Philippians 2:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What do you want, Paul? Tell us. He says: that you not merely listen to me, but work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

For without fear one cannot accomplish anything noble and marvelous. He did not simply say, “with fear,” but added, “and trembling.”

This is the higher degree of fear. He wished to make the Philippians more attentive.

Paul had such fear. Therefore he said, “lest, after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor 9:27).

Indeed, if worldly matters cannot be accomplished without fear, how much more spiritual matters?

Tell me: who has learned letters without fear? Who has become skilled in an art without fear?

If even there, where the devil does not lie in wait and only laziness weighs us down, such fear is needed to avert natural negligence, then in such a struggle, amid such obstacles, how can anyone ever be saved without fear?

How can this fear be born? If we consider that God is present everywhere, hears all things, sees all things, not only deeds and words, but everything that happens in the heart and in the depth of the soul.

“He judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). If we dispose ourselves in this way, we shall neither do, nor say, nor think anything evil.

Tell me, if you were always standing near your superior, would you not stand with fear?

How then, standing before God, do you laugh, lean against the wall, and neither fear nor tremble?

Do not despise His longsuffering, by which He leads you to repentance. Whatever you do, do it with the thought of God’s omnipresence.

He is truly present everywhere. Therefore, whether you take food, prepare to sleep, become angry, steal anything, give yourself to pleasures, or do anything else, remember God’s presence.

Then you will never give yourself over to laughter, and never be inflamed with anger.

If you keep this thought constantly, you will always be in fear and trembling, as though standing near the king himself.

The builder, though experienced and highly skilled, still stands with fear and trembling, fearing lest he fall from the building.

You too have believed, have done much good, and have ascended to a height. Hold yourself firmly, stand with fear, and watch soberly, lest you fall from there.

For there are many spirits of wickedness who wish to cast you down.

It is said, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him with trembling” (Ps 2:11).

How can there be joy with trembling? This alone is joy. We rejoice only when we have done something good, and something proper to those who act with trembling.

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” The Apostle did not say, “do,” but “work out,” that is, with great care and great zeal.

Since by the words “with fear and trembling” he made them timid, see how he softens this timidity.

What does he say? “For God works in you.” Do not fear because I said, “with fear and trembling.”

I did not say this so that you would withdraw, or so that you would consider virtue inaccessible. I said it so that you would be attentive and not distracted.

If this is so, then God will do everything. Take courage: “For God works in you.”

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” I exhort you, he says, not for my own sake, but so that you may accomplish what pertains to your salvation with fear, and indeed with intense fear and trembling. Without fear nothing good is accomplished, neither in the verbal sciences nor in the mechanical arts. How, then, can such perfect fear be born? It is born if we think that God is present everywhere, hears all things, and sees all things, not only what is done, but also what is in the thoughts. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling,” says the prophet (Ps 2:11). Joy with trembling occurs when someone, doing a good work, does it with trembling and has a pure conscience. He said “work out” (κατεργάζεσθε), and not simply “work” (εργάζεσθε), that is, with great diligence and care.

And if they are so ours that they are no longer gifts of almighty God, why do we give thanks for them to almighty God? But one must know that evil deeds are ours alone, while good deeds are both ours and almighty God's. They are ours because He, by inspiration, goes before us so that we may will. He follows with assistance, so that we do not will in vain, but may be able to fulfill what we have willed. Thus, through prevenient grace and obedient good will, what is the gift of almighty God becomes our merit.

This is fully explained by the fact that in human salvation God is not only the One who works, but man also is the one who works it out. Man can resist the action of God and, through negligence and indifference, grieve and quench the Spirit of God who works in him (1 Thess 5:19). Here there arises the possibility of fear, lest our salvation, begun and accomplished by God, be destroyed through our sinful frivolity.

