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What the Fathers say
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)? …
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. …
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. …
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. …
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). …
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