1 Timothy 1:9 – The law laid down on sinners

… being aware of this, that the law is not laid down for the just, yet it is  for the lawless and insubordinate, the irreverent and sinners, the malign and profane, thrashers of fathers and thrashers of mothers, homicides, paramours, sodomites, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and if any other thing is opposing sound teaching…

Paul provides a list of sinners upon whom the law is imposed. The fourteen types of sins referred to are initially vertical and primarily sins against God. Later they also become horizontal: sins against fellow human beings.

Lawless and insubordinates are people who recognize no authority above them. The irreverent have no respect for God and sinners includes all categories mentioned here. The malign are dishonest, usually because ‘walk and talk’ contradict each other. Profane people vulgarize the holiest. Just as father and mother thrashers violate the commandment “honor your father and mother,” homicides violate the commandment “thou shalt not kill.” Paramours are men who are “one flesh” with a woman who is not theirs. Sodomites are men who have sex with men. Kidnappers kidnap people as commodities. Liars play with the truth and perjurers even deliberately lie despite a solemn promise to tell the truth.

The law of Moses opposes such practices. But they are also all at odds with “sound teaching”.

Delen: