not establish in vain that the departed should be commemorated during the celebration of the dread Mysteries. They knew that from this much advantage and much benefit comes to them.

When the whole people and the sacred assembly stand with uplifted hands, and when the dread Sacrifice lies before us, how shall we not entreat God when we ask for them? But we say this concerning those who have departed in the faith.

The catechumens are not counted worthy of this consolation, but are deprived of every such help, except one. What is it? One may give to the poor on their behalf. This gives them some refreshment, because it is pleasing to God that we help one another.

Otherwise, why would He have commanded us to pray for the peace and well-being of the world? Why for all people? Although among all there are robbers, grave-robbers, thieves, and people full of countless vices, yet we pray for all. Perhaps this may contribute somewhat to their conversion.

Therefore, as we pray for the living, who do not differ at all from the dead, so one may also pray for the departed. Job offered sacrifices for his children and cleansed them from sins. "Perhaps," he said, "they have sinned in their hearts" (Job 1:5).

This is how one cares for children. He did not say, as many people now say: I shall leave them property. He did not say: I shall hand over glory to them. He did not say: I shall acquire authority. He did not say: I shall buy fields.

What did he say? "Perhaps they have sinned in their hearts." What benefit is there, indeed, from all that remains here? None. I shall propitiate the King of all for them, he says, and then they will lack nothing.

"The Lord is my Shepherd," the prophet says, "I shall not want" (Ps 22:1). Behold great wealth, behold treasure. If we have the fear of God, we lack nothing. If we do not have it, then even if we possess the kingdom itself, we are poorer than all.

There is no one equal to him who fears the Lord. "The fear of the Lord," it is said, "surpasses all things" (Sir 25:14). Let us acquire it and do everything for its sake. Even if it is necessary to lay down the soul and give the body over to death, let us not spare ourselves.

Let us do everything to acquire this fear. In this way we shall be richer than all and shall receive the good things to come in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

There was nothing more blessed than Paul's soul, because there was nothing more courageous than it. But now the opposite may fittingly be said of all: there is nothing more miserable, nothing weaker. For this reason we all fear death.

Some of us, among whom I include myself, fear it because of the multitude of our sins. Others fear it because of attachment to life and the difficulty of dying. May God never allow me to be among such people, for those who fear death are "natural" men.

Thus what we all fear, Paul desired and longed for. "To depart," he says, "is far better."

But since the words that follow are, "this is far better," it is clear that the Apostle desires this better thing. Thus, being drawn by both, or constrained by both, he desires one thing and finds the other only more necessary.

That is, he desires to depart and be with Christ, while he finds remaining in the flesh more necessary. Here the ambiguity is resolved by the single following particle "for," although some interpreters have omitted it.

They thought that the Apostle was not only constrained by both, but apparently also desired both. In light of this observation, the Apostle's words in this place should be divided as follows: "I do not know what to choose. I am pressed by both."

After this one should read, "having a desire to depart and to be with Christ." Since someone here could ask the Apostle why he especially desires this departure, he adds, "for this is far better."

Why then does he find himself constrained on both sides? Because on the other side he finds it more necessary to remain: "but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you."

In the same way, when someone comes to desire death, if he has already attained the desire to die while possessing firm faith and seeing where he must go, he has already come to depart this life willingly.

For understanding where one must go is not the same as also loving it and desiring to be there. As regards what will happen in his soul, it is necessary that he die willingly.

Therefore some who already possess firm faith speak in vain when they say that they do not wish to die in order to become perfected. Their very perfection consists in their coming to wish to die.

If they wish to speak truthfully, let them not say, "I do not wish to die in order to become perfected." Rather, let them say, "I do not wish to die because I have not been sufficiently perfected."

Thus, for believers, not wishing for death is not counsel by which they may be perfected. It is an indication that they have not been sufficiently perfected. Therefore, as to their not wishing to be perfected, let them wish it, and behold, they are already perfected.

