Last time we saw that Titus was
to set up Quality Leaders (Titus 01.05-09)
in the churches on Crete. So w/that as a backdrop & even as a contrast, Paul
now instructs Titus on how to Biblically Expo$e
Fal$e Teacher$. 01. Identify False
Teachers (Titus
01.10-13a); 02. Severely
Reprove False Teachers (Titus 01.13b-14); & 03. Watch How False Teachers Live (Titus 01.15-16).
01. Identify False Teachers (Titus 01.10-13a)
Titus 01.10-13a “10 For
there are many rebellious men, empty talkers & deceivers, especially those
of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole
families, teaching things they should not teach
for the sake of sordid gain. 12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own,
said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony
is true…”
“10 For there are” This
phrase written in the original Greek is written in a way that Paul is saying
that what follows is a simple statement of fact.
Paul is saying that this is
happening at the time of his writing this letter to Titus, but that also it is
a fact that it will happen in the future.
When Paul was trying to hurry to
get to Jerusalem for Pentecost, he stopped in Miletus (mil-ay-tos) & sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20.17-38),
he declared that he was bold in proclaiming the Gospel of God & gave them a
warning about false teachers.
Acts 20.27-30 “27 “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the
whole purpose of God. 28 “Be on guard for yourselves & for all the flock,
among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of
God which He purchased w/His own blood. 29 “I know that after my departure
savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 & from
among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
the disciples after them.”
Paul stated that the leaders of
the church are to teach God’s Word & be on guard (pay attention) for the
savage wolves who will arise from inside of the church.
Paul gives a warning in his
letter to the church at Rome…
Romans 16.17-18 “17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause
dissensions & hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, &
turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of
their own appetites; & by their smooth & flattering speech they deceive
the hearts of the unsuspecting.”
“17 keep your eye” G4648. skopeo skop-eh'-o;
from 4649; to take aim
at (spy), i.e. (figuratively) regard:-- consider, take heed, look at (on),
mark. Compare 3700.
Thayer-to look at, observe, to mark, to fix one’s
eyes upon, direct one’s attention to
Paul was saying here that we are
to scope out false teachers who teach that is against the Word of God &
turn away from them!
Paul tells the church at Corinth
that these false teachers are from Satan, taking their cue of deceit from him
by saying that they are sent from God, but in all actuality they are false
teachers.
2Corinthians 11.12-15 “12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I
may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded
just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are
false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15
Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as
servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
Paul warned the church at
Ephesus not to be immature like children & be easily deceived.
Ephesians 04.14 “14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed
here & there by waves & carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by
craftiness in deceitful scheming;”
Paul told Timothy that the times
will get worse, but he wanted him to continue in the teaching of the Word of
God.
2Timothy 03.13-17 “13 But evil men & impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving & being
deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned & become
convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 & that from childhood you have known the sacred
writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God &
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every
good work.”
2Timothy 04.04 “4 & will turn away their ears from the truth &
will turn aside to myths.”
Peter warned that false teachers
will arise from the household of faith, & he even warned what their teachings
will be characteristically about.
2Peter 02.01-02 “1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just
as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce
destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift
destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, & because
of them the way of the truth will be maligned;”
John warned that false teachers
(antichrists) will come, & that we are to test them to see if they are from
God.
1John 02.18 “18 Children, it is the last hour; & just as you heard
that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this
we know that it is the last hour.”
1John 04.01 “1 Beloved, do not believe (literally: to have faith in) every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the
world.”
“10 For there are many rebellious men, empty
talkers & deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”
“10 many rebellious men” Paul says that this is a fact, that there
will be many false teachers who will be rebellious
“10 rebellious” G506. anupotaktos
an-oo-pot'-ak-tos; from 1 (as a negative
particle) & a presumed derivative of 5293; unsubdued, i.e. insubordinate (in fact or temper):-- disobedient, that is not put under,
unruly.
Thayer- (actively)
that cannot be subjected to control, disobedient, unruly, refractory.
