Titus 1:10–16. 10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, 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 devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (ESV)
As parliament is set to resume after the latest federal election, people are wondering which pieces of legislation will be retabled. A prominent issue of concern has been the criminalizing and censorship of free speech. In one example, Bill C-10 – which would have empowered an unelected commissioner to take down any social media post deemed “harmful” – was gutted by the Senate just before the start of Election 44. Now, after the election Bill C-10 is poised to be one of the first moves in parliament.
One of Titus’s major responsibilities in overseeing the churches on Crete was to prepare them to counteract the false teaching and immoral living of certain leaders. Paul charged Titus, and through him the churches, not simply to correct their false doctrine and denounce their immoral behavior but to silence them and remove such spiritual cancers from the fellowships. It is the task of the church, and especially of its godly leaders, to silence those who associate with the Body of Christ in an effort to pervert God’s truth and confuse and corrupt His people. Paul warned Timothy that: “Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived,” (2 Tim. 3:13). Like Timothy, faithful pastors and elders have standing orders to “guard what has been entrusted to [them], avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’ ” (1 Tim. 6:20).
It has been said that we live in an age of tolerance. Some argue that people should be free to say what they want, how they want, where they want and when they want. The danger in the absolute freedom to do so should be obvious. We have standards in education to ensure what is taught corresponds to facts. Libel and slander laws prevent the sharing of false information as to not damage a company or person. Public safety laws prevent someone shouting “fire” in a crowded theatre so as to not cause undue panic. Through the courts, publications and common discourse, safeguards exist in order to examine, challenge and prevent the inaccurate or even dangerous spread of misinformation.
In Titus 1:10–16, the Apostle Paul outlines thee aspects of the requirement that false teachers must be silenced. First, he outlines a general 1) Description of false teachers in the church who are to be silenced (Titus 1:10–13a). He then specifies 2) What the reaction to those should be (Titus 1:13b–14) and 3) Evaluates their lives (Titus 1:15–16).
In order to deal with false teachers, we must first understand the:
1) Description of Those Who Must be Silenced (Titus 1:10–13a)
Titus 1:10–13a 10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, 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,) (ESV)
In describing the false teachers who were to be restrained and removed from the churches, the apostle points out their proliferation (v. 10a), their behavior, which included rebelliousness, empty talk, and deceit (v. 10b), their effect on believers in the churches (v. 11a), their motive (v. 11b), and their character, which was lying, savage, and gluttonous (vv. 12–13a). The fact that there [were] many false teachers in the churches of Crete made Titus’s responsibility to oppose them all the more urgent. It was also for that reason, among others, that he needed to carefully “appoint elders in every city,” as Paul already had directed (v. 5). No matter how diligent and persuasive Titus might have been, no one man would have had time to deal with the growing number of heretics and apostates. Most believers in those churches were new in the faith and had little defense against erroneous doctrine. The reason Titus is to appoint elders in every town and to ensure that they meet the standards Paul lays down is that there are many false teachers who are leading people astray. That is to say, when false teachers increase, the most appropriate long-term strategy is to multiply the number of true teachers, who are equipped to rebut and refute error (Stott, J. R. W. (1996). Guard the truth: the message of 1 Timothy & Titus (p. 179). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.).
Please turn to 2 Peter 2
Some look at the command from Paul to Titus and think this is just the concern of those in leadership. Although the chief concern is charged to those in leadership, the mandate is for all to consider and act upon. Perhaps a year after Paul wrote to Titus, Peter warned churches throughout the empire that:
2 Peter 2:1-3 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (ESV) (cf. Acts 20:29-30; Rom. 16:17-18; 1 Tim. 4:1-2)
• False teaching, even from among the congregation in general, can decimate a local church. Some of these heresies may even be spread from otherwise well-meaning individuals. The teaching may appear to be sensible on the surface but it is destructive nonetheless. It appeals to our base emotions, overemphasizing liberty, feelings and common practice. The basis of action is what pleases the individual regardless of the consequence to others. They may even exploit others to justify their own consciences to play down warnings and casts off restraint. Unchecked, it encourages others to think and act likewise. Thus, the truth of God is distorted and the God of the word Himself is blasphemed.
