Loading…
VRSZ
This sets the art on your cards and whose commentary you read on each verse. You can change it later in settings.
Translation
Loading…
What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." Where are they who deny the Flesh? For if He did not assume Flesh, neither did He die. If He did not die, neither did He rise again. How then does he exhort us from these things to faith? Was he not then according to them a trifler and a deceiver? For if to die proceeds from sin, and Christ did not sin, how does he now encourage us? And now, concerning whom does he say, O men, for whom do ye mourn? …
Theophylact of Ohrid
As, he says, He raised the Lord, who suffered bodily and died, so He will raise us also. Notice that since the resurrection of the Lord has already taken place, he boldly says of Him: "died" — απέθανε; whereas concerning us, since our resurrection is yet to come, he says "fallen asleep" — τους κοιμηθέντας, indicating by this the possibility of awakening. For, he says, does not one who goes to sleep hope that he will rise? …
Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius
Therefore God discharged the office of a true father. He Himself formed the body; He Himself infused the soul with which we breathe. Whatever we are, it is altogether His work. In what manner He effected this He would have taught us, if it were right for us to know; as He taught us other things, which have conveyed to us the knowledge both of ancient error and of true light. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"And after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." It was true what He said. To his sisters he was dead, to the Lord he was asleep. He was dead to men, who could not raise him again; but the Lord aroused him with as great ease from the tomb as one arouseth a sleeper from his bed. …
Ambrose of Milan
All men shall rise again, but let no one lose heart, and let not the just grieve at the common lot of rising again, since he awaits the chief fruit of his virtue. All indeed shall rise again, but, as says the apostle, "each in his own order." The fruit of the divine mercy is common to all, but the order of merit differs. The day gives light to all, the sun warms all, the rain fertilizes the possessions of all with genial flowers. We are all born, and we shall all rise again. …
Thomas Aquinas
Then when Paul says, for since we believe, he provides a reason for the warning he had given. First, he establishes the resurrection; secondly, he rules out the faint suspicion of a delay (4:15); thirdly, he outlines the order of resurrection (4:16). It should be realized that the Apostle constructs the case for our resurrection on the basis of the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15), for Christ's resurrection is the cause of our resurrection. So Paul makes his point here by a causal analysis. …
Translation