Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 8:18-22

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." — Romans 8:18-22 (ASV)

1. After proving that we are freed through the grace of Christ, the Apostle now explains the reason for the delay of immortal life—the inheritance of God’s children. Specifically, it is necessary for us to suffer with Christ to reach the fellowship of His glory. But because someone might object that this inheritance is burdensome, since it can only be obtained by enduring suffering, he demonstrates the superiority of future glory over the sufferings of this present life.

   First, he states his proposition; second, he proves it, beginning at for the expectation.

2. First, then, he says: it has been established that we must suffer to be glorified, and we should not reject sufferings if we wish to have glory. For I, who have experienced both, consider this, as Scripture says: a man of much experience will speak with understanding . He endured many sufferings—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings (2 Corinthians 11:23)—and he was a witness to future glory: caught up into Paradise, he heard things that cannot be told (2 Corinthians 12:3).

   This is what I consider: that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us.

3. In this verse, he mentions four things to show the excellence of that glory. First, he indicates its eternity when he says, the glory to come, that is, after the present time; but there is nothing after the present time except eternity. Therefore, that glory surpasses the sufferings of this time just as the eternal surpasses the temporal: for this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

   Second, he indicates its dignity when he says, glory, which suggests a splendor of honor: let the faithful exult in glory (Psalms 149:5).

   Third, he indicates how it will be manifested when he says, that will be revealed. For the saints have glory now, but it is hidden in their conscience: our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12). But later that glory will be revealed in the sight of all, both good and bad, about whom it is said: they will be amazed at his unsuspected salvation .

   Fourth, he indicates its truth when he says, in us. For the glory of this world is vain because it is based on things external to a person, namely, the adornments of wealth and the opinions of others: they boast of the abundance of their riches (Psalms 49:6). But that glory will be based on something within a person, as it says in Luke: the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21).

4. Thus, the sufferings of this life, when considered in themselves, are slight in comparison to the magnitude of this glory: for a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you (Isaiah 54:7). However, if these sufferings are considered as being voluntarily endured for God out of love—a love the Holy Spirit produces in us—then a person properly merits eternal life through them. For the Holy Spirit is a fountain whose waters (that is, His effects) well up to eternal life, as it says in John (John 4:14).

5. He then proves his proposition by the excellence of that glory, beginning with the words, for the expectation of the creature.

   He does this first, by the eager longing of the creature, and second, by the eager longing of the apostles, at and not only it (Romans 8:23).

   Regarding the first point, he does two things: first, he mentions the creature’s eager longing; second, he explains it, beginning with for the creature.

6. First, then, he says that it has been established that future glory exceeds present sufferings. This is evident, for the expectation of the creature waits for the revelation of the sons of God. As John says, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be (1 John 3:2). The dignity of divine sonship is hidden in the saints because of what they suffer outwardly. But that dignity will be revealed later, when they receive immortal and glorious life, and when the wicked will say, behold how they are numbered among the sons of God .

   He says that the expectation . . . waits to indicate by this repetition the intensity of the eager longing: eagerly longing I have eagerly longed for the Lord (Psalms 39:1).

7. It should be noted that creature, or creation, can be interpreted in three ways here.

   First, it can refer to the just, who are called God’s creature in a special way, either because they continue in the goodness in which they were created, or because of their excellence, since every creature in some way serves them: Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (James 1:18).

   But this creature—that is, the just man—waits for the revelation of the sons of God as a promised reward: awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God (Titus 2:13).

8. Second, “creature” can refer to human nature itself, which is the substratum for the gifts of grace. In the unrighteous, this nature is not yet sanctified and is, as it were, without form.

   In those who have already been justified, it is now partially formed by grace, but it is still, in a sense, without form and awaits the final form that comes through glory.

   Therefore, this creature—that is, we ourselves, by virtue of our human nature—waits for the revelation of the sons of God. We also wait for this by virtue of the grace received into our nature, just as we might say that matter waits for its form, or that colors wait for the completed picture. As the Gloss says: All the days of my service I would wait, till my release should come (Job 14:14).

9. Third, it can be understood as the physical creation itself, such as the elements of this world: For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator .

   This kind of creation waits for something in two ways, for the eager longing of physical creation, since it originates from God, is ordered toward a certain end. This occurs in two ways.

   First, God endows this creation with a natural form and powers that incline it toward a natural end. Thus, we might say that a tree waits to produce its fruit or that fire waits to reach its natural place higher up.

   Second, physical creation is ordained by God to an end that transcends its natural form. For just as the human body will be clothed with the form of supernatural glory, so all physical creation, in that glory of the children of God, will itself obtain a new glory: I saw a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). In this way, physical creation waits for the revelation of the glory of the sons of God.

10. He then explains this waiting, beginning with for the creature.

    He discusses: first, the need to wait; second, its purpose, beginning at because the creature; and third, the sign of this waiting, beginning at for we know that every creature.

11. The need to wait is due to a defect to which the creature is subject, for anything without a defect has no need to wait for something. He shows the creature’s defect when he says: for the creature was subjected to vanity.

