Who was First?

1Timothy 1:15 (KJV):  ”This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

In a recent home Bible study, a request was made for my understanding of where and in whom did the church, the body of Christ, start.  This understanding as presented is quite different than most all other understandings.  I have sought out rebuttals but as of this date there haven’t been any; that option is still open.

I had been taught that Paul was calling himself the worst of all sinners; "of whom I am chief."  Most would reference:  “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”  1 Corinthians 15:9.  “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:”  Galatians 1:13; also “Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”  

Acts 26:10-11;   as supporting scripture for their teaching.   Not to be difficult but I did some research, I checked other translations to see what word they may have used in their interpretation; here are some of the results:

Amplified                                 "foremost"  

Common English Bible           "and I',m the biggest sinner of all.”

Complete Jewish Bible           "and I'm the number one sinner!”

English Standard Version       "of whom I am foremost"

Good News Translation          "I am the worst of them,"

International Children's Bible “And I am the worst of those sinners”

Living Bible                             “And I was the greatest of them all”

New American Standard          "among whom I am foremost of all"

New International Standard     "of whom I am the worst"

New International Version       “of whom I am the worst”

Revised Standard Version       "And I am the foremost of sinners;"

The Message                           I’m proof-Public Sinner Number One”

Young's Literal Translation       "first of whom I am"  

Wycliffe Bible                           "of which I am first  (of whom I am the first)”  

Paul so wrote that he, himself was the first to be accepted into the body of Christ, the church; as seen in the next verse:  1 Timothy 1:16 (King James Version);  "Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:16.  To me either in Hebrew, Greek, German, English or whatever,  first is still first.

Strong’s #4413:  “protos,  foremost (in time, place, order or importance), before, beginning, best, chief (-est), first (of all) former.”  Concerning verse of 1 Timothy 1:15; 

#4413 (III)  Figuratively of rank or dignity, meaning first in importance.

Strong’s #2233 further support this understanding.  “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” Ephesians 1:12.  

Using a concordance and seeing how chief is given:  Strong's # 4413;  from 4253 foremost (in time, place,order or importance) first (85x) Chief (9x) etc….     Used 223 times in the Old Testament and 117 times in the New, always found it to be in a positive light.  Adverbs used with the noun "Chief":   

Matthew chief priests; Luke 11:15 ~ of the devils; ~ rooms; ~ of the people; in Acts:  Acts 13:50 ~ men; 14:12 ~ speaker;  16:12 ~ city; 17:4 ~ women  18:8 ; ~ ruler; 19:31 ~ of Asia; 21:31 ~ captain; 25:2 ~ of the Jews; 28:7 ~ man.  

Many times in the Psalms, Chief is used to denote the  "Chief Musician"  so if that same thought applies here in Psalms and carry’s over to Timothy,  "Chief" would be the worst musician, ~ captain, ~ priest, ~ room and so on, really? how could that be used 439 times as being foremost, first, superior, chief but then in Timothy, it's the "worst"  NIV ??? 

So now continuing with Paul:  “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:16.  This make’s most mad; the only reason would be that one either has to deny "What saith the scriptures" or because of a deep-rooted pride that will not accept what scripture says but will hold to what they have been led to believe by denominations or worse by tradition. That being, will not admit that they are or could be wrong in what they had been taught and are now too embarrassed (“not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Timothy 2:15)) to admit they were, as many others, were led astray and accepted something taught that scripture didn't say; may God’s grace be upon them.

Some years back was attending a fellowship where we would participate in open discussions.  One individual was rather weak in their understanding and would make parroted comments.  I had written a letter to him with my concerns and as here addressed the reason for the way I believed.  I gave him the letter.  I know he read it; afterward would not give eye contact.  The following Sunday was not in attendance, nor Sundays there after.  The teacher of the class sometime later asked that I may not want to attend the class any longer as most of the attendee’s had quit coming.  “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth 

grace unto the humble.”  James 4:6.  

From that, I believe Paul was the first saved in this “the dispensation of the grace of God.

Thank You LORD Jesus for loving me, taking away my sin, giving me Your life, I pray for those who also read “That God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”  Paul’s prayer unto the Church at Ephesus, the body of Christ and also to us now the continuing body of Christ:  Amen . . . . . . . .

also available at:             whatsaiththescripture.blogspot.com