Titus 1

CHAPTER I

The Greeting

Titus 1:1

1 Paul, slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ in accord with (the) faith of God’s elect and (their) realization of (the) truth that (is) in accord with godliness, on the basis of (the) hope of life eternal which (life) the God who does not lie promised before agelong times, but he now made public in their own periods his Word in (the) herald proclamation with which I on my part was entrusted in accord with (the) order of our Savior God: to Titus, genuine child in accord with (the) common faith: grace and peace from God, (the) Father, and Christ Jesus, our Savior!

Titus has a position on the island of Crete which was similar to that which Timothy had in the great Roman province of Asia. Both men are representatives of the apostle; both are to attend to the work that Paul would do if he were in their place; they are his apostolic agents. The field of Titus is smaller than that of Timothy. Timothy is to remain in his field indefinitely; before the winter sets in, Titus is to be relieved by Artemas or Tychicus (3:12). The field of Titus is new, the churches are not so fully developed as are those that are under Timothy’s supervision.

Paul gives similar instructions to both men, but those given to Titus are briefer and reflect the simpler conditions obtaining in his field. In the field of Titus, for instance, there are no deacons and no women deacons and no elders who have already served for some years. Yet they confront dangers of the same order although those obtaining in Crete are not so fully developed. First Timothy and this letter to Titus were written, it would seem, on the same day.

Save for the greeting found in the great letter to the Romans, the greeting of this little letter to Titus is longer than those used in Paul’s other epistles. The writer expands especially the first member, “Paul.” This is, however, not due to the new relation to Paul into which the office of Titus placed him. Titus had before this time acted for Paul on most important commissions; remember the two on which he was sent to Corinth. This letter with its long preamble regarding Paul himself is to constitute the written commission and authorization for Titus. He who here describes himself at such length lends his powers to his genuine child to act for him in the matters contained in this letter. Some people might challenge Titus, might at least question this or that which was done or taught by Titus. Well, here is Paul’s own letter, which settles such things with finality.

For Titus himself, who was for so long a time associated with Paul, such a long preamble is not needed. It was not needed for Timothy in First Timothy although this letter served the same object in the case of Timothy, for Paul and his whole office were well known in Ephesus and in the many churches in the province. Crete was a new field, and although Paul had just been there and had left Titus there (v. 3), although the people knew him, their knowledge was imperfect, and thus Paul tells them at length who he is. Everything depends on who that man really is for whom Titus is acting in Crete. Here is Paul’s own written statement regarding who he is. Whoever refuses to heed Titus thereby refuses to heed the apostle himself.

We see that this preamble applies to the contents of this entire letter. The instructions it contains are certainly not new to Titus. He had known these things for many a year. When Paul parted from him, we feel sure that the two talked over just what Titus was to do as Paul’s representative. As far as Titus was concerned, this was enough. Yet, when dealing with the Cretans, it was a great advantage to have the main things in written form. Paul sends them in this letter just as he does to Timothy in First Timothy. Study the letter in this light; its purpose and its contents will thus be clearer.

In our translation we indicate the fact that the articles are absent in the Greek. The English needs the articles. These verses offer a good instance of this difference in these languages. In the Greek any genitive already makes the noun it modifies definite, an appended relative clause does so likewise; in English such modified nouns generally also have the definite article. The Greek at times also uses the article with proper nouns and again it does not; we have examples of both: τοῦ (article) σωτῆροςἡμωνΘεοῦ and ἀπὸΘεοῦΠατρός (no article).

“Slave of God” could, in the English, be “the slave of God,” compare Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1. The point is not that a “slave” works for his owner but that a slave’s will is entirely the will of his owner. All Christians are such slaves of God; they have no will of their own but make God’s will theirs in everything. With this designation which he puts at the very beginning Paul associates himself with all the Cretan Christians, their fellow slave here instructs Titus, and all this instruction applies to Paul as well as to Titus and to them.

“Apostle of Jesus Christ” is added with δέ. This δέ often merely adds; its difference from καί is only this, that it adds something that is different. We have no connective that corresponds to this δέ and must use the non-differentiating “and”; “but” is too adversative. As Jesus Christ’s apostle Paul belongs to a distinct class of men, he and the Twelve were especially commissioned by Jesus Christ to found the church and were especially equipped for this great work.

