8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;



Ver. 8. Less than the least] Great Paul is least of saints, last of apostles, greatest of sinners. The best balsams sink to the bottom, the goodliest buildings have lowest foundations; the heaviest ears of grain hang downward; so do the boughs of trees that are best laden. {a} Ignatius in his epistles saith, I salute you who am ultimus, the last and least of all others. So in another epistle, Tantillitas nostra, our meanness.



The unsearchable riches] Gr. áíåîé÷íéáóôïí . Not to be traced out. Should not ministers be made welcome that come to men on such golden messages? In Christ are riches of justification, Tit_2:14; sanctification, Php_4:12-13; consolation, 2Co_12:9; glorification, 1Pe_1:5.



{a} Opulentissima metalla, quorum in alto latent venae. Sen.