Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Philippians 3:21

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory." By little and little he hath carried us up. The body now suffereth many things: it is bound with chains, it is scourged, it suffereth innumerable evils; but the body of Christ suffered the same. This, then, he hinted at when he said, "That it may be conformed to the body of his glory." Wherefore the body is the same, but putteth on incorruption. …

Homily on Philippians 13 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

Much does our body now endure: it is bound, scourged, and subjected to countless calamities. Therefore it is called a "body of humiliation," because it is subject to corruption and decay. But it will be transformed, that is, while remaining the same, it will be clothed in incorruption; for by transformation one must understand liberation from corruption. Since the body of ours, he says, has become like the Body of Christ through communion in sufferings, it will also become the same in His glory. Ah! What did he say? …

Commentary on Philippians ↗

Cyprian

But that, being first severely beaten with clubs, and ill-used, you have begun by sufferings of that kind, the glorious firstlings of your confession, is not a matter to be execrated by us. For a Christian body is not very greatly terrified at clubs, seeing all its hope is in the Wood. The servant of Christ acknowledges the sacrament of his salvation: redeemed by wood to life eternal, he is advanced by wood to the crown. …

Epistle LXXVI ↗

Western Saints

Hilary of Poitiers

The Apostle tells us also of the special reward attained by this subjection which is made perfect by the subjection of belief: "Who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of His glory, according to the works of His power, whereby He is able to subject all things to Himself." There is then another subjection, which consists in a transition from one nature to another, for our nature ceases, so far as its present character is concerned, and is subjected to Him, into Whose form it passes. …

On The Trinity 11.35 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

This coming involves three things: first, the general resurrection; hence he says, who will change our lowly, because it is subject to death, body: "Man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm" (Job 25:6); "What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power" (1 Cor. 15:42). …

Commentary on Philippians ↗