In 1 Thess. 2:6 “apostles” is used with reference to Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy; but this extension of the term indicates only that these two were helping Paul to do the apostolic work. In all the epistolary greetings in which Paul calls himself “apostle” he has no such extension of this title in mind. Since he was commissioned by Jesus Christ, this slave of God has one and only one function to perform, namely to execute that commission as Jesus Christ requires. By writing this letter to Titus, Paul, the commissioned one, is doing that very thing. As far as his authority is concerned, all of it lies in this commission, and thus all of it goes back to Christ. Matt. 10:40; Luke 10:16.

This connection of Paul with God and Jesus Christ suffices so that here Paul’s appointment by “the will of God” is not added. The thing that Paul wants to emphasize in view of what he here writes for the benefit of the recently formed churches in Crete is his connection with the entire gospel and its eternal blessings and with all true Christians who are joined with him in all that this gospel bestows on them. When, in dealing with the Cretans as Paul’s representative, Titus shows them this their connection with Paul, they will all be glad to heed Titus and back of Titus, Paul, and back of both, God and Jesus Christ, for they, too, want to be God’s elect in this eternal gospel with all its eternal blessings. These recent converts need to have this connection pointed out to them. Paul knows what he is doing when he writes this full statement about himself. He has no thought of self-glorification or of extending his authority but only the thought of conveying all blessing possible. As already said, this applies to the contents of the entire letter.

Here we have a good example of Paul’s mastery in compactness of expression; immense concepts are concisely and perfectly combined so that many pages would be required to expound all that is here said. The flexibility of the Greek enables Paul to weld such great thoughts together. “Slave” and yet “apostle”; Paul is both “in accord with (the) faith of God’s elect and (their) realization of (the) truth that (is) in accord with godliness.” There is no reason to say that this κατά phrase expresses either a purpose or a norm. No less than four κατά appear in close succession; all are evidently to be understood in the same sense. Paul’s being the slave and apostle he is cannot be “for the purpose of” bringing God’s elect to faith as if faith were something that is intended only for the elect (Calvinism). Paul’s being the slave and apostle is not “normated by” the faith the elect have and by their knowledge as if God and Christ looked at that faith and so designed Paul’s Christianity and apostleship. Is Paul himself not one of the elect?

Paul’s slavery and apostleship are “in accord with” the elects’ “faith and realization of truth.” These four harmonize, they do so in all respects as regards all the elect of God, Paul included, even as true faith and knowledge exist in them. The accord and harmony are found between what Paul is and what God’s elect have, namely their saving faith and knowledge. Every word that Paul will write in this letter he will write as God’s slave and Jesus Christ’s apostle, and every word will thus accord and harmonize with the saving faith and knowledge of God’s elect. In this very first phrase Paul and all God’s elect are joined heart and soul; in this harmonious circle, whose center is God and Jesus Christ, the Cretans are included.

God has his elect whom he himself chose in eternity (1 Pet. 1:2); with their faith and their realization of the truth Paul’s whole condition and position are agreed; God and Christ made them so. There is no need to restrict the elect to those living at that time, for Paul ever sees the entire Una Sancta. The whole doctrine of election lies in the word ἐκλεκτοί, all that is said elsewhere in Scripture about them and their election. They are the true πιστοί and ἅγιοι, Eph. 1:1, 4. Paul combines their “faith and realization of truth,” ἐπίγνωσις, full inner apprehension of divine reality, and with the article states that he refers to the truth which is “in accord with godliness.” So he welds into one: faith—heart-knowledge—gospel truth—godliness; and instead of leaving them abstract he makes them most concrete by planting them in God’s elect. All who belong to this number, who prize this truth, who have faith, knowledge, and godliness, will heed what this slave of God and apostle of Jesus Christ writes to Titus.

