Hebrews 9

Hebrews 9:1

Assistance From the Lord and Salutations

2 Timothy 4:16. This second and also last imprisonment of Paul has been extremely harsh. During his first imprisonment he had a certain liberty to receive people and he could preach and teach unhindered (Acts 28:23; 30-31). Now he is alone, imprisoned in a place for which you had to make great efforts to find it (2 Timothy 1:17).

There was no one with him at his first interrogation, no one who defended him and spoke in his favor. He could defend himself, but still he was in need of some support. But everyone was afraid to be identified with him. That could be damaging, for then other people will know that you are also such a Christian. Paul feels deserted by them, as he did by Demas.

Still he does not blame anyone for anything. He is not filled with resentment and doesn’t ask Timothy what he had asked with regard to Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:15). He doesn’t see them as opponents, although he cannot recognize them as supporters either. They have made his imprisonment more difficult by deserting him. Nevertheless he follows the example of the Lord Jesus, Who prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also like Stephen who also followed the example of the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:60). Here you have examples of how to respond when people do not like you anymore because you testify of the Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:17. Even if you feel left alone, just like Paul here, you are not alone, just like Paul is not alone here. The Lord wants to assist you and strengthen you. That is what Paul is experiencing. Even though everyone has deserted him, the Lord stands with him (cf. Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11). The personal presence of the Lord is the special experience in situations when you lose everything around you because you want to remain faithful to Him. He has “strengthened me” literally means ‘He has poured out strength in me’ or ‘He has given me a power transfusion’ (Philippians 4:13). You feel your power being renewed when His presence is a living reality to you, when you expect everything from Him (Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord does that to make His work to be fully achieved by His servant. As far as Paul is concerned, it refers to his testimony in the courtroom and down to the palace of Caesar. He appealed to Caesar and he was going there. That he was going to make himself to be heard in the palace, regarding his testimony of the Lord Jesus, is a symbol for a testimony toward the whole Western world of which the palace of Caesar is the center.

Only when someone’s duty has come to an end the Lord will allow His servant to be killed by the enemy (cf. Luke 22:53; John 7:30; John 8:20). At Paul’s conversion the Lord announced his duty (Acts 9:15). That’s why He allowed that Paul was being imprisoned. Now he will bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before Gentiles and kings. Everything that the enemy meant evil becomes a testimony, so that the rulers of the earth, they who otherwise would be unreachable, may hear the Word of truth.

That’s why for that moment he “was rescued out of the lion’s mouth”. We are reminded of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Satan who is rampaging as a roaring lion against Paul to devour him (1 Peter 5:8), still does not get the opportunity for that. He is still being controlled by the Lord, through which Paul has been saved from a premature death.

2 Timothy 4:18. Paul is well aware of the tremendous threat of the lion and his anger to tear him up. But he looks beyond the lion to the Lord. He is assured that as the Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, He also will rescue him “from every evil work”.

Satan not only appears like a roaring lion. He can also transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). With ‘every evil work’ you may also think of everything that satan wants to whisper to Paul to bring him to a denial of what he has so far held so fearlessly. To achieve that satan may be giving those well intentioned advices through people who find themselves good Christians. Of course these people are sober and do not exacerbate matters like Paul does according to their ‘humble opinion’. Paul is more afraid for such whisperings than for death.

He knows that he is not resistant to that in his own power, but that the Lord will deliver him from it and will preserve him. “Rescue” here means to take out of the danger zone. The Lord takes him out of an area that is full of dangers and then brings him safely to an area where he is fully safe. That area is “His heavenly kingdom”.

His strong and simple faith counts on the Lord until the end. Even if he would fall asleep instead of being changed, he will always continue to look forward to the appearance of the Lord. Paul is looking forward to the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus. That is not the same as what the evangelist Matthew so often calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’. The kingdom of heaven concerns the government of the Lord Jesus over heaven and earth according to heavenly measures. That kingdom consists of a heavenly part and an earthly part. The ‘heavenly kingdom’ is the heavenly part.

Paul looks forward to come together with the Lord Jesus when He will appear to the world. Then he will be one of those saints in whom the Lord Jesus will be glorified and one of those believers in whom the Lord Jesus will be marveled at (2 Thessalonians 1:10). He will be like one of those righteous, who “will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43), another name for this ‘heavenly kingdom’. To shine forth as the sun means to shine forth as the Lord Jesus, for He is the Sun (Malachi 4:2). It is all about Him. Remembering Him a praise arises out of a cold and stinking prison cell in Rome to the honor of Him Who is worthy of “glory forever and ever”. With a profound ‘amen’ (= that’s true) Paul confirms his trust in the Lord and his praise.

2 Timothy 4:19. Paul wants Timothy to convey his greetings to Prisca and Aquila, his good friends whom he got acquainted with at Corinth (Acts 18:2). This faithful couple is now at Ephesus. Paul mentions them with feelings of particular gratitude, not only because they are faithful in the service of the Lord (Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19), but also because they had made great efforts for him, putting their own lives at risk (Romans 16:3-4). Timothy must also greet the household of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16).

2 Timothy 4:20. Then Paul mentions two names of brothers to inform Timothy about their circumstances. We may presume that Timothy was curious about them. Together with Erastus he has done a service there in Macedonia on Paul’s request (Acts 19:22). In that way Timothy has got the chance to know Erastus better and a relationship may have come into existence. Erastus had a high position as steward in the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Apparently because of the responsibilities of his work he was not allowed to spend more time with Paul.

Trophimus comes from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). He traveled along with Paul from Ephesus (Acts 20:4) but got sick soon. Paul left him behind in Miletus because his sickness made it impossible for him to travel further. You see that Paul didn’t heal him just like that, although he was able to. He actually had the gift of healing. Paul and Trophimus accepted this sickness from the hand of God. It was not a sickness that had to be punished or something like that. There also is no mention of lack of faith at all with Trophimus to become healthy.

If a believer falls sick he can see the hand of the Lord in it and not the hand of the devil. Similarly Job did not accept his disasters and sickness out of the hand of satan, but out of God’s hand (Job 2:10).