Back in Titus 1:10 we see first of all, the false teachers on Crete were insubordinate/rebellious, as such people always are. They are spiritual and moral insurgents—the enemies of God, His truth, and His people. Being a law unto themselves and representing, even unwittingly, the rebel Satan, they do not recognize, or adhere to the authority of God’s Word or of His Spirit, much less that of His divinely called preachers and teachers. Even when their erroneous doctrine and immoral living are exposed, they are inclined to defy correction and discipline by the true church. A mark of false teachers in every age is their unwillingness to be under discipline. They are fiercely unaccountable. A leader or teacher that is not open to biblical correction, that claims, even implicitly to be above scrutiny, is one who actually denies the truth that he or she may even claim to be representing (Demarest, G. W., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1984). 1, 2 Thessalonians / 1, 2 Timothy / Titus (Vol. 32, p. 316). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.)
Second, their rebellion, or insubordination, is in the first instance a matter of rejecting the truth of the gospel (v. 14, and by implication the lordship of Christ and the authority of Paul). It expresses itself in their being empty/mere talkers and deceivers (Fee, G. D. (2011). 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus (pp. 177–178). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ) In the words of Shakespeare, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Their talk is often captivating and persuasive. Their words are smooth and they cleverly disguise their falsehoods in terms that make them seem truthful, frequently using biblical words and phrases that are distorted and taken out of context. But what they teach is (absent) of truth. Their preaching and teaching is based on the musings of their own warped imaginations, speculations, and knowledge set up against the Word of God. They want to convince their listeners that they possess a higher and more profound understanding of Christianity and the Scriptures. Actually, they are destroying it. (Schuetze, A. W. (1991). 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus (p. 186). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.)
• Examine the words and writings of what you see, hear, and read. What is the basis of their argument? Falsehood may be packed in a slick, outwardly pleasant and an easy to digest message, but if it has no positive correspondence to the Word of God, then it is as deadly as poison itself.
Third, those false teachers were deceivers. They typically disguise their deceit in biblical terminology. And unfortunately, they seldom lack for an audience. Almost from its beginning, the church has included some people who, buying into that deception, “will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, … will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3–4; cf. 1 Tim. 4:1–2). Paul used the same tone in 1 Timothy 1:6, when he described these people as participating in “meaningless talk.” These teachers dealt in empty discussions and pointless ideas. Since anything false is ultimately ineffective and worthless, it only stands to reason that it is deceptive. So, the false teachers worked by sleight of hand, using the trickery of words and the enchantment of novelty to entice the ignorant or weak to follow them. (Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 345). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Because so many of the early Christians were Jews, churches in New Testament times were especially plagued by those of the circumcision party, that is, by Jews within the church. From ancient records it is known that many Jews lived on the island of Crete (cf. Acts 2:11), and from the apostle’s comments here, a number of them apparently were Judaizers. Some of them were called Judaizers because of their attempt to obligate all believers to Jewish legalism, wanted to impose Old Testament ceremonial standards and sometimes even rabbinical traditions. Apparently, they were gnosticizing Judaists who as professed Christians sought to infiltrate the churches with their misguided teaching. They seemingly sought to fasten onto Christianity various aspects of Judaism and to present the hybrid as a teaching containing higher philosophical insights (Hiebert, D. E. (1981). Titus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 432). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
Deceivers in the church “must be silenced”, Paul said in verse 11. “Silenced” translates a rare verb meaning “to close the mouth by means of a muzzle or gag.” The offenders must be refused opportunity to spread their teachings in the churches; the term also includes silencing them by a (Biblical) and logical refutation of their views, making further dissemination impossible (Hiebert, D. E. (1981). Titus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 432). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