Titus 1:2

2 The ἐπί phrase is parallel to the first κατά phrase: Paul is God’s slave and Christ’s apostle “on the basis of (the) hope of life eternal which (life) the God who does not lie promised before agelong times,” etc. One who in his own person and in his whole office rests on this basis here sends instruction to Titus regarding the Cretans. He stands on the hope of life eternal. All this faith, knowledge, and godliness reach their climax in this hope of finally receiving the life of blessedness that never ends. This life the God who does not lie (adjective ἀψευδής), who never breaks his word and promise, promised, and not just recently, but ages ago, to all the ancient patriarchs as far back as Adam. Although the Cretans have only recently come to know and to believe these promises, they have stood solid during all the past ages. The Greek has no word for “eternal” and so uses αἰώνιος, which in other connections as here in the πρό phrase signifies only “agelong.” Rich as the language is, its poor pagan conceptions hampered it in many of its concepts.

Titus 1:3

3 So old are these promises of the never-lying God. Why the Cretans did not know about them until recently, and how these promises have now been brought to them, are added with a compact statement. Yet Paul does not continue the relative clause but begins an independent sentence: “but he now made public in their own seasons (or periods) his Word”—how? “in (the) herald proclamation with which I on my part was entrusted in accord with (the) order of our Savior God.” These καιροί are in contrast with the long χρόνος; the periods since the Word (with its promises of life eternal and its truth of godliness) was published had been brief, for the publication began at Pentecost and even then did not fully get out into the Gentile world until some years later. The dative of time “in their own seasons” refers to the seasons determined by God for this great publication. Paul does not merely say “his (God’s) Word,” namely all that God has to say to men, but at once connects this with his own office: “with which (Word) I on my part was entrusted in accord with (the) order of our Savior God.”

Every term fits exactly. The great proclamation was given in the form of “a herald’s message” which was given to him to be shouted out in public so that all men might hear. With this message Paul was entrusted by God (the accusative after a passive). The very verb conveys the idea that Paul ought to be faithful to that great and honorable trust. The verb and the subject are transposed in order to emphasize both; ἐγώ itself is emphatic: “I on my part.” A special order of God (see 1 Tim. 1:1) to Paul conveyed this trust. The genitive sheds a flood of light upon the whole clause: in accord with (the) order “of our Savior God”; “Savior” as in 1 Tim. 1:1, the double genitive as in 1 Tim. 2:3; compare 4:10.

Three times in First Timothy and four times in Titus, Paul uses “Savior,” which shows that the letters were written at the same time. “Our” Savior is highly confessional. Paul and Titus have salvation; and when the Cretans hear the Word they will in the same way confess: “Our Savior!” But the main point is that this truth, promise, Word, plus the order to Paul, the apostle who was to be the great herald, emanate from “our Savior God.” The one thing that was brought was salvation, eternal life (v. 2); faith, knowledge, godliness, hope accepted this salvation. “Our Savior God” (read as a unit) crowns Paul’s whole introduction of himself. As an instrument of this Savior he sends these instructions for the Cretans, as such Titus will submit them, and the Cretans will receive them.

We have only skimmed the content of these verses; let the reader dwell on each concept and on the way in which they are combined. The mine is deep and rich. We remark that no forger could possibly have introduced Paul in this letter in this way.

Titus 1:4

4 The second member of the greeting is brief: “to Titus, genuine child (duplicate of 1 Tim. 1:2) in accord with (the) common faith” (1 Tim. 1:2: “in faith”). “Child” expresses dearness, and “genuine” an acknowledgment that Titus (like Timothy) runs true to his spiritual parentage and will so transmit these instructions. Once more we have κατά: “in accord with (the) common faith,” the significant adjective bringing Paul and Titus into fullest concord just as κατά itself does. “Common” reaches farther, for this is the faith which places all of God’s elect into fullest concord, harmony, communion (v. 1). In this concord and common faith Titus is to apply these instructions, all of which have only one purpose, namely to aid the concord of the common faith.

The third member of the greeting is like others found in Paul’s letters save that to “Christ Jesus” is added “our Savior” just as in v. 3 it modifies God. Both are equally “our Savior”; the salvation they bestow is the same. All three persons unite in our saving. The repetition emphasizes the great purpose of this letter in its service to the Cretans. This slave of God is slave of “our Savior God,” this apostle of Jesus Christ is an apostle of “Christ Jesus, our Savior”; all he writes as their slave and apostle is for the furtherance of their work as Saviors.

