Titus 1:10-16

The Reason Why He Needs To Be Such A Paragon Is Because Of The False Teaching That He Will Have To Deal With (Titus 1:10-16 ).

We are now given a picture of the false teachers whom Titus has been sent to combat, not by disputing with them, but by leading the true believers into righteous thinking and living.

Analysis.

a For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped. Men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake (Titus 1:10-11).

b One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons”. This testimony is true. For which reason reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith (Titus 1:12-13).

c Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth (Titus 1:14).

b To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled (Titus 1:15).

a They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate (Titus 1:16).

Note that in ‘a’ they are men of evil tongue who must be stopped, while in the parallel they are men of evil behaviour who must be stopped. In ‘b’ Cretans are seen to be of low morals, while Christians are to live rightly according to their faith, and in the parallel the to the pure all things are pure, while the emphasis is on those who are defiled so that it has even defiled their minds and their consciences. In ‘c’ he must take no notice of Jewish fables, or what is demanded by people who have turned away from the truth.