Thomas Aquinas

After the Apostle has shown that he himself did not receive the Gospel from man before his conversion, he now proves here that he did not receive it from man after his conversion either. And concerning this he does two things. First he shows that he did not receive the Gospel from man at the time of his conversion; second, that he did not receive it after his conversion either, at the place, then after three years, and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. For first he shows that he did not receive the Gospel from the apostles, nor was he taught by them; second, that he did not receive it from other believers either, at the place, but I went away into Arabia, and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows the efficient cause of his conversion; second, the end, at the place, that he might reveal, etc.; third, the manner, at the place, immediately I did not yield, and so on.

Concerning the first, he notes the cause of his conversion, which is twofold, namely the good pleasure of God, which is the divine election, and the calling of the one who converts him. As to the first he says when it pleased, namely God — not when I willed, but when it was pleasing to him, because it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, etc., as is said in Romans 9:16. Psalm 146:11: the good pleasure is with the Lord, and so on. Philippians 2:13: it is God who works in us, and so on. Who, namely God, me — namely a rebel, 1 Corinthians 15:9: I am the least of the apostles, etc., because I persecuted, and so on; Acts 9:1: Saul still breathing threats, and so on — a persecutor: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me, etc. — a blasphemer, 1 Timothy 1:13: who was a blasphemer, and so on. Me, such as I was, I say, he set apart from my mother's womb. Or according to the letter: who caused me to be born from my mother's belly. And it is truly said that God sets apart from the womb, although this is the work of nature, which is as it were the instrument of God, because our works too are attributed to God as to the principal author, Isaiah 26:12: for all our works you have wrought in us, etc., just as effects are also attributed to the principal agent. Hence it is said in Job 10:11: you have clothed me with skin and flesh, and so on. And from this womb he was set apart unto justification, because it belongs to the same one to justify to whom it belongs to create. Psalm 21:11: from my mother's womb, and so on.

Or: from my mother's womb, namely of the synagogue, whose womb is the college of the Pharisees, who nourished others in Judaism. Matthew 23:15: you go about sea and land to make, and so on. Thus, then, his mother was the synagogue. Song of Songs 1:5: the sons of my mother fought against me, and so on. Her womb is the Pharisees. From this womb, then, he was set apart through the Holy Spirit unto the faith of the Gospel. Romans 1:1: set apart unto the Gospel of God. Or his mother is the Church of Christ; her womb, the college of the apostles. God, then, set him apart from the womb of the Church, that is, from the college of the apostles, into the office of apostleship and preaching to the gentiles, when he said to the apostles, Acts 13:2: set apart for me Barnabas and Paul, and so on. Now he calls the synagogue his mother because he was a Pharisee, being as it were great in it, since it is said, a Pharisee, and of the Pharisees, because he was a zealot of the law. Above: but being more abundantly a zealot, and so on.

As to the other cause he says, and called, and so on. Now there is a twofold calling. One is exterior, and thus he says: he called me with a heavenly voice. Acts 9:4: Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? and so on. Go into the city, and so on. Thus he also called the other apostles. The other is interior, and thus he called through a certain interior instinct, by which God through grace touches the heart, that it may be converted to him, and thus he called him from the evil way into the good, and this through his grace, not by our merits. Romans 8:30: whom he predestined, these he also called, and so on. Isaiah 45:13: I have raised him up unto justice, and so on. Amos 5:8: who calls the waters of the sea, and so on.

Now the end of his conversion is set down when he says, that he might reveal his Son, etc., which end indeed is Christ. Now his conversion is ordered to Christ in two ways: namely by deed, and thus he says that he might reveal his Son, that is, in that which he did concerning me, converting me and forgiving me my sins, he might reveal how great a mercy had been done to me. 1 Timothy 1:15ff: Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, and so on. But I obtained the mercy of God because ignorant, and so on. Thus, then, he revealed his Son in his conversion, and this insofar as the Son is called the grace of God. Likewise he revealed him in his working; whence he himself said, Romans 15:18: for I do not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought through me unto the obedience of the gentiles, in word, in deeds, and in power, and so on. And this insofar as the Son is the power of God. Likewise he revealed him in his preaching; whence he himself said, 1 Corinthians 1:23: we preach, etc., down to and the wisdom of God. And this insofar as his Son is called the wisdom of God. Likewise his conversion is ordered to Christ by word, and thus he says that I might preach him among the gentiles, because, while the other apostles were preaching Christ to the Jews, Paul, by the command of the Lord, went to the gentiles to convert them. Isaiah 49:6: for it is a small thing that you should be my servant, etc., I have given you as a light, and so on. Acts 13:47: for thus he has commanded, and so on. Below: behold I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and teacher to the gentiles.

Now the manner of his conversion is perfect, both as to its effect; whence he says immediately I did not yield to flesh and blood, that is, at once I was so perfectly converted that every carnal affection withdrew from me. Ecclesiasticus 11:23: for it is easy in the eyes of the Lord suddenly to enrich the poor man. And here flesh and blood is taken for carnal vices. 1 Corinthians 15:50: flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God, and so on. Below, 5:17: the flesh lusts, and so on. Or for the affection and love toward those carnally joined to oneself. Matthew 16:17: flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, and so on. Thus the Apostle both overcame his own vices and despised his own Jews.

Likewise as to the intellect; because he was so instructed by Christ that it was not necessary for him to be instructed by the apostles. And therefore he says, nor did I go to Jerusalem, namely so as to be instructed by them. Likewise it was not necessary for him to be instructed by other believers. And therefore he says, but I went away into Arabia, etc., as if to say: I did not go to places where other believers were, so that they might instruct me, but I went into Arabia, where there were none instructed in the faith, but unbelievers. And again I returned to Damascus, namely to my kinsfolk. Job 38:25: who has given a course to the most violent rain shower, and so on. But against this it is said in Acts 9:25 that they let him down from the wall in a basket, and so on. And when he had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples. He came, then, to Jerusalem. It must be said that he came, but not so as to be instructed. Or, better, it must be said that he did not come at once, but after some time, and therefore there follows, then after years, and so on.