Concerning Elders and Errorists

The Type of Elders to Be Ordained

Titus 1:5

5 To treat the greeting (v. 1–4) superficially is to lose much as regards the body of the letter. This verse reads like the introductory verse found in 1 Tim. 1:3. Both men have similar tasks. In First Timothy, Paul begins with the disturbers and speaks about the elders in 3:1, etc.; in Titus, Paul begins with elders (v. 5–9) and then takes up the disturbers (v. 10–16).

For this reason I left thee in Crete that thou further put in order the things (still) lacking and place into office elders city by city as I on my part directed thee: if one is unaccused, one wife’s husband, having believing children, not in accusation of dissoluteness or refractory.

On the work done in Crete and how Paul stopped at the island when he left Rome for Ephesus after his first imprisonment, see the introduction to these letters. There is no reason for adopting another reading than the aorist: “I left thee,” ἀπό in the verb: “I left thee back” (behind). Paul writes τούτουχάριν in Eph. 3:1, 14: “in favor of this,” i.e., for this reason, and ἵνα adds what it is, namely further to put in good order the things still lacking in these recently formed congregations. Ἐπδιορθώσῃ is the first aorist middle subjunctive; if ς is appended, we have the first aorist active subjunctive. In such congregations quite a number of things would need attention. Καί adds the most important one, the placement of elders in each congregation. Paul writes “city by city” (distributive κατά). Work must have been done in a number of cities.

It may well be possible that, when Paul was in Crete, he himself helped Titus with this work; but much was yet to be done by Titus. Here again we meet the viewpoint that, because Paul tells Titus to go on with the completion of this work, Titus had been slack. Another idea is that Paul is answering a letter he had received from Titus, but when Paul answers a letter he says so at least by the way in which he answers. Congregations needed an adequate number of elders and more of them as the membership increased. All congregations were to be properly manned. The verb does not mean “to ordain” (our versions) although they were actually ordained by the laying on of hands; Paul speaks of placing them in office, having them elected by the congregations and then ordaining them; the former is the main thing.

This is not a new direction for Titus but the one given him when Paul left him. It is here put in writing as an authorization which Titus may show when it becomes necessary, which also explains ἐγώ, “I on my part.”

Titus 1:6

6 The “if” clause is a part of the directions and thus needs no apodosis. A man that is to be put into this office must be “unaccused,” unbeschuldigt, not one about whose past or present accusations are being circulated among the people. A man’s record must be clean (1 Tim. 3:10). Next, “one wife’s husband” as discussed in 1 Tim. 3:2, 12: whose married life has been clean. He will usually have children, and since older men were chosen as elders, Paul wants only men who have believing children, τέκναπιστά, not men whose sons and whose daughters are still pagans. A handicap such as that would be too great for an elder.

These children will be grown up, and even if they are professing Christians, Paul wants only the father of children “not in accusation of dissoluteness,” Liederlichkeit (see Eph. 5:18). If the sons and the daughters must have their gay times, their father remains ineligible. This is also true if they are known to be “refractory,” literally, “not made subject,” refuse to bow to parental authority. 1 Tim. 3:5 shows how this circumstance most certainly disqualifies the father.

Titus 1:7

7 Note the “if” and the “must” in 1 Tim. 3:1, 2; we now have the latter: For it is necessary that the overseer be unaccused as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not quick-tempered, not (sitting long) beside wine, not a striker, not out for shameful gain; on the contrary, devoted to hospitality, devoted to what is beneficial, sober-minded, just, true to moral obligation, self-controlled, clinging to the faithful Word in accord with the doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in the teaching that is healthful and convict those speaking against it.

Δεῖ indicates any necessity, here the one suggested by “as God’s steward,” οἰκονόμος. This steward was often a slave (v. 1) who was capable and able and was by his wealthy master placed over one of his estates to manage it and perhaps had many other slaves under him; see the oikonomos mentioned in Luke 16:1. God’s “steward,” “the overseer” in one of God’s congregations, must of necessity have the qualifications here listed. Here we have one of the plain passages in which “elder” (πρεσβύτερος) and “overseer” (ἐπίσκοπος) are used side by side as designations for the same office. “Must be as God’s steward” is to be construed with all the predicates.

