And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Last of all Paul himself saw the risen Christ, after appearances to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to more than five hundred brethren at once, then to James, then to all the apostles, calling himself one born out of due time because he came late and untimely to that birth. He had not seen Jesus in His earthly ministry, yet the Christ he met face to face and spoke with in a noonday heavenly vision after the ascension was the same Jesus who walked in Jerusalem, died at Calvary, rose, and ascended from Olivet, and his encounter was as real as those to the other disciples. His sight of Christ stands with the repeated showings to the sorrowing disciples as accumulating evidence that Jesus truly rose and is the divine Son of God, which no lying report that the body was stolen could conceal. That appearing made Paul a witness to the resurrection and confirmed his preaching that Jesus is the promised Messiah who died for sins and rose again according to the Scriptures. The same vision that revealed Christ turned him from a persecutor to a preacher whose life was bound up with Christ, commissioning him as an apostle to bring Jews and Gentiles from darkness to God to receive forgiveness and an inheritance among the sanctified.
Appearances Christ Made
The verse completes the first-delivered gospel summary that Christ died for our sins in fulfillment of the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures. It lists the risen Christ's appearances in order to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greater part remained alive while some had fallen asleep, then to James, then to all the apostles including James and John and the other disciples, and last of all to Paul himself. Paul stands last in that list, seeing Jesus after the other appearances named.
The phrase as of one born out of due time means Paul regarded himself as untimely born and as one coming late to birth. He had not seen Jesus during His earthly ministry. The Christ Paul saw was the same Jesus who had walked in Jerusalem, died at Calvary, risen from death, and ascended from Olivet. Jesus personally appeared to Paul after His ascension.
Paul met Him face to face and talked with Him, seeing and speaking with Him in a noonday heavenly vision. That encounter was as real as the appearances granted to Cephas and to James and John and the other disciples. In that appearing Paul also saw the nature of Jesus' work in heaven.
Witness to Resurrection
Paul's sight of the risen Christ stands as part of the evidence for the resurrection. Jesus appeared again and again to his disciples after his resurrection, and these repeated appearances built up accumulating evidence that he had truly risen from the dead and was the divine Son of God, planting that truth in the minds of all who were willing to believe. After his resurrection he showed himself to his sorrowing, heart-broken disciples, dispelling their fears and bringing them gladness and joy.
That witness was joined by the holy ones raised with him who appeared to many. They declared that the sacrifice for man was completed, that Jesus whom the Jews crucified had risen from the dead, and that they themselves were risen with him by his mighty power calling them forth from their graves. This spreading of wonderful, joyful news could not be concealed by lying reports. The priests were left with no answer except to invent and spread the lie that the disciples had stolen his body, and Satan with his angels and the chief priests could not conceal it by such lying reports.
This encounter qualified Paul and made him a witness to Christ's resurrection. His seeing of the risen Christ, as did Cephas, James, John, and the other disciples, confirmed his preaching and testimony that Jesus was the promised Messiah who died for sins and rose again from the dead. Christ's appearing in his own person and ascending to the Father settles the fact of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just for those who believe in him. The teaching on the resurrection to which this belongs is central to Christian hope, and neglecting that teaching allows the belief that the righteous receive immortal blessedness at death to take its place.
Conversion and Commission
The verse belongs to Paul's conversion, when through the revelation of Christ he was changed from a persecutor of believers into a preacher of the gospel of the risen Christ, speaking of himself as coming late to birth. After that conversion his mind was centered on Christ and his whole life was bound up with Christ, with Christ as the author, source, and support of his life, and that is what it means to be a Christian. The heavenly vision that confirmed the resurrection also commissioned him as an apostle.
The heavenly voice sent him to bring both Jews and Gentiles from darkness to God, proclaiming forgiveness and an inheritance among the sanctified. As a son of God and as one born out of due time, Jesus through the Holy Spirit gave instruction through him for all who receive the gospel as the power of God. His zeal was evidenced in a burning desire to make the gospel known to others.
