According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
All Commentaries on Philippians 1:20 Go To Philippians 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
According to my earnest expectation and hope, says he, that in nothing shall I be put to shame. Do you see how great a thing it is to hope in God? Whatever happens, he says, I shall not be put to shame, i.e. they will not obtain the mastery, over me, but with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body. They forsooth expected to catch Paul in this snare, and to quench the preaching of the Gospel, as though their craftiness were of any power. This then, he says, shall not be so, I shall not now die, but as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body. How so? Ofttimes have I fallen into dangers, when all men gave us up, and what is more, when I myself did. For we had the answer of death within ourselves 2 Corinthians 1:9, but from all the Lord delivered me, so now too he shall be magnified in my body. What then? Lest any one should suppose and say, If you die, will He not then be magnified? Yes, he answers, I know He will; for this cause I did not say that my life alone shall magnify him, but my death too. At present he means by life; they will not destroy me; even did they so, Christ will even thus be magnified. How so? Through life, because He delivered me, but through my death, because even death itself could not persuade me to deny Him, since He gave me such readiness, and made me stronger than death. On the one hand because He freed me from peril; on the other, because He suffered me not to fear the tyranny of death: thus shall he be magnified through life and death. And this he says, not as though he were about to die, but lest on his death they should be affected as men are apt to be.
But that you may know these his words did not point to immediate death, the thought that pained them most, see how he relieves it by almost saying, These things I say, not as one about to die; wherefore he soon after adds, And having this confidence I know that I shall abide, yea and abide with you all. In nothing, says he, shall I be put to shame; that is, death brings no shame to me, but rather great gain. Why so? Because I am not immortal, but I shall shine more brightly than if I were so, for it is not the same thing for one immortal, and for one who is mortal, to despise death; so that not even instant death is shame to me, yet shall I not die; in nothing shall I be put to shame, neither in life nor death. For I will bear either nobly, whether life or death. Well says he! This is the part of a Christian soul! But he adds, with all boldness. Do you see how entirely I am freed from shame? For if the fear of death had cut short my boldness, death would have been worthy of shame, but if death at its approach cast no terror on me, no shame is here; but whether it be through life I shall not be put to shame, for I still preach the Preaching, or whether it be through death I shall not be put to shame; fear does not hold me back, since I still exhibit the same boldness. Do not, when I mention my bonds, think shame of the matter; so manifold good has it caused to me, that it has even given confidence to others. For that we should be bound for Christ, is no shame, but for fear of bonds to betray anything that is Christ's, this is shame. When there is no such thing, bonds are even a cause of boldness. But since I have ofttimes escaped dangers, and have this to boast of to the unbelievers, do not straightway think I am put to shame, if now it should turn out otherwise. The one event no less than the other gives you boldness. Note how he brings this forward in his own person, which he does in many places, as in the Epistle to the Romans; For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Romans 1:16 And again in that to the Corinthians; And these things I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos. 1 Corinthians 4:6— Whether by life or by death: this he says not as in ignorance, (for he knew that he was not then to die, but some time after); yet even now does he prepare their soul.