They needed to be silenced “since/because they are upsetting whole families”. With perhaps a few fanatical exceptions, false teachers carry on their destructive work by teaching/for the sake of shameful/sordid gain. This refers primarily to ill-gotten financial profit. Throughout the history of the church, false preachers and teachers have used their positions and slanted their messages to promote their own financial gain (cf. 1 Tim. 6:4-5; 1 Pt. 5:2). In any age churches must not tolerate obvious and blatant error to be taught within the sphere of their authority, particularly when such error involves the issue of salvation. The church must not allow the gospel to be held captive to a free-speech mentality that compromises God’s clear revelation (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 289). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
The immorality, greed, and untrustworthiness of the false teachers about whom Paul warns in verse 12 were characteristic of the island’s inhabitants in general, as testified by one of Cretans, a prophet of their own. Although that prophet, the poet Epimenides, may have been exaggerating, his basic assessment was on target. He was a highly respected Greek intellectual of the sixth century B.C. and in ancient times was considered to be one of the seven great wise men of Greece. As a native of Crete, he knew the people well and was not speaking out of malice as an enemy. This is the only place in scripture that a pagan is called a “prophet,” implies that the term “prophet” is used here only from the perspective of the Cretans and not from the perspective of Paul and the Christian community. The Cretans’ most famous falsehood, doubtless also a self-deception, was the claim that the god Zeus was buried on their island. Even in light of their own pagan belief, that claim was foolish, because Zeus was considered to be immortal. The truth of the assertion that Cretans are always liars also is reflected in the ancient phrase “to Cretanize,” which was used as a figure of speech for lying. Cretans also had the reputation of being evil beasts [and] lazy gluttons. The idea behind evil beasts is that of behaving like a wild animal, living solely on the level of sensual appetites and passions. Such people are malicious and often savage and greedy. The meaning of lazy gluttons is self-evident. Cretans hated to work but loved to eat. They were self-indulgent, greedy, lustful, overfed, and perhaps in poor physical condition. (Knight, G. W. (1992). The Pastoral Epistles: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 298). Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.).
• Sounds like this is all some helpful relevant teaching for just coming through a pandemic.
Paul affirmed in the beginning of verse 13 that the six-hundred-year-old testimony of Epimenides about the Cretans was still true. Sometimes there are special vices, particular sins, that are prominent in a given society. The city of Corinth had a reputation for immorality, and Sodom gave its name, sodomy, to unnatural sexual practices. Titus and the overseers needed to understand the special problems they faced in doing their work among the Cretans. We must know the opponent if we are effectively to oppose him. (Schuetze, A. W. (1991). 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus (p. 187). Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Pub. House.)
• We must both know ourselves and the tendencies of our age. Not only is it relevant for awareness on the sins we most likely fall into and avoid them, but know the traps of our age. We must ask: what are the common assumptions, methodologies, biases and blind spots today that the Gospel most speaks to. When we can relate the eternal truth to the contemporary needs, then we become effective evangelists & apologists.
Illustration: Greed
An old method for catching raccoons is to place a piece of foil inside a small barred box that is staked to the ground. When a raccoon comes by, he reaches his paw into the box to get the foil. But, once he has grasped the foil, his paw changes shape and will not fit back through the bars on the box. Many times a raccoon would rather give up his freedom and perhaps his life—just for the sake of a shiny but useless piece of foil (Green, M. P. (Ed.). (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
False teachers tend to live for their own personal desires to be fulfilled. They expect others to work and sacrifice for the purpose of feeding their own insatiable desires. Although there is biblical warrant for the supply of the needs of those who work in teaching the gospel (1 Timothy 5:17-18) if the ultimate aim of appeals is to build the personal ambitions of the leaders, then even the world can see that this is not gospel ministry but human greed.
