In this last chapter of Paul’s letter to Titus, we see Paul
commanding Titus what to teach concerning the CHRISTians behavior towards the
world, how he is to treat heretics, plus when & where he is to meet Paul.
We see this morning in The
Last Word…01. False Teachers
(Titus 03.09);
02. Factious People (Titus 03.10-11);
& 03. Faithful Friends (Titus 03.12-15).
01. False Teachers (Titus 03.09)
“9 But avoid” Paul is commanding Titus to turn
& stay away from, to do all that he can to “9 …avoid foolish controversies &
genealogies & strife & disputes about the Law…”
“9 foolish controversies” G3474. mwrov moros mo-ros’
-It speaks of someone who is imprudent,
w/o forethought or wisdom, producing no moral fruit. It is where we get the
word for “moron”.
Paul uses this same Greek word six times in his letters, w/the
most well known passage probably being 1Corinthians 01.27.
“9 …avoid foolish controversies & genealogies &
strife & disputes about the Law…”
The Jews at this time were known
to find great pleasure in asking the most frivolous questions, & were
always quick to point out that they physically came from Godly ancestors like
Abraham (John
08.39).
Throughout the Jewish Talmud, it
is filled w/legal disputes, different & conflicting pronouncements on
religious rites & rituals.
Here is an example of their
frivolous questions & the answers given to them by one of their wisest
& most well known Rabbi’s.
Rabbi Hillel was asked: Why have the Babylonians round
heads?
Rabbi Hillel answered: This is a difficult question, but
I will tell the reason: Their heads are round because they have but little wit.
The council at Jerusalem (Acts 15.01-32) was called to
deal w/the Judiazers, those who said that in order to be saved you had to be
circumcised & keep the Law of Moses. Paul also dealt w/this issue in his
letter to the Galatians (Galatians 01-06.18), as well as to Timothy (1Timothy 01.02-07).
Paul also instructed Timothy to avoid these foolish
controversies w/the false teachers (1Timothy 01.04; 1Timothy 06.03-04; 2Timothy 02.14;
2Timothy
02.23), but instead expose them (Titus 01.09-16) & leave it
at that. Paul does not want Titus to get involved in the foolish debates
(controversies) that cause undue problems for him.
Paul also mentioned this to the Church at Rome in Romans 16.17-18.
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!
Solomon wrote about dealing w/the fool in Proverbs
26.04-05.
Though these two verses appear to contradict each other,
they really don’t.
What Proverbs 26.04 is saying is that we are not to
allow ourselves to be dragged down to the level of the fool, but Proverbs 26.05
says that at times you need to use the language of the fool to refute the fool.
Wisdom & the Holy Spirit are needed to determine when to
apply Proverbs
26.04 & Proverbs 26.05.
We are no longer under the Law (Romans 03.20-28;Hebrews 07.11-18;
Hebrews 08.07-13;
Hebrews 10.01-09)
because Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 05.17; John 01.17; Acts 13.38-39; Romans 10.04).
Thus making the Law “9 unprofitable & worthless.”
Paul says that these foolish controversies & fights over
the Law are to be avoided because arguing theology, doctrine & even
morality w/those who distort & have a low regard for the Word of God is futile.
False teachers have no desire for the truth because they
have been seduced by “deceitful spirits & doctrines of demons,” (1Timothy 04.01).
Sadly though, because of the time that we live in, these
false teachers have many who follow after them because these teachers appeal to
their flesh (2Peter
02.02), because false doctrine &
immoral practice are usually found together.
People follow these false teachers because they appeal to
their flesh & encourage them to continue in their sinful ways (2Timothy
04.03-04).
These four errors (Titus 03.09 “foolish
controversies & genealogies & strife & disputes about the Law”)
that the false teachers are espousing carry grave consequences to the hearers.
Some of the effects of false teachings are mentioned throughout the New
Testament. False teaching brings unsettlement to souls (Acts 15.24), shipwrecks faith (1Timothy 01.19),
leads to blasphemy (1Timothy 01.20) & to the ruin of the
hearers (2Timothy
02.14), produces ungodliness (2Timothy 02.16), & it spreads like gangrene
(2Timothy
02.17).
Remember, when Paul left Crete, he left Titus behind to
continue on in ministering to the people of Crete & appointing church
leaders in each city (Titus 01.05), instructing those leaders to
hold fast to the Word of God & expose the false teachers (Titus 01.09-16)
by the teaching of sound doctrine (Titus 02.01).
02. Factious People (Titus 03.10-11)
Paul commands Titus to reject or
literally to shun & avoid those who are factious after giving them two
warnings.
“10 a factious man” G141.
airetikov hairetikos hahee-ret-ee-kos’;
from the same as 140; a schismatic:-- heretic [the Greek word itself].
The word “heresy” in the Greek (G139.
airesiv hairesis hah’-ee-res-is)
means to choose a party or sect. The root word of “heresy” is G138. aireomai haireomai hahee-reh’-om-ahee
which means “I choose” & was first applied to the different sects of the
heathen philosophers, w/the
members of each sect having chosen their own in preference to all the others.
The Pharisees (Acts 05.17; Acts 26.05) & the Sadducees
(Acts 15.05)
were both called a “sect” or in Greek “heresy”.
At this time this word did not have a bad religious connotation.
