Romans 8:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As a nurse who has brought up a king’s son enjoys good things with him when he receives his father’s authority, so also does creation, according to the Apostle.

Do you see that man is everywhere first, and that everything is done for him? Do you notice how the Apostle comforts the struggler and proves the ineffable love of God for mankind?

Why do you grieve over temptations? he says. You suffer for yourself, but creation suffers for you.

And he not only comforts, but also proves the certainty of what he has said. If creation hopes, which became what it now is because of you, much more should you hope, through whom creation will enjoy all those good things.

People commonly dress servants in finer clothing for the honor of the son, when he must appear in all his dignity. So also God clothes creation with incorruption in the freedom of the glory of His children.

Therefore creation itself also will be set free. Not only you, but even what is far lower than you, having neither soul nor sense, will participate with you in the blessings. It will no longer be corruptible, but will become suited to you. When your body became corruptible, creation also became corruptible. Likewise, when your body becomes incorruptible, creation too will become incorruptible.

Therefore, if creation has suffered for you, you too must endure suffering for God. If it hopes to be glorified, much more should you hope to be glorified. A father clothes servants in fine garments for the honor of his sons. So also God has preserved creation for our honor.

And again, that he has become like the beasts without understanding and has been made like them (Ps 48:13). Truly the life of such men is vanity.

Creation is subject to them, and certainly not in any way willingly. How could it be? Shall we really say such a thing?

For the sensible and visible creation knows absolutely nothing of what concerns us, since it is not rational.

Yet if one should admit the thought that it can do something, it would not endure such disgraceful slavery. Nor would it wish to be subject and serve those who have chosen to pass their life without any necessary or good aim.

Nevertheless, in hope that the saints and the chosen will be saved in their own time, the Apostle says, it remains subject until now.

For God binds it and, as it were, preserves it for freedom, so that it may serve only His children and attend to the needs of the chosen.

For it is almost in turmoil, tormented and sorrowing. If it had the ability to know anything of our circumstances, it would perhaps even weep aloud.

But yielding to the divine motions, it in some manner waits, as I have said, for the revelation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19).

They will become wholly radiant and exceedingly glorified, both in soul and in body, as it is written: “Then the righteous,” that is, the sons of the righteous God, “will shine like the sun” (Mt 13:43).

But lest anyone think that the Apostle’s words refer to some other creation, he added: “For creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope” (Rom 8:20).

Do you see that creation did not wish to be subject and to serve Adam after he transgressed God’s commandment? For it saw that he had fallen away from divine glory.

For this reason, before the creation of the world, God foreordained that man’s salvation should come through regeneration. Man was to receive this by virtue of the incarnate divine economy of Christ.

On this basis He subjected creation to man and made it subject to corruption, since man, for whom it had been created, had become corruptible.

Thus creation would provide him year by year with corruptible food. Yet God appointed that when He renewed man and made him incorruptible, immortal, and spiritual, He would also renew all creation with him and make it eternal and incorruptible.

This is what the Apostle revealed in the words quoted: “Creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope.”

That is, creation was not subjected to men of itself. Nor did it become corruptible by its own will, producing corruptible fruits and bringing forth thorns and thistles.

Rather, it was subjected to the command of God, who appointed this for it in hope that He would renew it again.

To confirm this more fully, the Apostle finally says: “Because creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).

Do you see that all this creation was incorruptible in the beginning, and was created by God in the order of paradise? But afterward it was subjected by God to corruption and submitted to the vanity of men.

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

But the future blessings extend into endless ages.”

As one circumstance of the future glory, the Apostle indicates that then all creatures will feel the lightness and joy of life. They have now been deprived of this because of human sinfulness.

That sinfulness has had a harmful effect upon all living beings, especially upon those in any way condemned to serve slavishly the needs and whims of men.

Feeling its heavy condition, all creation awaits better times. Much more should these better times be awaited by men.

Therefore all should join themselves to Christians, who already now have the pledge of this glorious future. Yet they await something still greater, which will bring rest to spirit and body.

They await it in patience, despite sufferings.

Chrysostom says: “What do the words mean, ‘creation was subjected to vanity’? It became corruptible.

Since you, man, received a mortal body subject to sufferings, the earth also was subjected to the curse and brought forth thorns and thistles.

You suffer for yourself, but creation suffers for you.

But if creation hopes, which became what it now is for your sake, much more should you hope, through whom creation will enjoy all those good things.

Among men there is a custom of dressing servants in rich clothing for the honor of the son, when he must appear in public fittingly.

So also God will clothe creation with incorruption in the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Ambrosiaster writes: “Creation groans because of the bondage under which it stands.

It suffers when its labor leads not to eternity, but to corruption.

But, as far as can be understood, it is also troubled for our salvation. It knows that it will sooner come to its own liberation if we sooner come to know our Creator.

Knowing this, let us strive with all diligence and zeal to show ourselves worthy of our calling before God.

Let us care not only for ourselves, but also keep in mind creation, which groans day and night and suffers wrong because of us.”

The Apostle expresses this very thing by adding, into the freedom of the glory of the children of God, that is, through freedom. Just as a nurse who has raised a king's son shares in his royal blessings when he ascends his father's throne, so also creation, according to the Apostle. Do you notice how man is everywhere first and that everything is done for him? Do you also see how the Apostle comforts the athlete and proves God's ineffable love for mankind? Why do you grieve in temptations, he says? You suffer for yourself, but creation suffers for you.

He not only comforts, but also proves the certainty of what he said. If creation, which became what it now is for your sake, has hope, much more should you hope, since through you creation will enjoy all those blessings. Among men it is customary to dress servants in rich clothing for the honor of the son, when he must appear fittingly in public. So also God will clothe creation with incorruption in the freedom of the glory of the children of God.'

'Into freedom' means freedom from corruption. That is, it will put off corruption and be clothed with incorruption corresponding to the glory of the children of God. If these children, according to the Apostle, will be clothed in a certain spiritual body, then perhaps all creation too will consist of the finest elements, like a varied harmony of rainbow colors.