Romans 8:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In the preceding words he requires spiritual correction of conduct, when he says: you must not live according to the flesh. That is, you must turn away from lust, anger, love of money, vainglory, and envy.

Now he has reminded the believer of the whole gift given to him, a gift that has meaning also for the future. He has strengthened and raised him by hopes, placed him near Christ, and declared him joint-heir of the Only-begotten.

Now he boldly leads him out to misfortunes. It is not the same thing to overcome passions arising within us and to endure external temptations.

These are blows, hunger, loss of possessions, banishments, chains, and being led away to execution. For the latter, much nobility and courage of soul are needed.

Notice how the Apostle both lowers and elevates the mind of those who struggle. Whenever he shows that the rewards exceed the labors, he urges them toward greater labors.

He does not permit them to think highly of themselves, as though they were overcome by the recompense of crowns.

Elsewhere he says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17). That speech was addressed to those more advanced in wisdom.

Here he does not call the sufferings light, but comforts them in their sufferings by the recompense of future blessings. He says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy.”

He did not say that they are worth nothing compared with future joy. He said something much stronger: compared with future glory.

Where there is joy, there is not always glory. But where there is glory, there is certainly joy.

Then, having said that the glory is future, he proves that it already exists. He did not say, “compared with that which will be,” but “which shall be revealed.”

That is, it exists even now, but is hidden. He expressed this more clearly elsewhere, saying, “Our life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).

Therefore hope in this glory. It is already prepared and awaits your labors. You are saddened because it still lies ahead. Yet this very thing should gladden you.

There a great, ineffable glory is prepared, surpassing your present condition. The Apostle did not say “the sufferings of this present time” without purpose.

He intended to show that future glory surpasses the present not only in quality, but also in quantity. Present sufferings, whatever they may be, end with the present life.

Future blessings extend through endless ages. Since the Apostle could not enumerate them in detail or portray them in words, he named them glory.

Glory seems especially pleasant to us, because it is regarded as the summit and head of all blessings.

The Apostle encourages the hearer in another way as well. He strengthens his discourse by pointing to creation, having two aims in view in the following words.

He wishes to inspire contempt for the present and desire for the future. Together with this, he has a third aim, which should more properly be called the first.

He wishes to show how dear the human race is to God, and in what honor our nature stands with Him.

In addition, by this one teaching the Apostle overthrows all the philosophers’ discussions about this world, as though they were cobwebs and children’s toys. But to make this clearer, let us hear the Apostle’s own words...

Since it is exceedingly great and ineffably surpasses the present age, it has been prepared for them as something extending into the endless ages. Therefore, hearer, keeping in mind that sufferings are temporal and the glory of the age to come is endless, accept sufferings and acquire glory.

Will you go about dirty and unwashed? But the one who has washed in Christ needs no other washings (cf. Jn 13:10). In short, to all this the Apostle gives a clear answer: 'The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.' Be discerning, beloved, if you wish both to rejoice in this world and afterward to reign with Christ.

He said 'revealed' to show that even now the combatants have glory, but it is hidden, awaiting labors from the victors. If it grieves them that glory has not yet appeared, then this should all the more gladden those who demolish the strongholds of passions and demons. For it belongs to the age to come that the glory be greatest, surpassing with great excess both speech, reason, and the present condition.

The Apostle did not simply say, 'the sufferings of the present time.' He intended to show that these sufferings yield precedence to the rewards not only in quality, but also in quantity. The former end with the present life, while the latter extend into immortal ages. Since he could not express this clearly and in detail by words, he called them glory, which in our opinion is most desirable to us, because it seems to us the summit of virtues.

Here the Apostle is not proposing a new thought, but explaining what he has just said. He said: we suffer with Christ, and with Him we shall be glorified.

Now he adds: how shall we be glorified? So that at the mere thought of that glory all these sufferings appear insignificant.

Yet one cannot deny that, since sufferings were widespread and not small, he also had in mind to encourage those who suffered. Let us suffer. Beneath this dark covering there lies glory, which will be revealed in its own time.

This glory is not now outwardly manifest, because the state of the present age cannot contain its radiance. For it to appear in its power, the whole world must be transformed, including the whole present condition of creatures.

Saint Chrysostom expounds broadly and in many aspects the thoughts suggested by this text.

“In the preceding verses the Apostle requires spiritual correction of conduct. He says: you must not live according to the flesh. That is, you must turn away from lust, anger, love of money, vainglory, and envy.

“Now he has brought to the believer’s remembrance the whole greatness of the gift, both present and future. He has raised and exalted him with hopes, brought him near to Christ, and declared him joint-heir of the Only-begotten.

“Now he requires him to go boldly and confidently toward misfortunes. For it is not the same thing to overcome one’s own passions and to endure external temptations.

“These include blows, hunger, banishments, bonds, chains, and being led away to execution. For the latter, one must have greater nobility and courage in the soul.

“Notice how the Apostle at once humbles and encourages the thoughts of the contestants. By showing that the rewards exceed the labors, he urges them to greater labors.

“He does not allow them to think highly of themselves, since they are stirred by the recompense of crowns.

“Elsewhere, addressing people more advanced in wisdom, he says: ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory’ (cf. 2 Cor 4:17).

“But here he does not call the sufferings light. He comforts them in their sufferings by the recompense of future blessings, saying, ‘I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy.’

“He did not say, ‘they are worth nothing compared with future rest.’ He said something far stronger: compared with future glory. Where there is rest, there is not always glory. But where there is glory, there is certainly rest.

“Then, having said that the glory is future, he proves that it has already begun. He did not say, ‘compared with that which will be,’ but ‘which shall be revealed.’

“Therefore it already exists now, but is hidden. He expressed this more clearly in another verse, saying, ‘Our life is hidden with Christ in God’ (cf. Col 3:3).

“Hope to receive this glory. It is already prepared and awaits your labors. You are grieved that it still lies ahead. But this very thing should gladden you.

“For there a most great glory is prepared, ineffable and surpassing your present condition. The Apostle did not say without purpose, ‘the sufferings of this present time.’

“By this he wishes to show that future glory surpasses the present not only in quality, but also in quantity. Present sufferings, whatever they may be, end with the present life.

“But future blessings extend into endless ages. Since the Apostle could not enumerate them in detail or portray them in words, he called them glory.

“For glory seems to us the most important thing. We regard glory as the summit and beginning of all blessings.

“The Apostle also uses another way to stir his hearers. He strengthens his discourse by pointing to creation. In the following words he has two aims.

“He wishes to inspire contempt for the present and desire for the future. Besides this, he has a third aim, which should more properly be called the first.

“He wishes to show how greatly God cares for the human race, and in what honor our nature stands with Him. Moreover, by this same teaching he destroys all the philosophers’ discussions about this world, as though they were cobwebs and children’s toys.

“For it will become different. But for greater clarity, let us hear the Apostle’s own words.”