The Apostle’s communication upon his calling to the ministry of the gospel, and upon the grace, in its high significance, which was glorified in him by his conversion.—Doxology
1Ti_1:12-17
12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious [insolent]: but I obtained mercy, 14because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And [But] the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15This is a faithful saying [Faithful is the saying], and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [first amongst whom am I]. 16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first [i. e., sinner] Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to 17[of?] them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Now unto the King eternal [of ages], immortal, invisible, the only wise [alone wise] God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1Ti_1:12. And I thank, &c. Criticism asks how this sentence can have any just connection with the rest, and finds in this prominent setting forth of the apostolate a ground of doubt. Psychology might better ask, whether a man like Paul, in a familiar letter, could withhold such an expression, since in 1Ti_1:11, he had begun to speak of his high prerogative. Besides, this personal allusion is the less out of place, because, among the heretics at Ephesus, there were some certainly who sought to undermine the authority of Paul by allusions to his former history, or even by venturing doubts of his miraculous calling from the Lord. This reference to himself was, again, most appropriate, as an illustration from his own living experience, of his statement in 1Ti_1:8-11, in relation to the law and the gospel.—Who hath enabled me. We need not refer this exclusively to ability for the conversion of men (Bengel), or for the endurance of trial (Chrysostom), or for the doing of miracles (Mack), although none of these need be left out. Without any limitation, Paul refers here to the Divine power which he had in every way received, from the time of his calling to the present. “Quo verbo non modo intelligit, se dei manu principio esse formatum, ut idoneus ad munus suum foret, sed simul complectitur continuam gratiæ subministrationem. Neque enim satis fuisset, semel esse fidelem declaratum, nisi eum perpetuo auxilio confirmasset Christus;” Calvin.—For that he into the ministry,
ðéóôüí ìå ἡãÞóáôï
. Fidelity is the trait especially required of the ministers of the gospel (comp. 1Co_4:2). Thus the Lord counted Paul faithful—in other words, saw in him one who would prove faithful; and this was the mark of Christ’s trust, that He had given him such an office,
èÝìåíïò åἰò äéáêïíßáí
; just as a proprietor gives one of his dependents a striking proof of his confidence, when he makes him steward over the rest. The omniscient Lord of the Church foresaw Paul’s fidelity, and sanctified him as a chosen instrument. That the Apostle regarded this fidelity not as of his own merit, but as a gift of grace, appears from 1Co_7:25.
1Ti_1:13. Who was before, &c. A fuller confession of his former character, in order to express more clearly the ground of his thankfulness (1Ti_1:12).—Blasphemer, against the name and truth of the Lord (comp. Act_16:11).—Persecutor, of Christians, both in word and in deed (comp. Act_22:4; Gal_1:13).—Injurious,
ὑâñéóôÞò
, (comp. Mat_22:6; Rom_1:30). “The last phrase strengthens the preceding, as it refers to the abuse springing from arrogance and contempt of others;” Wiesinger.—But I obtained mercy, &c. Not only because he obtained forgiveness of sins, but because, also, he was called to the apostolic office, established in it, and counted faithful; 1Ti_1:12. And why? Because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. The Apostle does not at all deny that his unbelief was sinful, and thus deserving of punishment; he here refers merely to the one fact, which should mitigate this just sentence. The
ἄãíïéá
in which he had lived made forgiveness possible, since he had not yet begun to sin against the Holy Ghost (comp. Luk_12:45; Luk_23:34; Mat_12:31-32). His ignorance did not at all merit forgiveness, but it left the possibility of it, without impairing the holiness and righteousness of the Lord. The positive ground of this act of mercy lay, at last, altogether in the Divine grace (comp. 1Ti_1:14 and Tit_3:5). [“How could Christ have judged St. Paul faithful, when a persecutor? Some of the schoolmen, as Aquinas, suppose that
ðéóôüò
is said by anticipation of St. Paul’s future character, ex provisis meritis;” Wordsworth.—W.]