If such fear is needed where the devil does not lie in wait, but only sloth weighs one down, then in such a struggle and amid such obstacles, how can one ever be saved without fear? The builder, though experienced, nevertheless stands with fear and trembling, afraid of falling from the building. You too have believed, have accomplished much good, and have ascended to a height. Hold yourself firmly, stand with fear, and watch vigilantly, lest you fall from there. For there are many spirits of wickedness desiring to cast you down. ‘Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling’ (Ps 2:11). Notice also that the Apostle did not say, ‘do salvation,’ but ‘work it out,’ that is, with every diligence. How can fear be born? If we consider that God is present everywhere, hears everything, sees everything, not only words and deeds, but also everything that takes place in the heart and in the depths of the soul (Heb 4:12). If we constantly have this thought, then we shall constantly be in fear and trembling, as if standing near the King Himself.” “Take courage, for it is God who works in you. When you will, He also will work, even the willing. And when we wish to do something good, He accomplishes this good. Yet our choice is not thereby taken away.” We must strive for good pleasure, that is, for the conformity of our will with the good and loving will of God. According to blessed Theodoret, “the Apostle called God's good will good pleasure. For God ‘desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth’” (1 Tim 2:4). According to the thought of our recent interpreter, “here the Apostle, on the one hand, persuades them to abandon self-exaltation, and, on the other, to take upon themselves the opposite, self-abasement, which is so clearly expressed in fear and trembling. God assists man not by virtue of man's merits, but according to His own goodness. Through this last expression the Apostle removes from the Philippians the possibility of conceit and vainglory over their own merits” (cf. Rom 7:18).

The Apostle also sets forth a nearer circumstance that compels exactness, when he says: in my presence you were always zealous. For this very reason, in my absence you must be still more zealous.

Otherwise it will appear that you were such not for God, but for me. When I ceased to be present, you also ceased to be such.

This is a man-pleasing mode of action, not one pleasing to God and performed in the fear of God.

Chrysostom says: “Why ‘much more in my absence’? Then it could seem that you did everything out of respect for me and shame before me. But now this is not so. Therefore, if it appears that you are zealous now, it is clear that then also you were such not for me, but for God.”

Having thus arranged his lesson, he finally sets it forth: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” This is the chief thing not only for them, but for all.

Whoever has acquired the fear of God will undoubtedly be exact in everything, not only outwardly, but inwardly. He will act not merely out of regard for external contacts, but from a movement of the heart.

“What do you want, Saint Paul? Tell us,” asks Chrysostom, and answers with his word: “That you not merely listen to me, but work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For without fear one cannot accomplish anything noble and marvelous. He did not simply say, ‘with fear,’ but added, ‘and trembling,’ which is the higher degree of fear, wishing to make the Philippians more attentive. Paul had such fear. Therefore he says, ‘I fear lest, after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified’ (cf. 1 Cor 9:27). For if worldly matters cannot be accomplished without fear, how much more spiritual matters? Tell me: who has learned letters without fear? Who has become skilled in an art without fear? If even there, where the devil does not lie in wait and only laziness weighs us down, such fear is needed to avert natural negligence, then in such a struggle, amid such obstacles, how can anyone ever be saved without fear? How can this fear be born? If we consider that God is present everywhere, hears all things, sees all things, not only words and deeds, but everything that happens in the heart and in the depth of the soul. ‘He is a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart’ (cf. Heb 4:12). If we dispose ourselves in this way, we shall neither do, nor say, nor think anything evil. Tell me, if you were always standing near your superior, would you not stand with fear? How then, standing before God, do you laugh, lean against the wall, and neither fear nor tremble? Do not despise His longsuffering. He is longsuffering in order to lead you to repentance. Therefore, whatever you do, do it with the thought of God’s omnipresence. For He is truly present everywhere. Whether you take food, prepare to sleep, or do anything else, think of God’s presence. Then you will never give yourself over to laughter, and never be inflamed with anger. If you keep this thought constantly, you will always be in fear and trembling, as though standing near the King Himself. The builder, though experienced and highly skilled, stands with fear and trembling, fearing lest he fall from the building. You too have believed, have done much good, and have ascended to a height. Hold yourself firmly. Stand with fear and watch soberly, lest you fall from there. For many spirits of wickedness desire to cast you down. ‘Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him with trembling’ (cf. Ps 2:11). Notice also that the Apostle did not say, ‘do salvation,’ but ‘work it out,’ that is, with great care.”