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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"But by the grace of God I am what I am." Seest thou again another excess of humility? in that the defects he imputes to himself, but of the good deeds nothing; rather he refers all to God. Next, lest he might hereby render his hearer supine, he saith, "And His grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain." And this again with reserve: in that he said not, "I have displayed a diligence worthy of His grace," but, "it was not found vain." "But I labored more abundantly than they all." He said not, "I was honored," but, "I …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Shortcomings he ascribes to himself, while perfections he attributes to the grace of God. And he said this with humility, for he did not say: I did something worthy of grace, but: the grace of God, which is in me, proved not to be in vain. How? Because I labored more than all the apostles. And he did not say: I was exposed to dangers, but limited his boast to the modest name of labor. He says this about himself in order to appear worthy of trust. For a teacher must be worthy of trust. …
Irenaeus
Wherefore also Paul, since he was the apostle of the Gentiles, says, "I laboured more than they all." For the instruction of the former, [viz., the Jews, ] was an easy task, because they could allege proofs from the Scriptures, and because they, who were in the habit of hearing Moses and the prophets, did also readily receive the First-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the life of God,-Him who, by the spreading forth of hands, did destroy Amalek, and vivify man from the wound of the serpent, by means of faith which was …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
Gladly and with the eyes of faith do all in the City of God look up to this great man, Paul, this athlete of Christ, who was anointed by Christ and instructed by him. With him he was nailed to the cross, and through him made glorious. This man was made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. He lawfully carried on a great conflict in the theater of this world and strained forward to the prize of his heavenly calling.
Thomas Aquinas
908. – Therefore he says first: of myself I am nothing, but what I am, I am by the grace of God, i.e., from God, not from me: "Of this gospel I was made a minister" (Eph 3:7). And he says, what I am, because without grace a man is nothing: "If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries" (1 Cor 13:2). But how he used and executed his state he shows, saying: and his grace. 909. …
Bonaventure
The Apostle, when he said: "By the grace of God I am what I am," adds: "I have labored more abundantly than all of them." Do you then praise yourself, O Apostle? No; whence he adds: "Not I, but the grace of God with me." It is a noble example that some recognize their virtue and do not grow proud of it. How virtuously some act with the grace of the Holy Spirit!
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