1 Tim 1:12

Someone made the following comment here:

>>>Paul’s thankfulness is based on God’s prior act of judging Paul to be faithful (or, as in my commentary, judging that Paul would be faithful),

Here is my response:

I understand your point to be that Jesus's estimation of Paul was actually knowledge based on foreknowledge given to Jesus by God. This does not sit right with me, and here is why...

First of all, how is it thank-worthy that Jesus would count him faithful if this were an undeniable fact? He might thank God for dictating that he would be faithful and then revealing it to Jesus, but there would be no basis to thank Jesus. Would you thank your professor for "believing in you" if your profess knew in advance that God was going to give you a 4.0?

Would one use the term XARIN which denotes a "favor" is involved?

Secondly, Paul expresses elsewhere that despite the fact that he *was* entrusted with a high calling, **the jury was still out** until the end of his life as to whether or not he would in fact live up to his trust. Note his own strong statements that he could at any time drop the ball:

1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Phil 3:
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 ¶ Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

It is my considered opinion that the scriptures constantly affirm that failure at any point in the race will bring forfeiture of the whole of the race, and Paul is no exception:

Lu 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, **No man**, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Lu 17:32 Remember Lot‘s wife.

Heb 12:
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

James argues that as Abraham was justified by his works, long after his journey had begun, and Moses says it was only after this act that God was sure of where Abraham stood (though early on Abraham had found favor with God):

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Ge 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

I could point to Peter's teaching of "the trial of one's faith" and of Jesus insisting that the believers were in peril of losing out and would only survive if they overcame during trial. I could point to the teaching of Jesus concerning the plants among the weeds, etc.

So I think the better reading is that Paul thanked Jesus for the favor of counting him a faithful person and entrusting him to the work.