I Tim 1:12-17; Gratitude, The Root of Our Lives

"I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

I. Introduction

This passage from a not-too-popular NT Epistle was familar to me even before I knew some of the "major" NT passages, such as Rom. 5 or John 3. During my freshman year in college I joined an Evangelically-oriented group which often sang the chorus/round, "Now unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only Wise God--be Honor and Glory forever and ever, Amen!" I still remember the fellowship meetings where we would close in a prayer and then sing this as a sort of bidding song to each other. I asked a fellow student where they got the words, and he pointed me to this passage (v. 17).

Then, in a Bible study from that first year, one of the students made the point that the Apostle Paul thought he was the first or foremost of sinners. I had never heard that point previously, and I was shown this passage (v. 15). I didn't know what to make about Paul's admission then, but the passage sunk into my mind.

Now, thirty-seven years later, I come again to this text. To quote Paul, I may not have given up all my childish ways, but I hope I am approaching this passage maturely. In the intervening 37 years I have joined most scholars in supposing that this Epistle, though attributed to Paul from the 2nd century AD, is probably written in a "quasi-Pauline" style by an eager disciple of Paul rather than Paul himself. But the issue is subtle, because the author uses, especially in this passage, many important Pauline words. Words such as "show mercy," or "immortal," "invisible" (to describe God) and "to the one who has strengthened me" all have a Pauline "ring" to them. But the tone of the letter, when considered in its entirety, doesn't have the theological verve, polemical tone or pastoral heart of the Pauline letters. To use words from the 20th century sociologist Max Weber, Paul's "charisma" has been turned into "routinization" by the Pastoral Epistles.

Yet to deny Pauline authorship is not at all to take away the significance or power of the text. The text's authority rests on the fact that it is Scripture. Thus, in examining the text closely we notice not simply its function in the epistle, a sort of prayer of thanksgiving, but its appeal to major theological concepts that continue to shape the life of faith in the 21st century. Three of those concepts are: (1) Humans as Sinners; (2) Overabundant Grace; and (3) A Response of Honor to God. Let's turn to each.

II. A Consciousness of Sin

The major development in NT Theology in the 20th century was when Rudolf Bultmann began his 2-volume work not with a consideration of the existence of God, not with the redemption in Christ, not even with the creation of the world but with human sin. "Man Before God," was the way he put it. Human limitation, sin, weakness, selfishness--all those prompted the need for redemption, according to Bultmann. The author of I Timothy is also committed to that idea. The one writing in the name of Paul founds his need for redemption in three words--that he was a blasphemer, persecutor and an insolent person towards God in his pre-Christian state (v. 13). The NRSV translates hubristen as "man of violence," but the word is derived from the weighty Greek word "hubris," which describes a sort of overweening pride, insolence and scorn all wrapped up into one.

In order for the NT message to make sense to people in any age there has to be a sense that the human condition is not merely one of ignorance or partial knowledge or goodness gone slightly awry but of profound human self-centeredness, stupidity and evil when confronting the world. To use language from optometry, we suffer not from astigmatism but from blindness. We know from reading Paul's letters to the Corinthians, especially I Cor. 15, that much of Paul's motivation in life came from gratitude as well as guilt--a sense that he had been responsible for hurting/destroying the lives of many before he came to knowledge of the Christian Gospel. In the language of this passage, the Apostle is called the "first" or "foremost" sinner. I do not believe that the Gospel of Christ's saving grace will have much resonance with people today unless they (we) realize their own sin, shortcomings, and selfishness. We may not feel like the "foremost" of sinners, but we need ever before us the sense of our human blindness, self-centeredness and even our tendencies toward evil. We need not live "in" these things; but the Gospel reaches to those who know that they have been forgiven much.

III. Overabundant Grace

The opening words of the passage have a strong Pauline "ring" to them. Indeed, the word "strengthen" and the exact form of the Greek (the participle used in a prepositional phrase--"in his having strengthened me") imitate one of Paul's most memorable lines, where he says in Phil. 4:13 that he can do all things in "him who strengthens me." Lest we miss the tone of these first words, the rest of the passage is also peppered with language of salvation and gratitude. Twice (v. 13, 16) the verb "receive mercy" is used, both times in the passive voice ("I have received mercy"). Then, in a unique appearance of this word in the NT, the writer speaks about "hyper-poured-out grace" in v. 14. I, of course, have just made up a word, but I did so in order that you won't miss the tone of the first word in v. 14--uperpleonazo-- which suggests something that is poured out beyond all fulness.

I want to mention one caveat, however, about grace in 2007. Is the Christian doctrine of grace anything more than just the long shadow of Paul's personal experience? Or is there a sense that in order for us truly to understand and receive grace we, too, must feel that we are the "foremost" of sinners? Well, I think if we are being realistic, most people in the church don't consider themselves to be "major league" sinners. And, I think I would have to agree with them. Many in the church are more like the "older brother" in the parable of the prodigal son than the prodigal himself. So, I think there is an element in our doctrine of grace that is shaped by Paul's personality--as well as the experience of any who truly have been redeemed from "the Pit" in life. But, in general, I think that a "hard" doctrine of sin should not be the focus of the Church's preaching today. Other themes--like community, service, imitation of Christ, forgiveness, self and other-love are the foundations upon which I will build my preaching ministry.

Yet sin is here, as is a sense of overwhelming gratitude for the empowerment and fullness brought into our life by God. That indeed is great good news.

III. Glory to God

And so we end where I began this exposition--with the ascription of honor and glory to God. Eternal praise is to be offered to the eternal God. As the hymn says, "Praise eternal as his love" shall be given to God. The adjectives describing God here each have deep Pauline resonance. The invisible God is from Col. 1, among other places. The eternality of God is celebrated throughout Paul's writings. Just as gratitude is a good tonic for a failing spirit, so praise to God is good medicine for the soul. It infallibly connects us to the source of our lives. Those who most praise are ones who feel the strongest in their own lives. Perhaps it is because the ascription of priase to God empties us of the pretention and arrogance which characterizes our lives as sinners before God. Let honor and glory to God be the first (and last) words of this week. It is not only theologically right to do this; it is good for the soul.

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