Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Verse 19 Read Chapter 2 Verse 21

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397

This means, “Not I, who once ate from the earth [like Adam]. Not I who was once grass, as all flesh is grass, but Christ who lives in me. That is, there lives that living bread which comes from heaven, there lives wisdom, there lives righteousness, there lives the resurrection.”

< 1 min1/13

Go to Commentary

Ambrosiaster

AD 400

There is no doubt that Christ lives in the one who is delivered from death by faith. When Christ forgives the sins of one who is worthy of death, he himself lives in that person, since by his protection the person is snatched from death.

< 1 min2/13

Go to Commentary

Ambrosiaster

AD 400

One who is fixed to the cross of Christ is one who, in imitation of his footsteps, is not ensnared by any worldly desire. Living to God, he appears dead to the world.

< 1 min3/13

Go to Commentary

Athanasius the Apostolic

AD 373

Christ is the true Son, and so when we receive the Spirit, we are made sons. For it says; ‘you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading you back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adopted sonship’ [Romans 8:15]. But when we are made sons in the Spirit, it is clear that we are called children of God in Christ... And when the Spirit is given to us-the Saviour said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ [John 20:22]- God [The Father] is in us... But when God is in us, the Son is also in us. For the Lord Himself said: ‘I and the Father will come and make our home with him’ [John 14:23]. Next, the Son is life-for He said: ‘I am the life’ [John 14:6]- and so we are said to be given life in the Spirit... But when we are given life in the Spirit, Christ Himself is said to live in us. For it says: ‘I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.’ (Galatians 2:19-20). - "Letters to Separion On the Spirit, Letter 1, Chapter 19"

1 min4/13

Go to Commentary

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

The human spirit, cleaving to the Spirit of God, struggles against the flesh that is, against itself and on its own behalf. Those impulses natural to humanity, whether in the flesh or in the soul, which remain because of our acquired debility, are restrained by discipline for the sake of obtaining salvation. So the human being who does not live according to human nature can already say, “I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.” For where I am not I, I am more happily I. Thus when any reprobate impulse arises according to my old human nature, to which I who serve the law of God with my mind do not consent, I may now say this: “now I am not the one doing that.”

1 min5/13

Go to Commentary

Cornelius a Lapide

AD 1637

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. By baptism I am crucified with Christ, and dead to sin and the law; I am cut off from the old tree, and grafted as a new branch into the new tree of the Cross of Christ, from which I draw a new life, so that it is not so much I that live but Christ who lives in me. It is not the law, not nature, not concupiscence, not my own will that now drives me into action; but Christ"s grace is now, as it were, my soul, and the cause of all virtuous living, and the wellspring of humility, fortitude, Wisdom of Solomon , joy, peace, and all virtues. So Jerome, Chrysostom, Anselm. Gregory (Hom32in Evan.) says. "We leave ourselves, we deny ourselves when we change what we were in the old Prayer of Manasseh , and strive for what we are called in the new. Think how Paul denied himself when he said, "It is not I that live." The cruel persecutor was dead, the pious preacher had begun to live; for if he were himself, he wo... Read More

13 mins6/13

Go to Commentary

Ignatius of Antioch

AD 108

I no longer wish to live after the manner of men, and my desire shall be fulfilled if ye consent. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet no longer I, since Christ liveth in me."

< 1 min7/13

Go to Commentary

Jerome

AD 420

Judas and the priests, with the princes, handed him over, and Pilate, to whom he was finally handed over, handed him over again. But the Father handed him over that he might save the abandoned world. Jesus gave himself, that he might do the Father’s will. But Judas and the priests and elders of the people and Pilate unwittingly handed over their lives to death. .

< 1 min8/13

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

What are you doing, Paul, making common things your own, and claiming for yourself what was done on behalf of the whole world? For he says not “who loved us” but “who loved me.” … But Paul speaks in this highly personal voice, aware of the culpability of human nature and the ineffable compassion of Christ, aware of what he redeems us from and what grace he confers upon us. Burning with desire toward him, he utters this. In just this way did the prophets often make the universal God their own, crying, “My God, my God, I invoke you.” He shows that each of us ought to render as much thanks to Christ as though Christ had come for him alone. For God would not have withheld this gift even from one person. He has the same love for every individual as for the whole world.

1 min9/13

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

In the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself up for me. How is this, O Paul! Why do you appropriate a general benefit, and make your own what was done for the whole world's sake? For he says not, Who loved us, but, Who loved me. And besides the Evangelist says, God so loved the world; John 3:16 and Paul himself, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up, not for Paul only, but, for us all; Romans 8:32 and again, that He might purify unto himself a people for his own possession, Titus 2:14 But considering the desperate condition of human nature, and the ineffably tender solicitude of Christ, in what He delivered us from, and what He freely gave us, and kindled by the yearning of affection towards Him, he thus expresses himself. Thus the Prophets often appropriate to themselves Him who is God of all, as in the words, O God, you are my God, early will I seek You. Psalm 63:1 Moreover, this language teaches that each individual justly owes as a great debt of gratitude to ... Read More

2 mins10/13

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

And that life which I now live in the flesh, I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God. The foregoing, says he, relates to our spiritual life, but this life of sense too, if considered, will be found owing to my faith in Christ. For as regards the former Dispensation and Law, I had incurred the severest punishment, and had long ago perished, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 And we, who lay under sentence, have been liberated by Christ, for all of us are dead, if not in fact, at least by sentence; and He has delivered us from the expected blow. When the Law had accused, and God condemned us, Christ came, and by giving Himself up to death, rescued us all from death. So that the life which I now live in the flesh, I live in faith. Had not this been, nothing could have averted a destruction as general as that which took place at the flood, but His advent arrested the wrath of God, and caused us to live by faith. That such is his meaning ap... Read More

1 min11/13

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

Yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. In these words, I am crucified with Christ, he alludes to Baptism and in the words nevertheless I live, yet not I, our subsequent manner of life whereby our members are mortified. By saying Christ lives in me, he means nothing is done by me, which Christ disapproves; for as by death he signifies not what is commonly understood, but a death to sin; so by life, he signifies a delivery from sin. For a man cannot live to God, otherwise than by dying to sin; and as Christ suffered bodily death, so does Paul a death to sin. Mortify, says he, your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion; Colossians 3:5, and again, our old man was crucified, Romans 6:6 which took place in the Bath. After which, if you remain dead to sin, you live to God, but if you let it live again, you are the ruin of your new life. This however did not Paul, but continued wholly dead; if then, he says, I live to God a life other than tha... Read More

2 mins12/13

Go to Commentary

John of Damascus

AD 749

To the Law he says or inasmuch as it pertains to the Law.

< 1 min13/13

Go to Commentary