A.T. Robertson Commentary 1 Timothy 1:15

"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:" — 1 Timothy 1:15 (ASV)

Faithful is the saying (πιστος ο λογος). Five times in the Pastorals (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:11). It will pay to note carefully πιστισ, πιστευω, πιστος. Same use of πιστος (trustworthy) applied to λογος in Tit 1:9; Revelation 21:5; 22:6. Here and probably in 2 Timothy 2:11 a definite saying seems to be referred to, possibly a quotation (οτ) of a current saying quite like the Johannine type of teaching. This very phrase (Christ coming into the world) occurs in Joh 9:37; 11:27; 16:28; 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 Lu 5:32; John 12:47.

Acceptation (αποδοχης). Genitive case with αξιος (worthy of). Late word (Polybius, Diod., Jos.) in N.T. only here and 4:9.

Chief (πρωτος). Not ην (I was), but ειμ (I am). "It is not easy to think of any one but St. Paul as penning these words" (White). In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he had called himself "the least of the apostles" (ελαχιστος των αποστολων). In Eph 3:8 he refers to himself as "the less than the least of all saints" (τω ελαχιστοτερω παντων αγιων). On occasion Paul would defend himself as on a par with the twelve apostles (Galatians 2:6–10) and superior to the Judaizers (2 Corinthians 11:5f.; 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 22:4f.; 26:11). He had sad memories of those days.