Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
Summary: Paul’s letter to Titus has explained who is qualified to be responsible for teaching “sound doctrine” and who is not. Now Paul turns to what and how to teach.
Continue reading “Titus 2:1 — Milk or Meat?”
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Summary: Paul has been describing people who should not be leaders in a church. Today’s passage summarizes why this is important to protect the church fellowship.
Continue reading “Titus 1:16 — Satan’s Arrow”
To the pure, all things are pure …
Summary: Paul needs a way to illustrate how impure the rebellious people are. To do so he gives us a glimpse of what it means to be pure.
Continue reading “Titus 1:15 (a) — Clean and Unclean”
… or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.
Summary: Paul has been explaining why churches need an overseer. Today’s passage points us toward another threat that the overseer is to protect against.
Continue reading “Titus 1:14 (b) — Tofu Turkey”
… and will pay no attention to Jewish myths …
Summary: Paul draws our attention to Jewish myths so that we can avoid them. He does not go into detail, but it is clear that he wants us to focus on Jesus.
Continue reading “Titus 1:14 (a) — Myth Understanding”
Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith …
Summary: Some people are more sensitive than others. Some are less sensitive. What we are used to creates an expectation that we often apply to other people. Sometimes this has disastrous results.
Continue reading “Titus 1:13 (b) — My Normal is Your Pain”
One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This saying is true.
Summary: Looking closely at this passage we find ourselves challenged to look at the meaning of the Greek word, “krino.” Krino means “judge,” and there are many ways of using that word. We need to apply it correctly in this case.
Continue reading “Titus 1:12-13 (a) — Anomaly”
They must be silenced …
Summary: The NIV translates “epistomizō” as “must be silenced.” In English, that phrase is open to broad interpretation. Looking to Jesus helps us understand Paul’s intent.
Continue reading “Titus 1:11 (a) — Shush!”
… especially those of the circumcision group.
Summary: The case of the circumcision group offers us an example of disagreements in the early church. Some were resolved by discussion. Others festered and turned into open conflict.
Continue reading “Titus 1:10 (c) — That All May Be One”
For there are many rebellious people …
Summary: Understanding what Paul means by “rebellious people is difficult. It is probable that his only concern is protecting the purity of the Gospel.
Continue reading “Titus 1:10 (a) — Rebellion Defined”