The first five are negative, the next seven positive. The first and the last are comprehensive. “Unaccused,” which is repeated from v. 6, means: so that before any forum nothing can be said against the man, first, on the score of his family life, his wife and his children; second, on any of the points now added in v. 7–9. No one is to be able to charge him with being αὐθάδης, literally, “self-pleasing,” in disregard of others set on having his own way in everything and in this sense “self-willed” (our versions) or “arrogant.” Nor is anyone to be able to charge that he is “quick-tempered,” easily flaring up in anger; or that he loves to sit long beside the wine (see 1 Tim. 3:3), a winebibber; or that he is “a striker,” quick with his fists in a dispute; or “out for shameful gain” (see 1 Tim. 3:3, 8). These the candidate for overseership is not to be, his record on these points must be clean.

Titus 1:8

8 The positive points are even more numerous. First, “devoted to or a lover of hospitality” as explained in 1 Tim. 3:2, gladly opening house and home to travelling or to persecuted Christians. This indicates that a man who could do this did not need congregational pay for his office. The companion virtue is: “devoted to or a lover of what is beneficial,” ἀγαθόν, good and helpful to others. This expands the idea contained in generous hospitality. One great motive in the minister’s heart must be this love of doing good to others. Yet both of these “lover” virtues are to be sanely exercised, hence we have the addition “sober-minded” (1 Tim. 3:2), not extravagant and lacking balance in his opinions and judgments like some who want to be too hospitable, too good to others in a morbid way and thus spoil what good they would do and do no little harm.

A second three are added. The first two are again a pair and are balanced by the third. Δίκαιος and ὅσιος are often found together in classical Greek (Trench) but not in the meaning “just and holy”—on the latter see the notes under 1 Tim. 2:8: “unpolluted” in the sense of “true to one’s moral and religious obligations.” The word used is not ἅγιος or the equivalent of what we call “holy.” Nor does “just” or “righteous” refer to men, to the observance of the second table of the law, and the other word to God, to the observance of the first table (Trench). The first means conduct that meets the approval of the divine Judge (forensic); the second, conduct that observes the true and established ordinances of the Lord. In this way the two are a pair, the one looking to the Lord’s verdict, the other to the Lord’s requirements as set down in his law.

Thus the third: “self-controlled,” literally, “in control of strength,” goes with the two: always having strength enough to check anything that would be unjust or would contravene the ordinances (Trench illustrates by the case of Joseph, see 1 Tim. 2:8).

Titus 1:9

9 “Unaccused” in regard to any of the five negatives and also in regard to anything connected with the six positives, the candidate for office must have the final qualification: “holding or clinging to the faithful Word in accord with the doctrine,” etc. This is a fuller statement of what “able to teach” means in 1 Tim. 3:2. Note how the Greek makes both the phrase and the adjective attributive by placing them between τοῦ … λόγου and having the phrase modify the adjective, literally: “the in accord with the doctrine faithful or trust-worthy Word,” i.e., the Word whose doctrine makes it so reliable and worthy of confidence and faith. But for that doctrine it would not be πιστός. Verbs of holding to anything take the genitive. The expression is compact and unites in one concept: the Word—its doctrine—its trustworthiness; the Word—its great contents—its supreme quality. Every elder is to be a man who holds solidly to this Word, who knows it, makes it his whole stay.

An elder must cling to the Word, not only for his own person, but also—and that is the point to be noted here—“in order that he may be able to exhort in the teaching that is healthful and (in order that he may be able) to convict those speaking to the contrary.” Note the difference between “the doctrine” (διδαχή) and “the teaching” (διδασκαλία). The latter presents the former, and all admonishing or exhortation to faith and Christian living (παρακαλεῖν) is in most vital connection with “the teaching,” the substance of which is “the doctrine”; all other exhortation is with out inner basis although so many pulpits today offer nothing better. Nine times in these letters Paul uses “healthful,” participle and adjective; here four times in succession (1:13; 2:1, 2, 8). Who wants diseased teaching? Diseased animals are not offered to the public for consumption, they are taken out and buried, but some pulpits today offer such diseased matter. Follow out the further implications yourself.

If there be any who speak to the contrary, the elder must be able to convict such people, namely in connection with the healthy teaching, i.e., convict by showing convincingly that they are wrong. This need not secure their admission that they are wrong; some would not be convinced by the Lord himself; but it does mean a conviction that is plain to true believers, one that in not a few instances will also make a convert of the gainsayer.