It is possible that a believer falls sick, due to his own fault, incautiousness, possibly even because of a sin (James 5:14-16). Then a confession has to be made, so that God can give recovery. Believers may also fall sick due to their efforts on behalf of the work of the Lord, like Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).

The Lord Jesus identifies with His sick brethren, as He identifies with them when they are hungry or thirsty or in prison (Matthew 25:35-40). Here you clearly see that sickness is not supposed to be automatically associated with sin. The Lord will never identify Himself with sin. He did that once for all on the cross in the three hours of darkness. After that, He never had anything to do with sin, any more than He had anything to do with it before. Therefore don’t ever let yourself be fooled by extremely charismatic Christians that sickness has to be eliminated as a sin.

2 Timothy 4:21. Paul would love to see Timothy once more before the Lord calls him to be with Him and his earthly service has ended. That he would like to see him before winter also has a practical reason, namely because of his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

Then he greets Timothy on behalf of three men and a woman who had visited him and who also know Timothy. Without expressing feelings of disappointment at the attitude of the brethren in Rome, he sends greetings to Timothy from them as well..

2 Timothy 4:22. He closes his letter with a personal wish for Timothy and a collective wish for all believers with whom Timothy was together. It is wonderful that the letter ends like that. He wishes Timothy that the Lord will be with his spirit. I hope that also for myself and for you.

It implies that you in your life and service for God will continually experience the presence of Christ, the Lord. Don’t let your spirit be occupied with the world and its thinking, not even when you see how the decay is increasing more and more in professing Christianity and you want to do something about it.

When we see this then there is nothing more left than wishing one another the awareness of grace. But how great is that! Grace triumphs over each difficulty.

Now read 2 Timothy 4:16-22 again.

Reflection: What could you learn from the attitude of Paul?

Hebrews 9:2

Assistance From the Lord and Salutations

2 Timothy 4:16. This second and also last imprisonment of Paul has been extremely harsh. During his first imprisonment he had a certain liberty to receive people and he could preach and teach unhindered (Acts 28:23; 30-31). Now he is alone, imprisoned in a place for which you had to make great efforts to find it (2 Timothy 1:17).

There was no one with him at his first interrogation, no one who defended him and spoke in his favor. He could defend himself, but still he was in need of some support. But everyone was afraid to be identified with him. That could be damaging, for then other people will know that you are also such a Christian. Paul feels deserted by them, as he did by Demas.

Still he does not blame anyone for anything. He is not filled with resentment and doesn’t ask Timothy what he had asked with regard to Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:15). He doesn’t see them as opponents, although he cannot recognize them as supporters either. They have made his imprisonment more difficult by deserting him. Nevertheless he follows the example of the Lord Jesus, Who prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also like Stephen who also followed the example of the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:60). Here you have examples of how to respond when people do not like you anymore because you testify of the Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:17. Even if you feel left alone, just like Paul here, you are not alone, just like Paul is not alone here. The Lord wants to assist you and strengthen you. That is what Paul is experiencing. Even though everyone has deserted him, the Lord stands with him (cf. Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11). The personal presence of the Lord is the special experience in situations when you lose everything around you because you want to remain faithful to Him. He has “strengthened me” literally means ‘He has poured out strength in me’ or ‘He has given me a power transfusion’ (Philippians 4:13). You feel your power being renewed when His presence is a living reality to you, when you expect everything from Him (Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord does that to make His work to be fully achieved by His servant. As far as Paul is concerned, it refers to his testimony in the courtroom and down to the palace of Caesar. He appealed to Caesar and he was going there. That he was going to make himself to be heard in the palace, regarding his testimony of the Lord Jesus, is a symbol for a testimony toward the whole Western world of which the palace of Caesar is the center.

Only when someone’s duty has come to an end the Lord will allow His servant to be killed by the enemy (cf. Luke 22:53; John 7:30; John 8:20). At Paul’s conversion the Lord announced his duty (Acts 9:15). That’s why He allowed that Paul was being imprisoned. Now he will bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before Gentiles and kings. Everything that the enemy meant evil becomes a testimony, so that the rulers of the earth, they who otherwise would be unreachable, may hear the Word of truth.

That’s why for that moment he “was rescued out of the lion’s mouth”. We are reminded of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Satan who is rampaging as a roaring lion against Paul to devour him (1 Peter 5:8), still does not get the opportunity for that. He is still being controlled by the Lord, through which Paul has been saved from a premature death.

2 Timothy 4:18. Paul is well aware of the tremendous threat of the lion and his anger to tear him up. But he looks beyond the lion to the Lord. He is assured that as the Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, He also will rescue him “from every evil work”.

Satan not only appears like a roaring lion. He can also transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). With ‘every evil work’ you may also think of everything that satan wants to whisper to Paul to bring him to a denial of what he has so far held so fearlessly. To achieve that satan may be giving those well intentioned advices through people who find themselves good Christians. Of course these people are sober and do not exacerbate matters like Paul does according to their ‘humble opinion’. Paul is more afraid for such whisperings than for death.

He knows that he is not resistant to that in his own power, but that the Lord will deliver him from it and will preserve him. “Rescue” here means to take out of the danger zone. The Lord takes him out of an area that is full of dangers and then brings him safely to an area where he is fully safe. That area is “His heavenly kingdom”.

His strong and simple faith counts on the Lord until the end. Even if he would fall asleep instead of being changed, he will always continue to look forward to the appearance of the Lord. Paul is looking forward to the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus. That is not the same as what the evangelist Matthew so often calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’. The kingdom of heaven concerns the government of the Lord Jesus over heaven and earth according to heavenly measures. That kingdom consists of a heavenly part and an earthly part. The ‘heavenly kingdom’ is the heavenly part.

Paul looks forward to come together with the Lord Jesus when He will appear to the world. Then he will be one of those saints in whom the Lord Jesus will be glorified and one of those believers in whom the Lord Jesus will be marveled at (2 Thessalonians 1:10). He will be like one of those righteous, who “will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43), another name for this ‘heavenly kingdom’. To shine forth as the sun means to shine forth as the Lord Jesus, for He is the Sun (Malachi 4:2). It is all about Him. Remembering Him a praise arises out of a cold and stinking prison cell in Rome to the honor of Him Who is worthy of “glory forever and ever”. With a profound ‘amen’ (= that’s true) Paul confirms his trust in the Lord and his praise.

