Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Who was - `Though I was.'
A blasphemer (Acts 26:9-11) - toward God. Persecutor (Galatians 1:13) - toward fellow-men.
Injurious, х hubristeen (G5197)] - 'insolent outrager.' One who adds insult to injury (Romans 1:30). [Uppish in myself: from huper (G5228).] This threefold relation to God, one's neighbour, one's self, occurs often (1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 1:14; Titus 2:12).
I obtained mercy, х eeleeetheen (G1653)] - I was had mercy upon. God's mercy, and Paul's want of it, are in sharpest contrast (Ellicott). The sense of mercy was uppermost in Paul's mind. Those who have most experienced mercy can best show it (Hebrews 5:2-3).
Because I did it ignorantly. His ignorance was culpable; for he might have known, if he had sought aright: but it is less culpable than sinning against light and knowledge. His ignorance gave him no claim on, but put him within the range of, God's mercy. Hence, it is Christ's plea (Luke 23:34), and is made by the apostles a mitigating circumstance in the Jews' sin; opening a door of hope upon repentance; showing how it was possible that such a sinner could be the object of mercy (Acts 3:17; Romans 10:2). The positive ground of mercy being shown lay solely in the compassion of God (Titus 3:5). The ground of ignorance lay in unbelief, which is guilt. But there is a difference between mistaken zeal for the law and willful striving against the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:24-32: Luke 11:52).