In order to deal with false teachers, we must understand the:
2) Reaction to Those who Must be Silenced (Titus 1:13b-14)
Titus 1:13b-14 13 (This testimony is true.) Therefore, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. (ESV)
Titus was now instructed to forcefully and immediately confront the heretical teaching and ungodly living of the false teachers. Because of the extreme spiritual danger that those men posed if they infected the church, Titus was to rebuke/reprove them sharply/severely. Sharply/Severely translates apotomos, a compound adverb formed from the preposition apo and the verb tenno, which means “to cut,” as with a knife or ax. The reproof was to cut with penetrating force. Failure to confront problems within the church, whether theologically or practically based, may be indicative of a basic indifference with regard to God’s truth or the nurturing of truly Christian relationships. The fear of giving offense and a highly individualized view of personal faith may discourage church leaders from following the biblical mandate to rebuke. The restoration that is possible both in fellowship and in sound doctrine is compromised by this reluctance to confront. Loving, sensitive, yet firm confrontation can result in stronger relationships and restored unity or perhaps a needed purging of those who deny the truth (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 290). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)
Primarily, the intent of such a rebuke should be remedial. Titus was not to condemn the men but seek to correct their doctrinal error and personal sinfulness, in order that they may be sound in the faith. The verb sound means “to be in good health, be healthy,” while the present tense indicates that the apostolic concern is their continued spiritual health. “The faith” denotes the truth embodied in the gospel they have personally accepted. Their personal spiritual health will be impaired if they feed on unhealthy doctrine (Hiebert, D. E. (1981). Titus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 433). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
Please turn to 2 Timothy 2
Healthy things grow, but growth in itself must never be the aim. If it is, unhealthy things will be permitted. Commonly we understand the difference between someone who eats right and exercises that achieves health and someone who is sedentary and eats poorly who grows in obesity. God’s primary concern is always for spiritual heath over numerical growth, because if health and all its true shoots emerge, then genuine growth occurs.
Titus, like Timothy was instructed:
2 Timothy 2:22–26 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV) (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2)
• Paul instructed Timothy, and by extension all believers, on how to deal with false teachers. We must not be dealing with such “quarrelsome” people in a “quarrelsome” manner (2 Tim. 2:24) but rather correcting the opponents in a spirit of gentleness (2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:15; cf. gentleness as a fruit of the spirit; Gal. 5:23). False teachers and by extension all of unredeemed humanity enslaved by the devil and in need of rescue (see 2 Cor. 4:4). The most loving thing we can do is to compassionately share the truth of the word of God in order that the Holy Spirit may illuminate their minds and change their hearts that they may repent of their error and embrace the life changing gospel of truth. (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2340-41). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.)
The definition of an unnecessary conflict, is when it is over distractions to the Gospel. That is why Titus is warned in not devoting/paying attention to, in verse 14 Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. This carries the sense of giving heed to or devoting oneself to, in this case, heeding and devoting oneself to error (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14-18). This is a PRESENT MIDDLE PARTICIPLE. These false teachers continue to turn away from the gospel. (Utley, R. J. (2000). Paul’s Fourth Missionary Journey: I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy (Vol. Volume 9, p. 103). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.) Only evil is to be achieved by linking up with those who teach or practice any form of false religion—precisely what the Corinthian believers were doing (see 1 Cor. 10:20–21). In particular for the churches on Crete, such danger came from Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. The apostle gave an almost identical warning to Timothy, telling him not “to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith” (1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7). The source of this recurrent problem of works righteousness is found in the very nature of humans. Proud, self-centered human nature desires to have some control and to make some contribution toward salvation. To become utterly dependent on God’s grace for forgiveness and salvation requires a genuine confession aptly summed up in the words of a familiar hymn: “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling” (A. M. Toplady). The free gift of salvation involves repentance and acceptance of God’s grace alone, but self-sufficient humans would rather add something that can be externally observed and for which they can claim credit. For several centuries, Jewish rabbis had been developing many traditional laws, identified here as the commands of people. Those commands probably referred to, and certainly included, legalistic ordinances and standards—most of them doubtless from the Talmud—that added to and often contradicted or nullified Scripture (cf. Mark 7:5–9; cf. Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:9). The fact that false teachers in the Cretan churches were identified as people who turn away from the truth indicates that they had been exposed to the truth and had once acknowledged it, but later rejected it in favor of Satan-inspired and manmade myths, precepts, and traditions. All false teaching causes one to rely on human wisdom and means in an attempt to achieve righteousness. It may be adding additional works, standards (Book of Mormon etc) or subtracting those standards (a misunderstanding of being under grace). When something is added or subtracted from Scripture, it supplants the only means of redemption. (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 294). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Illustration:
