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SUBJECT: 1 Tim 1:15-16 chief sinner
QUESTION: What is Paul talking about here? Is he saying
he was the first saved?
ANSWER:
1 Timothy 1:15-16
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of
whom I am chief.
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.
Actually Paul is saying that among sinners, he considered
himself chief or in first place. He was saying that he was
the worse sinner. Clearly this was his feeling and not
fact. All those called of God and receiving the Holy Spirit
will think themselves a chief sinner at some time or
another. When we have our minds opened to our sin, we often
or at times can feel as Paul did. In fact, that is what is
being brought up in verse 16.
When we are baptized and given the Holy Spirit we enter into
what I call the 'Salvation Process'. This is a live long
process in which we learn the Law of God, to invoke the
power of the Holy Spirit in the form of fruit (Galatians
5:22-23), overcome personal sin, go on to
perfection (Hebrews 6),
become more like Christ and perserver to the end. During
that process and in that process we face our sins and at
times feel as Paul did....a chief sinner. After all, we
know our sins..all of them or most of them while knowing
little or nothing of others.
In verse 16, Paul is saying that in the Salvation Process,
Christ shows us mercy as He works with us to overcome and
build His character in us. Christ shows all longsuffering
in this. Why? So that in Paul we (all
firstfruits) see that "pattern" of Paul’s, i.e.
feeling like a chief sinner but being shown mercy by Christ
and working with Him through the Salvation Process until He
returns, at which time we receive eternal life.
Clearly, Paul was not the first called, the first forgiven,
the first with the Holy Spirit or anything else.
Notice how this commentary confirms what I have been
saying...
1 Timothy 1:16
[That in me first] Not first in the order of time, as
our translation would seem to imply, but that in me the
first or chief of sinners en (NT:1722) emoi (NT:1698 prootoo
(NT:4413) he might show an example. The idea is, that he
sustained the first rank as a sinner, and that Jesus Christ
designed to show mercy to him as such, in order that the
possibility of pardoning the greatest sinners might be
evinced, and that no one might afterward despair of
salvation on account of the greatness of his crimes.
[Might shew forth all long-suffering] The highest
possible degree of forbearance, in order that a case might
never occur about which there could be any doubt. It was
shown by his example that the Lord Jesus could evince any
possible degree of patience, and could have mercy on the
greatest imaginable offenders.
[For a pattern] hupotupoosin (NT:5296). This word
occurs no where else in the New Testament, except in 2
Timothy 1:13, where it is rendered "form." It properly means
a form, sketch, or imperfect delineation. Then it denotes a
pattern or example, and here it means that the case of Paul
was an example for the encouragement of sinners in all
subsequent times. It was that to which they might look when
they desired forgiveness and salvation. It furnished all the
illustration and argument which they would need to show that
they might be forgiven. It settled the question forever that
the greatest sinners might be pardoned; for as he was "the
chief of sinners," it proved that a case could not occur
which was beyond the possibility of mercy.
~from Barnes' Notes
Note: Paul is the pattern and therefore
encouragement for all those who, at times, feel as Paul did,
a chief sinner. We see that Paul made it and that
encourages us onward.
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