2 Timothy 4:19. Paul wants Timothy to convey his greetings to Prisca and Aquila, his good friends whom he got acquainted with at Corinth (Acts 18:2). This faithful couple is now at Ephesus. Paul mentions them with feelings of particular gratitude, not only because they are faithful in the service of the Lord (Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19), but also because they had made great efforts for him, putting their own lives at risk (Romans 16:3-4). Timothy must also greet the household of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16).

2 Timothy 4:20. Then Paul mentions two names of brothers to inform Timothy about their circumstances. We may presume that Timothy was curious about them. Together with Erastus he has done a service there in Macedonia on Paul’s request (Acts 19:22). In that way Timothy has got the chance to know Erastus better and a relationship may have come into existence. Erastus had a high position as steward in the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Apparently because of the responsibilities of his work he was not allowed to spend more time with Paul.

Trophimus comes from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). He traveled along with Paul from Ephesus (Acts 20:4) but got sick soon. Paul left him behind in Miletus because his sickness made it impossible for him to travel further. You see that Paul didn’t heal him just like that, although he was able to. He actually had the gift of healing. Paul and Trophimus accepted this sickness from the hand of God. It was not a sickness that had to be punished or something like that. There also is no mention of lack of faith at all with Trophimus to become healthy.

If a believer falls sick he can see the hand of the Lord in it and not the hand of the devil. Similarly Job did not accept his disasters and sickness out of the hand of satan, but out of God’s hand (Job 2:10).

It is possible that a believer falls sick, due to his own fault, incautiousness, possibly even because of a sin (James 5:14-16). Then a confession has to be made, so that God can give recovery. Believers may also fall sick due to their efforts on behalf of the work of the Lord, like Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).

The Lord Jesus identifies with His sick brethren, as He identifies with them when they are hungry or thirsty or in prison (Matthew 25:35-40). Here you clearly see that sickness is not supposed to be automatically associated with sin. The Lord will never identify Himself with sin. He did that once for all on the cross in the three hours of darkness. After that, He never had anything to do with sin, any more than He had anything to do with it before. Therefore don’t ever let yourself be fooled by extremely charismatic Christians that sickness has to be eliminated as a sin.

2 Timothy 4:21. Paul would love to see Timothy once more before the Lord calls him to be with Him and his earthly service has ended. That he would like to see him before winter also has a practical reason, namely because of his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

Then he greets Timothy on behalf of three men and a woman who had visited him and who also know Timothy. Without expressing feelings of disappointment at the attitude of the brethren in Rome, he sends greetings to Timothy from them as well..

2 Timothy 4:22. He closes his letter with a personal wish for Timothy and a collective wish for all believers with whom Timothy was together. It is wonderful that the letter ends like that. He wishes Timothy that the Lord will be with his spirit. I hope that also for myself and for you.

It implies that you in your life and service for God will continually experience the presence of Christ, the Lord. Don’t let your spirit be occupied with the world and its thinking, not even when you see how the decay is increasing more and more in professing Christianity and you want to do something about it.

When we see this then there is nothing more left than wishing one another the awareness of grace. But how great is that! Grace triumphs over each difficulty.

Now read 2 Timothy 4:16-22 again.

Reflection: What could you learn from the attitude of Paul?

Hebrews 9:3

Assistance From the Lord and Salutations

2 Timothy 4:16. This second and also last imprisonment of Paul has been extremely harsh. During his first imprisonment he had a certain liberty to receive people and he could preach and teach unhindered (Acts 28:23; 30-31). Now he is alone, imprisoned in a place for which you had to make great efforts to find it (2 Timothy 1:17).

There was no one with him at his first interrogation, no one who defended him and spoke in his favor. He could defend himself, but still he was in need of some support. But everyone was afraid to be identified with him. That could be damaging, for then other people will know that you are also such a Christian. Paul feels deserted by them, as he did by Demas.

Still he does not blame anyone for anything. He is not filled with resentment and doesn’t ask Timothy what he had asked with regard to Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:15). He doesn’t see them as opponents, although he cannot recognize them as supporters either. They have made his imprisonment more difficult by deserting him. Nevertheless he follows the example of the Lord Jesus, Who prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also like Stephen who also followed the example of the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:60). Here you have examples of how to respond when people do not like you anymore because you testify of the Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:17. Even if you feel left alone, just like Paul here, you are not alone, just like Paul is not alone here. The Lord wants to assist you and strengthen you. That is what Paul is experiencing. Even though everyone has deserted him, the Lord stands with him (cf. Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11). The personal presence of the Lord is the special experience in situations when you lose everything around you because you want to remain faithful to Him. He has “strengthened me” literally means ‘He has poured out strength in me’ or ‘He has given me a power transfusion’ (Philippians 4:13). You feel your power being renewed when His presence is a living reality to you, when you expect everything from Him (Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord does that to make His work to be fully achieved by His servant. As far as Paul is concerned, it refers to his testimony in the courtroom and down to the palace of Caesar. He appealed to Caesar and he was going there. That he was going to make himself to be heard in the palace, regarding his testimony of the Lord Jesus, is a symbol for a testimony toward the whole Western world of which the palace of Caesar is the center.

Only when someone’s duty has come to an end the Lord will allow His servant to be killed by the enemy (cf. Luke 22:53; John 7:30; John 8:20). At Paul’s conversion the Lord announced his duty (Acts 9:15). That’s why He allowed that Paul was being imprisoned. Now he will bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before Gentiles and kings. Everything that the enemy meant evil becomes a testimony, so that the rulers of the earth, they who otherwise would be unreachable, may hear the Word of truth.

That’s why for that moment he “was rescued out of the lion’s mouth”. We are reminded of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Satan who is rampaging as a roaring lion against Paul to devour him (1 Peter 5:8), still does not get the opportunity for that. He is still being controlled by the Lord, through which Paul has been saved from a premature death.

2 Timothy 4:18. Paul is well aware of the tremendous threat of the lion and his anger to tear him up. But he looks beyond the lion to the Lord. He is assured that as the Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, He also will rescue him “from every evil work”.

Satan not only appears like a roaring lion. He can also transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). With ‘every evil work’ you may also think of everything that satan wants to whisper to Paul to bring him to a denial of what he has so far held so fearlessly. To achieve that satan may be giving those well intentioned advices through people who find themselves good Christians. Of course these people are sober and do not exacerbate matters like Paul does according to their ‘humble opinion’. Paul is more afraid for such whisperings than for death.

He knows that he is not resistant to that in his own power, but that the Lord will deliver him from it and will preserve him. “Rescue” here means to take out of the danger zone. The Lord takes him out of an area that is full of dangers and then brings him safely to an area where he is fully safe. That area is “His heavenly kingdom”.

His strong and simple faith counts on the Lord until the end. Even if he would fall asleep instead of being changed, he will always continue to look forward to the appearance of the Lord. Paul is looking forward to the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus. That is not the same as what the evangelist Matthew so often calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’. The kingdom of heaven concerns the government of the Lord Jesus over heaven and earth according to heavenly measures. That kingdom consists of a heavenly part and an earthly part. The ‘heavenly kingdom’ is the heavenly part.

Paul looks forward to come together with the Lord Jesus when He will appear to the world. Then he will be one of those saints in whom the Lord Jesus will be glorified and one of those believers in whom the Lord Jesus will be marveled at (2 Thessalonians 1:10). He will be like one of those righteous, who “will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43), another name for this ‘heavenly kingdom’. To shine forth as the sun means to shine forth as the Lord Jesus, for He is the Sun (Malachi 4:2). It is all about Him. Remembering Him a praise arises out of a cold and stinking prison cell in Rome to the honor of Him Who is worthy of “glory forever and ever”. With a profound ‘amen’ (= that’s true) Paul confirms his trust in the Lord and his praise.

2 Timothy 4:19. Paul wants Timothy to convey his greetings to Prisca and Aquila, his good friends whom he got acquainted with at Corinth (Acts 18:2). This faithful couple is now at Ephesus. Paul mentions them with feelings of particular gratitude, not only because they are faithful in the service of the Lord (Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19), but also because they had made great efforts for him, putting their own lives at risk (Romans 16:3-4). Timothy must also greet the household of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16).

2 Timothy 4:20. Then Paul mentions two names of brothers to inform Timothy about their circumstances. We may presume that Timothy was curious about them. Together with Erastus he has done a service there in Macedonia on Paul’s request (Acts 19:22). In that way Timothy has got the chance to know Erastus better and a relationship may have come into existence. Erastus had a high position as steward in the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Apparently because of the responsibilities of his work he was not allowed to spend more time with Paul.

Trophimus comes from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). He traveled along with Paul from Ephesus (Acts 20:4) but got sick soon. Paul left him behind in Miletus because his sickness made it impossible for him to travel further. You see that Paul didn’t heal him just like that, although he was able to. He actually had the gift of healing. Paul and Trophimus accepted this sickness from the hand of God. It was not a sickness that had to be punished or something like that. There also is no mention of lack of faith at all with Trophimus to become healthy.

If a believer falls sick he can see the hand of the Lord in it and not the hand of the devil. Similarly Job did not accept his disasters and sickness out of the hand of satan, but out of God’s hand (Job 2:10).

It is possible that a believer falls sick, due to his own fault, incautiousness, possibly even because of a sin (James 5:14-16). Then a confession has to be made, so that God can give recovery. Believers may also fall sick due to their efforts on behalf of the work of the Lord, like Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).

The Lord Jesus identifies with His sick brethren, as He identifies with them when they are hungry or thirsty or in prison (Matthew 25:35-40). Here you clearly see that sickness is not supposed to be automatically associated with sin. The Lord will never identify Himself with sin. He did that once for all on the cross in the three hours of darkness. After that, He never had anything to do with sin, any more than He had anything to do with it before. Therefore don’t ever let yourself be fooled by extremely charismatic Christians that sickness has to be eliminated as a sin.

2 Timothy 4:21. Paul would love to see Timothy once more before the Lord calls him to be with Him and his earthly service has ended. That he would like to see him before winter also has a practical reason, namely because of his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

Then he greets Timothy on behalf of three men and a woman who had visited him and who also know Timothy. Without expressing feelings of disappointment at the attitude of the brethren in Rome, he sends greetings to Timothy from them as well..

2 Timothy 4:22. He closes his letter with a personal wish for Timothy and a collective wish for all believers with whom Timothy was together. It is wonderful that the letter ends like that. He wishes Timothy that the Lord will be with his spirit. I hope that also for myself and for you.

It implies that you in your life and service for God will continually experience the presence of Christ, the Lord. Don’t let your spirit be occupied with the world and its thinking, not even when you see how the decay is increasing more and more in professing Christianity and you want to do something about it.

When we see this then there is nothing more left than wishing one another the awareness of grace. But how great is that! Grace triumphs over each difficulty.

Now read 2 Timothy 4:16-22 again.

Reflection: What could you learn from the attitude of Paul?

Hebrews 9:4

Assistance From the Lord and Salutations

2 Timothy 4:16. This second and also last imprisonment of Paul has been extremely harsh. During his first imprisonment he had a certain liberty to receive people and he could preach and teach unhindered (Acts 28:23; 30-31). Now he is alone, imprisoned in a place for which you had to make great efforts to find it (2 Timothy 1:17).

There was no one with him at his first interrogation, no one who defended him and spoke in his favor. He could defend himself, but still he was in need of some support. But everyone was afraid to be identified with him. That could be damaging, for then other people will know that you are also such a Christian. Paul feels deserted by them, as he did by Demas.

