Titus 1:10-16 Rebuke
Titus
1:10-16 WEL For there are many unruly, mouthy talkers and
deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 Whose mouths must
be stopped, who sabotage whole families teaching things which they
should not for the sake of shameful personal profit. 12 One of
themselves, a prophet of their own said, “Cretans are always liars,
wicked beasts, and lazy bellies.” 13 This witness is true.
Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the
faith, 14 Not paying attention to Jewish fables and laws from men
that turn [people] from the truth. 15 To the pure everything is pure,
but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, and
even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess
that they know God, but in [their] actions they disown him. They are
repulsive, disobedient, and useless for any good work.
Notes
B1
False teachers in Crete
C1
Described as
D1
Unruly
E1
The Greek word
is ἀνυπότακτος anypótaktos. It means uncontrollable and
disobedient. This word is also used to describe the unruly children
in Titus 1:6.
E2
They are just like their ancestors: Hosea 7:13 NLT What sorrow
awaits those who have deserted me! Let them die, for they have
rebelled against me. I wanted to redeem them, but they have told lies
about me.
E3
This group is described: Acts 15:1 NLT While Paul and Barnabas
were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to
teach the believers: "Unless you are circumcised as required by
the law of Moses, you cannot be saved."
E4
They believe their own teaching, but they will not believe the
teaching of the Lord Jesus despite His 3.5 years of teaching.
E5
It is impossible to reason with such people who believe they are
right and you are wrong, no matter how much you show that they are
wrong. They also like to use any method possible to win an argument.
D2
Mouthy
E1
They have a lot to say, but it is only to impress people, so they can
enslave them to their false religion.
E2
The Greek word
for mouthy means they speak a lot of words but actually communicate
little.
E3
They same type exist day using reams of paper to prove their
interpretation some one word is correct.
E4
Romans 16:18 CSB because such people do not serve our Lord Christ
but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting
with smooth talk and flattering words.
D3
Deceivers
E1
Instead of truth (reality), they express their personal opinion as
truth.
E2
They lie.
E3
Some other verses describing these deceivers:
F1
Matthew 24:24 CSB For false messiahs and false prophets will arise
and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even
the elect.
F2
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 CSB For such people are false apostles,
deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And
no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is
no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as
servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their
works.
F3
2 Peter 2:18 CSB For by uttering boastful, empty words, they
seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely
escaped from those who live in error.
D4
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges comments on this verse:
many
unruly] Add men,
leaving the pair of attributes to go together, as in the Pauline
usage, empty
talkers and deceivers of the mind.
Both compounds occur only here in N.T.; but the substantive, meaning
vaniloquentia, has occurred 1Ti 1:6, where the meaning is defined in
what follows, ‘though
they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently
affirm;’ and the verb, meaning seducit,
is used Gal 6:3 and defined by the context ‘if
a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing.’ Peile
translates ‘self-deceivers,’ i.e. visionary enthusiasts,
comparing Isa 44:20 and Jas 1:26.
D5
Ignatius (Fathers Volume 1.04.04 Ignatius Epistle to the Trallians
Chapter 6) has this comment about false teachers:
I
therefore, yet not I, out the love of Jesus Christ, “entreat you
that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind,
and in the same judgment.” (1Co 1:10) For there are some vain
talkers (Tit 1:10) and deceivers, not Christians, but
Christ-betrayers,24 bearing about the name of Christ in deceit, and
“corrupting the word” (2Co 2:17) of the Gospel; while they
intermix the poison of their deceit with their persuasive talk,26 as
if they mingled aconite with sweet wine, that so he who drinks, being
deceived in his taste by the very great sweetness of the draught, may
incautiously meet with his death. One of the ancients gives us this
advice, “Let no man be called good who mixes good with evil.”29
For they speak of Christ, not that they may preach Christ, but that
they may reject Christ; and they speak30 of the law, not that they
may establish the law, but that they may proclaim things contrary to
it. For they alienate Christ from the Father, and the law from
Christ. They also calumniate His being born of the Virgin; they are
ashamed of His cross; they deny His passion; and they do not believe
His resurrection. They introduce God as a Being unknown; they suppose
Christ to be unbegotten; and as to the Spirit, they do not admit that
He exists. Some of them say that the Son is a mere man, and that the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are but the same person, and that the
creation is the work of God, not by Christ, but by some other strange
power.
D6
Schaff writes (Schaff
History 1/Vol 1 Chap 12 § 097-099):
The
question arises, which of the many types of this many-sided error is
opposed? Evidently the Judaizing type, which resembled that at
Colossae, but was more advanced and malignant, and hence is more
sternly denounced. The heretics were of “the circumcision” (Tit
1:10); they are called “teachers of the law” (νομοδιδάσκαλοι,
1Ti 1:7, the very reverse of antinomians), “given to Jewish fables”
(Ἰουδαΐκοί μῦθοι, Tit 1:14), and “disputes
connected with the law” (μάχαι νομικαί, Tit 3:9),
and fond of foolish and ignorant questionings (2Ti 2:23). They were,
moreover, extravagant ascetics, like the Essenes, forbidding to marry
and abstaining from meat (1Ti 4:3, 1Ti 4:8; Tit 1:14, Tit 1:15). They
denied the resurrection and overthrew the faith of some (2Ti 2:18).
C2
Verse 11 Whose mouths must be
stopped, who sabotage whole families teaching things which they
should not for the sake of shameful personal profit.
D1
This
is
the effect they are having on the church: Whose
mouths must be stopped, who sabotage whole families teaching things
which they should not for the sake of shameful personal profit.
D2
Selfish profit as money, fame, power,
influence, followers, control, abuse, etc.
D3
The Greek words have the idea of shameful
(dishonorable and
filthy) personal profit (usually in the sense of money).
C3
12 One of themselves, a prophet of their
own said, “Cretans are always liars, wicked beasts, and lazy
bellies.” 13 This witness is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply,
so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 Not paying attention to
Jewish fables and laws from men that turn [people] from the truth.
D1
These are ungodly character traits.
D2
Since they are ungodly, these false teachers must be rebuked.
D3
False teachers don’t like rebuke when caught in something. They
cover-up. They excuse. They lie.
D4
God hates liars: Proverbs 12:22 NET The
LORD abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his
delight.
D5
God identifies those who lie and doing the devil’s work. The
devil’s chief character trait is lying: John 8:43-47 NET Why
don't you understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot
accept my teaching. You people are from your father the devil, and
you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth
in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature,
because he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I am telling
you the truth, you do not believe me. Who among you can prove me
guilty of any sin? If I am telling you the truth, why don't you
believe me? The one who belongs to God listens and responds to God's
words. You don't listen and respond, because you don't belong to God.
D6
It is not good for a person to be a liar: Proverbs 6:16-19 NET There
are six things that the LORD hates, even seven things that are an
abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed
innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are
swift to run to evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a
person who spreads discord among family members.
D7
The fearful thing here is their lies sound so convincing that people
are turning away
from the truth to follow the lie. We must know truth (reality). The
Bible is the only source of 100% truth.
C4
15 To the pure everything is pure, but
to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, and even
their mind and conscience is defiled.
D1
Pure according to God’s standard. Pure as God is pure. It is the
character of God’s kingdom.
D2
Lies contaminate and defile. To a Jew
outward defilement is abhorred but the inward defilement is much,
much worse. Let us be careful what we think and do. Matthew 15:2, 11,
14, 17-20 NET Why do your disciples
disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands
when they eat." ... What defiles a person is not what goes into
the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person."
... Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads
another who is blind, both will fall into a pit." ... Don't you
understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and
then passes out into the sewer? But the things that come out of the
mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out
of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander. These are the things that defile a
person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person."
D3
It affects the mind by addiction to lying, and affects the conscience
by searing it, that is, hardening it.
D4
We are to be renewed to truth, not lies: Romans 12:1-2 NET Therefore
I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present
your bodies as a sacrifice - alive, holy, and pleasing to God - which
is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you
may test and approve what is the will of God - what is good and
well-pleasing and perfect.
C5
16 They profess that they know God, but
in [their] actions they disown him. They are repulsive, disobedient,
and useless for any good work.
D1
What one says is important, but we need to watch what one does.
D2
What a person does is what they really believe. (James 2:14-26).
D3
God is not fooled. What we do will be judged. Galatians 6:7-8 GW
Make no mistake about this: You can
never make a fool out of God. Whatever you plant is what you'll
harvest. 8 If you plant in the soil of your corrupt nature, you
will harvest destruction. But if you plant in the soil of your
spiritual nature, you will harvest everlasting life.
D4
They do not know God (His character, His ways, His fellowship, His
salvation, etc.). They show that they do not know God by what they
do, not what they say. They disown God (apostates), are repulsive (to
God and Christians), disobedient (to the rules of Jesus Christ), and
thus are useless to all people.
C6
F. B. Meyer commenting on this verse writes:
The
Judaizing teachers, who insisted that men must become Jews before
they could be Christians, were always on Paul’s heels, visiting his
churches and diverting his converts from the simplicity of the faith.
Their motive in many cases was very largely self-aggrandizement. Such
men were to be resisted to the uttermost and sharply rebuked. Where
the work of grace is really commenced in the heart, a sharp rebuke
will often turn the soul back to God. The gardener must not hesitate
to use a pruning-knife, if the well-being of the tree is at stake.
Note
the marvelous power we possess of viewing things in the light or
gloom cast upon them from our own temperament. We see life and the
world in a glass colored from within. Oh, that we might possess that
pure and untarnished nature that passes through the world like a beam
of sunshine, irradiating all but contaminated by none! The
true test of the knowledge of God is a holy life. These act and
react. The better you know God, the more you will resemble Him;
compare Psa 111:1-10; Psa 112:1-10. The more you are like God, the
better you will know Him. [Emphasis
is mine]
