"Notice the gratitude of the minister of Christ in the Apostolate. He wishes to attribute nothing to himself, but attributes everything to the Lord.
We did not attain to being Apostles by our own efforts and labors, but received grace. The Apostolate too is a gift from above" (Saint Chrysostom).
"It is the work of the higher ordering and providence of God for our race" (Saint Damascene).
Therefore grace and apostleship mean the same as grace for apostolic ministry (cf. Oecumenius), or apostolic grace.
"We received," he says. Who is this "we"? Most directly, it seems that Saint Paul means himself alone here.
Yet one may think that he speaks on behalf of all the Apostles and depicts the power and significance of the apostolic rank in general.
Or, needing to speak about himself alone, he expressed himself in such a way as to suggest all the Apostles too. It is as if he said, "as they, so also I," or "I too, as they."
For just as the Lord said to them, "Go and teach all nations" (cf. Mt 28:19), so He said to him, "Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles" (cf. Acts 22:21).
Blessed Theodoret writes: "He Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, appointed us preachers. He entrusted to us the salvation of all nations and granted grace corresponding to this preaching.
He did this so that those who received the preaching might both obey us and believe the word."
"For obedience to the faith among all nations." "For obedience" means that all should hear of the faith and, having heard, obey the faith or believe.
In one word Saint Paul wished to express that the appointment of the Apostles is to carry the name of the Lord throughout the whole universe.
Yet this is not merely so that all may hear of Him, but so that they may also be subject to Him. Among all nations there must be those who truly believe in Him and sincerely serve Him according to faith.
The word came forth from the mouths of the Apostles. Grace went together with the word and subjected the hearts of the chosen to the faith.
Saint Chrysostom says: "The success of the preaching did not depend on the Apostles, but on the grace that went before them and accompanied them.
Though it was their work to go and preach, God Himself produced conviction, working in the Apostles. Thus Saint Luke also said, 'He opened her heart' (Acts 16:14)."
The obedience of faith must also be regarded as the work of God's power because signs accompanied the preaching. They certified that the preaching was a work performed according to God's will.
Therefore they demanded obedience to what was preached, despite its incomprehensibility. "Power from on high is the testimony to the truth of the teaching.
Because of it, what seemed incredible in the preaching was to be received by faith without contradiction" (Ambrosiaster).
If apostolic preaching is for obedience to the faith, then before it one must lay down the weapons of the mind. One must present one's soul as a clean tablet, so that the truths of faith may be impressed upon it unhindered.
The Apostles received it without speculating and hand it on as they received it. Those who hear their word must also receive it without cleverness.
Saint Chrysostom says: "He did not say, 'for inquiry and proof,' but 'for obedience.' We have been sent, he says, not to make syllogisms, but to hand on what has been entrusted to us.
When the Master says anything, those who hear must only receive His words, not examine and reinterpret them by themselves.
The Apostles were sent for this purpose, to recount what they had heard, adding nothing of their own, so that we too might believe it."
"Among all nations." Such is the appointment of the Apostolate: to carry the preaching of the Gospel to all peoples.
Did they carry it? During their lifetime the Apostles did nothing else but carry the word of the Gospel. They carried it everywhere they could reach, or as far as their life allowed them to reach.
Even after their death, their preaching does not fall silent, through their writings and through the oral word of their successors.
Saint Chrysostom says: "What is this? Did Paul preach to all nations? From the Epistle to the Romans it is clear that he preached to many.
For he traversed all regions from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and from there again reached the furthest limits of the earth. Yet even if he was not among all nations, what he says is not at all false.
For he is not speaking of himself alone, but of the twelve Apostles and of all who proclaimed the word with them.
At the same time, his statement cannot be disputed even if it is understood of Paul alone. One need only consider Paul's zeal and that after his death he does not cease preaching throughout the whole universe.
Do not overlook how much Paul exalts the gift of the Apostolate. He shows its greatness and its greater superiority over the Old Testament.
The Old Testament promises extended to one people. The Apostolate drew in land and sea."
"For His name." This expression is all-embracing. It means by His name, for His name or glory, relying on His name, concerning Him, and into Him.
For in the faith of Christ, everything proceeds from the Lord, everything returns to Him, and everything stands upon Him.
Saint Chrysostom says: "'For His name' means that we must not delve into His essence, but believe in His name.
For this name worked miracles. 'In the name of Jesus Christ,' Peter says, 'rise and walk' (Acts 3:6). It itself requires faith, and all this cannot be grasped by reason."
Oecumenius adds: "Faith was in His name. For they did not see Him Himself, but believed by the gospel alone concerning His name.
Truly the Apostolate of the disciples was full of grace, since they persuaded the nations to believe in and obey Christ, though they were unlearned men, simple fishermen."
THEOSIS