SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:9
Porque yo soy el ms pequeo de los apstoles, que no soy digno de ser llamado apstol, porque perseguí la Iglesia de Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 15:9
Verse 9. I am the least of the apostles] This was literally true in reference to his being chosen last, and chosen not in the number of the twelve, but as an extra apostle. How much pains do some men take to make the apostle contradict himself, by attempting to show that he was the very greatest of the apostles, though he calls himself the least! Taken as a man and a minister of Christ, he was greater than any of the twelve; taken as an apostle he was less than any of the twelve, because not originally in that body. Am not meet to be called an apostle] None of the twelve had ever persecuted Christ, nor withstood his doctrine: Saul of Tarsus had been, before his conversion, a grievous persecutor; and therefore he says, ouk eimi ikanov, I am not proper to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God, i.e. of Christ, which none of the apostles ever did.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. For I am the least of the apostles , etc.] Referring not to the littleness of his stature, but to the figure before used, and as expressing not the opinion of others concerning him, but the true and real sense he had of himself, for which he himself gives the strongest reason that can be given; and by apostles he means not only the twelve, but all other ministers of the Gospel that were sent forth by Christ to preach it: nor need this be wondered at, when he says, that he was less than the least of all saints, ( Ephesians 3:8) though when his person and doctrines were traduced by false teachers, and attempts were made to disgrace his ministry, and render it useless, in vindication of himself, and without vanity, he does not stick to assert, that he was not a whit behind the very chiefest of the apostles, ( Corinthians 11:5 12:11) and yet here adds, that am not meet to be called an apostle ; not only to be one, but to bear the name of one. No man was meet or fit for such an office of himself; none of the apostles were any more than himself; but his meaning is, that though he was chosen, and called, and qualified by the gifts and grace of God for this office, yet he was unworthy to be called by the name of an apostle of Christ, for the reason following, because I persecuted the church of God : he not only consented to the death of Stephen, the first martyr, and held the clothes of them that stoned him; but he made havoc of the church, haling men and women to prison, and continued to breathe out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord; and had letters of commission from the high priest in his pocket, to seize any of this way at Damascus, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, when Christ met him in the way, and was seen by him: according to his own account, he shut up many of the saints in prison, gave his voice against them when they were put to death, punished them oft in every synagogue, compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceeding mad against them, persecuted them to strange cities; (see Acts 7:1-9:43 26:1-32). This he mentions both for his own abasement and humiliation, and to magnify the grace of God, to which he ascribes all he was, had, and did, as in the next verse.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - The word resurrection, usually points out our existence beyond the grave. Of the apostle's doctrine not a trace can be found in all the teaching of philosophers. The doctrine of Christ's death an resurrection, is the foundation of Christianity. Remove this, and all our hopes for eternity sink at once. And it is by holding this trut firm, that Christians stand in the day of trial, and are kept faithfu to God. We believe in vain, unless we keep in the faith of the gospel This truth is confirmed by Old Testament prophecies; and many saw Christ after he was risen. This apostle was highly favoured, but he always had a low opinion of himself, and expressed it. When sinner are, by Divine grace, turned into saints, God causes the remembrance of former sins to make them humble, diligent, and faithful. He ascribes to Divine grace all that was valuable in him. True believers, though no ignorant of what the Lord has done for, in, and by them, yet when the look at their whole conduct and their obligations, they are led to fee that none are so worthless as they are. All true Christians believ that Jesus Christ, and him crucified, and then risen from the dead, in the substance of Christianity. All the apostles agreed in thi testimony; by this faith they lived, and in this faith they died.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγω 1473 P-1NS γαρ 1063 CONJ ειμι 1510 5748 V-PXI-1S ο 3588 T-NSM ελαχιστος 1646 A-NSM των 3588 T-GPM αποστολων 652 N-GPM ος 3739 R-NSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N ειμι 1510 5748 V-PXI-1S ικανος 2425 A-NSM καλεισθαι 2564 5745 V-PPN αποστολος 652 N-NSM διοτι 1360 CONJ εδιωξα 1377 5656 V-AAI-1S την 3588 T-ASF εκκλησιαν 1577 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:9 {The least} (ho elacistos). True superlative, not elative. Explanation of the strong word ektrwma just used. See #Eph 3:8 where he calls himself "less than the least of all saints" and #1Ti 1:15 the "chief" (prwtos) of sinners. Yet under attack from the Judaizers Paul stood up for his rank as equal to any apostle (#2Co 11:5f.,23). {Because I persecuted the church of God} (ediwxa ten ekklesian tou qeou). There were times when this terrible fact confronted Paul like a nightmare. Who does not understand this mood of contrition?
