1:15 a faithful saying. There are three other “faithful sayings” noted by the Apostle Paul (I Timothy 4:9; II Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8), all in the pastoral epistles.

1:15 I am chief. Right near the end of a uniquely fruitful Christian life, Paul still considered himself chief of sinners. Earlier he had called himself “least of the apostles” (I Corinthians 15:9), then later “less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8).