10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Commentary
Vs. 10-11 10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
As the early church was rapidly growing, there were also many insubordinate individuals who also joined local assemblies, whom the Apostle Paul also describes as idle talkers and deceivers, who had risen up in these new congregations and were leading people astray. Now many of these individuals had Jewish origins, and so being more versed in the Scriptures than believing Gentiles, they quickly rose to prominence amongst new believers. However, as the Apostle Paul warns they were not holding to the doctrine of the Apostles, nor submitting themselves to the Christ’s Gospel, but rather they were only exploiting the ignorance’s of the new Gentile believers, subverting whole households, by turning people away from the Gospel of grace of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to whatever things they were passing off as spiritual works, words, or knowledge. And this they were doing for the sake of dishonest gain! Therefore, the Apostle Paul now commands Titus to put an end to it, and them, and no longer let them exalt themselves in the assemblies, nor pass off their empty words and doctrines as something spiritual. For all that they were saying and doing was only devoid of the Spirit of God, just as their own persons were.
Vs. 12-13 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
Now to show Titus just what kind of men they historically were at Crete, the Apostle Paul now cites one their own prophets, who in times past said of them, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” Therefore, the Apostle Paul agreeing with this ancient assessment of them, now commands Titus to rebuke them sharply; that is rebuke all the liars, all the evil beasts, and all the lazy gluttons amongst the believers there, so that they all will be sound in the faith, and not follow their Godless examples and lives.
Vs. 14 “not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.”
Having commanded Titus to rebuke the Lazy and insubordinate, the Apostle Paul now returns to those amongst them whose minds were fixed on Jewish fables, who were heeding Jewish fables and commandments of men of those who turn from the truth, and thus seek to establish their own righteousness by their own means (consider Rom. 10:1-4; Col. 2:8-10; 20-23 etc.).
Vs. 15-16 15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Here then the Apostle Paul makes it clear that its not keeping the doctrines, commandments, and ideals of men that makes us righteous in the sight of God, (whether these come through Judaism or anywhere else), but only our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us pure, and who has purified all things for us. Therefore, “to the pure all things are pure, (that is all foods and drinks and everything else that falls under the grace of God which we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in the New Covenant can freely and thankfully partake of; which again is not liberty to indulge in the sinful passions and desires of the flesh, but freedom to live rich, full, and abundant lives). For as the Apostle Paul says of those who seek to be righteous before God by their own standards and means; and thus, who are only defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.” And so, though the look like and play the role of the most religious of all men in fact all they are is defiled, for “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” This then is a great truth about the pitfalls of legalism and where it leads people which is only to hypocrisy and sin, which is to be contrasted with the glorious liberty of the children of God, which leads everyone who believes in Christ to eternal life.
Scripture Quotations
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