For I am in a strait betwixt two
Life and death; or between these "two counsels", as the Arabic
version reads; two thoughts and desires of the mind, a desire to
live for the reasons above, and a desire to die for a reason
following. The apostle was pressed with a difficulty in his mind
about this, as David was when he was bid to choose which he
would, either seven years' famine, or three months' flight before
his enemies, or three days' pestilence; upon which he said, I am
in a great strait, ( 2 Samuel
24:14 ) ; to which passage it is thought the apostle alludes;
the same word as here is used by Christ, ( Luke 12:50 ) ;
having a desire to depart;
to die, a way of speaking much in use with the Jews, as
expressive of death; thus Abraham is represented by them speaking
after this manner on account of his two sons Isaac and Ishmael,
the one being righteous and the other wicked F3;
``says he, if I bless Isaac, lo, Ishmael will seek to be blessed, and he is wicked; but a servant am I, flesh and blood am I, and tomorrow (Mlweh Nm rjka) , "I shall depart out of the world", or "die"; and what pleases the holy blessed God himself in his own world, let him do: (rjpnvk) , "when Abraham was dismissed" or "departed", the holy blessed God appeared to Isaac and blessed him:''and again it is said F4,
``iniquities are not atoned for, until (amlem rjptad) , "a man is dismissed", or "departs out of the world";''and once more F5,
``when a man (Mlweh xzm rjpn) , "departs out of this world"; according to his merit he ascends above;''(See Gill on John 13:1); the same word is used in the Syriac version here; death is departing out of this life, a going out of the body, a removal out of this world; it is like moving from one place to another, from the world below to the world above; with the saints it is no other than a removing from one house to another, from the earthly house of their tabernacle, the body, to their Father's house, and the mansions of glory in it, preparing for them. Death is not an annihilation of men, neither of soul nor body; it is a separation of them, but not a destruction of either; it is a dissolution of the union between them for a while, when both remain in a separate state till the resurrection: now this the apostle had a desire unto, which was not a new and sudden motion of mind; it was a thought that had long dwelt with him, and still continued; and this desire after death was not for the sake of death, for death in itself is a king of terrors, very formidable and terrible, and not desirable; it is an enemy, the last enemy that shall be destroyed; it is contrary to nature, and to desire it is contrary to a first principle in nature, self-preservation; but death is desired for some other end; wicked men desire it, and desire others to put an end to their lives, or do it themselves to free them from some trouble they are in; or because they are not able to support under a disappointment of what their ambition or lust have prompted them to: good men desire death, though always when right, with a submission to the will of God, that they may be rid of sin, which so much dishonours God as well as distresses themselves; and that they may be clothed upon with the shining robes of immortality and glory; and as the apostle here,
to be with Christ:
for the former clause is to be strictly connected with this; he
did not desire merely to depart this life, but chiefly to be with
Christ, and the former only in order to the latter; the saints
are in Christ now, chosen in him, set upon his heart, and put
into his hands, are created in him, and brought to believe in
him, and are in him as branches in the vine; and he is in them,
formed in their hearts, lives and dwells in them by faith, and
they have sometimes communion with him in private duties and
public worship; he comes into them and sups with them, and they
with him: but this is only at times, he is as a wayfaring man
that continues but for a night; hence the present state of the
saints is a state of absence from Christ; while they are at home
in the body, they are absent from the Lord, especially as to his
bodily presence; but after death they are immediately with him,
where he is in his human nature; and their souls in their
separate state continue with him till the resurrection morn, when
their bodies will be raised and reunited to their souls, and be
both for ever with him, beholding his glory, and enjoying
uninterrupted communion with him; which will be the completion
and full end of Christ's preparations and prayers: hence it
appears that there is a future being and state after death: the
apostle desires to depart this life, and "be", exist, be
somewhere, "with Christ"; for the only happy being after death is
with him; if souls are not with him, they are with devils and
damned spirits, in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone:
and it is also manifest that souls do not sleep with the body in
the grave until the resurrection; the souls of the saints are
immediately with Christ, in the enjoyment of his presence, in
happiness and glory, hoping, believing, and waiting for the
resurrection of their bodies; had the apostle known that he must
have remained after death in a state of inactivity and
uselessness, deprived of the communion of Christ and of his
church, it would have been no difficulty with him to determine
which was most eligible, to live or die; and it would have been
much better for him, and more to the advantage of the churches,
if he had continued upon earth to this day, than to be sleeping
in his grave, senseless and inactive; whereas he adds,
which is far better:
to depart and be with Christ is better than to live in the flesh
in this sinful world, in the midst of a variety of sorrows and
troubles, and in which communion with Christ is but now and then
enjoyed, though such a life is better than sleeping in the grave;
but upon a soul's departure and being with Christ, it is free
from sin and sorrow, and in the utmost pleasure, enjoying
communion with him without interruption; and this is better than
labouring in the ministry: for though no man took more pleasure
in the work of the ministry than the apostle did, and no man's
ministry was more profitable and useful; yet it was toilsome,
laborious, and wearisome to the flesh; wherefore dying and being
with Jesus could not but be desirable, since he should then rest
from his labours, and his works would follow him; at least it was
better for him, and so the Syriac version adds, (yl) , "to me", far better for me; and
so the Arabic: to live longer might be better and more to the
advantage of Christ, the glory of his name, the good of his
churches, it might be better for others; but leaving the world
and being with Christ were better for him; and this was an
argument swaying on the side of death, and inclining him to
desire that, and made it so difficult with him what to choose.