And I thank him who enabled me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he counted me faithful, appointing me to service;
Paul had not opposed Jesus Christ and His church because he wanted to dishonor God. Paul believed he was serving God by persecuting Christians. He was mistaken about who Jesus Christ is. For this reason God had mercy on him. The Old Covenant also distinguished between unwitting and purposeful sinning (cf. Leviticus 22:14; Numbers 15:22-31; Romans 10:3; 2 Timothy 1:3). The Greek word translated "violent aggressor" ("violent man," NIV; hubristes) means a proud, haughty man. Such a person heaps insulting language on others and or does some shameful act of wrong against them.