What are the varieties of fear?

St. Philoxenus of Mabbug distinguishes the different types of fear experienced by different kinds of people: the fear of servants or slaves; the fear of hirelings; the fear of friends; and the fear of children. He says, “There is one who fears lest he is struck: this is the fear of servants. There is one who fears lest he suffer loss: this is the fear of hired hands. There is one who fears lest he is saddened: this is the fear of friends. There is one who fears lest he be disinherited: this is the fear of sons. While there is [only] one name for fear, many distinctions are found in it. The fear of God was also with the holy prophets, even with the nation of the Jews from time to time, but the forms of fear were distinctive. The prophets, like friends, were afraid lest they might sadden God whom they loved. The Jews, like servants, were afraid of the rod of his discipline.”³⁵⁴

Our Christ wants to elevate us through His grace till we attain the fear of sons, when we will not fear God as slaves terrified of their master, executing commands out of the fear of punishment. Neither will we fear God as hirelings, who do what they are commanded that they may receive a wage, or out of fear of being deprived of it. In these cases, God is the means and not the goal ; we are submitting to Him to receive His blessings rather than to receive Him and delight in His fellowship. Neither do we fear Him as friends who constantly crave their friends’ approval. We fear God as children; we obey His commands so that the image of our Father can be imprinted in our depths, so that we are made ready to partake of His glories, that we may be His and He be ours, and that we may live eternally with Him in His bosom.