People follow others for different reasons. Charisma is a very powerful force. I once served a congregation that used to be apart of “Disciples of Christ”. Although the congregation left the denomination decades ago, I searched about who they are. The first name that came up was Jim Jones. He was an extremely charismatic individual that lead a group to Jonestown, Guyana. Had some of them asked for the truth, many would be alive today. If somebody had asked Jim Jones about his lifestyle—his promiscuity, for instance—and asked him to validate his teachings and lifestyle with the Book of Truth, people would have seen him as a false teacher. They would have known the truth and wouldn’t have willingly taken cyanide and died. But no one stopped to ask, “Is this the truth?”( Evans, T. (2009). Tony Evans’ book of illustrations: stories, quotes, and anecdotes from more than 30 years of preaching and public speaking (p. 334). Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.)
Finally, in order to deal with false teachers, we must understand the:
3) Evaluation of Those Who Must be Silenced (Titus 1:15–16)
Titus 1:15–16 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (ESV)
Paul finally gives two divinely inspired evaluations of false teachers in the Cretan churches, evaluations that apply to false teachers in any age. First he assesses their inner lives and finds them to be corrupt. He then assesses their outer lives and finds them to be hypocritical and debauched. When a person is pure in heart and mind, that inner purity will produce outer purity. That is how they can consider, in a general sense, how all things are pure. “To the pure, all things are pure” embodies a principle enunciated by Jesus himself in dealing with Jewish food laws (Matt 15:10, 11; Mark 7:14–19; Luke 11:37–41) and forcefully impressed on Peter in his vision at Joppa (Acts 10:9–15, 28). These Cretan teachers apparently were engrossed in perpetuating ceremonial distinctions between the pure and the impure. They tended to lay emphasis on outward appearance and judged others on the basis of their own external criteria. Paul teaches that true purity lies not in adherence to nonmoral external rites and regulations but in the inner purity of the regenerated heart. Material things receive their moral character from the inner attitude of the user. Paul’s maxim however does not mean that nothing is impure unless thinking makes it so. It also does not invalidate the revelation that certain things are morally wrong (Hiebert, D. E. (1981). Titus. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol. 11, p. 434). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
A person is morally and spiritually defiled by sin in their heart and mind, not by material things that they handle or eat. The word defiled [miaino ] originally meant “to stain (with dye)” and came to mean “to cause defilement through one’s behavior.” (Laansma, J. C. (2009). Commentary on 2 Timothy. In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Hebrews (Vol. 17, p. 250). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
Please turn to Matthew 15
That is why Paul says that to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, or can be pure, because both their mind and their conscience are defiled. All their perspectives and actions are infected with their inner defilement. Those who are corrupted and do not believe cannot make themselves pure by strictly adhering to human commands (i.e., ceremonial or ritualistic practices of purity or cleanliness). Even the Old Testament gives expression to the fact that external religious ceremonies, originally designed as an outward expression of inward repentance, are absolutely ineffective alone (1 Sam 15:22; Isa 1:11–18; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6–8). David also clearly expressed the inability of any religious ceremony to cleanse from sin. Rather, he declared that God values the internal cleansing of moral evil by a “broken and contrite heart” of repentance (Ps 51:16–17) (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 292). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
In Matthew 15, Jesus explained:
Matthew 15:10-20 10 And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (ESV)
• Is Jesus contradicting Paul’s instruction to Titus? Jesus is speaking of false teachers in the world. Paul is addressing false teachers in the Church. We often worry so much about offending the world, like the concern mentioned in v.12 how the Pharisees were offended about what Jesus was saying. Jesus refocuses their concern about their own heart. We are not called to police the world but police our own hearts. If we spent as much time on that as we worry about offending others, then the general charge of Christians being hypocrites, which is a major obstacle in sharing the gospel, would disappear.
