ACC ~ 1 Timothy 1 v16b

HIS FRANK REVELATION OF HIS SINS. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul pointed out to all the deeds he had dared to commit before. He thought that it was better for his former life to be publicized to all in order to make evident the greatness of the gift of God than to cover up his ineffable and indescribable mercy by shrinking from proclaiming his own sins to all. He therefore recounted in detail his persecutions, his plots, his fights against the church. He says, “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”; and again, “that Jesus came to save sinners of whom I am the chief.” And once more, “You have heard of my former way of life in Judaism; how beyond all measure I persecuted the church of God and ravaged it.”Indeed, to give, as it were, some kind of return to Christ for his long-suffering toward him, by telling plainly what sort he was and what an enemy and foe he had saved, he very frankly revealed the battle which in the beginning he had waged with consuming zeal against Christ. And because of this he held out good hope even to those who had despaired of themselves. HOMILIES ON JOHN 10.1.

THE DOCTOR’S TEST CASE. AUGUSTINE: So note how this Saul, later Paul, ironically “congratulates himself” on having attained to the mercy of God, because he was found to be the first, that is the most outstanding, in sins! … This was so that others could all say to themselves, “if Paul was cured, why should I despair? If such a desperately sick man was cured by such a great physician, who am I, not to fit those hands to my wounds, not to hasten to the care of those hands?” That people might be able to say that sort of thing, that’s why Saul was made into an apostle out of a persecutor. When a doctor comes to a new place, he looks for someone there who’s been despaired of and cures him, even if he finds he’s very poor, provided he finds him a desperate case. He is not looking for a fee but displaying his skill. SERMONS 175.9.

STILL MAKING A BEGINNING. ISAAC OF NINEVEH: We bring to mind how the holy apostle Paul recounts his transgressions and puts his soul in the last and nethermost place, saying: “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” … When and at what time did he say this? After great struggles, after mighty works, after the preaching of the Gospel of Christ which he proclaimed throughout the whole world, after continual deaths and manifold tribulations which he suffered from the Jews and from the heathen. He saw himself as still making a beginning, and not merely was he of the opinion that he had not yet attained to purity of soul but that he would not even number himself among the disciples of Christ, as was meet. AN EPISTLE TO ABBA SYMEON OF CAESAREA.

1 Tim