The Early Church Fathers (ECF) sometimes disagree on varying interpretations of particular verses. This is important because members of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church often claim they find their doctrines are consistent with the Early Church Fathers. But, the ECF don’t always agree with each other and often don’t agree with what these churches teach. Nevertheless, people have a tendency to ignore the ECFs who don’t agree with them and only focus on those that do. It is best to take a complete look at what they say regarding Philippians 1:29.
Philippians 1:29, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
This is a summary of what I found in the church fathers after looking through their commentaries on specific verses. You can do the same thing by going to https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/fathers.
- Belief is granted from God.
- Ambrose, Athanasius
- Belief is a gift granted from God.
- Chrysostom, Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Le, Theodoret
- Faith is the gift of God
- Augustine
- Faith is given to us by God.
- Augustine
- Faith is due to the grace of God
- Augustine
| Phil. 1:29 “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” | ||
| Ambrose | “Do we dare to say that life is not restored to those to whom Christ has given a crown? As, then, a crown is given to many after they have lapsed, so, too, if they believe, their faith is restored, which faith is the gift of God, as you read: “Because unto you it hath been granted by God not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf210.iv.vi.ii.xi.html) | Belief is a gift granted from God |
| Athanasius | “Keeping the feast here with the brethren, still I keep it with you also in will and in spirit, for we send up prayers in common to God, ‘Who hath granted us not only to believe in Him, but also now to suffer for His sake.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf204.xxv.iii.iii.xi.html) | Belief is a gift granted from God |
| Augustine | Whence it is said to certain believers: “Unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Who, then, can doubt that each of these is the gift of God, when he learns from this passage, and believes, that each of them is given? (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102.v.vi.xxxiii.html) | Faith is the gift of God |
| Augustine | “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake”? Each is by the apostle’s testimony made a gift,—both that he believes in Christ, and that each suffers for His sake.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xv.iii.xxxiv.html) | Faith is given to us by God |
| Augustine | “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Both alike are therefore due to the grace of God,—the faith of those who believe, and the patience of those who suffer, because the apostle spoke of both as given.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xix.iv.xxviii.html) | Faith is due to the grace of God |
| Chrysostom | “Furthermore, discoursing with others, he even calls the thing a free gift, saying, “It hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf112.iv.xxxiv.html) | Belief is gift granted from God |
| Chrysostom | “Hear at least what he saith to the Philippians, “Because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer in his behalf.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf113.iii.iv.vii.html) | Belief is gift granted from God |
| Sulpitius Severus, Vincent of Le | What could well be clearer than the assertion that both our good will and the completion of our work are fully wrought in us by the Lord? And again “For it is granted to you for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for Him.”Here also he declares that the beginning of our conversion and faith, and the endurance of suffering is a gift to us from the Lord. And David too, as he knows this, similarly prays that the same thing may be granted to him by God’s mercy. “Strengthen, O God, that which Thou hast wrought in us:” 29 showing that it is not enough for the beginning of our salvation to be granted by the gift and grace of God, unless it has been continued and ended by the same pity and continual help from Him.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf211.iv.iv.iv.xv.html) | Belief is gift granted from God |
| Theodoret | “And to me our master Christ hath granted the boon “not only of believing on Him but also of suffering for His sake.” (https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf203.iv.x.cxxxix.html) | Belief is gift granted from God |