Last of all Paul himself saw the risen Christ, after appearances to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to more than five hundred brethren at once, then to James, then to all the apostles, calling himself one born out of due time because he came late and untimely to that birth. He had not seen Jesus in His earthly ministry, yet the Christ he met face to face and spoke with in a noonday heavenly vision after the ascension was the same Jesus who walked in Jerusalem, died at Calvary, rose, and ascended from Olivet, and his encounter was as real as those to the other disciples. His sight of Christ stands with the repeated showings to the sorrowing disciples as accumulating evidence that Jesus truly rose and is the divine Son of God, which no lying report that the body was stolen could conceal. That appearing made Paul a witness to the resurrection and confirmed his preaching that Jesus is the promised Messiah who died for sins and rose again according to the Scriptures. The same vision that revealed Christ turned him from a persecutor to a preacher whose life was bound up with Christ, commissioning him as an apostle to bring Jews and Gentiles from darkness to God to receive forgiveness and an inheritance among the sanctified.
Appearances Christ Made
The verse completes the first-delivered gospel summary that Christ died for our sins in fulfillment of the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures. It lists the risen Christ's appearances in order to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to above five hundred brethren at once of whom the greater part remained alive while some had fallen asleep, then to James, then to all the apostles including James and John and the other disciples, and last of all to Paul himself. Paul stands last in that list, seeing Jesus after the other appearances named.
The phrase as of one born out of due time means Paul regarded himself as untimely born and as one coming late to birth. He had not seen Jesus during His earthly ministry. The Christ Paul saw was the same Jesus who had walked in Jerusalem, died at Calvary, risen from death, and ascended from Olivet. Jesus personally appeared to Paul after His ascension.
Paul met Him face to face and talked with Him, seeing and speaking with Him in a noonday heavenly vision. That encounter was as real as the appearances granted to Cephas and to James and John and the other disciples. In that appearing Paul also saw the nature of Jesus' work in heaven.
Witness to Resurrection
Paul's sight of the risen Christ stands as part of the evidence for the resurrection. Jesus appeared again and again to his disciples after his resurrection, and these repeated appearances built up accumulating evidence that he had truly risen from the dead and was the divine Son of God, planting that truth in the minds of all who were willing to believe. After his resurrection he showed himself to his sorrowing, heart-broken disciples, dispelling their fears and bringing them gladness and joy.
That witness was joined by the holy ones raised with him who appeared to many. They declared that the sacrifice for man was completed, that Jesus whom the Jews crucified had risen from the dead, and that they themselves were risen with him by his mighty power calling them forth from their graves. This spreading of wonderful, joyful news could not be concealed by lying reports. The priests were left with no answer except to invent and spread the lie that the disciples had stolen his body, and Satan with his angels and the chief priests could not conceal it by such lying reports.
This encounter qualified Paul and made him a witness to Christ's resurrection. His seeing of the risen Christ, as did Cephas, James, John, and the other disciples, confirmed his preaching and testimony that Jesus was the promised Messiah who died for sins and rose again from the dead. Christ's appearing in his own person and ascending to the Father settles the fact of the resurrection and the future immortal life of the just for those who believe in him. The teaching on the resurrection to which this belongs is central to Christian hope, and neglecting that teaching allows the belief that the righteous receive immortal blessedness at death to take its place.
Conversion and Commission
The verse belongs to Paul's conversion, when through the revelation of Christ he was changed from a persecutor of believers into a preacher of the gospel of the risen Christ, speaking of himself as coming late to birth. After that conversion his mind was centered on Christ and his whole life was bound up with Christ, with Christ as the author, source, and support of his life, and that is what it means to be a Christian. The heavenly vision that confirmed the resurrection also commissioned him as an apostle.
The heavenly voice sent him to bring both Jews and Gentiles from darkness to God, proclaiming forgiveness and an inheritance among the sanctified. As a son of God and as one born out of due time, Jesus through the Holy Spirit gave instruction through him for all who receive the gospel as the power of God. His zeal was evidenced in a burning desire to make the gospel known to others.