1 Corinthians 15:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, as I said, he does not simply present himself as last and unworthy of the name Apostle, but gives the reason: "because I persecuted the Church of God." And although all this had been forgiven him, he himself by no means forgets it, wishing to show the greatness of grace. Therefore he continues: "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor 15:10).

Even if we ascend to the very summit of the virtues, if we conscientiously compare our good deeds with God's benefits, we shall clearly see that our virtues do not equal even the smallest part of what God has done for us.

By this very thing, that is, by humility and modesty, each of the saints was glorified. To be convinced of this, listen to the teacher of the universe, this heaven-ascending soul. After accomplishing such virtues, and after such testimony about him from above, "for he is a chosen vessel of Mine," he does not forget his sins.

Rather, he constantly bears them in mind. He does not allow himself to forget even that for which he was perfectly sure he had already received forgiveness in baptism. He cries out and says, "I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle."

Then, so that we might know the full depth of his humility, he added: "because I persecuted the Church of God." What are you doing, Paul? The Lord, by His mercy, forgave and blotted out all your sins, and do you still remember them?

Can we say that sinners have been placed on earth in a fragile and mortal body, when we see that the saints converse in the heavens and have even been granted incorruption and immortality? Yet you say that the way of the Lord is not straight, though your own ways are crooked.

Thus Paul compares himself to an untimely birth, saying: after all the other Apostles, the Lord appeared also to me, as to one untimely born, as to the lowest and most insignificant creature. Then he gives the reason for this: because, he says, I am the least of the Apostles, and "am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God."

"Persecutor of the Church" and "Apostle" are two phrases truly opposed to one another. Therefore he mentions here the persecutions he carried out against the Church before his conversion, in order to show himself unworthy even of the apostolic name. In this way he humbles himself to the very last degree of humility.

Hear also the words of his exaltation, and notice how he moderates and conceals it. Then you will be convinced that he says nothing special or excessive about himself, and will understand that even his apparent exaltation is the utmost humility.

Moved before the greatness of the grace of God manifested in him, he calls himself the least of all the Apostles. Yet lest anyone despise his testimony because of this, he turns the readers' attention to the presence of God's grace in him. This grace was clearly revealed in the multitude of his successful labors, and especially in their fruits, which grew through the faith of the Corinthians themselves.

Finally, he persuades them to receive the objects of faith not with regard to persons, but according to the essence of those objects and their undoubted reliability.

Dwelling on the Apostle's words, in which he speaks of himself with great humility, Bishop Theophan says: "Having touched upon himself and his calling, the Apostle could not refrain from pausing on this. He did so both from his feeling of humility and gratitude, and because of the purpose for which he was bringing forward testimony to the resurrection.

"I persecuted the Church, he says, and therefore I am not worthy to be called an Apostle. This is a strong expression of humility. Yet at the same time, if he formerly persecuted the Church, and now became a preacher of the faith whose foundation is Christ's resurrection, then everyone could infer from this that this persecutor must have received a striking assurance of the resurrection, since he became a preacher of the faith from being a persecutor.

"This inference gave Paul's testimony concerning Christ's resurrection a higher value than all the others. It also exalted them all and crowned them with itself."

I persecuted the Church, he says, and therefore I am not worthy to be called an Apostle. This is a strong expression of humility. Yet at the same time, if he formerly persecuted the Church and now became a preacher of the faith whose foundation is Christ's resurrection, then everyone could infer from this that this persecutor must have received a striking assurance of the resurrection, since he became a preacher of the faith from being a persecutor.

This inference gave St. Paul's testimony concerning Christ's resurrection a higher value than all the others. It exalted them all and crowned them with itself.

St. Chrysostom says about this: "I am, he says, the least of the Apostles. He did not say, only of the Twelve, but of all the others also (in Eph 3:8, of all the saints). He says all this both from humility and with the intention of disposing his hearers to accept more readily the words that follow.

"For if he had said instead, 'You must believe me that Christ is risen, because I saw Him, and I am more trustworthy than all the witnesses because I labored more than all,' then he might have offended his hearers by such words.

"But now, by first depicting the circumstances that serve for his humiliation and condemnation, he both softens his speech and prepares the way for faith in his testimony."