Contrast this w/the requirement of a church leader that Paul
gave to Titus…
Titus 01.06 “6 namely, if any man is above reproach,
the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of
dissipation or rebellion (G506. anupotaktos
an-oo-pot'-ak-tos).”
“10 empty talkers” G3151.
mataiologos mat-ah-yol-og'-os; from 3152 & 3004; an idle (i.e.
senseless or mischievous) talker, i.e. a wrangler:-- vain talker.
G3152. mataios
mat'-ah-yos; from the base of 3155; empty, i.e.
(literally) profitless, or (specifically) an idol:-- vain, vanity.
Thayer-an idle
talker, one who utters empty, senseless things
“10 & deceivers” G5423.
phrenapates fren-ap-at'-ace; from 5424 & 539; a mind-misleader,
i.e. seducer:-- deceiver.
Thayer-a
mind-deceiver
“10 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers &
deceivers, especially (most of all) those of the circumcision,”
Paul is talking about the Jews
who taught that in order to be true followers of Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the
Messiah, that you needed to be circumcised.
We see this issue of
circumcision dealt w/by the apostles in the early days of the church.
Acts 15.01 “1 Some men came down from Judea & began teaching the brethren, “Unless you
are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.””
So it was decided that they
would have a council at Jerusalem to determine if the Gentile converts needed
to be circumcised.
At the council, there were some
Pharisees who were Christians who said that new Gentile converts needed to be
circumcised & observe the Law of Moses.
Acts 15.05 “5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had
believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them & to direct
them to observe the Law of Moses.””
Peter mentioned that they should
not burden the Gentile converts w/the Law of Moses, especially since they
themselves could not keep it (Acts 15.10)!
James, the leader of the
council, concluded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that they abstain
from things that would make them morally unclean.
Acts 15.19-20 “19 “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble
those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to
them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols & from fornication
& from what is strangled & from blood.”
Paul later, dealing w/this issue
in the Book
of Galatians, stated that circumcision also involved keeping the Law
of Moses.
Galatians 05.01-04 “1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore
keep standing firm & do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold
I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no
benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision,
that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from
Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from
grace.”
Paul told the church at Philippi
to “put no
confidence in the flesh”.
Philippians 03.02-03 “2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers,
beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God & glory in
Christ Jesus & put no confidence in the flesh,”
Paul would later write to the Colossians
that salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ & not about having to
keep the commandments of men, including circumcision.
Colossians 02.06-23 “6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly
rooted & now being built up in
Him & established in your faith, just as you were instructed, & overflowing w/gratitude. 8 See to
it that no one takes you captive through philosophy & empty deception,
according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of
the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of
Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 & in Him you have been made complete, &
He is the head over all rule & authority; 11 & in Him you were also
circumcised w/a circumcision made w/o hands, in the removal of the body of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried w/Him in baptism, in
which you were also raised up w/Him through faith in the working of God, who
raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions &
the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together w/Him, having
forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of
debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; & He has
taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed
the rulers & authorities, He made a public display of them, having
triumphed over them through Him. 16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in
regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath
day-- 17 things which are a mere
shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one
keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement & the
worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions
he has seen, inflated w/o cause by his fleshly mind, 19 & not holding fast
to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied & held together by
the joints & ligaments, grows w/a growth which is from God. 20 If you have
died w/Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were
living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not
handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined
to perish w/use)--in accordance w/the commandments & teachings of men? 23
These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made
religion & self-abasement & severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly
indulgence.”
Titus 01.11 “11 who must
be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they
should not teach for the sake of
sordid gain.”
“11 who must be silenced” In the
original Greek, the way that Paul says this is “that it is true & necessary that their mouths must be silenced!”
Why is Paul so adamant in saying this?
“11 …because they are upsetting whole families”
Paul is so adamant about the need to silence false teachers
because they are overthrowing, even destroying families, or more specifically, destroying
the church.