The bonds of this life, that is, the union of soul and body, are explained in the preceding verse of the same psalm: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Ps 115:6).

Therefore David rejoices, prophetically foreseeing that he would abide with the saints and with those who gave their souls for Christ according to the promise. For he too faithfully sacrificed himself for the people of God.

He did this when he fought Goliath in single combat (1 Kgs 17:40) and alone turned away the danger threatening all. He did it when he was ready for death, in order to wipe away his sin before the Lord (2 Kgs 12:13).

He did it when he resolved to bear the punishment himself for the salvation of the people struck by the Lord's chastisement (2 Kgs 24:17). For he knew that to die for Christ is a greater honor than to reign in earthly life.

What could be higher than to become a sacrifice for Christ? And although one may read of many sacrifices that David offered to the Lord, here he nevertheless adds, "To Thee I will offer the sacrifice of praise."

He does not say, "I offer," but "I will offer," thinking of that perfect sacrifice when each one, loosed from bodily bonds, stands before the Lord and makes himself a sacrifice of praise to Him.

For there is no perfect praise before death. It is impossible to give faithful praise to anyone on earth, when his future life is still unknown (Sir 11:28).

Thus death is the separation of soul and body. So too we have read in the Apostle: "To depart and to be with Christ is far better."

What does this separation bring with it, except that it frees the body and gives it rest, while bringing peace and freedom to the soul? And further, if the soul is pious, it is destined to be with Christ.

Saint Ambrose again turns to the definition of death as the separation of soul from body, stressing that this understanding is based on Holy Scripture and not on the judgments of philosophers.

"What philosophy! By the words, 'to die is gain,' he rejected love for this life. By the words, 'to live in the flesh is fruitful labor for me,' he showed that the present life is also necessary.

How is it necessary? If we use it as we ought, if we bear fruit. Therefore one must not hate life, for one can live well. But if we misuse life, even then we must not blame it.

Why? Because life is not the cause, but the will of those who misuse it. God gave you life so that you might live for Him. But you, by your inclination to evil, live sinfully and subject yourself to every blame" (Chrysostom).

"In itself, death is neither loss nor gain, and it occurs according to God's order. Therefore Saint Paul calls martyrdom itself gain, death for Christ and the Gospel. Such death is truly gain, for of itself it crowns the sufferer with a most glorious crown" (Bishop Theophan).

To this our more recent interpreter adds: "As Christ partook of divine glory and sat at the right hand of God the Father only after the Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, so the believer will partake of Christ's glory and behold God face to face only after his own resurrection.

Therefore, although the Apostle, even while living in the flesh, has Christ as his true life, death will be gain for him. It is gain not in itself, but as a necessary link in the passage from this earthly life, filled with deprivation and sufferings, to the life of glory with Christ.

It is the passage to full communion with Him and the contemplation of Him."

"There could be no comparison between being with Christ in the other life and life here. It is not this latter life that appears in the Apostle as the counterweight to the former. Rather, it is what he can still do in this life for the good of his neighbors, and for the spread of the Kingdom of Christ on earth" (Nazarevsky; cf. Rom 9:1-3).

Saint Chrysostom infers from this: "Death is something indifferent. Death is not evil, but to suffer torment after death is evil. Likewise, death is not good, but to be with Christ after death is good.

What happens after death is good or evil. Therefore we must not grieve for all who die, nor rejoice over all who live. How then? We must weep over sinners, not only when they die, but also while they live.

We must rejoice over the righteous, not only while they live, but also after they have fallen asleep. For the former are dead even while living, while the latter live even after death.

The former are pitiable to all even in this life, because they offend God. The latter are blessed even when they pass over there, because they have gone to Christ.

Sinners, wherever they may be, are far from the King, and therefore deserve tears. The righteous, whether here or there, are with the King. There they are much nearer to Him, not by contemplation, nor by faith, but, as it is written, face to face (1 Cor 13:12)."