Titus is to instruct the churches city by city, to choose only such properly qualified men. When such elders lead the congregations, the latter will prosper.

The Dangerous Errorists

Titus 1:10

10 When Paul continues with γάρ he does not intend to base the required qualifications of elders on the present situation obtaining in Crete so that, if these errorists were not present, less might be required of elders. No, these requirements are necessary for the church as such and for all time. The situation obtaining in Crete reveals only how especially necessary proper qualifications for elders are at this time. We thus do not restrict the ἀντιλέγοντες mentioned in v. 9 to the errorists now named nor identify their conviction with stopping the mouths of these errorists. These errorists are a special class. Something more is to be done with them than with Christians or with outsiders who may need conviction.

For there are many refractory idle talkers and mind-deceivers, especially the circumcised, whom it is necessary to gag (because they are) such as turn upside down whole houses by teaching what they must not for shameful profit’s sake.

“There are many” introduces this miserable lot; unfortunately, they are numerous in Crete as Paul found when he was there. “Refractory vain talkers and mind-deceivers” describes them first as talkers whose talk does not lead to the goal and next as men who do nothing but mislead and deceive the mind. In both of these actions they are “refractory” (compare v. 6), refuse any control whatever. “Especially the circumcised” (“they from circumcision”), of Jewish extraction. Ancient writers tell us that Jews were numerous in Crete. These were, however, neither genuine Jews nor Judaizers like the ones mentioned in Acts 15:1, 5, nor those found in Galatia and in Corinth. We shall see that they were of the same type as those with whom Timothy had at this very time to deal in his field so that we may say that a connection existed between them.

Titus 1:11

11 Titus should do but one thing with these people, namely gag them, stop their mouths and silence them by main force. Paul does not say how this was to be accomplished; in 1 Tim. 1:4 he wants Timothy to order them to stop their contrary teaching. This means that in any congregation the elders were peremptorily to silence them when they tried to talk at the services. That is why Paul writes this to Titus. Some elders and some church members might think this too severe a procedure, might want these men to have at least a chance to be heard. Paul here backs the authority of Titus for gagging them completely.

If it becomes necessary, Titus may show these directions that were written by Paul himself. That, too, is why Paul fortifies his orders as he does: refractory talk that leads to no proper goal (μάταιος), that only deceives the mind, simply has to be silenced as every sensible person will agree.

Οἵτινες has qualitative and thus also at times causal force. Here it has the latter: Think of it, these fellows want to speak at the congregational services when they are “such as turn whole houses topsy-turvy by teaching what they (simply) must not,” and do this “for shameful profit’s sake.” Just because they are “such,” every attempt of theirs to get into the public services with their talk must be stopped without hesitation. First they “creep into the houses” (2 Tim. 3:6), and when they have secured some victims they count upon their support when they speak in the congregational services.

When Paul requires that the elders in the churches were not to be lovers of money (1 Tim. 3:3), “not out for shameful gain” (Tit. 1:7), this, of course, had its general bearing, namely that mercenariness disqualifies for an unselfish office; but it also had a very specific bearing for the churches that were under Timothy’s (1 Tim. 6:5) and Titus’ supervision inasmuch as the errorists who were disturbing their congregations operated “for shameful profit’s sake.” The fact is that, apart from some fanatics and zealots, the majority of deceivers would soon stop if their evil work produced no financial profit. Modern history has some notorious examples where great sums were secured by the leaders and shared in by their lieutenants. The Cretans had a bad reputation for heeding itinerating prophets who worked for profit. This is testified to by Polybius, Livy, and Plutarch (R., W. P.).

Titus 1:12

12 Paul refers to this: There said one of them, a prophet of their own: Cretans always liars, base beasts, lazy bellies. Paul adds: This testimony is true.

This hexameter, which is scanned by R. 422, is quoted from the poet Epimenides who was a Cretan born at Cnossos. Plato dates him at 500 B. C. Aristotle at 630. Callimachus (somewhere between 310 and 240 B.C.) quoted the first words: “Cretans always liars,” in a hymn to Zeus so that some commentators refer to him as the source of this quotation, and since Callimachus proclaimed the immortality of Zeus while the Cretans claimed to be able to point to the grave of Zeus, they thought that Paul agreed with this poet over against the Cretan liars. Paul, however, quotes Epimenides, “one of them” (partitive ἐκ), who thus certainly ought to know his own people. “One of their own prophets” means only one of their notable spokesmen.

