Ambrose of Milan : The apostle says that even we shall reign together with Christ in the kingdom of Christ. "If we are dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure, we shall also reign with him." But we by adoption, he by power; we live by grace, he by nature. — On the Holy Spirit 3.20.157 Aphrahat the Persian Sage : Let us honor the spirit of Christ, that we may receive grace from him. Let us be strangers to the world, even as Christ was not of it. Let us be humble and mild, that we may inherit the land of life. Let us be unflagging in his service, that he may cause us to serve in the abode of the saints. Let us pray his prayer in purity, that it may have access to the Lord of majesty. Let us be partakers in his suffering, so that we may also rise up in his resurrection. Let us bear his sign upon our bodies, that we may be delivered from the wrath to come. — SELECT DEMONSTRATIONS 6.1 Augustine of Hippo : We ought to be humble of heart out of the sincerest devotion during the whole time of this wandering exile, in which we are living in the midst of trials and temptations. If so, how much more should we be so during these days, when as well as spending this time of humility by living it, we are also signifying it by our liturgical celebration of it. The lowliness of Christ has taught us to be lowly, because by dying he yielded to the godless. Christ's highness makes us exalted, because by rising again he has led the way for the godly.… We celebrate one of these things now, when his passion is, so to say, drawing near. We celebrate the other after Easter with appropriate devotion, when his resurrection, so to say, has been accomplished. — SERMONS 206.1 Basil of Caesarea : Having been planted with him in the likeness of his death, we will assuredly be raised up together with Christ (for the planting implies this eventuality). But in the present life, we are formed in the inner man according to the measure of the incarnation in newness of life and obedience unto death, fully persuaded of the truth of his words, so that we may become worthy to say with truth, "And I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me." That this obtains also for the future life. The same apostle has strongly affirmed this in these words: "For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." — CONCERNING BAPTISM.1.15 Cyprian : The Apostle Paul also says: "For if we die with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us." — Treatise XI Exhortation to Martyrdom Addressed to Fortunatus John Chrysostom : And what is, "anointed," and "sealed?" Gave the Spirit by Whom He did both these things, making at once prophets and priests and kings, for in old time these three sorts were anointed. But we have now not one of these dignities, but all three preeminently. For we are both to enjoy a kingdom and are made priests by offering our bodies for a sacrifice, (for, saith he, "present your members a living sacrifice unto God;) and withal we are constituted prophets too: for what things "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," (1 Cor. ii. 9) these have been revealed unto us. — Homily on 2 Corinthians 3 John Chrysostom : Many of the weaker sort of men give up the effort of faith, and do not endure the deferring of their hope. They seek things present, and form from these their judgment of the future. When therefore their lot here was death, torments, and chains, and yet he says, they shall come to eternal life, they would not have believed, but would have said, "What sayest thou? When I live, I die; and when I die, I live? Thou promisest nothing on earth, and dost thou give it in heaven? Little things thou dost not bestow; and dost thou offer great things?" That none therefore may argue thus, he places beyond doubt the proof of these things, laying it down beforehand already, and giving certain signs. For, "remember," he says, "that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead"; that is, rose again after death. And now showing the same thing he says, "It is a faithful saying," that he who has attained a heavenly life, will attain eternal life also. Whence is it "faithful"? Because, he says, "If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him." For say, shall we partake with Him in things laborious and painful; and shall we not in things beneficial? But not even a man would act thus, nor, if one had chosen to suffer affliction and death with him, would he refuse to him a share in his rest, if he had attained it. But how are we "dead with Him"? This death he means both of that in the Layer, and that in sufferings. For he says, "Bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus" (2 Cor. iv. 10); and, "We are buried with Him by baptism into death" (Rom. vi. 4); and, "Our old man is crucified with Him"; and, "We have been planted together in the likeness of His death." (Rom. vi. 5, Rom. 6.) But he also speaks here of death by trials: and that more especially, for he was also suffering trials when he wrote it. And this is what he says, "If we have suffered death on His account, shall we not live on His account? This is not to be doubted." — Homily on 2 Timothy 5 Nicetas of Remesiana : We must believe both his passion according to the flesh and his impassibility inasmuch as he was God.… Let us confess our oneness with Christ, lest we be separated from him. In the words of the apostle, "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him." — INSTRUCTION ON FAITH 7 Oecumenius : The saying is trustworthy. For if we have died with him, we will also live with him. The saying is trustworthy. Those who are chosen obtain glorious and eternal salvation. For some have doubted concerning the resurrection, and this assurance was needed. That the saying is trustworthy is also established from reasoning. — COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY Origen of Alexandria : This very thing the Savior first grants to you as well, that you may fall. You were a heathen — let the heathen fall in you; you loved harlots — let the fornicator first perish in you; you were a sinner — let the sinner fall in you, that you may thereafter rise again and say: "if we have died with him, we shall also live with him", and: "if we have been made conformable to his death, we shall be conformable also to his resurrection". — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF Luke 17