Still he does not blame anyone for anything. He is not filled with resentment and doesn’t ask Timothy what he had asked with regard to Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:15). He doesn’t see them as opponents, although he cannot recognize them as supporters either. They have made his imprisonment more difficult by deserting him. Nevertheless he follows the example of the Lord Jesus, Who prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also like Stephen who also followed the example of the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:60). Here you have examples of how to respond when people do not like you anymore because you testify of the Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:17. Even if you feel left alone, just like Paul here, you are not alone, just like Paul is not alone here. The Lord wants to assist you and strengthen you. That is what Paul is experiencing. Even though everyone has deserted him, the Lord stands with him (cf. Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11). The personal presence of the Lord is the special experience in situations when you lose everything around you because you want to remain faithful to Him. He has “strengthened me” literally means ‘He has poured out strength in me’ or ‘He has given me a power transfusion’ (Philippians 4:13). You feel your power being renewed when His presence is a living reality to you, when you expect everything from Him (Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord does that to make His work to be fully achieved by His servant. As far as Paul is concerned, it refers to his testimony in the courtroom and down to the palace of Caesar. He appealed to Caesar and he was going there. That he was going to make himself to be heard in the palace, regarding his testimony of the Lord Jesus, is a symbol for a testimony toward the whole Western world of which the palace of Caesar is the center.

Only when someone’s duty has come to an end the Lord will allow His servant to be killed by the enemy (cf. Luke 22:53; John 7:30; John 8:20). At Paul’s conversion the Lord announced his duty (Acts 9:15). That’s why He allowed that Paul was being imprisoned. Now he will bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before Gentiles and kings. Everything that the enemy meant evil becomes a testimony, so that the rulers of the earth, they who otherwise would be unreachable, may hear the Word of truth.

That’s why for that moment he “was rescued out of the lion’s mouth”. We are reminded of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Satan who is rampaging as a roaring lion against Paul to devour him (1 Peter 5:8), still does not get the opportunity for that. He is still being controlled by the Lord, through which Paul has been saved from a premature death.

2 Timothy 4:18. Paul is well aware of the tremendous threat of the lion and his anger to tear him up. But he looks beyond the lion to the Lord. He is assured that as the Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, He also will rescue him “from every evil work”.

Satan not only appears like a roaring lion. He can also transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). With ‘every evil work’ you may also think of everything that satan wants to whisper to Paul to bring him to a denial of what he has so far held so fearlessly. To achieve that satan may be giving those well intentioned advices through people who find themselves good Christians. Of course these people are sober and do not exacerbate matters like Paul does according to their ‘humble opinion’. Paul is more afraid for such whisperings than for death.

He knows that he is not resistant to that in his own power, but that the Lord will deliver him from it and will preserve him. “Rescue” here means to take out of the danger zone. The Lord takes him out of an area that is full of dangers and then brings him safely to an area where he is fully safe. That area is “His heavenly kingdom”.

His strong and simple faith counts on the Lord until the end. Even if he would fall asleep instead of being changed, he will always continue to look forward to the appearance of the Lord. Paul is looking forward to the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus. That is not the same as what the evangelist Matthew so often calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’. The kingdom of heaven concerns the government of the Lord Jesus over heaven and earth according to heavenly measures. That kingdom consists of a heavenly part and an earthly part. The ‘heavenly kingdom’ is the heavenly part.

Paul looks forward to come together with the Lord Jesus when He will appear to the world. Then he will be one of those saints in whom the Lord Jesus will be glorified and one of those believers in whom the Lord Jesus will be marveled at (2 Thessalonians 1:10). He will be like one of those righteous, who “will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43), another name for this ‘heavenly kingdom’. To shine forth as the sun means to shine forth as the Lord Jesus, for He is the Sun (Malachi 4:2). It is all about Him. Remembering Him a praise arises out of a cold and stinking prison cell in Rome to the honor of Him Who is worthy of “glory forever and ever”. With a profound ‘amen’ (= that’s true) Paul confirms his trust in the Lord and his praise.

2 Timothy 4:19. Paul wants Timothy to convey his greetings to Prisca and Aquila, his good friends whom he got acquainted with at Corinth (Acts 18:2). This faithful couple is now at Ephesus. Paul mentions them with feelings of particular gratitude, not only because they are faithful in the service of the Lord (Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19), but also because they had made great efforts for him, putting their own lives at risk (Romans 16:3-4). Timothy must also greet the household of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16).

2 Timothy 4:20. Then Paul mentions two names of brothers to inform Timothy about their circumstances. We may presume that Timothy was curious about them. Together with Erastus he has done a service there in Macedonia on Paul’s request (Acts 19:22). In that way Timothy has got the chance to know Erastus better and a relationship may have come into existence. Erastus had a high position as steward in the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Apparently because of the responsibilities of his work he was not allowed to spend more time with Paul.

Trophimus comes from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). He traveled along with Paul from Ephesus (Acts 20:4) but got sick soon. Paul left him behind in Miletus because his sickness made it impossible for him to travel further. You see that Paul didn’t heal him just like that, although he was able to. He actually had the gift of healing. Paul and Trophimus accepted this sickness from the hand of God. It was not a sickness that had to be punished or something like that. There also is no mention of lack of faith at all with Trophimus to become healthy.

If a believer falls sick he can see the hand of the Lord in it and not the hand of the devil. Similarly Job did not accept his disasters and sickness out of the hand of satan, but out of God’s hand (Job 2:10).

It is possible that a believer falls sick, due to his own fault, incautiousness, possibly even because of a sin (James 5:14-16). Then a confession has to be made, so that God can give recovery. Believers may also fall sick due to their efforts on behalf of the work of the Lord, like Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).

The Lord Jesus identifies with His sick brethren, as He identifies with them when they are hungry or thirsty or in prison (Matthew 25:35-40). Here you clearly see that sickness is not supposed to be automatically associated with sin. The Lord will never identify Himself with sin. He did that once for all on the cross in the three hours of darkness. After that, He never had anything to do with sin, any more than He had anything to do with it before. Therefore don’t ever let yourself be fooled by extremely charismatic Christians that sickness has to be eliminated as a sin.

2 Timothy 4:21. Paul would love to see Timothy once more before the Lord calls him to be with Him and his earthly service has ended. That he would like to see him before winter also has a practical reason, namely because of his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

Then he greets Timothy on behalf of three men and a woman who had visited him and who also know Timothy. Without expressing feelings of disappointment at the attitude of the brethren in Rome, he sends greetings to Timothy from them as well..

