1 Corinthians 15:8 – The premature birth

…Yet, last of all, even as if a premature birth, He was seen by me also For I am the least of the apostles, who am not competent to be called an apostle, because I persecute the ecclesia of God.

The appearance to Paul is an hors category. Not only because Paul is “last of all” in the series of appearances, but also because he does not even dare to count himself among the company of apostles. Because when the apostles laid the foundation of the ecclesia, he was the persecutor of it. Paul calls himself “the premature birth” with regard to all his fellow apostles because he considers himself “the least” of them.

In Ecclesiastes 6: 3-5 we read about the miserable fate of “the stillborn child”: not destined for this world. But, Ecclesiastes adds, “he has peace.” This is in contrast to someone who, although he would live twice a thousand years, would not see the good (Eccles.6: 6). In Ecclesiastes 6, does “the stillborn child” not remind us of Paul? But how much better is he than he who lives “twice a thousand years”, but would not be satisfied with good. “Twice a thousand years” … doesn’t that remind us of the time of the mystery ?!

Delen: