THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
I think that many, even those who consider themselves very zealous, pass over this part of the Epistle as useless and containing nothing important. I suppose they reason in the same way about the genealogy placed in the Gospel.
Since it presents a list of names, they conclude that no great profit can be drawn from it. But goldsmiths gather even the smallest filings, while these people pass by even large ingots of gold.
Therefore, lest they suffer this, what has already been said is sufficient to restrain them from such negligence. And that no small profit can be gained even from here, we already showed in the preceding discourse, when by such greetings we stirred your attention.
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Let us now also try to extract noble metal from this place. Even in bare names one can discover a great treasure.
If you consider why Abraham was called by this name, why Sarah, Israel, and Samuel were so called, then from this too you will draw knowledge about many things. You may gain the same from the naming of times and places.
An attentive man is enriched even from these, while the negligent man receives no profit even from what is most obvious. The names of Adam, his son, his wife, and many others teach us no little philosophy.
For names are memorials of many events. By them both God’s benefaction and the thanksgiving of mothers are expressed. Mothers who conceived according to God’s promise gave names to their children in remembrance of such divine benefaction.
But why should we now examine names, when many sayings of Scripture are neglected, and when the very names of many books are unknown? Yet even in such a case knowledge about this should not be despised.
"Therefore it was necessary," as it is said, "to give my silver to the bankers" (Mt 25:27). So even if no one wishes to profit from this, we will do our part and show that in Scripture nothing is superfluous or spoken without purpose.
If there were nothing useful in the present passage, it would not have been attached to the Epistle, and Paul would not have written what he wrote.
But there are people so negligent, frivolous, and unworthy of heaven that they consider not only names superfluous, but whole books, such as Leviticus, Joshua, and many others.
Many such madmen rejected the whole Old Testament. Giving free rein to this evil habit, they removed much also from the New Testament.
At present, however, we have little concern for such people, who are not sober in mind and live according to the flesh. But the zealot for philosophy and lover of spiritual discourse should know that even what seems small in Scripture is not said vainly or without purpose.
He should also know that the Old Testament contains much that is profitable. "All these things happened to them as types, and were written for our instruction" (1 Cor 10:11), says the Apostle.
Therefore he also said to Timothy, "Attend to reading, to instruction" (1 Tim 4:13), urging him to read all the books of Scripture. Yet Timothy had such a spiritual gift that he cast out demons and raised the dead.
But let us turn to the subject of the discourse. "Greet my beloved Epaenetus." From this one can see that the Apostle gives each person a special praise.
To be beloved by Paul, who knew how to love not from indulgence but with discernment, is no small praise. On the contrary, it is very great and shows many virtues in Epaenetus.
Then follows another praise: "who is the firstfruits of Achaia." By this the Apostle shows either that Epaenetus ran to Christ and believed before all others, which is no small praise, or that he displayed more piety than all the rest.
Therefore, having said, "who is the firstfruits of Achaia," the Apostle did not fall silent, lest you understand worldly glory here. He added, "unto Christ."
If the first in civic affairs is considered great and renowned, much more is the first in spiritual affairs. Since Epaenetus was probably of low birth, the Apostle points to his true nobility and superiority, and adorns him with this.
He says that Epaenetus was not the firstfruits for Corinth alone, but for a whole people. He became, as it were, a door and entrance for the others.
No small reward is given to such people. Such a man will receive great recompense also for the virtues of others, because he contributed no little to their beginning.