Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Faithful is the saying (pistov o logov). Five times in the Pastorals (I Timothy 1:15; I Timothy 3:1; I Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8; II Timothy 2:11). It will pay to note carefully pistis, pisteuw, pistov. Same use of pistov (trustworthy) applied to logov in Titus 1:9; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 22:6. Here and probably in II Timothy 2:11 a definite saying seems to be referred to, possibly a quotation (oti) of a current saying quite like the Johannine type of teaching. This very phrase (Christ coming into the world) occurs in John 9:37; John 11:27; John 16:28; John 18:37. Paul, of course, had no access to the Johannine writings, but such "sayings" were current among the disciples. There is no formal quotation, but "the whole phrase implies a knowledge of Synoptic and Johannine language" (Lock) as in Luke 5:32; John 12:47.
Acceptation (apodoxhv). Genitive case with aciov (worthy of). Late word (Polybius, Diod., Jos.) in N.T. only here and I Timothy 4:9.
Chief (prwtov). Not hn (I was), but eimi (I am). "It is not easy to think of any one but St. Paul as penning these words" (White). In I Corinthians 15:9 he had called himself "the least of the apostles" (elaxistov twn apostolwn). In Ephesians 3:8 he refers to himself as "the less than the least of all saints" (tw elaxistoterw pantwn agiwn). On occasion Paul would defend himself as on a par with the twelve apostles (Galatians 2:6-10) and superior to the Judaizers (II Corinthians 11:5 f.; II Corinthians 12:11). It is not mock humility here, but sincere appreciation of the sins of his life (cf. Romans 7:24) as a persecutor of the church of God (Galatians 1:13), of men and even women (Acts 22:4 f.; Acts 26:11). He had sad memories of those days.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Timothy 1:15:
John 4:37
Acts 9:2
Acts 22:4
Acts 23:1
Romans 7:24
1 Corinthians 15:9
2 Corinthians 12:11
1 Timothy 1:15
1 Timothy 1:16
1 Timothy 3:1
1 Timothy 3:16
1 Timothy 4:9
2 Timothy 2:11
Titus 1:9
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