Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
Ver. 1. Through the will of God] Not the faculty in God, whereby he willeth, but his act, the thing that he willeth. This will of God is either secret or revealed, Deuteronomy 22:29. And this revealed will is either of his pleasure, Placiti, or of his good pleasure, Beneplaciti. The former is also in things where the effect is evil; and so God willeth in respect of the end, but not of the means to the end; as in sin, and some miseries. The latter is in those things only where the effect is good, as here, and Romans 12:2. It was for the very great good of the Church that God would have Paul to be a chosen vessel, to bear his name before the Gentiles, &c.,Acts 9:15. So that Cor Pauli est cor Christi, the heart of Paul is the heart of Christ, as Chrysostom hath it; for, "We have the mind of Christ," 1 Corinthians 2:16 .
Sosthenes our brother] And companion in the kingdom and patience of Christ, Revelation 1:9; Acts 18:17. There he was despitefully entreated, here highly honoured. Christ is a liberal paymaster: never any did or suffered aught for his sake that complained of a hard bargain. It is to my loss (said that martyr) if thou bate me anything in my sufferings. Maiora certamina, maiora sequuntur praemia, After greater battles, greater rewards follow, saith Tertullian.