1 Timothy 1.13a-Before Conversion, Paul Was A Blasphemer, A Persecutor And An Insolent, Violent Person
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday February 10, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 1:13a-Before Conversion, Paul Was A Blasphemer, A Persecutor And An Insolent, Violent Person
Lesson # 22
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 1:12.
This evening we will study 1 Timothy 1:13a, which is connected to the thought in verse 12 and testifies to the magnitude of God’s mercy and grace with respect to Paul.
In this verse, Paul presents a three-fold description of himself prior to his conversion to Christianity. He describes himself as a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent, violent person.
1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. (NASU)
“Even though I was formerly a blasphemer” is composed of the articular accusative singular neuter form of the adjective proteros (πρότερος) (pro-tear-oce), “formerly” and the accusative masculine singular present active participle form of the verb eimi (εἰμί) (ee-mee), “even though I was” and the accusative masculine singular form of the adjective blasphemos (βλάσφημος) (vlass-fee-moce), “a blasphemer.”
The verb eimi means “to possess a particular characteristic,” which is identified by the adjective blasphemos, “a blasphemer.”
Therefore, Paul is describing himself before his conversion that he possessed the characteristic of blaspheming.
The participle form of the verb eimi is a concessive participle, which implies that the Lord considered Paul faithful in eternity past “in spite of” the fact that prior to his conversion he would blaspheme Him.
It speaks of an act on the part of the Lord in eternity past in considering Paul as faithful in the sense that from His omniscience the Lord knew Paul would be faithful as an apostle as a result of appropriating by faith the power of the Holy Spirit.
It indicates that in eternity past, at the same time that the Lord considered Paul would be faithful as an apostle He also knew that Paul would blaspheme Him and His people.
This serves to magnify God’s grace and mercy.
The adjective blasphemos refers to abusive, insulting and slanderous speech.
The word describes someone who “slanders” others in the sense that they defame the character of others as a result of bitterness towards them.
It is used by Paul to describe himself prior to his conversion and is used as a substantive meaning “slanderer.”
It describes Paul defaming Jesus Christ’s character and those who have faith in Him and are His disciples as a result of bitterness towards them.
As a Pharisee, prior to his conversion to Christianity, Paul did not slander God knowingly.
However, by slandering Jesus Christ, He was slandering the Father and the Holy Spirit in the sense that the former was His Son and the latter was testifying that Jesus was the Son of God through His miracles and words.
The adjective proteros means “formerly” and refers to Paul before his conversion to Christianity.
“And a persecutor” is composed of the conjunction kai (καί) (keh), “and” followed by the accusative masculine singular form of the noun dioktes (διώκτης) (thee-owe-tees), “a persecutor.”
This noun dioktes refers to a person who engages in persecuting others.
It speaks of someone who is preoccupied with causing others to suffer.
It is used here by Paul to describe himself prior to getting saved.
He is thus describing himself as a persecutor of the church.
The verb form of this noun, dioko is used by Paul in Philippians 3:6 to describe himself as engaged in the act of persecuting the church prior to his salvation.
Philippians 3:4-6 Although I myself having confidence in the flesh, if anyone of the same race (i.e., Jewish) claims to have confidence in the flesh and some claim to have confidence in the flesh, I more. With respect to circumcision: eighth day, descended from the nation of Israel, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew (speaking Jew) from Hebrews (Hebrew speaking parents), legalistically: a Pharisee, zealously persecuting the church, self-righteously religious: I conducted myself irreproachably! (My translation)
The Lord tells Paul that his persecution of the church was in fact against Him (Acts 9:4-5; 22:7-8; 26:14-15).
Persecution is the suffering or pressure, mental, moral, or physical, which authorities, individuals, or crowds inflict on others, especially for opinions or beliefs, with a view to their subjection by recantation, silencing, or, as a last resort, execution.
“And an arrogant man” is composed of the conjunction kai (καί) (keh), “and” followed by the accusative masculine singular form of the noun hubristes (ὑβριστής) (eevah-ree-steece), “an arrogant man.”
This word is found in Greek literature from classical to the New Testament.
It occurs only 8 times in the Septuagint and twice in the New Testament.
In Romans 1:29, it is used by Paul to describe one of the sins that characterize fallen humanity.
In this passage, the NASU translates the word “insolent” referring to a self-centered and violent cruelty, having no regard for others, implying an attitude of superiority, which results in mistreatment of and violent acts against others, thus a “violent insolent person.”
Romans 1:30, “slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents.”
In 1 Timothy 1:13, it is used by Paul to describe one of the sins that characterized himself prior to his conversion to Christianity.
In this verse, the term means “a violent insolent person.”
It describes the pre-conversion Paul as self-centered and violently cruel and having no regard for others.
It implies that he possessed an attitude of superiority, which results in mistreatment of and violent acts against others as a result of his own revolt against the Lord Jesus Christ.
This three fold description in verse 13 of Paul prior to becoming a Christian serves a distinct purpose in that it magnifies God’s grace and mercy toward Paul.
He is presenting testimony that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners and in fact, saved him, the worst of all sinners.
This would refute those pastors in Ephesus who were emphasizing Law and it would rebuke.
It would also serve to remind them that like Paul they too were saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by obedience to the Law.
Paul was transformed by faith in the gospel, which centered upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Law did not transform him into a faithful servant of Christ but the Lord’s grace and mercy.
Thus, Paul in verse 13 is setting up his readers and in particular those pastors who sought to be teachers of the Law that the proclamation of the Law does not have the power to transform the sinner into an obedient child of God.
Rather, only the gospel could do such a thing and Paul could testify to this fact.
It transformed him, the worst of all sinners.
So he is in effect saying that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation.
Only the gospel could transform a wicked sinner like Paul into an obedient child of God and compel him to proclaim it to both Jew and Gentile and even suffer for it.