1 Corinthians 15:8-11

When Paul Saw Jesus

The record of Christ's appearance to Paul is found in Acts 9:5; Acts 22:6-8; Acts 26:14-18. McGarvey says, "The other apostles had three years and a half filled with instruction, and so were fully developed in their office; while Paul became a disciple in an instant, and received his instructions briefly by revelation." So, Paul describes himself as a weak, premature baby. This memory humbled him and may have made him work all the harder. After all, he knew Christ came to die so that he could save sinners and Paul was among the forgiven (1 Timothy 1:13).

The confession of his mistakes would have left Paul open to attack. However, he went on to show that God's grace took him from a low state and made him great, thus making him work all the harder. A resurrected Christ was the theme of all apostolic preaching, including Paul's because they realized the powerful grace found there. The Corinthians had believed in the Lord who overcame death (1 Corinthians 15:8-11; see Acts 2:22-36; Acts 3:12-15; Acts 4:8-12; Acts 10:34-40 for some of the sermons preached by the apostles). There was no reason for them to doubt the foundation of their faith!