Philippians 2:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does “holding fast the word of life” mean? It means having life in the age to come, belonging to the number of those being saved. See how quickly he sets forth the rewards. Luminaries, he says, contain the cause of light, while you contain the cause of life. What does “the word of life” mean? It means having the seed of life, that is, having the pledge of life, containing life itself, having the seed of life in you. This is what he calls the word of life. Therefore all the rest are dead. He indicated precisely this by speaking in this way. Otherwise, the others also would contain the word of life. “For my boast,” he says. What does this mean? I too, he says, share in your good things. Your virtue is such that it not only saves you, but also glorifies me.

Holding fast the word of life means having within yourselves the seed of life and intending to live so hereafter, while already now possessing within yourselves the pledge of salvation. Or else: as lights shine and enliven bodies by warming them, so you also strive to be a life-giving power for other men. "For my boasting in the day of Christ." Let your virtue be such, he says, that it not only brings you to life, but also shows me to be more glorious at Christ's coming. "That I have not run in vain or labored in vain." My glory consists in this: that I have brought you up to be such, and that my labor among you was not fruitless.

"Let us be lights in the world, holding fast the word of life" (Phil 2:15-16), that is, let us be a life-giving power for others.

Above all, have the word of life within yourselves. For this is my boasting in the day of our Lord, since through His reward I shall be shown not to have labored in vain.

“Among whom you appear as luminaries in the world, holding fast the word of life, for my boast in the day of Christ.” Those who attack you will not harm you, says the Apostle. For you will shine like luminaries in the world and will give me reason to boast of you at the coming of the Savior. The phrase “holding fast the word of life” (έπεχοντεζ) means attending to the word of life. For the Apostle spoke in the same way in the Epistle to Timothy: “Take heed” (έπεχε) “to yourself and to the teaching” (1 Tim 4:16). That is, be attentive to yourself and to the teaching. He called the preaching “the word of life” because it leads to eternal life. “That I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” I boast and highly value that I did not take up care for you in vain.

Through you, says Paul, I obtain glory, because you receive the word of life, that is, you know Christ. He is the Word of life, since what has been accomplished in Him is life. Therefore Christ is the word of life. From this one may know how great are the benefits and glory of those who set right the souls of others.

Having explained the highest example of humility and patience in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle also showed us the foundation for these virtues. We have nothing of our own that would exalt us; everything belongs to the cooperating grace of God. Therefore the Apostle commands us to do all things without murmuring against men and without disputing. That is, we must act without doubts and wavering of faith in the providence of God, as befits “blameless children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.” Pointing also to his own example, the Apostle informs his Philippian disciples that.

Knowing the Philippians' love for him, the Apostle urges them to hold firmly to the word of life preached to them. Thus his labor among them would not only be not in vain, but would also serve as his boast at the future judgment. “By setting this forth in relation to himself, he also inspires them with the same hopes. For if his labor in preaching will be crowned, then their following of this preaching will also be crowned” (Bishop Theophan). “The Apostle calls the bringing of the Philippians to faith a sacrifice.” And by saying, “rejoice and rejoice together,” he also inspires them to endure sufferings. I rejoice, he says, over what I have already endured, over what I am enduring, and over what lies before me to endure. I am ready with joy for every kind of death.

The aim Christians must have in view, while refraining from murmuring and doubts, is that they become blameless before the judgment of God and free from the stains of sin (ακέραιοι). Thus they are to become true children of God, upon whom the terrible sentence will not fall. That sentence will fall upon the crooked and perverse children among whom the Philippians, preserving the word of life, or the Gospel, appear like lamps of the world. This will give the Apostle great joy, when he sees that his labors have not been in vain. To show how much the firmness of the Philippians in preserving the Gospel rejoices him, the Apostle says this.

“The word of life is the evangelical word” (John of Damascus).

“‘Holding fast the word of life’ means attending to the word of life. For thus the Apostle said in the Epistle to Timothy: ‘Take heed to yourself and to the teaching’ (1 Tim 4:16), that is, be attentive to yourself and to the teaching. He called the preaching the word of life because it leads to life” (blessed Theodoret).

Saint Paul explains how they appear as lights in the world. They hold the word of life and appear as lights.

To hold the word does not mean merely to receive it by the hearing of the ear, or to keep and remember it in thoughts. It means to make the whole inward and outward man formed according to it.