How are they upsetting whole families?
“11 …teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.”
They are teaching things that are the commandments of men
& not of God, & doing it for the love of money, something that will not
last.
Paul addressed this w/Timothy & Titus in his
qualifications for church leaders.
1Timothy 03.03 “3
not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love
of money.”
1Timothy 03.08 “8
Deacons likewise must be men of
dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,”
Titus 01.07 “7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s
steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not
pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,”
A true pastor should not be a man who puts the pursuit of
wealth above everything else. He does not use ministry for personal gain.
Micah dealt w/the issue of false prophets foretold for money
Micah 03.11 “11 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her
priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean
on the LORD saying, “Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity will not come upon
us.””
Malachi blasted the judges in Jerusalem
because they took bribes, & the priests taught for a price & the
prophets foretold for money.
Peter says that pastors are not to be greedy for money
1Peter 05.02 “2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising
oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; & not for sordid
gain, but w/eagerness;”
A true shepherd, a true pastor follows
the example of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The hired hand, the false teacher does
not have the same commitment to the sheep that the Good Shepherd does. While
the Good Shepherd feeds, takes care of & protects the sheep, the one who is
a false teacher is only interested in making money. So when a wolf attacks, or
tries to snatch away the sheep, he runs away, & in doing so, causes the
sheep to be scattered.
John 10.11-15 “11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His
life for the sheep. 12 “He who is a hired hand, & not a shepherd, who is
not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, & leaves the sheep &
flees, & the wolf snatches them & scatters them. 13 “He flees
because he is a hired hand & is not concerned about the sheep. 14 “I am the
good shepherd, & I know My own & My own know Me, 15 even as the Father
knows Me & I know the Father; & I lay down My life for the sheep.”
Titus 01.12 “12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans
are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.””
Paul now brings up a well-known
quote from a certain unnamed Cretan poet (because poets were believed to sing
under divine inspiration). Many believe this poet to be Epimenides of Knossus, which is in Crete, around the 6th or 7th
century bc.
By this time, the Cretans had a
bad reputation of being lazy. In fact, “to
Cretanize” was a well-known axiom that meant, “to be a liar”; much like “to
Corinthianize” was a well-known axiom that meant “someone who is immoral.”
Contrast this w/the character of
God, who cannot lie.
Titus 01.02 “2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot
lie, promised long ages ago,”
The Cretans were known to be wild & ferocious like “12 evil beasts”.
Beasts was another way of saying that they were “ugly dogs”,
or literally one who is rude, savage, cunning & greedy.
Crete was a country w/o wild beasts, which means that
Epimenides was being sarcastic by saying that the people of Crete took the
place of wild beasts.
Epimenides called Cretans “12 lazy gluttons”. This meant that they
were a people, who shunned any type of work that they were supposed to do,
& instead were governed by their appetites.
“12 gluttons” G1064. gaster
gas-tare'; of uncertain derivation;
the stomach; by analogy, the matrix; figuratively, a gourmand:-- belly, + w/child,
womb.
Thayer-the
stomach, by synecdoche a glutton, gormandizer, a man who is as it were all
stomach
Paul
was using this well-known quote or proverb from Epimenides saying that the
character of the false teachers is like that of the Cretans. “Cretans are
always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
Paul said this as well about
false teachers.
Romans 16.17-18 “17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who
cause dissensions & hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, &
turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of
their own appetites; & by their smooth & flattering speech they deceive
the hearts of the unsuspecting.”
Philippians 03.18-19 “18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, & now
tell you even weeping, that they are
enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, & whose glory is in their shame, who set
their minds on earthly things.”
Titus 01.13a “13 This
testimony is true…”
Paul affirms the well-known
proverb & says that this is a true testimony or witness about these false
teachers.
Again, contrast this to what
Paul said was a requirement for a leader in the church.
1Timothy 03.07 “7 And he must have a good reputation w/those outside the church, so that he will not fall
into reproach & the snare of the devil.”
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