Fathers

1 Timothy 1

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Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 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. 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. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

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What the Fathers say

1 Timothy 1:13

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." Why then did other Jews not obtain mercy? Because what they did, they did not ignorantly, but willfully, well knowing what they did. For this we have the testimony of the Evangelist. "Many of the Jews believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John xii. 42, 43.) And Christ again said to them, "How can ye believe, who receive honor one of another" (John v. 44)? …

Homily on 1 Timothy 3 ↗

Cyril of Jerusalem

At this point in my discourse I confess my amazement at the wise dispensation of the Holy Spirit, in limiting the epistles of the others to a small number but granting grace to Paul, the former persecutor, to write fourteen. For it was not as though Peter and John were less than Paul that he withheld the gift in their case—God forbid!—but that his doctrine might be beyond question, he gave the grace to the former enemy and persecutor to write more, that thus we might all be confirmed in our faith. …

Catechetical Lecture 10:18 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

See how he, describing his former life, exalts the mercy of God. Even when he speaks of the Jews, who are worthy of every contempt, he ascribes nothing of the sort to them, but about himself he recounts thus: not only, he says, was I myself a blasphemer, and not only did I strengthen evil within myself, but I also persecuted those who wished to live piously, and I did not simply do this, but with particular ferocity. He shows himself worthy of punishment, though the mercy of God extends even to such people. …

Commentary on 1 Timothy ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

From being a persecutor he was changed into "a preacher and the teacher of the nations." "Previously," he says, "I was a blasphemer and persecutor and an insolent man. But the reason I obtained mercy was this, that Christ Jesus might demonstrate his forbearance first of all in me, and for the instruction of those who were going to trust him for eternal life." It is by the grace of God, you see, that we are saved from our sins, in which we are languishing. God alone is the medicine that cures the soul. …

Sermons 278.1-2 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

But what sort of person was he under the law? A sinner, first of all, against God: who before was a blasphemer of Christ's name: bring forth the blasphemer without the camp and let them that heard him put their hands upon his head, and let all the people stone him (Lev 24:14). Hence this statement referred to him. Second, against his neighbor, and a persecutor: I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God (1 Cor 15:9). And contumelious in words and deeds: I heard the reproaches of many (Jer 20:10). …

Commentary on 1 Timothy ↗