“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”
I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better — thlibō (hard pressed) captures the tension between two goods. 'Depart' (analysai, literally 'untie' or 'break camp') echoes the soldier's readiness to move. His longing (epithymia) for Christ-presence is the deepest truth, yet he does not choose it. 'Far better' (pollō mallon kreitton) uses superlatives, emphasizing the vastly superior reality of unmediated Christ-encounter. Yet love binds him to earthly work.
Church Fathers on Philippians 1:23
Nothing can be more blessed than the spirit of Paul, for the reason that nothing is more noble. We all shudder at death, I am wont to say, some by reason of our many sins, of whom I too am one, others from love of life, and cowardice, of whom may I never be one; for they who are subject to this fear are mere animals. This then, which we all shudder at, he prayed for, and hasted toward Him; saying, “To depart is very far better.” What do you say? When you are about to change…
Read all 2 entries in the readerNicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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