Their representation as liars dates far back; their claim to have the grave of Zeus may be in part responsible. The fact that they were still liars, even in Paul’s time actually makes the old Cretan poet’s line as sound as a prophecy. These Cretan deceivers were the latest exemplification of base lying.

More than that: “base beasts,” κακὰθηρία, “low-grade wild beasts,” who are always prowling around for prey (in 1 Tim. 3:6 we have the same trait but another figure); “slow bellies” (A. V.), literally “bellies lazy,” inactive, that want to be filled without exertion in earning an honest living by honest work. The present deceivers met the old poet’s specifications quite completely. As for their being “of circumcision,” it should be noted that the Cretan population was mixed, that there had been Jews in Crete for ages, and that thus these Jewish deceivers were as much Cretans as all the rest. Ovid (twice), Cicero, and Apuleius refer to the Cretan lying; in fact, as Κορινθιανίζομαι meant to whore like the Corinthians, so Κρητίζω meant to lie like Cretans.

Titus 1:13

13 When Paul calls this testimony true he means that it is still true; but the evidence for this fact are these “mind-deceivers” against whom Titus and all the elders are to warn the churches. Paul would not say that he refers to all the Cretans in Crete and also to all the church members. Why should he? Besides, it would not be true. When a country has a bad reputation, that does not mean that all its people are guilty, but that only a certain percentage is. In a country that is notorious for liars Christians must be the more on guard.

That is the point Paul would make for Titus and for the Cretan Christians. This business of lying and all other wickedness the gospel had come to stamp out, and since these lying deceivers were busy in the young churches right now, there was no use to mince words. This apt quotation from a Cretan himself was certainly convincing.

Paul continues with a relative: for which cause keep convicting them sharply so that they may be healthy in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish myths and commandments of men turning away from the truth.

Because the poet’s word about Cretans is true as is evidenced by these many deceivers that were troubling the churches, therefore Titus is to keep convicting “them,” i.e., the people under his charge, any who may need it, and he is to do that ἀποτόμως, as one cuts a thing off with one blow of the ax, namely “sharply.” The elders are to be able to do the same thing (v. 9), note the same verb. Titus is doing this, the present imperative tells him to keep on. This convicting does not refer to the deceivers; they are to be gagged, silenced in all the churches. But if these deceivers get into a house, Titus is to see to it that the church members in that house are sharply taken to task, are decisively warned of their danger.

Ἵνα may express purpose, “in order that,” or contemplated result, “so that they may be healthy (present subjunctive: continue to be) in the faith,” fides quae creditur, the doctrine which constitutes the Christian faith. Some think of fides quae creditur, personal, subjective faith; but v. 14 shows that “the faith” = “the truth” as the opposite of “Jewish myths and commandments of men who have turned away from this truth.” This does not disregard personal faith, for “to remain healthy” in the objective faith is to have healthy personal faith. Personal faith becomes unhealthy when it feeds on unhealthy teaching (compare the remarks on “the healthy teaching” in v. 9).

Titus 1:14

14 Paul says that the Cretan deceivers spread “myths,” the identical term he used in 1 Tim. 1:4; 4:7, where we described these myths. In 3:9 Paul adds “genealogies”; in 1 Tim. 1:4 myths and genealogies are mentioned together. The fact that they were “Jewish” we saw in First Timothy; here Paul calls them so. When he adds “commandments of men who have turned away from the truth” he refers to the same kind of men that he called the “teachers of law,” which he fully describes in 1 Tim. 1:6, etc., so that the whole exposition of 1 Tim. 1:4–11 should be inserted also here. The deceivers who were found in and around Ephesus and those that were active in Crete were of the same type; there was evidently a connection between them; in both places many of them were Jewish; they dealt with the genealogies of the books of Moses, inserted fictitious names into these genealogies, and spun fabulous stories around these names; at the same time they put fancies into the law of Moses so that it no longer struck the consciences of sinners (1 Tim. 1:8–11), as Paul’s own conscience was once crushed in contrition (1 Tim. 1:12–17). With such teaching they crept into houses and then tried to get into the public services.