2 Timothy 4:22. He closes his letter with a personal wish for Timothy and a collective wish for all believers with whom Timothy was together. It is wonderful that the letter ends like that. He wishes Timothy that the Lord will be with his spirit. I hope that also for myself and for you.

It implies that you in your life and service for God will continually experience the presence of Christ, the Lord. Don’t let your spirit be occupied with the world and its thinking, not even when you see how the decay is increasing more and more in professing Christianity and you want to do something about it.

When we see this then there is nothing more left than wishing one another the awareness of grace. But how great is that! Grace triumphs over each difficulty.

Now read 2 Timothy 4:16-22 again.

Reflection: What could you learn from the attitude of Paul?

Hebrews 9:5

Assistance From the Lord and Salutations

2 Timothy 4:16. This second and also last imprisonment of Paul has been extremely harsh. During his first imprisonment he had a certain liberty to receive people and he could preach and teach unhindered (Acts 28:23; 30-31). Now he is alone, imprisoned in a place for which you had to make great efforts to find it (2 Timothy 1:17).

There was no one with him at his first interrogation, no one who defended him and spoke in his favor. He could defend himself, but still he was in need of some support. But everyone was afraid to be identified with him. That could be damaging, for then other people will know that you are also such a Christian. Paul feels deserted by them, as he did by Demas.

Still he does not blame anyone for anything. He is not filled with resentment and doesn’t ask Timothy what he had asked with regard to Alexander the coppersmith (2 Timothy 4:15). He doesn’t see them as opponents, although he cannot recognize them as supporters either. They have made his imprisonment more difficult by deserting him. Nevertheless he follows the example of the Lord Jesus, Who prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Also like Stephen who also followed the example of the Lord Jesus (Acts 7:60). Here you have examples of how to respond when people do not like you anymore because you testify of the Lord Jesus.

2 Timothy 4:17. Even if you feel left alone, just like Paul here, you are not alone, just like Paul is not alone here. The Lord wants to assist you and strengthen you. That is what Paul is experiencing. Even though everyone has deserted him, the Lord stands with him (cf. Acts 18:9; Acts 23:11). The personal presence of the Lord is the special experience in situations when you lose everything around you because you want to remain faithful to Him. He has “strengthened me” literally means ‘He has poured out strength in me’ or ‘He has given me a power transfusion’ (Philippians 4:13). You feel your power being renewed when His presence is a living reality to you, when you expect everything from Him (Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord does that to make His work to be fully achieved by His servant. As far as Paul is concerned, it refers to his testimony in the courtroom and down to the palace of Caesar. He appealed to Caesar and he was going there. That he was going to make himself to be heard in the palace, regarding his testimony of the Lord Jesus, is a symbol for a testimony toward the whole Western world of which the palace of Caesar is the center.

Only when someone’s duty has come to an end the Lord will allow His servant to be killed by the enemy (cf. Luke 22:53; John 7:30; John 8:20). At Paul’s conversion the Lord announced his duty (Acts 9:15). That’s why He allowed that Paul was being imprisoned. Now he will bear the Name of the Lord Jesus before Gentiles and kings. Everything that the enemy meant evil becomes a testimony, so that the rulers of the earth, they who otherwise would be unreachable, may hear the Word of truth.

That’s why for that moment he “was rescued out of the lion’s mouth”. We are reminded of Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6:23). Satan who is rampaging as a roaring lion against Paul to devour him (1 Peter 5:8), still does not get the opportunity for that. He is still being controlled by the Lord, through which Paul has been saved from a premature death.

2 Timothy 4:18. Paul is well aware of the tremendous threat of the lion and his anger to tear him up. But he looks beyond the lion to the Lord. He is assured that as the Lord delivered him from the mouth of the lion, He also will rescue him “from every evil work”.

Satan not only appears like a roaring lion. He can also transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). With ‘every evil work’ you may also think of everything that satan wants to whisper to Paul to bring him to a denial of what he has so far held so fearlessly. To achieve that satan may be giving those well intentioned advices through people who find themselves good Christians. Of course these people are sober and do not exacerbate matters like Paul does according to their ‘humble opinion’. Paul is more afraid for such whisperings than for death.

He knows that he is not resistant to that in his own power, but that the Lord will deliver him from it and will preserve him. “Rescue” here means to take out of the danger zone. The Lord takes him out of an area that is full of dangers and then brings him safely to an area where he is fully safe. That area is “His heavenly kingdom”.

His strong and simple faith counts on the Lord until the end. Even if he would fall asleep instead of being changed, he will always continue to look forward to the appearance of the Lord. Paul is looking forward to the heavenly kingdom of the Lord Jesus. That is not the same as what the evangelist Matthew so often calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’. The kingdom of heaven concerns the government of the Lord Jesus over heaven and earth according to heavenly measures. That kingdom consists of a heavenly part and an earthly part. The ‘heavenly kingdom’ is the heavenly part.

Paul looks forward to come together with the Lord Jesus when He will appear to the world. Then he will be one of those saints in whom the Lord Jesus will be glorified and one of those believers in whom the Lord Jesus will be marveled at (2 Thessalonians 1:10). He will be like one of those righteous, who “will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43), another name for this ‘heavenly kingdom’. To shine forth as the sun means to shine forth as the Lord Jesus, for He is the Sun (Malachi 4:2). It is all about Him. Remembering Him a praise arises out of a cold and stinking prison cell in Rome to the honor of Him Who is worthy of “glory forever and ever”. With a profound ‘amen’ (= that’s true) Paul confirms his trust in the Lord and his praise.

2 Timothy 4:19. Paul wants Timothy to convey his greetings to Prisca and Aquila, his good friends whom he got acquainted with at Corinth (Acts 18:2). This faithful couple is now at Ephesus. Paul mentions them with feelings of particular gratitude, not only because they are faithful in the service of the Lord (Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19), but also because they had made great efforts for him, putting their own lives at risk (Romans 16:3-4). Timothy must also greet the household of Onesiphorus (2 Timothy 1:16).