1Ti_1:14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant,
ὑðåñåðëåüíáäå
—the only instance in which this word is found in Paul. When he speaks of sin (Rom_5:20), he there uses the word
ἐðëåüíáóåí
; when, on the contrary, he tells of the mercy bestowed on him, he adds this most significant
ὑðÝñ
. It is as if he wrestled with speech, fully to utter his overpowering feeling.—With faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. Faith—not a childlike trust in God in general, but a faith whose object is Christ; here, as commonly in the Epistles of Paul, a faith united with love to Christ. “Not the love that Christ has and exercises, but that which He imparts to men” (Olshausen). This faith and this love are
ἐí ×ñéóôῷ Ἰçóïῦ
, because Jesus Himself is their centre (comp. Col_1:4). And when the Apostle says that the grace of the Lord was exceeding abundant, with faith and love (
ìåôÜ
), he does not consider the process or the effects of this grace, but that personal, inward life in men which accompanies it: indicatur,
ð
.
ê
.
ἀ
., quasi comites fuisse illius
×Üñéôïò
(Leo). Through this faith and this love he had reached the real possession and enjoyment of the mercy with which the Lord, of His free grace, had enriched him.
1Ti_1:15. Faithful saying, &c. Bengel: “
Ðéóôüò
, fidus, gravissima præfandi formula. Scit Paulus, quod dicit et de quo confirmet ipsaque sermonis simplicitate refutat secus docentes, eo communiora tractans, sed decore, quo abstrusiora affectabant alii. Sic quoque;” Tit_2:1.—And worthy of all acceptance,
ðÜóçò ἀðïäï÷ῆò
, worthy of belief without any reservation whatever. The Apostle means an acceptance from which every doubt is excluded, and which thus acts through the intellect as well as the heart.—That Christ Jesus, &c. The expression, came into the world, has its full exposition in the truth of our Lord’s pre-existence (comp. Joh_16:32). The word
êüóìïò
is here to be understood not in a moral, but in a physical sense, as an opposite to the higher moral order of the world. Paul states the object of this incarnation without any limit whatever; for which reason, too, the article is omitted,
ἀìáñôùëïὺò óῶóáé
(comp. Luk_19:10; Rom_5:6). The Pauline conception of
áùôçñßá
is not opposed to a state of unhappiness in general, but to a lost state: “Subest in hoc verbo emphasis, nam qui officium Christi esse fatentur salvare, cogitationem tamen hanc difficilius admittunt, quod ejusmodi salus ad peccatores pertineat. Semper enim abripitur sensus noster ad respectum dignitatis, simul atque indignitas apparet, conzidit fiducia;” Calvin.—Of whom I am chief. In a psychological view, it is noticeable how much trouble commentators have taken to turn aside from the clear import of this word, being more concerned, apparently, for the honor of Paul than he was himself. The best of these explanations may be found in De Wette. But whoever believes that a personal confession like this exceeds the bounds of truth, proves that he has very little conception of the humility and love of the Apostle, who freely allows that he is chief in the long catalogue of sinners, because he knows his own sin better than that of others, and gladly, too, esteems others better than himself (comp. 1Co_15:9; Php_2:3; Eph_3:8).