From “the truth,” the true law and gospel, they ever “keep turning away” whenever it is offered to them; they see no financial profit in the truth but secure a good deal by their silly fables, etc. Like pestiferous wild beasts they prey on simple Christian souls, like wild boars they uproot whole houses and feed their lazy bellies.

Titus 1:15

15 All things (are) clean to the clean, but to those who have been stained with filth and (to the) unbelieving nothing (is) clean; yea, even their mind and their conscience has been stained with filth.

The fact that “all things” includes “every creature of God” mentioned in 1 Tim. 4:4, 5 (compare Col. 2:16–23) is plain; yet here πάντα includes still more, namely the Word of God itself. “All things” are clean “to the clean,” to those who have been made clean in mind, in heart, and in life. They thus use everything that is clean in a clean way, especially also the clean, healthy teaching (v. 9).

But to those who have been and as a result are still befouled, polluted, stained with filth (besudelt), and unbelieving not a thing is clean. One article combines the figurative perfect passive participle (from μιαίνω) and the literal adjective “unbelieving,” the adjective explains the participle. Even the healthy teaching, the truth, the faith are not clean to them but are treated as unclean, as so much filth in which they root like κακὰθηρία, wild hogs. The holy, lovely garden of the Word and of the church they invade as if these were full of the vile stuff they feed on. So men today still root around in the Bible, tear it up, find their lies and errors in it, befoul everything.

Ἀλλά is not adversative but climacteric (R. 1185–6), a climax to the preceding δέ: “yea, even their mind and their conscience has been stained with filth” (the repetition emphasizes this drastic verb). Their pollution is not merely on the outside, it has entered the very center of their being. The νοῦς is not merely the intellect but the whole mind as directing the will; as such it is here combined with the conscience, the inner moral judge of what is right and wrong, who ever holds us responsible. When these two have themselves become fouled, nothing touched by them, however clean and holy it may be, is any longer so to them, nor do they treat it so.

Here we have one of the psychological insights into the pathology of mind and of conscience which is verifiable in deceivers of all kinds, especially also in the field of religion. It will repay study to get Paul’s full meaning. In fact, his entire psychology, especially in these days of psychological decadence, deserves thorough study; Paul’s letters are full of the best material, and there is no better teacher than he save Jesus himself.

Titus 1:16

16 God they keep professing to know, but with their works they deny, being abominable (or detestable) and disobedient and for every good work tested out as spurious.

They indeed confess that they know God, know him far better than the true Christians; εἰδέναι is the proper verb and not γινώσκειν, see the difference in 2 Tim. 1:12. They profess that they are fully informed about God. They would, of course, also confess that they have fully “realized” God cum affectu et effectu. Paul challenges them already regarding their professed εἰδέναι, for to judge from their words, which are the loudest and most reliable confession any man makes, they flagrantly deny God. Their works are vain talk and deception of mind. The way in which they operate with these (v. 10, 11), their turning away from the truth, etc. (v. 14), are works indeed! Do not think only of the little things that occur in ordinary daily life.

The participial addition substantiates: “being abominable,” despicable in the sight of God and of God’s people. Why? The next two terms answer: “disobedient” (see “the sons of the disobedience” in Eph. 2:2; 5:6: Col. 3:6), namely to the Word of God, the truth, the healthy teaching. To confess to be informed regarding God and yet to disobey the very Word of God is to confess and to deny in the same breath, than which nothing can be more abominable. The effect, being abominable, is placed first; the cause, substantiating the effect, is placed second, their being disobedient. With this goes an intermediate effect: “for every good (beneficial) work ἀδόκιμοι, tested out as spurious.” Yet this last is like a final judgment. Like coins or metals that are tested as to genuineness these confessors of God are found spurious, utterly to be rejected.

Paul is dealing with the Cretan churches through Titus, his apostolic representative. These directions are Paul’s aid to Titus, which he is to show wherever it may become necessary, whenever Titus has to squelch the Cretan deceivers, and when some of the church members think him too severe.

R A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. 4th edition..