But hath in due times. — Or better, but hath in his own seasons — that is, in the fitting seasons, those fixed by Him for the manifestation.
Manifested his word. — That is, His gospel. (See Romans 16:25.)
Through preaching. — Or, in the preaching. Paul does not shrink from calling his preaching the vehicle in which the Word or the gospel of God was to be publicly manifested, because he was conscious that he was divinely instructed in the secrets of the eternal counsels.
Which is committed unto me. — Literally, with which I was entrusted.
According to the commandment of God our Saviour. — The commandment came to St. Paul direct from God; we have several intimations of this. Amongst others, on the Damascus road, when the Lord appeared to him; in the Temple at Jerusalem; in the ship, during the memorable voyage which ended with shipwreck; in the visions mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:1-9. St. Paul dwells with emphasis on the thought that he was entrusted with the preaching of the gospel according to the commandment of God. The work was not undertaken by him, from any will or wish of his own. “God our Saviour” in this place, as in 1 Timothy 1:1, must be understood as “God the Father.” The First Person of the blessed Trinity fitly possesses the title of “our Saviour,” because through the death of His dear Son He redeemed us from death and made us heirs of eternal life. The Second Person of the Trinity is likewise a possessor of the title, because He shed His blood as the price of our redemption. The epithet of “Saviour” — the title just given to the Father, in the very next verse ascribed to the “Son” — is one of the many indications we possess of St. Paul’s belief that the Son was equal to the Father as touching His Godhead.