Lectionary Year C
September 16, 2001
1 Timothy 1:12-17

Distillation

Step V - Distillation

A. Summary of Salient Features

(JFC) "The theological 'center of gravity' in this text" is Christ whose grace, faith and love overflow to forgive such a sinner as the one confessing to be the foremost of sinners. Christ's saving patience is also a major concern in this passage. The next most nearly major element here is the one doing the confessing. He and his misdeeds make a major impression, as well. Finally, as another major factor, we have to include the concluding doxology. Then, these observations leave as minor concerns the profusion of the confession(s), the ignorance explaining if not excusing the sinning and the strength with which the confessor is endowed to answer his vocation in verse 12. However, do these remarks mean that the belief and eternal life in verse 16 are minor matters in these lines? Possibly here it is, if that strategy is ever likely to be sustained.

B. Smoother Translation

(JFC) 12 Grace makes me strong in Christ Jesus our Lord, in that He trusts me and an insolent person, but I found mercy, because I have been ignorant and I did sin in unfaithfulness; 14 but the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 15 Trustworthy is the Word and all to be approved as worthy, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for this reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the foremost, Christ Jesus could show the entirety of steadfastness as an example of the certainty that to believe in Him leads to life everlasting. 17 But to the sovereign of the ages, immortal invisible only God, be honor and glory into the ages of the ages, amen.

C. Hermeneutical Bridge

(JFC) "The movie, Chocolate, presents a wonderful opportunity to talk about the nature of evil, the goodness of creation, and the reality that nothing human is alien to us. Just as is true of the Biblical stories, something of every character lives inside each of us. The people whom we like the least can function as sacraments to invite us to look at those aspects of ourselves which we dislike or of which we are ashamed, and which we therefore project onto others in order to avoid meeting them in ourselves - and therefore cutting ourselves off from the possibility of opening them to God's love, (which accepts all of us - not just the good parts) and allowing it to heal and transform us so that we may live life from our true center, which is love - and which is the only power more powerful than the power and the reality of Evil. (Senter Crook)" from the movie concordance on The Text This Week Internet site.

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