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.
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Gaius Marius Victorinus
AD 400
“Christ is being magnified in my body, now as always, even when my body, subjected to all punishments, bears them all and preaches Christ unceasingly, not terrified by punishments and not giving way under all the tribulations.” He explains the alternatives before him by adding: “Whether by life or by death: If I overcome my trials by endurance, Christ will be proclaimed. Or if I die under my punishments, he will be proclaimed all the more. All will recognize that I was not terrified by punishments or by death. In the gospel I will either live out my life beyond these punishments or bear these punishments right up to death. In any case I will have persevered in the preaching of the gospel.”
“Whether I live or die,” Paul says, “Christ will be magnified. How? Either through life, because he delivered me, or through death, because even death itself could not persuade me to deny him, since he has given me such readiness that he has made me stronger than death…. So even death will bring me not shame but great gain. Why? Because I am not immortal, but I shall shine all the more brightly than if I were so. It is one thing for an immortal creature to despise death, another thing for one who is mortal. Thus it would be no shame to me if I died right now. But I shall not.” .
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...
And if the requirements of Gentile friendships and of kindly offices call you, why not go forth clad in your own armour; (and) all the more, in that (you have to go) to such as are strangers to the faith? so that between the handmaids of God and of the devil there may be a difference; so that you may be an example to them, and they may be edified in you; so that (as the apostle says) "God may be magnified in your body."