12. If “creature” is understood as the just man, he is understood to be subject to “vanity”—that is, to those bodily things that are changeable and prone to decay. Hence they are called vain: Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

    He is subjected to them because the needs of this present life require him to be occupied with them, not willingly, because he does not love such temporal things as those do, against whom it is said: how long will you love vanity and seek after lies? (Psalms 4:2). But this creature is subjected to such vanity by reason of him—that is, by God’s ordinance—who subjected it (the just man) to these physical things. This subjection, however, is in hope that he will one day be freed from such occupation in the resurrection, when they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30).

13. If “creature” is understood as human nature itself, then this creature is subjected to vanity—that is, to changeability: every man stands as a mere breath (Psalms 39:5). This is not willingly, because such vanity is inflicted on human nature as a punishment, and punishment is involuntary, just as guilt is voluntary. Human nature is subjected to such sufferings by reason of him—that is, by the sentence of God—who subjected it (human nature) to these defects, but nevertheless in hope of a time when such sufferings will be avoided: the thresher shall not thresh it forever (Isaiah 28:28).

14. If “creature” is understood as physical creation, then this creation was subjected to vanity—that is, to changeability—but not willingly. The defects that result from changeability, such as aging and ceasing to exist, are contrary to the particular nature of any given thing which seeks self-preservation, although they are in keeping with the general nature of all things. Nevertheless, the visible creation is subjected to such vanity by reason of him—that is, by the ordinance of God, who subjected it in hope—that is, in expectation of a glorious renewal, as stated before.

15. He then indicates the purpose of this waiting when he says, because the creature also.

    Its waiting, or hope, is not in vain, because the creature itself will also be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

    If “creature” means the just man, from the servitude of corruption refers to his concern with seeking food, clothing, and other things that serve our mortal life. This is a form of slavery from which the saints are freed as they strive toward the freedom of the children of God. Although they have the freedom of righteousness, by which they are released from the slavery of sin, they do not yet have the freedom of glory, which is release from the slavery of misery: Who has let the wild donkey go free? (Job 39:5).

16. If “creature” means human nature, it will be delivered from the servitude of corruption—that is, from suffering and decay—and will strive toward the freedom of the glory of the sons of God, which is freedom not only from guilt but also from death: Death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54).

17. If it is taken to mean physical creation, then that creation will be delivered from the servitude of corruption—that is, from changeability, because in every change there is an element of decay, as Augustine and the Philosopher also say in Physics VIII. This will contribute to the freedom of the glory of the sons of God, because just as they will be renewed, so will their dwelling place be renewed: I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things will not be remembered—that is, the former changeability of creation (Isaiah 65:17).

18. He says, the creature also itself will be delivered from the servitude of corruption. In the first interpretation, this means not only us apostles but also the other just. In the second, it means not only the just but human nature as well. In the third, it means not only humans but other creatures also.

19. Then, when he says, for we know, he presents the sign of this waiting. He says, for we know—that is, we apostles, instructed by the Holy Spirit and by experience—that every creature groans and travails in pain, even till now.

20. If this is understood to refer to physical creation, it presents two difficulties. First, he says it groans and travails, which seems to apply only to a rational creature. But this can be explained so that to groan is the same as the previous expression, not willingly. For we groan against things that are contrary to our will. Therefore, because the defects of physical creation are contrary to the natural desire of a particular nature, the visible creation is said to groan. When he says it travails, this is the same as the previous expression, waits, for labor (travail) is part of the process of giving birth.

21. The second difficulty is that he says every creature, which would include the heavenly bodies. For this reason, a Gloss says that the sun and moon do not complete their assigned course without labor. This, however, must be explained in such a way that “labor” is taken to mean motion, just as “rest” is sometimes taken to mean the cessation of work, as when God is said to have rested on the seventh day. Accordingly, “groaning” is understood as the decay inherent in local motion, since a body ceases to be in one place and begins to be in another. “Travail” is understood as the destiny of the heavenly bodies to be renewed.

22. But if this is understood to refer to humanity, then human nature is called every creature because it shares something with every level of creation: with spiritual creatures it shares intellect; with animals it shares bodily life; and with physical creation it shares bodily existence. Therefore, this creature—that is, man—groans, partly because of the evils he suffers and partly because the good things he hopes for are delayed: many are my groans (Lamentations 1:22). He travails because he endures with a suffering soul the postponement of the glory he awaits: Hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12); A woman in travail has sorrow (John 16:21); Anguish as of a woman in travail (Psalms 48:6).

23. He says even till now because this groaning was not removed when we were made righteous; rather, it remains even till now—that is, until death.

    Alternatively, it means even till now because even though those in glory have been set free, the rest of us still remain in this state.

    Or, it means even till now because not only the ancient fathers who lived before Christ, but also we who live in the time of grace, suffer the same things. In 2 Peter, scoffers are described as saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation (2 Peter 3:4).

    It should be noted that God’s creature can mean everything under God. For this reason, some try to explain the preceding words about “every creature” in a way that includes angels. But it is quite awkward to suppose that angels are subjected to futility, or that they groan or are in labor, because they already possess the glory whose likeness we await. For it says in Matthew, they will be like the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30). Therefore, our explanation is more suitable.