1 Timothy 1:10 Kommentar

After the inscription (Ti1 1:1, Ti1 1:2) we have, I. The charge given to Timothy (Ti1 1:3, Ti1 1:4). II. The true end of the law (Ti1 1:5-11), where he shows that it is entirely agreeable to the gospel. III. He mentions his own call to be an apostle, for which he expresses his thankfulness (Ti1 1:12-16) IV. His doxology (Ti1 1:17). V. A renewal of the charge to Timothy (Ti1 1:18). And of Hymenaeus and Alexander (Ti1 1:19, Ti1 1:20).

In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle having entreated Timothy to abide at Ephesus, observes, that his end was, that he might check the false teachers there, whom he describes; and then he gives an account of his apostleship, and also of his conversion, to the encouragement of sinners, and to the glory of the grace of God; and closes with an exhortation to Timothy to constancy and perseverance in his Christian warfare. The inscription and salutation are in Ti1 1:1 and much in the common form; and whereas, when he went into Macedonia, he desired Timothy to continue at Ephesus, his end was, to restrain the false teachers from preaching the doctrine they did, which was contrary to the Gospel, fabulous, useless, and unedifying, Ti1 1:3 for though these men set up for teachers of the law, they went off, and strayed from its general end, which was love with faith, through their ignorance of it, Ti1 1:5 not but that the law itself was good, as Gospel ministers full well knew; which is said to prevent an objection against them, as laying it aside as useless; but the abuse of it is what is complained of, it being made for some persons, and not for others who are mentioned, between which, and the sound doctrine of the Gospel, there is an agreement, Ti1 1:8 which leads on the apostle to observe his call to the office of a preacher of it by Christ, his qualification for it, and investiture with it, for which he gives thanks, Ti1 1:12 And in order to illustrate the grace of God in converting him first, and then making him a minister of the word, he takes notice of his state and condition before conversion, what a vile sinner he had been, and of the abundant grace God bestowed on him in it, Ti1 1:13 And that this case of his might not seem strange and incredible, he observes, that this is the sum of the Gospel, that Christ came into the world to save the chief of sinners, such an one as he was, Ti1 1:15. And besides, the end of the Lord in his conversion was, by the pattern of longsuffering he showed in him, that others might be encouraged to believe in Christ also, Ti1 1:16 and then for all this grace bestowed on him, he ascribes honour and glory to God, Ti1 1:17 and renews his charge to Timothy to fight manfully against the false teachers, to which he should be the more induced by the consideration of the prophecies that went before of him, Ti1 1:18 and to hold faith and good conscience, which had been dropped by some professors; of which instances are given in Hymenaeus and Philetus, Ti1 1:19.

For whoremongers,.... Fornicators and adulterers, who were transgressors of the seventh command, Exo 20:14 these God will judge, and such shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone: for them that defile themselves with mankind; who are guilty of sodomy; such, according to the law, were to die, Lev 18:22 the wrath of God was revealed from heaven in a very visible and remarkable manner against this abomination, by raining fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and upon the cities of the plain, who defiled themselves in this way: for men stealers; who decoyed servants or free men, and stole them away, and sold them for slaves; see the laws against this practice, and the punishment such were liable to, in Exo 21:16. This practice was condemned by the Flavian law among the Romans (i), and was not allowed of among the Grecians (k); the death with which such were punished was strangling, according to the Jews (l): for liars; who speak what is false, against their own knowledge and conscience, and with a design to deceive; who lie against their neighbours, and act falsely and deceitfully in trade and merchandise, as well as speak that which is not true; see Lev 6:2. for perjured persons; who take a false oath on any account, and bear false witness against their neighbour. Now upon, and against all, and each of these, the law lies, as an accusing, threatening, and cursing law: and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; the law lies against it, takes notice of it, charges with it, condemns and punishes for it: by "sound doctrine" is meant the doctrine of the Gospel, which is in itself pure and incorrupt, and is the cause of soundness and health to others; it is health to the navel, and marrow to the bones; its doctrines are the wholesome words of Christ, and by them souls are nourished up unto eternal life; when the errors and heresies of men are in themselves rotten and corrupt, and also eat as do a canker. Here it may be observed, that there is an entire harmony and agreement between the Gospel and the law, rightly understood and used; what is contrary to the one, is also to the other; the Gospel no more countenances sin than the law does; and whatever is repugnant to the Gospel is liable to be punished by the law, (i) Pompon. Laetus de Leg. Rom. p. 154. (k) Philostrat. Vit. Apollon. l. 8. c. 3. (l) Misna Sanhedria, c. 10. sect. 1. & Maimon. Hilch. Geniba, c. 9. sect. 1.

"For murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liers, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine." For all the things which he had mentioned were the passions of a corrupted soul, and contrary, therefore, to sound doctrine.

understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for sexually immoral persons, for men who practice homosexuality, for enslavers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing contrary to sound doctrine. understanding this. And Paul says that the one who knows has used the law legitimately, knowing that he does not need it for living rightly. But who is this? The one who lives morally through virtue, and not through fear of the law. for the lawless and disobedient. This is also said elsewhere; "The law was added because of transgressions." (Gal. 3:19) So for the righteous and not transgressing, there will be no law, but for those who do not have virtue from themselves, but are in need of the threat of the law. And then he specifies them, hinting that the Jews possess these things. to the ungodly and sinners. For those who continuously worship idols, those who sacrifice their children to demons, those who stone Moses (Num. 14:10), and Jews who are defiled by civil murders, would they not be all these things? and if there is any other thing contrary to sound doctrine. For all these are passions of a corrupted soul. But such a soul acts contrary to sound and good teaching.

