1 Timothy
1:8-10

1:8. Paul wanted to be sure that he was not misunderstood. He was not disparaging the Law. Paul viewed the Law as "holy, righteous, and good" (Rom. 7:12). Thus he clarified his point by emphasizing that the Law is good provided it is used properly. There is an inappropriate, legalistic use of the Law which Paul disavowed; but there is also a proper use of the Law that Paul embraced (compare Gal. 3:19, 24).

1:9-10. The Law is designed to show people their sinfulness. Thus the Law is not for one who had already recognized his sin and turned to Christ. That person is no longer under the Law but should now walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:13-26). The Law is intended for those who remain unconvinced of their sin.

Paul provided a striking list of examples which seem to be intentionally based on the Ten Commandments (compare Ex. 20:3-17). The list begins with three pairs corresponding to the first table of the Decalogue dealing with offenses against God: (1) lawbreakers and rebels, (2) the ungodly and sinful, (3) the unholy (anosiois, "not devout"; compare hosious in 1 Tim. 2:8) and irreligious (bebēlois, "profane"; compare 4:7; 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:16). Paul then listed violators of the first five commandments of the second table of the Decalogue: those who kill their fathers or mothers represent the ultimate violation of the fifth commandment, and murderers the sixth. Adulterers and perverts pertain to the seventh commandment, which was generally broadly interpreted to include all forms of sexual sin. Slave traders may correspond to the eighth commandment since kidnapping was viewed as the ultimate act of stealing (Ex. 21:16; Deut. 24:7). Liars and perjurers clearly pertain to the ninth commandment. Only the 10th commandment ("You shall not covet") is not included (but compare Rom. 7:7). Paul concluded this inventory of sinners with an all-inclusive reference to any behavior which is contrary to sound doctrine (compare, to "healthy teaching"; compare 2 Tim. 1:13), including no doubt the very behavior of the false teachers themselves. "Doctrine" here is didaskalia, "teaching" or "the content taught," used seven times in this epistle: 1 Timothy 1:10; 4:1, 6, 13, 16; 5:17; 6:1. ^[1]

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^[1] Walvoord, John F., Roy B. Zuck, and Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985.