In our study just above in verse 12 we state that
beginning in verse 12 and going through verse 17
we enter a new passage or line of thought in the
letter. It is a passage of joy, thanks and
acknowledgement. Paul is speaking for himself but
every word he utters here are the words we should be
uttering on a continual basis.
Verse 12 states that Paul is thankful that Christ
called him, enabled him, considered him trustworthy
and put him in a church duty position; in this case
the ministry. Verse 13 is an acknowledgement
of what he was just before the calling to the faith.
It is going deeper than just what he did or what he
was but to how his mind worked. God knows what
we were like just prior to our calling.
Clearly what Paul deals with here is the same as we
have dealt with in our own lives.
Who was before a blasphemer
- This does not mean that Paul before his conversion
was what would now be regarded as an open blasphemer
- that he was one who abused and reviled sacred
things, or one who was in the habit of profane
swearing. His character appears to have been just
the reverse of this, for he was remarkable for
treating what he regarded as sacred with the utmost
respect; see the notes on Philippians 3:4-6. The
meaning is, that he had reviled the name of Christ,
and opposed him and his cause - not believing that
he was the Messiah; and in thus opposing he had
really been guilty of blasphemy. The true Messiah he
had in fact treated with contempt and reproaches,
and he now looked back upon that fact with the
deepest mortification, and with wonder that one who
had been so treated by him should have been willing
to put him into the ministry. On the meaning of the
word blaspheme, see the notes on Matthew 9:3;
compare Acts 26:11. In his conduct here referred to,
Paul elsewhere says, that he thought at the time
that he was doing what he ought to do Acts 26:9;
here he says that he now regarded it as blasphemy.
Hence, learn that people may have very different
views of their conduct when they come to look at it
in subsequent life. What they now regard as
harmless, or even as right and proper, may hereafter
overwhelm them with shame and remorse. The sinner
will yet feel the deepest self-reproaches for that
which now gives us no uneasiness.
Philippians 3:4-6
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.
If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he
might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of
Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the
Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching
the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Matthew 9:3
And, behold, certain of the scribes said within
themselves, This man blasphemeth.
Acts 26:11
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and
compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly
mad against them, I persecuted them even unto
strange cities.
Acts 26:9
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do
many things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. ~Barnes Notes
The commentary on "that I ought to do
many things."
That I ought to do - That I was bound, or
that it was a duty incumbent on me - δεῖν
dein. “I thought that I owed it to my
country, to my religion, and to my God, to
oppose in every manner the claims of Jesus
of Nazareth to be the Messiah.” We here see
that Paul was conscientious, and that a man
may be conscientious even when engaged in
enormous wickedness. It is no evidence that
one is right because he is conscientious. No
small part of the crimes against human laws,
and almost all the cruel persecutions
against Christians, have been carried on
under the plea of conscience. Paul here
refers to his conscientiousness in
persecution to show that it was no slight
matter which could have changed his course.
As he was governed in persecution by
conscience, it could have been only by a
force of demonstration, and by the urgency
of conscience equally clear and strong, that
he could ever have been induced to abandon
this course and to become a friend of that
Saviour whom he had thus persecuted.
~Barnes Notes |
Adam Clarke says...
A blasphemer - Speaking
impiously and unjustly of Jesus, his doctrine, his
ways, and his followers.
~Adam Clarke
John Gill says...
Who was before a blasphemer
- Of the name of Christ, contrary to which he
thought he ought to do many things; and he not only
blasphemed that name himself, calling him an
impostor and a deceiver, but he compelled others to
blaspheme it also, Acts 26:9. This, as well as what
follows, is said, to illustrate the grace of God in
his conversion, and call to the ministry:
~John Gill
And a persecutor - Acts 9:1 ff; Acts 22:4;
Acts 26:11; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13,
Galatians1:23.
Acts 9:1
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went
unto the high priest,
Acts 22:4
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding
and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Acts 26:11
And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and
compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly
mad against them, I persecuted them even unto
strange cities.
1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet
to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God.
Galatians 1:13
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in
the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I
persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Galatians 1:23
But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us
in times past now preacheth the faith which once he
destroyed. ~all the verses
above mentioned in Barnes Notes
And injurious - The
word here used (hubristēs), occurs only in one
other place in the New Testament, Romans 1:30, where
it is rendered “despiteful.” The word injurious does
not quite express its force. It does not mean merely
doing injury, but refers rather to the manner or
spirit in which it is done. It is a word of intenser
signification than either the word “blasphemer,” or
“persecutor,” and means that what he did was done
with a proud, haughty, insolent spirit. There was
wicked and malicious violence, an arrogance and
spirit of tyranny in what he did, which greatly
aggravated the wrong that was done; compare the
Greek in Matthew 22:6; Luke 11:45; Luke 18:32; Acts
14:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 12:10, for
illustrations of the meaning of the word. Tyndale
and Coverdale render it here “tyrant.”
~Barnes Notes
Matthew 22:6
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated
them spitefully, and slew them.
Luke 11:45
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him,
Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
Note: "reproachest"
here means to express disapproval of, criticism of,
to bring shame upon, to blame, rebuke and disgrace.
Luke 18:32
For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and
shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and
spitted on:
Note:
"spitefully" here means malicious. "Malicious" means
deliberately harmful.
Acts 14:5
And when there was an assault made both of the
Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to
use them despitefully, and to stone them,
1 Thessalonians 2:2
But even after that we had suffered before, and were
shamefully entreated [causing
shame], as ye know, at Philippi, we were
bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God
with much contention.
1 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak,
then am I strong. ~all
these verses above quoted in the commentary Barnes
Notes
More commentaries now...
And injurious
- As full of insolence [bold
disrespect] as I was of malevolence [wishing
harm on others]; and yet, all the while,
thinking I did God service, while sacrificing men
and women to my own prejudices and intolerance.
~ Adam Clarke
And injurious - Not
barely using contumelious [rudely
contemptuous] and reproachful words of
Christ, and his people, which is the sense of some
versions, and seems to be included in the first
character; but using force and violence, and doing
injury, not only to the characters, but persons and
properties of the saints, making havoc [widespread
destruction] of the church, haling [to
pull, draw or drag] men and women out of
their houses, and committing them to prison; and now
it was that Benjamin ravined as a wolf [violent
rush], the apostle being of that tribe.
~John Gill
But I obtained mercy, because
I did it ignorantly in unbelief - compare
notes on Luke 23:34. The ignorance and unbelief of
Paul were not such excuses for what he did that they
would wholly free him from blame, nor did he regard
them as such - for what he did was with a violent
and wicked spirit - but they were mitigating
circumstances. They served to modify his guilt, and
were among the reasons why God had mercy on him.
What is said here, therefore, accords with what the
Saviour said in his prayer for his murderers;
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do.” It is undoubtedly true that persons who sin
ignorantly, and who regard themselves as right in
what they do, are much more likely to obtain mercy
than those who do wrong designedly.
~Barnes Notes
Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and
cast lots.
Notice the commentary on this prayer:
We may learn from this prayer:
1. The duty of praying for our enemies, even
when they are endeavoring most to injure us.
2. The thing for which we should pray for
them is that “God” would pardon them and
give them better minds.
3. The power and excellence of the Christian
religion. No other religion “teaches” people
to pray for the forgiveness of enemies; no
other “disposes” them to do it. Men of the
world seek for “revenge;” the Christian
bears reproaches and persecutions with
patience, and prays that God would pardon
those who injure them, and save them from
their sins.
4. The greatest sinners, through the
intercession of Jesus, may obtain pardon.
God heard him, and still hears him “always,”
and there is no reason to doubt that many of
his enemies and murderers obtained
forgiveness and life. Compare Acts 2:37,
Acts 2:42-43; Acts 6:7; Acts 14:1.
Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this, they were pricked
in their heart, and said unto Peter and to
the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do?
Acts 2:42-43
42 And they continued stedfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many
wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 6:7
And the word of God increased; and the
number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of
the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 14:1
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they
went both together into the synagogue of the
Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude
both of the Jews and also of the Greeks
believed. ~Barnes
Notes |
The Barnes Notes commentary goes on...
Yet we cannot but regard Paul’s “ignorance in
unbelief” as, in itself, a grievous sin, He had
abundant means of knowing the truth had he been
disposed to inquire with patience and candor. His
great abilities and excellent education are a
further aggravation of the crime. It is, therefore,
impossible to acquiesce [consent]
in any solution of this clause which seems to make
criminal ignorance a ground of mercy. The author,
however, intends nothing of this kind, nor would it
be fair to put such construction on his words. Yet,
a little more fullness had been desirable on a
subject of this nature. It is certain, that,
independent of the nature of the ignorance, whether
willful or otherwise, the character of crime is
affected by it. He who should oppose truth, knowing
it to be such, is more guilty than he who opposes it
in ignorance, or under the conviction that it is not
truth, but falsehood. In a certain sense, too, this
ignorance, may be regarded as a reason why mercy is
bestowed on such as sin desperately or blasphemously
under it. Rather, it is a reason why they are not
excluded from mercy. It shows why persons so guilty
are not beyond its pale. This is, we think, the true
key both to the passage, and that in Luke 23:34. The
ignorance is not a reason why God should bestow
mercy on such persons, rather than on others left to
perish, but a reason why they obtain mercy at all,
who, by their blasphemies had been supposed to have
reached the sin against the Holy Spirit.
Luke 23:34
And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not
crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny
that thou knowest me.
Now consider the passage [But
I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief] in this view. The apostle had just
been showing how great a sinner he had formerly
been. His criminality had been so great that it went
near to shutting him out from mercy altogether. Had
he maliciously persecuted and blasphemed Christ,
knowing him to be the Messiah, his had been the
unpardonable sin, and his lot that of judicial,
final obduracy [hardened].
But he had not got that length. He was saved from
that gulph [gulf or
separation], and obtained mercy, because,
sinning ignorantly and in unbelief, he was not
beyond its range.
That Paul should set himself to excuse his guilt is
altogether impossible. He does the very reverse. He
has but escaped the unpardonable sin. He is chief of
sinners. He owes his salvation to exceeding abundant
grace. All long-suffering has been exercised toward
him. He affirms, that mercy was extended to him,
that, to the end of time, there might be a proof or
pattern of mercy to the guiltiest. Had he been
assigning a reason why he obtained mercy, rather
than others left to perish, doubtless that had been
what he has elsewhere assigned and defended, “God
will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he
will have compassion on whom he will have
compassion;” Romans 9:15.
~Barnes Notes
Other commentaries:
I did it ignorantly in
unbelief - Not having considered the nature
and evidences of Christianity, and not having
believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, I
acted wholly under the prejudices that influenced my
countrymen in general. God therefore showed me
mercy, because I acted under this influence, not
knowing better. This extension of mercy, does not,
however, excuse the infuriated conduct of Saul of
Tarsus, for he says himself that he was exceedingly
mad against them. Let us beware, lest we lose the
man’s former crimes in his after character.
~Adam Clarke
But I obtained mercy -
the Vulgate Latin version reads, "the mercy of God";
God had mercy on him, unasked and unsought for, as
well as unmerited; God had mercy on him when he was
in the career of his sin, and stopped him; and of
his abundant mercy begat him again to a lively hope
of forgiveness and eternal life; and through his
great love quickened him, when dead in trespasses
and sins; and according to the multitude of his
tender mercies, forgave and blotted out all his
iniquities; and put him openly among his children,
his family and household; and to all this added the
grace of apostleship: he put him into the ministry,
and, of a blaspheming and injurious persecutor, made
him a laborious, faithful, and useful preacher of
the Gospel,
Because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief - This is said, not as an
extenuation of this sin, or as an excuse for
himself; for this was not the apostle's method,
since in the next verse he calls himself the chief
of sinners; besides, ignorance is not an excuse but
an aggravation of sin, especially when there are
means of knowledge, and these are not attended to;
and when persons are not open to conviction, and
reject the fullest evidence, which was the case
here: nor can unbelief be pleaded in such a man's
favour, who heard what Stephen had to say; and
though he could not resist his wisdom, received not
the truth spoken by him, but consented to his death;
moreover, all sins spring from ignorance, and are
aggravated by unbelief: but this phrase describes
the apostle's state and condition; he was a poor,
blind, ignorant bigot, an unbelieving and hardened
creature, and so an object of mercy, pity, and
compassion; and he who has compassion on the
ignorant, and them that are out of the way, had
compassion on him. He indeed did not know that Jesus
was the Christ, or that his followers were the true
church of God; he really thought he ought to do what
he did, and that, in doing it, he did God good
service; he had a zeal, but not according to
knowledge; and therefore did not sin wilfully and
maliciously against light, and knowledge, and
conscience, and so not the sin against the Holy
Ghost; as some of the Pharisees did, and therefore
died without mercy, and were not capable subjects of
mercy, and proper objects of it; nor is it ever
extended to such: but this not being the case of the
apostle, mercy was of sovereign good will and
pleasure vouchsafed to him; his ignorance and
unbelief were not a reason or cause of his obtaining
mercy, which is always shown in a sovereign way; but
a reason, showing, that that was mercy that was
vouchsafed to him, since he was such an ignorant and
unbelieving creature. It is a good note of Beza's on
the place, "en merita preparationis quae profert
apostolus"; "what works, merits, previous
qualifications and preparations were there in the
apostle, fitting him for the grace and mercy of
God", seeing in the midst of his sins, and in the
full pursuit of them, the grace of God laid hold
upon him, and mercy was shown him? there is nothing
between his being a blasphemer, a persecutor, an
injurious person, an ignorant unbeliever, and his
obtaining mercy. ~John Gill
Now from the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge:
Who was before a blasphemer,
and a persecutor, and injurious:
Acts 8:3
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering
into every house, and haling men and women committed
them to prison.
Acts 9:1
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went
unto the high priest,
Acts 9:13
Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of
this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints
at Jerusalem:
Acts 22:4
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding
and delivering into prisons both men and women.
1 Corinthians 15:9
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet
to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God.
But I obtained mercy:
1 Timothy 1:16
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might shew forth all
longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should
hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Hosea 2:23
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will
have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and
I will say to them which were not my people, Thou
art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.
Romans 11:30-31
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God,
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.
1 Peter 2:10
Which in time past were not a people, but are now
the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but
now have obtained mercy.
Because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief:
Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and
cast lots.
Acts 3:17
And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye
did it, as did also your rulers.
Hebrews 6:4-8
4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the
powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the
Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain
that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs
meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth
blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is
rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to
be burned.
2 Peter 2:21-22
21 For it had been better for them not to have known
the way of righteousness, than, after they have
known it, to turn from the holy commandment
delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the
true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
in the mire. |