Only God, of course, can evaluate a person’s heart. But by the way they live, unbelievers usually betray their unbelief. By their words finally in verse 16, they profess to know God, but they deny him by their works/deeds. People who trust in their works righteousness also tend to have an air of superiority about them, believing, like the ancient Greek gnostics, that they are “in the know” about religious matters and live on a level above other people. They not only profess to know God but to know Him better than others. The truth, however, is that they do not know Him at all, much less have a saving relationship to Him. This usage of the term “profess/confess” indicates that these false teachers actually claimed to be Christian believers. (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 292). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
• When the people of God lack discernment, they fall prey to false teaching and the devastating consequences that follow. If we have become ensnared to the deceit of the world, instead of growing in the love and knowledge of Christ, with a life of faithful service and assurance in Him, one becomes increasingly selfish and self-absorbed. Activity changes from how I can love others like Christ loves me, to how can others serve me. Even worship itself changes from glorifying God and ministering to the needs of others to what will God do for me now. The great irony is that if we pursue Christ and serve others, we become satisfied. If we pursue self, we will never be satisfied. The more our lives centre around ourselves the less content and less fruitful we are in God’s kingdom.
False teacher they deny (Christ) by their works/deeds, and because of their unbelief (v. 16), Christ denies them (cf. Matt. 10:33). They hold “to a form of godliness, [but] they have denied its power” (2 Tim. 3:5). That is precisely what Jesus taught when He said of false teachers, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16). Self-righteous false teachers not only are proud and feel superior to others but are utterly detestable and disobedient, and unfit/worthless for any good work/deed. The noun form of the adjective detestable (bdeluktos) John declares that “nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination [bdelugma] and lying, shall ever come into (the new Heavens and the New Earth), but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27). Detestable false teachers will not be there. Disobedient lives betray a professed faith in God. The ungodly continue to walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Because they attempt to “deceive [God’s people] with empty words, … the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6; cf. Col. 3:6). And, as Jeremiah had proclaimed many centuries earlier, “they [do not] furnish [God’s] people the slightest benefit” (Jer. 23:32). They are unfit/worthless for any good work/deed. The term for worthless is adokimos, means “disqualified or rejected” (cf. 2 Tim. 3:8). Elsewhere this work was applied to describe a counterfeit coin, a soldier who fails in battle because of cowardice, a candidate who is rejected by the voters, and a stone that is cast aside because it is unfit for building. These false teachers are counterfeits, thoroughly worthless as religious leaders, worthy only of being rejected by those who seek the truth (Black, R., & McClung, R. (2004). 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon: a commentary for bible students (p. 233). Indianapolis, IN: Wesleyan Publishing House.).
All of this highlights the need for discernment from each member, looking out for the spiritual welfare for each other, and the protection of a local Church. With a do-it-yourself, private, isolationist spirituality, people can become easy pickings for cults when they attempt a do-it-yourself private spirituality. God desires His people to become members of a local Church to be both nurtured in the truth and guarded from error. God brings people into His family to be members one of another (Rom. 12:4-5); members of Christ (1 Cor. 6:15) part of one Body with many members (1 Cor. 12:12-27), members of the household of God (Eph. 2:19) relating as members one of another (Eph. 4:25).
(Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1996). Titus (pp. 52–67). Chicago: Moody Press.)
