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The penman of this epistle is here described by his name, Paul: by his office, an apostle; and by his commission to that office, which was not human, but altogether divine, even from God the Father by Jesus Christ.
Observe here, 1. The great modesty of this great apostle, in the setting forth his authority as an apostle; you will find, in the front of his epistles, when he names any others in the salutation with himself (as Silvanus and Timotheus) he mentions not himself as an apostle, when named with them, lest he should be thought to magnify himself above them. But here, because his apostolical office was called in question, he is necessitated to vindicate his authority, and accordingly declared himself an apostle, not of men, nor by man; that is, men were neither the authors nor choosers of him to his office: he was not called, as Matthias was, Act_1:23 by the suffrage of the rest of the apostles: he was not an apostle of men's election, nor by men's instruction; but appointed by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.
Learn hence, that no sins before, nor yet after, conversion, can hinder the rich mercy and free grace of God, from using men in the highest employments in the church, if he pleases to make use of them. Paul, after he had been a blasphemer, was made an apostle; and Peter, after his conversion, denied Christ with oaths and curses: yet is a chief apostle and an inspired penman of holy scripture.
Observe, 2. The high dignity conferred upon St. Paul, with reference to his apostolical office, he did not take it upon himself, but was chosen to it; he was not chosen to it for any merit in himself, but it was a grace freely bestowed upon him: and this not by the ministry and mediation of man, but by the immediate resignation and election of Jesus Christ.
Thus far he stands upon equal terms with the rest of the apostles; they did not call themselves, nor were they called by Christ, for any worthiness in themselves above others: but behold the peculiar prerogative of St. Paul above the rest of the apostles, in this particular; they were called by Christ, in the day of his humiliation, when he was here upon earth in the flesh; but he was called by Christ after his resurrection, yea, in his highest state of exaltation, when sitting at his Father's right hand in heaven.
And as his call was thus very extraordinary, so his gifts were answerable to his call: the gospel which he preached he received by inward and immediate revelation, which made him so much excel all the other apostles; insomuch, that although, in his own opinion, he was the least of saints when here upon earth: yet, in the opinion of others, he was the holiest man when upon earth, and the highest now in heaven, next the man Jesus Christ.