The Pulpit Commentary — Titus — Section 10

Ver. 9.-The bishop's qualification as to doctrine. The apostle reserves to the last place the most impt1r1ant of all the qualifications need1·d by elders. L THE DUTY OF ADHERINO TO THE TRUTH. "H11ldi11g fast the faithful Word which is according to the teaching." 1. The doctrine of the gospel is•• thefaithfm word:" (1) Because it cOI;tains nothir;g but the truth. (2) Because it never deceived any that trusted in it. (3) Because it truly displays the. faithfulness of God. 2. It is no mere subjective opinion of the pre,acher, but is based upon or in agreement with the teaching of the apostles. "Which is according to the teaching." The truth is not to be dis- covered by the preacher, but delivered to him. 3. It is to be steadfastly maintained. The preacher is not to ,d!ow it to be wrested from bis grasp by false teachers. The apostle was always emphatic as to tbe importance of this duty. 11 Hold fast the form of sound doctrine, which thou b~ardest from me" (2 Tim. i. 13); 11 Continue thou in the things thou hast learned" (2 Tim. iii. 14). It was a powerful lever in his hands for moving the hearts of men. IL THE DESIGN OF TBIS QUALIFICATION. "That he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine 11nd to convince the gainsayers." 1. The preacher must be qual,ified for exhortation in the sphere of a so·u11d, he,althy, practical leaching. This implies that men had some knowledge of the truth, but they need to be persuaded to follow it rather than a morbid and unpractical teaching that can in no way minister to edifica- tion. 2. Be must be qualified to refute the arguments of false teachers. And nothing is so powerfully conducive to this end as sound doctrine firmly held and wisely applied.-T. C. Vers. 10-13.-The character of the adversaria at Crete. They were within the com- munion of the Christian Church. It was, therefore, all the more· necessary that the ministers should be holy, laborious, and uncorrupt. (. THE MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE ADVERSARIES. "For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision." 1. They were refractory. Though standing in Church relation- ships, they refused all obedience, and pursued purely factious and divisive courses, that led to the subversion of discipline and the distraction of families. Such persons mar the prosperity of many a Church. 2. They were vain talkers. Corruption quickly makes its way from the heart to the lips, and flfJWS forth :n glib and empty babbling. (1) There is JJC allusion b,·re to heresy, for the vain talking is merely opposed to useful and solid doctrine. The teachers were fluent and superficial, speaking, perhaps, great swelliug words of vanity, which were of no profit to the hearers. (2) 'l'he tongue was made for speaking, but it is the Lord's will that it should always be used for his glory. It ought to be the utterer of the "wisdom that is from above," which is II first pure, then peaceable." (3) Vain talkers are the pest of Churches and families, sowing the k~dR of distrust aud turning men's minds against the gospel. 3. They were deceivers. They d,-ceived others by their good words aud fair speeches, their vain specnlationK and thtiir deKterous arguments, and thus became very dangerous persons. 4. They were tl' • tM eirct111MA1Jum" partg in tlte Chvrch. (1) 'J'hey were u1emben of the Church, OH, I, 1-18,J THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. u and therefore In a. position to do much mischief. (2) They were Juilaizing Christians, who blended the La.w a.nd the gospel, teaching that circumcision was n"cessa.ry to salva.- Uon. (3) They were the perRistent enemies of the Apostle Paul through his whole life, a.nd thwarted him in his labours in every part of Asia a.nd Europe. II. THE EFFECT OF THEIR SEDUCTION. "Subverting whole houses." They pursued a. process of sapping and mining, subverting the faith (2 Tim. ii. 18), and bringing whole families to disorder and ruin. It was not a case of mischief done to a few isolated individual&. Thus they undermined the peace and stability of the Church itself. Ill. TnE MOTIVE OF TREIB TEACHING. "Teaching thi ogs which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." The real root of the evil i~ laid bare by the apostle. It was a sordid love of gain. Therefore the teaching was such as would accommodate itself to the prejudices of men. These men had no regard for God's honour, for the interest of Christ, or for the welfare of souls ; they only sought to increase their worldly substance by gaining popular applause. 1. Money in itself is no evil, for it has no moral character. It is only a blessing or a curse according to the use that is made of it. 2. " TM love oj money is the root of all evil." It leads men to dishonour God, to ignore the claims of truth, to sacrifice the peace of the Church. The Pharisees in our Lord's time devoured widows' houses. How many people still sacrifice religion so far a.s they imagine it t" conflict with their worldly advancement I 3. The motive of these Cretan adversaries was baser than if it had been mere fanaticism or the love of pro,elytism. (Matt. xxiii. 15.) IV. 'l'HE .JUSTH'ICATION OF THE APOSTLE'S STRONG LANGUAGE CONCER?TING THEM. "One of themselves, a prophet of thdr own, said, Cretans a.re always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons." 'J his testimony is true. These words refer not to" those of the circum- cision," but to the inhabitants of Crete, who had generally welcomed the injurious teaching referred to. 1. The apostle', quotation of a heathen poet, Epimenides, shows that it is not improper for (Jhristians to study the literature of heathen nati()'fl,S. Classical studies were once, on moral grounds, discouraged by the Church. Calvin says that nothing learned ought to be rejected, even though it should i,roceed from " the god- less." 2. The quotation is the unbiassed J°udgment of a Cretan poet, held iu b.igb honour for so-called prophetical gifts. It represents the character of the Cretans in the darkest light, as if to justify a heathen proverb, "The three worst C's in the world are Cappadocia, Crete, and Cilicia." (1) "Cretans are always liars." This estimate is fully borne out by profane writers, as well as by the proverb that makes "Cretizing" synonymous with "deception." (2) They were "evil beasts." In allusion to their fierceness, their wildness, their cruelty. (3) They were " idle gluttons." They were sensual and slothful, corpulent and idle, and therefore fit disciples of teachers whose "god was their belly," and were content to eat the bread of others without working. 3. The apostle endorses this heathen testimony, ~bowing that the Cretans had not changed their national character in six hundred years. V. 'feE TRUE METHOD OF DEALING WITH THE CRETAN ADVERSARIES. "Whose mouths must be stopped." 1. This does not warrant civil persecution. 2. It war,auts the use ,f cogent arguments to silence gainsayers, such as those by which our Lord silenced the S,tdducces and the Pharisees, as well as the use of faithful and ,stringent discipliue to repress ecclesiastical and moral disorders. The adversaries were to b~ opposed by reason, faithfulness, and love, above all, by the faithful prea.chiug of thi gospel in its positive as well as its negative aspects.-T. C. Vere. 13, 14.-The necessity of godly rebuke. At this point the apostle drops the reference to bishops, and lays upon Titus himself the duty of applying the proper remedy. I. THE UTILITY OF REBUKE. "Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be 8 ound in the faith." The nature of the people demanded sharp treatment. "Sharpness and severity are but the other side of love itself, when the wounds can only be healec. by cutting." Ministers are sent to givt> rebuke (Jer. xliv. 4; Micah iii. 8). 1. They may give it privately. 2. Or publicly (1 Tim. v. 20). 3. Fearlossly (Ezek. ii. 3-7). i. With all authority (eh. ii. 15). 5. With long-suffering (2 Tim. iv. 2). ti. II ,harply, yet with Christian love (2 'l'hess. m. 15). 7. The good receive relrnke 12 THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. [OR, L 1-16