Session Devotional Titus 1:10-11

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I. The Problem: For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party (10).

Paul raises some issues that are going on in Crete. Paul understands that appointing Elders in every church is key to addressing these issues.

Elders must hold firm to the word of God and be able to teach sound doctrine. This will also serve as the basis for rebuking those who contradict it (9).

Paul describes the issues in Crete

Insubordinate: refers to those who refuse to submit (BAGD).

Empty Talkers: denotes the idea of a windbag, or idle speech (BAGD).

Deceivers: refers to those who seek to deceive or mislead (BAGD).

It would appear that Paul specifically has in mind the “circumcision party” when he mentions such issues.

This is a reference to those of Jewish descent who may have professed Christ but insisted on the necessity of circumcision. This is probably the same type of opposition that arose in Acts 15:5- But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

Why would Paul see circumcision as a threat to orthodoxy? What kind of things might cause such a threat today?

II. The Correction: They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach (11).

Paul understands the critical nature of addressing those who are disrupting the church.

They must be silenced denotes the idea of putting something on the mouth (BAGD).

Notice this is not being done to silence “free speech” in the church. There is actually a very practical and pastoral purpose for their silence.

They are upsetting families in the congregation. This is could be due to the implications of circumcision and the possibility of mixed marriages between Jew and Gentile.

Or it could be due to the particular theological distinctives that could exist within families.

Regardless of the conflict there is an issue with the shameful gain that the circumcision party is getting in connection to their teaching.

This could refer to either financial gain or them gaining a following. But the selfish ambition of the circumcision party is on display through their actions.