Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

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First Timothy I. 11. 35
the law only in reference to the diKaiog, as little would the apostle
desire that they should do this in respect to the dvo[-ioi. On the contrary,
all becomes plain, when we suppose that the apostle has in
his eye, those who regarded the law as a means by which Christians
were to attain a still higher moral perfection.
In opposition to such,
nothing more suitable could be said than just what the apostle here
says, namely, that the law is quite good, only they must know that
it is not designed for the righteous, as they think, but for the lawless,
etc. These the law is designed to restrain. " And if there be
any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine," the apostle adds.
On vy. SiS., comp. Tit. i. 9, and Leo on the present passage. The
apostle having already purposely named the most flagrant crimes
and vices, now sums up everything else that is contrary to the doctrine
which leads to godliness, in the words, if there he any, etc.
Moreover, the expression here reminds us so strongly of the charge
which the apostle brings elsewhere against these errors, namely, that
they are wanting in the principle of morality, and consequently in
the fruits of morality, that one might be inclined to suppose the
apostle intends to say ironically : these teachers of the law ought
certainly to use the law ; enough will be found in them to which it
can apply. Comp. Tit. i. 15, etc.
Ver. 11.—In testimony of what he has just said, namely, that
the law is not designed for the virtuous, but for the lawless, the
apostle appeals to his gospel, which has been intrusted to him. The
critics have thought this appeal to his gospel to be altogether unnecessary,
and regard this as an illustration of how the pseudo-apostle
always seeks occasion to make the apostle speak of himself. But the
words, with which I was intrusted, shew that the writer has in view
a certain contrast ;
the gospel, as De Wette says, with which he is
intrusted is, in reference to the manner in which it teaches that the
law should be used, characterized as PauHne, in contrast with that
of these teachers of the law. Thus is removed all ground for regarding
what the apostle here says of himself as a merely casual
expression. Kara cannot be connected with r^ vy. didaoKaXia (Leo),
were it for no other reason than that the article is wanting, and also
that it would make an altogether superfluous and tautological explanation.
As little is it to be connected with avriKeirai, which is
already sufiiciently determined by the sound doctrine. It is rather
in testimony of what he has said, ver. 9, respecting the design of
the law, that he here appeals to his gospel. So also Huther. " In
reality," says De Wette, " the sentiment in ver. 9 is Pauline (comp.
Eom. vi. 14 ; Gal. v. 18) ; the apostle, however, would not thus have
opposed these teachers of the law, but rather with the statement,
that we can be justified only through faith. The writer takes an
Irenaean position, between the friends of the law and the Pauline