1 Timothy 1:12-13 12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, putting me into ministry, 13even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent person. Yet I was shown mercy because being ignorant I acted in unbelief;
Paul now moves into a personal testimony that highlights the mercy of God experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. His purpose in bringing up his experience here may be to provide Timothy encouragement about his own life and optimism to deal with the false teachers. If God could transform Paul’s life, God can do this for anyone, including the troubling people in Ephesus. This message was what Timothy needed to teach the people (see 3:16
Paul gives thanks (charin) to Christ for the privilege of being used in his ministry. Thanks is the same Greek word for “grace” and refers to the favor granted to a person. In this case, Paul experienced Christ’s strength and protection. Paul gives two reasons (because) for his thanksgiving. First, Christ considered Paul faithful (piston) even thought Paul was the worst of sinners. The Lord saw potential in Paul as a faithful and sincere, though misguided, Jew. Paul was zealous for God and God’s law. He was seeking God but did not understand God’s plan of salvation. Second, Christ entrusted Paul with the ministry (diakonian) of proclaiming the gospel. Paul had many outstanding personal qualities when Christ called him, including a knowledge of Scripture and a zeal for the things of God. When Paul received his call from Christ, he did not delay in carrying out this ministry but “began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).
Verse 13 highlights Paul’s old life in Judaism, what he formerly was, and from what Christ called him. Paul describes himself in three ways, all of them violent terms. Blasphemer refers to rebellious slander against God, which may include rejecting God’s holiness, love, or grace. Paul thought he was honoring God but was actually going against God’s message of salvation through grace. Persecutor reflects on Paul’s actions in Jerusalem, Judea, and the plans he had for Damascus. He was present when Stephen was stoned and then sought to destroy the church (Acts 7:58; 8:3). Violent person is someone who does not care about the needs, concerns, or rights of another person and insults or injures them to get his or her way. Paul’s zeal was misguided because of his spiritual blindness and pride and became violence against the people of God.
In spite of this way of life, Paul was shown mercy. This verb (ēleēthēn) is passive voice, with Christ as the assumed source of the mercy. Paul’s life is a good example of God’s mercy: the most sinful person experienced God’s compassion and forgiveness and became the most enthusiastic witness for Christ. The reason why Christ showed mercy to Paul was because being ignorant he acted in unbelief. He really did not know what he was doing. He did not realize whom he was persecuting (“Who are you, Lord?” Acts 9:5). He was blinded by his ignorance to God’s grace and mercy. He thought being religious and righteous was all about human effort. He was not innocent but guilty because of his unbelief (apistia). He did not realize what he was doing, otherwise, he would not have been doing it. But that did not make him free of guilt. Rather, it only showed how depraved he was in his heart. He needed God’s grace and transformation more than anything else.
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