Philippians 1:21–23

Context

Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi while he was in bonds (Philippians 1:13). Paul had founded the Philippian church, as recorded in Acts 16, and the church supported him during his imprisonment by sending him a gift (Philippians 4:10-18). Tradition places Paul's imprisonment in Rome, although some scholars propose Ephesus or Caesarea.

In 1:12-26 Paul states that his imprisonment has actually served to advance the gospel. He then reflects on his situation: depending on the outcome of his trial, he may either live or die. Verse 21 is a confession that follows verse 20, where Paul expresses his hope that Christ will be magnified whether by life or by death. In verses 22-23 Paul is torn between remaining alive to bear the fruit of his labor and his "desire to depart, and to be with Christ." In verses 24-26 he concludes that remaining for the sake of the believers is more needful.

Interpretation

• As a description of a Christ-centered life: This reading is widely accepted across denominations. It understands "to live is Christ" as a confession that Christ is both the purpose and the substance of life. Death is "gain" not because death itself is good, but because it brings the believer nearer to Christ.
• As evidence for the state immediately after death: Many Protestant traditions, including Presbyterians and Methodists, appeal to verse 23 to teach that believers, upon death, are immediately with Christ even before the resurrection. Theologians call the condition between death and resurrection the "intermediate state." This passage is among the proof texts cited when the Westminster Confession of Faith affirms that the souls of the righteous are received into heaven immediately after death.
• As a text focused on the resurrection and the Second Coming: The Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches that the dead remain in an unconscious sleep until the resurrection. It reads this passage as not addressing the interval between death and resurrection. According to this explanation, for those who have died, the first moment of consciousness after death is the resurrection at the Second Coming; Paul could therefore speak of his desire "to depart, and to be with Christ."

Debates and Issues

• The intermediate state: The differences described above are tied to how one understands the soul, the body, and the resurrection. Most denominations, citing 2 Corinthians 5:8 and other texts, maintain that believers are with Christ immediately after death. Adventists appeal to passages that describe death as "sleep."
• Translation: The Greek syntax of verse 22 is not smooth, so translations differ somewhat depending on where the clauses are divided. The word "depart" in verse 23 (Greek analyō) is explained as a term also used for loosing a ship from its moorings or striking a tent. In the Korean Revised Version, the word rendered "desire" (yokmang) does not carry a negative sense here but denotes an earnest longing.
• Quotation out of context: Taken in isolation, verses 21 and 23 can be read as expressing a wish to die. In response, commentators point out that they must be read together with Paul's eventual choice to remain alive and serve the believers (verses 24-25).

In the Korean Church

Verse 21 is frequently read at funeral services and memorial services. As a concise statement of the Christian view of life and death, it is also commonly quoted in sermons and testimonies.

Related Passages

• 2 Corinthians 5:8: a similar confession of the desire to be absent from the body and present with the Lord
• Galatians 2:20: Paul's confession that Christ lives in him
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: a passage that describes deceased believers as "them which are asleep"
• Philippians 3:7-10: a confession in the same letter that knowing Christ is to be valued above all else