1Ti_1:16. Howbeit, for this, &c. In proportion to the depth of his humility, he rises now in boldness of faith. Should any one wonder that such grace had reached the chief of sinners, Paul sets against this the cause (
ἀëëÜ
), and shows the worldwide significance of his own conversion. So great a sinner had for this very reason received grace,
ἵíá ×ñéóôὸò Ἰçóïῦò ἐíäåßîçôáé ôÞí ἅðáóáí ìáêñïèõìßáí
.—Long-suffering. The Divine attribute of the Lord, whereby He does not at once punish the sinner, but prolongs the opportunity of repentance. In the pardon of one less wicked than Paul, this grace could not have shown its full glory; but in him,
ôῷ ðñþôῳ
, is revealed
ἡ ἄðáóá ìáêñïè
, so that Paul’s conversion appears a very marvel of the love of Jesus Christ for sinners. How much farther the purpose of this miracle reaches than to the Apostle and his contemporaries, is evident from what immediately follows.—For a pattern to them to life everlasting. By the word
ὑðïôýðùóéò
, which is used again only in 2Ti_1:13, is denoted the original, normal, typical character of the event (
ôýðïò
, Rom_5:14;
ὐðüäåéãìá
, 2Pe_2:6). Paul stood before the eyes of all after generations as a witness to the power, the grace, and the love of the Lord; so that the greatest of sinners need not doubt that grace. The Lord had dealt with him as the king of a rebellious city, who should release at once the rebel chief; as a physician in an hospital, who should cure the most diseased; so that thenceforth no guilty, no sick, need doubt the possibility of grace and salvation. In this sense Paul was a type,
ôῶí ìåëëüíôùí ðéóôåýåéí ἐð
’
ἀõôῷ
; “not so much in himself as an object of faith, but rather in his trustful belief, as the perfect assurance of our salvation,” Rom_9:33; Matthies. The aim of this believing trust appears again from what immediately follows:
åἰò æùὴí áἰþíéïí
. See, in Bengel, another less probable relation of the thought. It is not strange that, when the Apostle gives to this grace toward him a significance so great for all coming ages, his heart rises in a hymn of thanksgiving (1Ti_1:17). And no wonder, also, that he speaks so fully here of his highest privilege; for not by the law, but the gospel only, could he praise the mercy of the Lord to him, and to so many after him. Thus this whole confession serves also as the confutation of the heretics, who had placed the former above the latter (comp. 1Ti_1:6-10).
1Ti_1:17. Now unto the King eternal,
ôῶí áἰþíùí
. According to some, King of the worlds;
áἰῶíåò
is here taken in the sense of Heb_1:2; so, e.g., Leo: regem totius mundi. It is better, however, on account of the preceding
ôῶí ìåëë
.
ðéóô
., to suppose that the Apostle had in his mind not the conception of space, but that of the succession of ages. Only in the process of time can the typical significance of the conversion of Paul (1Ti_1:16) be fully realized; and God is the King of all the ages, in whom the later believers are brought together. The conception that the kingdom of God is an eternal dominion, lies not so much in the words
ôῶí áἰþíùí
(Wiesinger), as in the following
ἀöèÜñôῳ
. It may be that this lofty yet rare expression (it occurs only in the Apocrypha of the Old Testament; comp. also Psa_145:13) may have flowed the more readily from the pen of the Apostle, because, in this letter, he opposes those heretics of Gnostic tendency who were wont to speak of Æons in an entirely different and fanciful sense.—Immortal (comp. Rom_1:23 and 1Ti_6:16), who alone has immortality.—Invisible, not only who is not seen, but who, in the nature of the case, cannot be seen (comp. Joh_1:18; 1Ti_6:16; Heb_11:27).—Only.
Óïöῷ
with
ìüíῳ
is a spurious interpolation, probably transferred from Rom_16:27.—Forever and ever (comp. Gal_1:5; Php_4:20), [Most recent English expositors agree with the German in rejecting
óïöῷ
; e.g., Alford, Ellicott, Conybeare.—W.] This doxology, if compared with others, shows in every feature such a Pauline character, that it de serves to be placed among the evidences for, not against (Schleiermacher, and others), the genuineness of the Pastoral Epistles.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. It is admitted that Paul was wont to regard the whole history of the Divine revelation, under the old covenant, from a typical and symbolic standpoint. The creation, for instance, of the man and the woman, the first sin, the life of faith in Abraham, the relation between Sarai and Hagar, the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, and their fortune in the desert, are not isolated historic facts, but point with higher significance to great truths, or to ever-recurring laws (see 1Co_10:1, &c.; Gal_4:23, and elsewhere). In the same manner he considers the event of his own conversion. It stands before his view as a mirror, which images the mercy of the Lord to the greatest sinner in all succeeding times. This thought gives us the point of view from which we must always regard the most striking examples of Christ’s power. The Lord works not only dynamically, but symbolically; and every new act of His might and love is a sign of what He will continually repeat in still higher measure.
