had shown clearly that they misunderstood the law completely. It was not a means to self-righteousness, but a means to self-condemnation, sin, conviction, repentance, and pleading to God for mercy (v. 15). See notes on Luke 18:9–14; Rom. 5:20; Gal. 3:10–13, 19. lawless … profane. These first 6 characteristics, expressed in 3 couplets, delineate sins from the first half of the Ten Commandments, which deal with a person’s relationship to God. “Lawless” describes those who have no commitment to any