2 Timothy 4:20. Then Paul mentions two names of brothers to inform Timothy about their circumstances. We may presume that Timothy was curious about them. Together with Erastus he has done a service there in Macedonia on Paul’s request (Acts 19:22). In that way Timothy has got the chance to know Erastus better and a relationship may have come into existence. Erastus had a high position as steward in the city of Corinth (Romans 16:23). Apparently because of the responsibilities of his work he was not allowed to spend more time with Paul.

Trophimus comes from Ephesus (Acts 21:29). He traveled along with Paul from Ephesus (Acts 20:4) but got sick soon. Paul left him behind in Miletus because his sickness made it impossible for him to travel further. You see that Paul didn’t heal him just like that, although he was able to. He actually had the gift of healing. Paul and Trophimus accepted this sickness from the hand of God. It was not a sickness that had to be punished or something like that. There also is no mention of lack of faith at all with Trophimus to become healthy.

If a believer falls sick he can see the hand of the Lord in it and not the hand of the devil. Similarly Job did not accept his disasters and sickness out of the hand of satan, but out of God’s hand (Job 2:10).

It is possible that a believer falls sick, due to his own fault, incautiousness, possibly even because of a sin (James 5:14-16). Then a confession has to be made, so that God can give recovery. Believers may also fall sick due to their efforts on behalf of the work of the Lord, like Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30).

The Lord Jesus identifies with His sick brethren, as He identifies with them when they are hungry or thirsty or in prison (Matthew 25:35-40). Here you clearly see that sickness is not supposed to be automatically associated with sin. The Lord will never identify Himself with sin. He did that once for all on the cross in the three hours of darkness. After that, He never had anything to do with sin, any more than He had anything to do with it before. Therefore don’t ever let yourself be fooled by extremely charismatic Christians that sickness has to be eliminated as a sin.

2 Timothy 4:21. Paul would love to see Timothy once more before the Lord calls him to be with Him and his earthly service has ended. That he would like to see him before winter also has a practical reason, namely because of his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

Then he greets Timothy on behalf of three men and a woman who had visited him and who also know Timothy. Without expressing feelings of disappointment at the attitude of the brethren in Rome, he sends greetings to Timothy from them as well..

2 Timothy 4:22. He closes his letter with a personal wish for Timothy and a collective wish for all believers with whom Timothy was together. It is wonderful that the letter ends like that. He wishes Timothy that the Lord will be with his spirit. I hope that also for myself and for you.

It implies that you in your life and service for God will continually experience the presence of Christ, the Lord. Don’t let your spirit be occupied with the world and its thinking, not even when you see how the decay is increasing more and more in professing Christianity and you want to do something about it.

When we see this then there is nothing more left than wishing one another the awareness of grace. But how great is that! Grace triumphs over each difficulty.

Now read 2 Timothy 4:16-22 again.

Reflection: What could you learn from the attitude of Paul?

Hebrews 9:8

Introduction

Just like both previous letters which are addressed to a person (Timothy), this letter is also addressed to a person: Titus. Timothy and Titus are not random people. They belong to the fellow workers of Paul. You have learnt some things about Timothy from the book of Acts. If you want to learn about Titus in that book you will search in vain in it. He is not mentioned there. But you can learn about him from some letters of Paul, especially his second letter to the Corinthians. If you read there what Paul says about Titus you will notice that he very much appreciates him.

The work of Titus in Corinth is an example of his dedicated service. From references to Titus in the mentioned letter we can conclude that he became a mature believer through spiritual growth and experience. Paul desired the support of Titus (2 Corinthians 2:12); he experienced comfort through Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6); he knew the joy of Titus and the refreshment of his spirit about the good that he saw in the believers (2 Corinthians 7:13); he knew about the love that Titus had for the obedient believers (2 Corinthians 7:15); he testified to the willingness of Titus of committing himself on behalf of poor believers (2 Corinthians 8:6; 16).

He calls Titus his “partner and fellow worker” with the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:23). Titus has the same goal like Paul, that’s why Paul appreciates Titus very much in the work for the Lord. He also sees the same unselfishness with Titus which characterizes himself (2 Corinthians 12:18). In both the work and the motives Paul has an exceptional co-worker in Titus.

Because Paul calls Titus his “true child” (Titus 1:4) we may assume that Titus heard the gospel from Paul and came to conversion. It is not clear whether he went together with Paul immediately after that.

The first time we find Titus together with Paul somewhere is in connection with the controversial question of whether believers from the Gentiles should be circumcised (Galatians 2:1; 3; cf. Acts 15:1-2). In that way Titus is soon confronted with the legalistic pressure that the Jewish believers want to exert on the believers from the Gentiles. He experiences and learns how Paul deals with that. The great counterpart of the law is grace. Titus gets a great impression of that too. One and the other appear to be a good preparation for his task in Crete of which you learn from this letter.

The last reference of Titus in the letters of Paul is in his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:10). Without any further explanation Paul writes to Timothy that Titus had traveled to Dalmatia. Most apparently Titus went there to serve the Lord.

When Paul has been in Crete is not to be concluded from the Scripture. It has been assumed that he was accompanied by Titus in Crete after his first imprisonment in Rome. He left after churches came to existence there, but not without leaving his co-worker Titus there, out of his concern for the newly founded churches. The churches have been founded, but still need many instructions with a view to their daily practice. In this view Paul has not been able to finish his work. Titus had to do that. Paul already gave orally as an apostle the authority to Titus and now he does that in writing too.

The assignment to Titus is twofold. He has to set in order what is lacking and he has to appoint elders in each city (Titus 1:5). The letter therefore deals with the maintenance of order in the local churches of God. This order is not seen here so much in relation to the gatherings of the church; it is more about the daily believer-to-believer relationships and their conduct in the world.

Sender, Faith and Knowledge

Titus 1:1. Paul starts his letter with mentioning his own name. It is not that he wanted to put his own person in the foreground by that. The important thing for him is the service he was called for. For that reason he connects to his name two tasks, that of a bond-servant and that of an apostle. He starts with “a bond-servant of God”. By that he puts himself next to Titus and you. He is first a bond-servant of God, like you also are in the first place. If you take the humblest place you are most able to serve (cf. Luke 22:26).