2. The conversion of Paul is one of the highest revelations of the majesty and power of the Divine grace. We see in it a grace not only overpowering and searching, but forgiving, strengthening, and purifying. It is alike clear what are the natural and insurmountable barriers in the reception of this grace; as where one sins wilfully, so that there remains no more offering for sin (Heb_10:26). Had Paul had no
ἄãíïéá
, his forgiveness would have been quite impossible, since, in that case, he would have committed a sin unto death (1Jn_5:16-17), by which the inward link of connection with the Divine mercy, salvation, and atonement would have been entirely wanting.
3. We find a self-revelation like this of Paul, on a larger basis, in the confessions of S. Augustin. It is worth our study, in an ethical view, to compare, with this feeling of personal unworthiness, the gross Pelagian self-conceit of Rousseau’s confessions. It is this union of the deepest humility with the most unshaken faith, that unlocks the secret of such singular grandeur of character in Paul.
4. “Christ Jesus came into the world,” &c.—a gospel within a gospel; as Joh_3:16; 1Jn_4:9-10, and several other places. Observe how simple the Apostle’s confession of faith becomes, as he draws nearer to the close of life. In the great antithesis of sin and grace, all is finally resolved. The gospel a glad message for the lost; this is all, but this is enough. Here is exactly seen the accord, on one side, which the gospel finds, and, on the other, the discord against which it clashes.
5. As with Paul, so with many since, we see how the worst foes of the truth, after their conversion, have become its strongest witnesses. Thus, S. Augustin; later, John Newton; in the history of missions, Van der Kemp, and many others.—The natural cause and deep significance of this fact.
6. If the conversion of a single Paul called forth such a hymn of thanksgiving, how much louder will it resound when the kingdom of God is come, and all His wonderful ways for the redemption of the manifold millions are revealed before all saints.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
No higher ground of thanksgiving than for conversion to the truth.—The great contrast between the once and the now in the life of Paul. How far it must be repeated with every Christian.—The glory of the minister of the gospel whom the Lord has counted faithful, and has placed in office.—The difference between pardonable and unpardonable sin.—How far the ignorance of unbelief is self-condemned.—The conversion of Paul an evidence of the power of grace: (1) No fall so deep that grace cannot descend to it; (2) no height so lofty that grace cannot lift the sinner to it.—The inseparable union of grace on the side of the Lord, and of faith and love on the side of the sinner.—Faith and love no meritorious cause of grace, but only the means through which it is appropriated.—That “mercy has been given to me,” the highest boast of faith.—What grace works in the sinner, before, in, and after his conversion.—In what way the Christian, after the pattern of Paul, must look back on his early errors: (1) With thanksgiving for his redemption (1Ti_1:12); (2) with constant humility (1Ti_1:13-15); (3) with unshaken and steadfast faith; (4) with glad glorifying of the Lord (1Ti_1:17).—The great end of the manifestation of the Son of God in the world.—The gospel a glad message, which (1) embraces all sinners; (2) is worthy of all acceptance.—Paul a pattern of the deepest humility, united with the greatest faith.—“Of whom I am chief”: (1) How far can each one repeat this word for himself? (2) why is this confession necessary? Without it, (a) there is no desire for redemption; (b) no delight in redemption; (c) no knowledge of the worth of redemption.—What can the greatest sinner learn for his encouragement and guidance from the pardoned Paul?—God the King of the ages: (1) He sways them with His mighty will; (2) He outlives them on His eternal throne.—The glorification of God the highest end of redemption.—The conversion of Paul a worthy subject for the glorifying of God on earth and in heaven (comp. Gal_1:24).
