Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Timothy 1:13

ὄντα : concessive: “ though I was,” etc. βλάσφημον : a blasphemer. The context alone can decide whether βλασφημεῖν is to be rendered rail or blaspheme. It was against Jesus personally that Paul had acted (Acts 9:5; Acts 22:7; Acts 26:14). This brings into stronger relief the kindness of Jesus to Paul. ὑβριστής, rendered insolent (R.V.), Romans 1:30, covers both words and deeds of despitefulness. Injurious is sufficiently comprehensive, but, in modern English, is not sufficiently vigorous.

ἀλλὰ ἠλεήθην : Obtaining mercy does not in this case mean the pardon which implies merely exemption from punishment; no self-respecting man would value such a relationship with God. Rather St. Paul has in his mind what he has expressed elsewhere as the issue of having received mercy, viz., to have been granted an opportunity of serving Him whom he had injured. Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:25; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 4:1.

ἀγνοῶν ἐποίησα : A possible echo of the Saying from the Cross recorded in Luke 23:34, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν. See also John 15:21; John 16:3; Acts 3:17; Acts 13:27; 1 Corinthians 2:8. There is a remarkable parallel in The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (Judah xix. 3, ἠλέησέ με ὅτι ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ τοῦτο ἐποίησα) dated by Charles between 109 106 B.C.

ἐν ἀπιστίᾳ does not so much qualify ἀγνοῶν, as correct a possible notion that all ignorance must be excusable. St. Paul declares, on the contrary, that his was a positive act of sinful disbelief; but “where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly,” ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν ἡ χάρις, Romans 5:20.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

1 Timothy 1:13

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