In fact, we see that Paul was accused of being a
troublemaker, desecrating the Temple & being the leader of the sect of the
Nazarenes (Acts
24.05-06; Acts 28.22-23; the sect also call “the Way”-Acts 24.14).
During the Reformation, & the Roman Catholic Church
began calling the first Protestants “Heretics”. This is when the word “heresy” got
its modern day meaning of “teaching that which is false”. The Roman Catholic
Church started to use it to describe any teaching or teachers that did not
conform to their doctrine of transubstantiation (the wafer becoming Christ in
the Eucharist), purgatory, indulgences, the power of the priests to forgive
sins, worship of the relics of Rome, etc.
Paul gave the same advice to Timothy, telling him to “have nothing
to do w/worldly fables fit only for old women” (1Timothy 04.07) & “refuse foolish
& ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.” (2Timothy 02.23).
The factious person today will not accept to the Word of God
or submit to the Godly leaders in the church. He has no concern for spiritual
truth or unity, & thinks that God’s law doesn’t apply to him, which is a
work of the flesh (Galatians 05.19-21).
Paul says that anyone in the church who is factious should
be rejected after being warned twice. This is because if you have someone in
the church who is being insubordinate & causing division in the church can
cause some serious damage to the church & its witness in the world (Titus 03.01-08).
Paul had to administer church discipline in the Corinthian
Church when the leaders in the church refused to see the seriousness of the
situation where the man was carrying on an incestuous relationship w/his step-mother
in 1Corinthians
05.05; 1Corinthians 05.11.
We also see this in Romans 16.17-18 & in 2Thessalonians 03.14-15.
Church discipline should be done in a way that is loving, nonjudgmental
& corrective w/the idea that they will eventually be restored &
delivered from their sin.
As Paul told Timothy to treat those who oppose him w/humility
& “w/gentleness
correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them
repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,” (2Timothy 02.25).
To the believers in a church that are well taught &
grounded in the Word of God, they will all know that the person who continues
to be factious & causing division in the church is “perverted & is sinning, being
self-condemned.”
“11 perverted” G1612. ekstrefw ekstrepho ek-stref’-o; to turn inside out,
invert. To change for the worse, pervert, corrupt.
The factious man has been twisted & corrupted by his
sinning, & will condemn himself just by his actions, making it clear to all
who see.
“12 Artemas” G734. Artemav Artemas ar-tem-as’;
contracted from a compound of 735 & 1435; gift of Artemis; Artemas (or Artemidorus), a Christian:--
Artemas.
“12 Tychicus” G5190. Tucikov Tuchikos too-khee-kos’;
from a derivative of 5177; fortuitous, i.e. fortunate; Tychicus, a Christian:--
Tychicus.
Paul was planning on sending
either Artemas or Tychicus, two faithful men to take Titus’ place ministering
on Crete so that Titus could come meet Paul at Nicopolis for the winter.
Nothing is known of Artemas, as
this is the only time he is mentioned in the New Testament.
Tychicus, was 01 of Paul’s
faithful traveling companions (Acts 20.04). Tychicus was also sent by Paul to
deliver the letters to both Ephesus & Colossae (Ephesians 06.21-22; Colossians
04.07-09), & was sent by Paul to replace Timothy (& possibly
deliver the letter of 2Timothy) in Ephesus (2Timothy 04.12) so that Timothy
could go to Rome to visit Paul, & so that the church at Ephesus would not
be w/o a pastor in Timothy’s absence.
“12 make every effort” G4704.
spoudazw spoudazo spoo-dad’-zo;
a command in the original Greek that means to use speed, to make effort, be
prompt or earnest, to be diligent
“12 Nicopolis” G3533. Nikopoliv Nikopolis nik-op’-ol-is
which menas “City of Victory”.
It has been estimated that there were about nine different
cities in New Testament times that were named Nicopolis.
Because of the fact that Paul wanted to spend the winter
there, most people tend to think it was the Nicopolis located on the west coast
of Achaia, which was the southern province of Greece.
Nicopolis was founded by Octavian (the first Roman Emperor
whose name was later changed to Augustus) after his great victory over Marc
Anthony & Cleopatra at the Battle of Atrium in 31BC.
Titus 03.13 “13
Diligently” G4709. spoudaiwv spoudaios spoo-dah’-yoce;
adverb from 4705; earnestly, promptly:-- diligently, instantly.
Before Titus was to join Paul at
Nicopolis, Paul wanted Titus to “Diligently help (give whatever is necessary to
help) Zenas the
lawyer & Apollos on their way so that nothing is lacking for them.”
Just like w/Artemas, we don’t
know anything else about Zenas. Zenas was either an expert in Roman Law, or the
Law of Moses, not sure which.
Apollos though is mentioned many
times throughout the New Testament.
We see that he knew the
Scriptures & was an eloquent Jewish man from Alexandria (in Egypt) who
taught the gospel in Acts 18.24-25.
When he came to Ephesus,
Priscilla & Aquila heard him & disciple him (Acts 18.26-27).
Apollos had a great impact on
those in the Corinthian church. Some of the Christians from Corinth were
fighting about who they followed, some said they followed Paul, others said
that they followed Peter (Cephas), & still others said that they followed
Apollos (1Corinthians
01.11-12).
Titus 03.14 Paul
reminds Titus that the Christians on Crete ought to be known for doing good
deeds to meet pressing needs but also to be a beacon of light in this dark
world (James 03.13; Matthew 05.16).
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