Romans 8:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” Notice the wisdom of blessed Paul. He did not mention what daily takes us captive, namely, love of money, passion for glory, and the tyranny of anger. Instead he lists what is far more painful than these and able to overcome nature itself. He points to what often shakes the firmness of the mind against our will, speaking of tribulations and distresses.

Although it is easy to enumerate all that is said, each word contains countless ranks of temptations. When the Apostle speaks of tribulation, he means prisons, bonds, denunciations, exiles, and all other calamities. In one word he points to a boundless sea of dangers and discloses before us all human misfortunes. Yet despite this, he dares all these afflictions. Therefore the Apostle also uses the form of a question, as though not doubting at all that nothing can separate from love the one who is so loved and under such providential care.

And why do I say that we shall not grieve over present afflictions? We shall not even notice them, such is the nature of love. The one whom we love, and who is not with us but far from us, is precisely the one we picture to ourselves every day. Great indeed is the power of love. It removes the soul from everything and binds it to the beloved object. If we love Christ in this way, everything here will seem to us a shadow, a mere sign and dream.

Then we too shall say, “Who shall separate us from the love of God? Tribulation, or distress?” He did not say property, wealth, or beauty, because all these are extremely insignificant and contemptible. He pointed instead to what is thought grievous, famine, persecutions, and death. He despised even these as nothing, while we separate ourselves from our life because of money and remove ourselves from the light.

Paul prefers love for Him to death and life, to things present and things to come, and to every creature whatsoever. But as soon as we see a little gold, we are immediately inflamed and trample upon the laws of Christ. If it is unpleasant to hear this, still less should we tolerate it in deed. Yet this is the trouble: when we hear it, we are horrified, but when we do it, we are not horrified. On the contrary, we swear rashly, break oaths, plunder, demand interest, neglect chastity, abandon diligent prayer, transgress most of the commandments, and for the sake of money pay no attention to our brethren.

For “who shall separate us from the love of God?” Whoever feels God’s love for himself cannot fail to be set aflame with love for God.

Then let the whole world rise against him for this love. He will by no means abandon the love of God.

If he does not abandon love, he cannot weaken or waver in his hope.

Saint Chrysostom says: “Having shown how greatly God provides for us, the Apostle continues his discourse with all freedom.

“He says that you also must love God just as much. Yet, as though caught up in wonder by this ineffable providence, he cries out: ‘Who shall separate us from the love of God?’”

In answer to this, he says: sorrows and distresses might separate us from the love of God. But can they separate us? They must not have such an effect on us (verses 35-37).

Then he adds: and I am persuaded that they will not be able to have such a destructive effect on us (verses 38-39).

Nothing can be more inspiring for enduring sorrows and distresses for the sake of the love of God.

In our ordinary life, when someone says to another, “I am sure that you will not do this or that,” he imposes by this friendly or authoritative word an unbreakable obligation not to do it.

Saint Paul acts in this way here.

First, the Apostle indicates what might separate from the love of God, but will not be able to do so. He points only to sorrows and distresses.

But are they alone able to do this? Are not the enticements of the world strong in the same direction? Do they not even lead away from God and faithfulness to Him even more?

Even if not more, they can always be set alongside sorrows and distresses as things that draw away from the love of God.

Why then did the Apostle remain silent about them? Because whoever withstands the assault of sorrows and distresses can no longer be influenced by the enticements of the world.

Saint Chrysostom says: “Marvel at the wisdom of blessed Paul. He did not mention what daily captures us: love of money, passion for glory, or the tyranny of anger.

“Instead he lists what is far more tormenting than these, what does violence to nature itself and often shakes the firmness of the mind against our will.

“He speaks of sorrows and distresses.”

Perhaps the Apostle did not mention enticements because, at that time, if anyone was turned away from the love of God, it was by sorrows, not by enticements.

There were so many sorrows, and they were so widespread, that enticements did not even come to anyone’s mind.

“Tribulation, or distress.” This is like a heading for everything hostile to the lovers of God in Christ Jesus.

Tribulation is more on the inward side, as hostility is reflected in the heart. Distress is more on the outward side, concerning the body and outward condition.

Persecution arises both in the family and in society. People rise up and do not wish to tolerate such a person living among them.

They either drive him out directly, or by oppressions and hostilities force him to flee. And he flees, often with nothing but what he had on him.

The unavoidable result is hunger and nakedness. There is nothing to eat and nothing to wear.

But this is not all. The persecutors are not satisfied with exile and deprivation of everything. They seek to beat and kill.

Because of this, danger hangs constantly over one’s head. At any moment they may seize him, torture him, and kill him.

So it was almost everywhere in private life. Sometimes the government also joined the private persecutors and took the sword in hand.

It was as though to strike enemies, but in fact to behead the lovers of God.

Saint Chrysostom says: “Each word contains countless armies of temptations.

“When the Apostle speaks, for example, of tribulation, he means prisons, chains, accusations, exiles, and all other misfortunes.

“In one word he travels around a boundless sea of calamities. In short, in one expression he opens before us all human misfortunes.

“Despite this, he dares to face all these calamities. The Apostle uses the form of a question, as though not at all doubting.

“He shows that nothing can separate from love for the Benefactor the one who is so loved and stands under such providence.”

“As it is written.” The Apostle cites this passage of Scripture from the Psalm (see Ps 43:23) as though only to confirm the calamity of the lovers of God.

Yet if those words are taken in connection with the Psalm’s content, they also confirm the unshaken love of those who love God.

The Psalm portrays the extreme calamity that befell the people of God, most likely captivity and dispersion, with all the sorrows that accompanied it.

But it notes that, although all this befell us, “we have not forgotten You,” and “we have not dealt falsely in Your covenant,” and “our heart has not turned back” (cf. Ps 43:18-19).

Thus it is obvious that if we are put to death all the day long, it is for no other reason than for Your sake (cf. Ps 43:23).

Seeing in this a prefiguration of the condition of the first Christians and their leaders, the Apostle cited this passage.

He gives us to understand: if they remained so faithful to God despite distresses, shall we not remain faithful?

“And we overcome exceedingly” (verse 37). Our faithfulness to the love of God has already been prefigured. We are only fulfilling what was preordained.

Or: how can we depart from what was preordained, from what was prefigured concerning us so many centuries before?