Although what had been said was sufficient, nevertheless for the sake of completeness the apostle also added in general: "and for everything." From this it becomes clear that such passions gain access from distorted dogmas, for they are all contrary to sound teaching.

Then he lists the shameful acts: first, those which are according to nature, which he says, for fornicators: fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Heb 13:4); second, those against nature, when he says, for those who defile themselves with mankind: nor the effeminate shall possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:10). Then he mentions sins of the tongue, when he says, for liars: therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, every man with his neighbor (Eph 4:25). Second, sins in relation to oaths, when he says, for perjured persons. Then he gathers all these sins under one heading when he says, and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine: and you shall not find iniquity in my tongue; neither shall folly be found in my mouth (Job 6:30); speak you the things that become sound doctrine (Titus 2:1).

Paul's salutation to Timothy, Ti1 1:1, Ti1 1:2. For what purpose he had left him at Ephesus, Ti1 1:3. What the false apostles taught in opposition to the truth, Ti1 1:4-7. The true use of the law, Ti1 1:8-11. He thanks God for his own conversion, and describes his former state, Ti1 1:12-17. Exhorts Timothy to hold fast faith and a good conscience, and speaks of Hymeneus and Alexander who had made shipwreck of their faith, Ti1 1:18-20.

For whoremongers - Πορνοις· Adulterers, fornicators, and prostitutes of all sorts. Them that defile themselves with mankind - Αρσενοκοιταις· From αρσην, a male, and κοιτη, a bed; a word too bad to be explained. A sodomite. Men-stealers - Ανδραποδισταις· Slave-dealers; whether those who carry on the traffic in human flesh and blood; or those who steal a person in order to sell him into bondage; or those who buy such stolen men or women, no matter of what color or what country; or those who sow dissensions among barbarous tribes in order that they who are taken in war may be sold into slavery; or the nations who legalize or connive at such traffic: all these are men-stealers, and God classes them with the most flagitious of mortals. For liars - Ψευσταις· They who speak for truth what they know to be false; and even they who tell the truth in such a way as to lead others to draw a contrary meaning from it. For perjured persons - Επιορκοις· From επι, against, and ὁρκος, an oath; such as do or leave undone any thing contrary to an oath or moral engagement, whether that engagement be made by what is called swearing, or by an affirmation or promise of any kind. And if there be any other thing - Every species of vice and immorality, all must be necessarily included, that is contrary to sound doctrine - to the immutable moral law of God, as well as to the pure precepts of Christianity where that law is incorporated, explained, and rendered, if possible, more and more binding.

ADDRESS: PAUL'S DESIGN IN HAVING LEFT TIMOTHY AT EPHESUS, NAMELY, TO CHECK FALSE TEACHERS; TRUE USE OF THE LAW; HARMONIZING WITH THE GOSPEL; GOD'S GRACE IN CALLING PAUL, ONCE A BLASPHEMER, TO EXPERIENCE AND TO PREACH IT; CHARGES TO TIMOTHY. (1Ti. 1:1-20) by the commandment of God--the authoritative injunction, as well as the commission, of God. In the earlier Epistles the phrase is, "by the will of God." Here it is expressed in a manner implying that a necessity was laid on him to act as an apostle, not that it was merely at his option. The same expression occurs in the doxology, probably written long after the Epistle itself [ALFORD] (Rom 16:26). God our Saviour--The Father (Ti1 2:3; Ti1 4:10; Luk 1:47; Ti2 1:9; Tit 1:3; Tit 2:10; Tit 3:4; Jde 1:25). It was a Jewish expression in devotion, drawn from the Old Testament (compare Psa 106:21). our hope-- (Col 1:27; Tit 1:2; Tit 2:13).

whoremongers, &c.--sinners against the seventh commandment. men-stealers--that is, slave dealers. The most heinous offense against the eighth commandment. No stealing of a man's goods can equal in atrocity the stealing of a man's liberty. Slavery is not directly assailed in the New Testament; to have done so would have been to revolutionize violently the existing order of things. But Christianity teaches principles sure to undermine, and at last overthrow it, wherever Christianity has had its natural development (Mat 7:12). liars . . . perjured--offenders against the ninth commandment. if there be any other thing--answering to the tenth commandment in its widest aspect. He does not particularly specify it because his object is to bring out the grosser forms of transgression; whereas the tenth is deeply spiritual, so much so indeed, that it was by it that the sense of sin, in its subtlest form of "lust," Paul tells us (Rom 7:7), was brought home to his own conscience. Thus, Paul argues, these would-be teachers of the law, while boasting of a higher perfection through it, really bring themselves down from the Gospel elevation to the level of the grossly "lawless," for whom, not for Gospel believers, the law was designed. And in actual practice the greatest sticklers for the law as the means of moral perfection, as in this case, are those ultimately liable to fall utterly from the morality of the law. Gospel grace is the only true means of sanctification as well as of justification. sound--healthy, spiritually wholesome (Ti1 6:3; Ti2 1:13; Tit 1:13; Tit 2:2), as opposed to sickly, morbid (as the Greek of "doting" means, Ti1 6:4), and "canker" (Ti2 2:17). "The doctrine," or "teaching, which is according to godliness" (Ti1 6:3).