Romans 8:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see how the Apostle strives to bring us near to the Master? Since not all children are heirs, he shows that we are both children and heirs. Then, since not all heirs inherit great things, he shows that we have this too, being heirs of God. Again, since one may be an heir of God but not a coheir with the Only-begotten, he shows that we have this also.

Notice the Apostle's wisdom. When he spoke of what those who live according to the flesh will suffer, he did not dwell on describing their sorrows, but only said that they would die. But when he touches on the promises, he speaks much more broadly. He mentions the recompense of rewards and lists various great gifts.

If merely being a son is ineffable grace, imagine how great it is also to be an heir. And if this is great, to be a coheir is far higher. Then, wishing to show that all this is not a gift of grace alone, and at the same time to make his words more credible, the Apostle added, 'if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.'

If, says Paul, we have shared in Christ's sorrows, we shall much more share in His joys. He Who bestowed such great blessings on those who had not yet shown any merits, will He not much more reward them when He sees that they have labored and suffered so much?

He does this so that those who receive the gift may not be ashamed, as though they received it without labor. Consider, however, what he suggests here: one deemed worthy of such gifts must subject himself to sufferings and afflictions.

He speaks of the glory of the saints because the righteous will shine in their time like the sun (Mt 13:43). They will be found in honor, glory, and incorruption, when their body is changed, just as Christ was transfigured on the mountain.

To suffer with Christ means to endure persecutions for the future hope and to crucify the flesh of evils and lusts, that is, to reject the pleasures and pride of this age. When all this dies in a man, then the world will be crucified for him, who believes in the life of the age to come, in which he hopes to be coheir with Christ.

'If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.' Not all who have been granted saving Baptism enjoy these blessings, but those who, beyond this, receive participation and communion in the Master's sufferings. The Apostle did not add this without purpose, but as consolation for those receiving this epistle. They were being struck by temptations of every kind and were enduring insults, tortures, imprisonments, and thousands of varied deaths. Therefore he composes a word of consolation, encouraging them by the future and exhorting them to bear the present courageously.

Thus, according to the greatness of the expected reward, we should show even greater zeal for the works of God, pushing every care for the world behind us. The Apostle John teaches us what it means to be coheirs with Christ, saying, When He appears, we shall be like Him (1 Jn 3:2).'

As testimony that this will be so, He gives to those who turn back His Holy Spirit. Receiving Him signifies that sonship is restored to them again, and that the inheritance is confirmed for them.

They will receive it as soon as they pass through death from a foreign land into their homeland, provided only that they do not again turn away from their Father who has mercy on them.

“With God inheritance is not as it is among men,” writes Ambrosiaster. “With Him it is a father’s gift to obedient children. The living becomes heir of the Living, not because of the father’s death, but according to his rank as son.

“The Lord depicted this in the parable of the prodigal son. By the father’s goodness, he was brought into the enjoyment of all the blessings of sonship for the sake of his return to the father alone.

“And the Apostle, in order to make us ready to obey the heavenly Father, persuades us by the same hope. For this we shall be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

“Thus, because of the greatness of the expected reward, we may show greater zeal for the works of God, pushing back every concern for worldly things.”

Why is it added, “joint-heirs with Christ”? It is added to define more exactly the measure of the inheritance, and to give fuller assurance that it will certainly be received. The treasures of God are boundless.

One cannot be heir to all of them, but to a portion. Yet what portion? One might suppose it great or small, as the Giver of the inheritance is pleased to bestow.

Since such indefiniteness might darken the brightness and consolation of hope, the Apostle defined both the kind and the measure of the inheritance. He said that we are joint-heirs with Christ.

“Since even a servant often receives some portion from his master, yet does not thereby become a sharer with the son, the Apostle added, ‘joint-heirs with Christ,’ to reveal the ineffable love for mankind” (Blessed Theodoret).

By this he “raises the value of the inheritance, assuring us that we shall be near our Lord and Savior” (Oecumenius).

“What it means to be joint-heirs with Christ the Apostle John teaches us, saying, ‘When He appears, we shall be like Him’ (1 Jn 3:2)” (Ambrosiaster).

By this addition the certainty of receiving the inheritance is also raised. For it is already certain that Christ the Lord abides at the right hand of God the Father in glory.

If believers become one with the Lord Jesus Christ, are clothed in Him, and are grafted into Him like branches into a tree, then there can be no doubt. Where He is, there they also will be, as He Himself assured us with His divine lips.

Reminding us of this, the Apostle says, as it were: do not doubt. You are certainly heirs.

Let us note: the Father makes us joint-heirs with the Son for the sake of the Spirit dwelling in us. Everything in Christianity is raised to the Life-giving Trinity.

All is from the Father in the Son through the Holy Spirit, or through the Son in the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle has indicated one part of the expanse of Christ’s restorative power. It will be revealed in the resurrection of believers unto blessed life, which is their undoubted inheritance.

He now begins to explain another part: the restoration of all creation to its foreordained order. Creation was displaced from that order by the fall of man, its king and head.

In passing to this, he pauses over the grievous outward condition of Christians. On the one hand, this too shows Christians to be like Christ, and confirms the certainty of the inheritance.

On the other hand, it suggests that all creation, being in a similar grievous condition, is not deprived of hope that it too will one day be in a better and more joyful state.

“Since we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.” “Since” in Greek is εϊπερ, properly “if,” but with the same meaning as in verse 9: “inasmuch as,” “since.” It should not be translated otherwise.

If we set “if” here, we distort the meaning of the text. What then does the Apostle wish to say?

He seems to hear an objection: you say that we are God’s heirs, but look at what we are. There is no one in the world more afflicted than we are.

Comforting them, the Apostle answers: this should not shake our hope of inheritance, but rather confirm it. We do not simply suffer. We suffer for Christ and with Christ.

Christ also suffered, but now He is in glory. As He entered glory after suffering, so shall we also enter it. Therefore we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified with Him.

We receive nothing here, that we may receive everything there.

Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle did not add this without purpose, but for the consolation of those receiving this epistle, and in them of all Christians.

“They were subject to assaults of temptations of every kind. They endured insults, torments, imprisonments, and thousands of different deaths.

“Therefore he composes a word of consolation, encouraging them with the future and exhorting them to bear the present courageously.”

Yet in every age, as also in the beginning, not all Christians suffered outwardly. Nevertheless, all these too were fellow-sufferers with Christ. How? Through crucifying themselves with the passions and desires.

Ambrosiaster applies this thought here: “What does it mean to suffer together with Christ? To suffer with Christ means to bear persecutions nobly in hope of future blessings.

“It also means to mortify one’s flesh with the passions and desires, while despising the delights and pomp of the world.

“When all this dies in a man, then the believer in the life of the age to come is crucified to the world. In that age he expects to be a joint-heir with Christ.”