“Of whom I am chief,” a beautiful preparatory theme for the Holy Supper. “I have obtained mercy,” an appropriate subject for the celebration of the Supper itself. “Now unto the King eternal,” a fitting topic for the sermon of thanksgiving, where, as through Holland, it is preached after the celebration of the Supper. 1Ti_1:12 specially suited for an ordination, or for a church festival.
Starke: Lange’s Op.: In the work of our conversion, we must ascribe nothing to our own power, but all to God (Php_2:13). Every teacher must be sure of his Divine call to the office (Act_20:28).—Although he who is justified knows that he has forgiveness of sins, still he regards that time of his life with a constant feeling of shame; yet this will be joined with a spirit childlike and resigned to the will of God.—Osiander: The grace of God is the richer and more abundant the greater our transgressions have been, when we have repented truly and from the heart (Rom_5:20).—As often as the example of a converted sinner is offered in the sacred Scriptures, our faith in the forgiveness of sins should be strengthened.—Is God an eternal King? We need not fear that tyrants will drive Him from the throne of His majesty. Since He cannot die, let us fly to Him in all our trials, and reflect, God still lives!—Heubner: Because Paul acted openly and sincerely as a persecutor, God accepted him. Here the saying of Johnson applies: “I love a good hater;” i. e., I love one who, with true, frank conviction, is opposed to me.—Christianity is for sinners, not for the righteous.—The long-suffering forbearance of God toward the unbelieving.—What incalculable results may come from the conversion of a sinner!
1Ti_1:12-17. The Epistle for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, and elsewhere: Beck: Mercy meets us as (1) the ground; (2) the way; (3) the end.—Lindemann: How encouraging a faith is this faith in the mercy of God! It awakens us (1) to sincere humility; (2) to steadfast patience; (3) to heartfelt repose; (4) to a thankful joy.—Schmaltz: The blessedness of grace.—Alt: Man in his rejoicing over the gracious work of God.—Natorp: What deep cause we have to humble ourselves before God.—Ad. Monod: The signs of a true conversion shown in the example of Paul: (1) What it is; (2) what its purpose; (3) how it originates. See his third sermon on Paul, in the introduction of the work already mentioned.
[Jeremy Taylor: This consideration St. Paul urged as a reason why God forgave him, because he did it ignorantly. For heresy is not an error of the understanding, but of the will. And this is clearly insinuated in Scripture, wherein faith and a good life are made one duty, and vice is called opposite to faith, and heresy opposed to holiness.—Bishop Hall: “To save sinners.” Add, if thou wilt, “whereof I am chief.” Thou canst say no worse of thyself than a better man said before thee, who, in the right of a sinner, claimed the benefit of a Saviour.—W.]
Footnotes:
1Ti_1:12.—
êáß
is wanting in A. F. G., and others, and upon this account has been left out by Lachmann. On the other hand, it is retained by Tischendorf. It is not in the Sinaiticus.
1Ti_1:13.—[
Ôὸí ðñïô
., Recepta. The authorities are in favor of
ôü
. So also Lachmann, Tischendorf, and the Sinaiticus.
Ôὸí
was probably an attempted correction of the text. After
ὄíôá
Lachmann inserts
ìå
; Tischendorf omits; not in the Sinaiticus.—E. H.]
1Ti_1:16.—[
ðᾶóáí
;
ἅðáóáí
is the reading adopted by modern critics. So also in the Sinaiticus.—E. H.]
1Ti_1:17.—Received text:
ìüíῳ óïöῷ
; wherefore, also, Luther: “To the alone wise.” On the ground of A. D.1 F. G., and others, Griesbach removes
óïöῷ
from the text; and his example has been almost universally followed.
óïöῷ
is also not in the Sinaiticus. [The English Version, like Luther, “only wise.”—E. H.]
