(The reader should always turn to the Bible and read the passages referred to.)

QUES. 4.-Does the expression, "born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:8), refer to Paul as an apostle, or as an Israelite?

ANS.-The apostle had been giving the witnesses to our Lord's resurrection. Significantly he began with Peter, the one whose denial of the Lord under stress of fear might have overwhelmed the penitent disciple. Beautiful, and like the Lord it is, that he should be mentioned first. Then at the close of the list Paul speaks of himself-a trophy of grace, whose new birth was so miraculous that he spoke of it in the words inquired about.

One of the requirements of an apostle was that he should be a witness of the resurrection. See Acts 1:21-23. In that passage Peter links this discipleship from the beginning, at John's baptism, throughout our Lord's whole public ministry, and on this basis Matthias was chosen (ver. 26).

But here was a chosen vessel, whose spiritual birth, and view of the risen Lord, was so belated that he had not been of the company of disciples on earth. But he was, equally with the others, a witness of the resurrection. "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (1 Cor. 9:1). In all lowliness he speaks of himself as "the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of Christ" (1 Cor. 15:9).

Evidently then the apostle is speaking of his conversion in the expression referred to, which was also the time of his entrance into the apostleship. He does not speak of himself as an Israelite in this, although he was "a Hebrew of the Hebrews," but of that divine work of grace which had "put him into the ministry" (1 Tim. 1:12-17). S. Ridout
Well of Marah and Stones of Help