In listing the witnesses of the resurrection Paul recounts that
"last of all,
as to an abortion, he appeared to me also" (v8). Instead of
"abortion", the AV has "one born out of due time" and we are apt to
infer from this that Paul was not only "last of all" but much
later than the others in witnessing the resurrection. This
is true, but it is not what he is saying here. The Greek word
ektrwma (ektroma)
has a more exact and enlightening translation of
one born
prematurely—one born
before his time (compare Job
3: 16). This figure of premature birth that the Apostle applies to
himself is full of
meaning. To grasp
its force we must first look elsewhere in the NT before we consider
1 Cor. 15.
Initially, it
must appear odd that one who stated "I am apostle of nations"
(Rom. 11: 13) should be the only NT writer to stress
the distinctiveness of his Jewish pedigree several
times (see Acts 22: 3; 2 Cor. 11: 22; Phil. 3: 5). 1 Cor. 15: 8 must
be carefully weighed in the light of this fact.
Throughout the
book of Acts the main opposition to Gentile blessing came from the
Jewish nation, and the unconverted Paul was their most prominent
antagonist. His conversion was not by hearing a preaching, for no
human intermediary was involved. Instead he was converted
directly by the Lord Himself
appearing to him in glory.
His conversion was sudden and immediate although his
apostleship was marked out from his "mother’s womb" (Gal. 1: 15).
Looking now at
the relevant verses in 1 Cor. 15, Paul says of the Lord that "he
appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to
an abortion, he appeared to me also. For
I am the
least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called apostle, because
I have persecuted the assembly of God" (vs 7,
8, 9). It is in the context of the Lord’s
appearing
in resurrection and Paul’s conversion and
apostleship that Paul speaks of himself of
one born
prematurely. Now what God did with Paul
as an individual, He will yet do with Israel as
a
nation.
Let us see the
parallel in Israel as a nation. Paul says "all Israel shall be
saved". How? By preaching? No, but "According as it is written, The
deliverer shall come out of Zion" (Rom. 11: 26). It is by the
Messiah’s appearing in glory, when "they shall look on
me whom they pierced" (Zech. 12: 10) that the nation will be
converted. Isaiah’s question "shall a nation be born at once?" (Is.
66: 8) will get its answer in the immediacy of their
conversion. The reality of that new birth will be seen in the
immense sorrow of their repentance (see Zech. 12: 10–13: 9).
However, as well as the parallel between Paul’s conversion and
Israel’s future salvation, I think that there is even more in 1 Cor.
15: 8. He speaks of himself as an "abortion" not only in the context
of his conversion but also his apostleship. Now
Paul’s apostleship was to Gentiles, not Jews, for the Lord had said
"I will send thee to the nations afar off" (Acts 22: 21; see
also 26: 17). As such Paul is the forerunner of the
Jewish
emissaries to the nations in a coming day.
In Matt 28: 19
the Lord
commanded his
disciples to "Go [therefore] and make disciples of all the nations".
Contrary to popular belief, there is no definite Scriptural record
of this commission ever being carried out by them. Quite to the
contrary, the mission to the Gentiles was given up to Paul (see Gal.
2: 7–10) who states explicitly that the Lord "has not sent me to
baptise" (1 Cor. 1: 17). This submission of the nations by baptism
to the authority of a Messiah on earth has yet to be fulfilled.
While baptism in the Acts and the Epistles is always to the name of
the Lord Jesus, in Matt. 28 it is to the triune Name of Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. The discipling of all nations and teaching them
when the Lord is here is quite
a different thing from a testimony to all nations
prior
to the Lord’s coming as given in Matt. 24: 14.
There is no preaching of any Gospel in Matt. 28, only
discipleship and adherence to the ordinances of the Kingdom by
baptism. On the Lord’s return to earth in a coming day
the false
religions of the nations and their gods will all have to submit to
His authority. From the multiplicity of gods in Hinduism to the
singularity of deity in Islam—all must yield to the triune Name.
David’s exhortation in 1 Chron. 16: 24–29 will then be answered:
"Declare his glory among the nations, His wondrous works among all
peoples. For Jehovah is great, and exceedingly to be praised; And he
is terrible above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are
idols … Give unto Jehovah, ye families of peoples, Give unto Jehovah
glory and strength! Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name!".
