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Romans 8:18: the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory

What Christian writers said, from about AD 206 to 1938.

43 passages · 25 writers · 7 centuries

The short answer

Writers say Paul reckons the sufferings of this present time and finds them not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed. Athanasius sets present sufferings against the kingdom and eternal life, Cyprian against the joy of eternal salvation in the kingdom of heaven, and Augustine against eternal rest. Calvin says Paul gives the comparison to confirm believers in patience. Barnes says the sufferings are but for a moment and the glory shall be eternal, and Baxter says we labor for a moment and shall rest for ever. Chrysostom and Edwards describe the creation as waiting and groaning for the good to come, and Calvin says believers must groan until delivered from the afflictions of this life.

Present sufferings against the glory

27 passages · 21 writers · 200s to 1900s

Athanasius, Cyprian, Augustine, Calvin, Barnes, and Spurgeon set the sufferings of this present time against the coming glory.

329–373 · Athanasius of Alexandria, Festal Letters 13.4

Though affliction may come, it will have an end, though insult and persecution, yet are they nothing to the hope which is set [before us]. For all present matters are trifling compared with those which are future; the sufferings of this present time not being worthy to be compared with the hope that is to come. For what can be compared with the kingdom? or what is there in comparison with life eternal? Or what is all we could give here, to that which we shall inherit yonder?

c. 392–422 · Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Enarrationes in Psalmos) 37.2.7

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God: and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” There is therefore surely some blissful vision reserved for us; and if it can be now in some measure conceived, “darkly and through a glass,” yet cannot we in any way express in language the ravishing beauty of that bliss, which God reserves for them that fear Him, which He consummates in those that hope in Him. It is for that destination that our hearts are being disciplined in all the troubles and trials of this life. Wonder not that it is in trouble that thou art disciplined for it. It is for something glorious that thou art being disciplined. Whence comes that speech of the now strengthened righteous man: “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us”?

1540 · John Calvin, Commentary on Romans 8.18

Though they take not altogether an unsuitable view who understand this as a kind of modification; yet I prefer to regard it in the light of an encouragement, for the purpose of anticipating an objection, according to this import, — “It ought not indeed to be grievous to us, if we must pass through various afflictions into celestial glory, since these, when compared with the greatness of that glory, are of the least moment.” He has mentioned future for eternal glory, intimating that the afflictions of the world are such as pass away quickly. It is hence evident how ill understood has this passage been by the Schoolmen; for they have drawn from it their frivolous distinction between congruity and condignity. The Apostle indeed compares not the worthiness of the one with that of the other, but only lightens the heaviness of the cross by a comparison with the greatness of glory, in order to confirm the minds of the faithful in patience.

The groaning creation (Romans 8:19-23)

16 passages · 9 writers · 300s to 1900s

Chrysostom, Edwards, and Charnock describe the creation groaning as it waits for deliverance, and Calvin says believers groan until delivered from the afflictions of the present life. Barnes says the groaning denotes universal suffering, and that Christians wait for the full benefits of adoption.

c. 386–398 · John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans 14

The creation itself is in the midst of its pangs, waiting for and expecting these good things whereof we have just now spoken. For “earnest expectation” (ἀποκαραδοκία, looking out) implies expecting intensely. And so his discourse becomes more emphatic, and he personifies this whole world as the prophets also do, when they introduce the floods clapping their hands, and little hills leaping, and mountains skipping, not that we are to fancy them alive, or ascribe any reasoning power to them, but that we may learn the greatness of the blessings, so great as to reach even to things without sense also. The very same thing they do many times also in the case of afflicting things, since they bring in the vine lamenting, and the wine too, and the mountains, and the boardings of the Temple howling, and in this case too it is that we may understand the extremity of the evils. It is then in imitation of these that the Apostle makes a living person of the creature here, and says that it groaneth and travaileth: not that he heard any groan conveyed from the earth and heaven to him, but that he might show the exceeding greatness of the good things to come; and the desire of freedom from the ills which now pervaded them. “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same.”

1675–1680 · Stephen Charnock, Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God 12

When sin entered, the heavens that were made to shine upon man, and the earth that was made to bear and nourish an innocent creature, were now subjected to serve a rebellious creature; and as man turned against God, so he made those instruments against God, to serve his enmity, luxury, sensuality. Hence the creatures are said to groan (Rom. viii. 22); “The whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.” They would really groan, had they understanding to be sensible of the outrage done them. “The whole creation.”—It is the pang of universal nature, the agony of the whole creation, to be alienated from the original use for which they were intended, and be disjointed from their end to serve the disloyalty of a rebel. The drunkard’s cup, and the glutton’s table, the adulterer’s bed, and the proud man’s purple, would groan against the abuser of them. But when all the fruits of redemption shall be completed, the goodness of God shall pour itself upon the creatures, deliver them from the “bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. viii. 21); they shall be reduced to their true end, and returned in their original harmony. As the creation doth passionately groan under its vanity, so it doth “earnestly expect and wait for its deliverance at the time of the manifestation of the sons of God” (ver. 19). The manifestation of the sons of God is the attainment of the liberty of the creature. They shall be freed from the vanity under which they are enslaved; as it entered by sin, it shall vanish upon the total removal of sin.

1748 · Jonathan Edwards, An Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God's People in Extraordinary Prayer 2

the whole creation is, as it were, earnestly waiting for that day, and constantly groaning and travailing in pain to bring forth the felicity and glory of it. For that day is above all other times, excepting the day of judgment, the day of the manifestation of the sons of God, and of their glorious liberty: and therefore, that elegant representation the apostle makes of the earnest expectation and travail of the creation, in Rom. viii. 19-22. is applicable to the glorious event of this day; ” the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” The visible world has now for many ages been subject to sin, and made, as it were, a servant to it, through the abuse that man, who has the dominion over the creatures, puts the creatures to.