After he introduced himself as bond-servant he calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ”. As an apostle he took a position of authority. Therein he doesn’t stand next to Titus and you, but above him and you. It is a good thing to repeat that he calls himself first a bond-servant and then an apostle. Exercising authority according to the will of God can only happen in the mind of a bond-servant. If a person wants to be a good leader he ought to know first what it is to be a bond-servant or a servant. But he also calls himself an apostle. As an apostle he has a position and a task that grant him authority that demands obedience.

Then he delivers the proof of his apostleship. Nowhere does he do that so comprehensively and strongly as here. It is remarkable how close he connects his apostleship with the believers. You will see that in Titus 1:1-3. The particular way in which he presents the believers is also remarkable.

His apostleship is above all “for the faith of those chosen of God” (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12). That rules out an apostleship according to the law or in connection with an earthly nation. The apostleship of Paul does not belong to the law but to faith. Law and faith exclude each other (Galatians 3:12).

Paul doesn’t submit his apostleship to the judgment of the law, but to the judgment of faith. The important thing for him is not obedience to rules and laws, but obedience that comes from faith. This faith is present in “those chosen of God”. Because it is about the church here, it is clear that you may think of being chosen “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). You believe, don’t you? And you are chosen by God, aren’t you? Then you will surely acknowledge Paul’s apostleship.

Application: Today you can say that every spiritually minded leader considers the faith of hose who have been chosen and exerts his authority accordingly. He doesn’t impose a yoke on them but stirs them up to obedience of faith. Thereby he doesn’t focus in the first place on the outward of the believers but on their heart, their inward spiritual life.

There is a second feature of Paul’s apostleship. It is also to (or: in accordance with) “the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness”. You can also put the apostleship of Paul to the test by verifying the way he presents the truth. He doesn’t present the truth about God and the Lord Jesus and the church etcetera, as a doctrine, as truths for you to learn by heart. With Paul you see that he connects all his teachings to a life in Godliness. That means that you see the true acknowledgment of the truth being implemented in a life that shows a deep reverence for God and everything He has said.

Application: Today you will recognize a spiritual leader by the fact that he lives to the honor of God by practicing the knowledge of the truth in his own daily life. Such a leader doesn’t demand a submission to a theory, but presents the truth in his speech and his deeds. Today there are many who claim to be bond-servants of Christ, but who want to serve according to the latest so-called knowledge of science or the latest arguments of unbelief. But the faith and the knowledge that are meant here are not the faith and knowledge of the world, neither that of Christianity, but of ‘those chosen of God’.

Now read Titus 1:1 again.

Reflection: What criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Titus 1:1?

Hebrews 9:9

The Promise of Eternal Life

Titus 1:2. A third test of Paul’s apostleship is that it belongs to “the hope of eternal life”. Here eternal life is presented as something you still are to receive. That seems to be in contradiction to what John writes about that. John speaks about eternal life as something you already have now (1 John 5:11). Still, that is no contradiction because life is presented in two ways.

Briefly said: John speaks about the life through which we live, Paul about the life in which we live. The one is the life in you, the other life is about the life around you, your environment. In the first case you may compare it with living a healthy life and in the second case with an urban or rural life.

You have eternal life in you, but you still live in a world that lies in sin. When you are in heaven, then the whole environment and atmosphere wherein eternal life is being lived and enjoyed, will perfectly fit with the eternal life in you. Eternal life doesn’t indicate only the duration or length, but also the quality.

Application: Today you recognize the true spiritual leader by the fact that he encourages the hearts of those who are chosen by presenting to them the heavenly glory at the end of their journey.

You can be sure that you will enjoy eternal life in that life atmosphere, for it is promised by “the not-lying God” as it is literally said. God cannot lie, He is not able to, it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18). That stands against the character of the Cretans who apparently cannot do other than lie (Titus 1:12), and against the deceitful nature that each human has (Romans 3:4). God is perfectly faithful in His promise of eternal life.

I almost wrote: the eternal life is promised to you. That wouldn’t really be wrong either. After all you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. The promise is indeed for you, though it is not written like that. It is said that God has promised “long ages ago”, literally “before times eternal”. When I think of that I prefer the thought that God has promised this eternal life to the Lord Jesus, for only He was there then. Not that eternal life was promised to the Lord Jesus as something He didn’t possess, for the Lord Jesus is the eternal life (1 John 5:20). No, God promised Him eternal life to give it to His chosen ones (John 17:2).

You wouldn’t have known anything about that promise if God had not revealed it. Isn’t it impressive that God makes you familiar with something that was a topic of conversation in eternity between the Father and the Son? Isn’t it mind blowing if you consider that your name was mentioned by the Father to the Lord Jesus for giving you eternal life?

Titus 1:3. To manifest this promise God waited “at the proper time”, that is His own time. First the heart of man toward God had to be revealed. That has become fully clear at the cross. There man let the Lord Jesus, God revealed in goodness and mercy, die the most horrific death.

That lowest point in the history of man is at the same time the moment that God fully exposes His heart and reveals what is the breadth and length and height and depth of His counsels (Ephesians 3:18).

And how does God do that? Through “His word, in the proclamation”. This proclamation was entrusted by Him to the apostle Paul (cf. Romans 10:14-17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10). That Word we have now in the Scripture (Romans 16:25-27). In that way the revelation also reaches you (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

Paul has not taken this ministry himself or fulfilled it in his own way (Galatians 1:11-12). His apostleship and the ministry that is connected to it, is “according to the commandment of God our Savior”. This name of God shows Him as the One Who brings salvation – He is a Savior – to all men (cf. Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). The preaching that was entrusted to Paul is therefore twofold. On the one hand he preaches the gospel to all people through which they receive salvation. On the other hand he unfolds the full truth to all who have received the gospel and have been saved.

Application: Also today something has been entrusted to each spiritual leader to pass on to believers. What they pass on must cause that believers learn to live with one another to the honor of God.

Titus 1:4. Paul addresses Titus whom he calls his “true child in a common faith”. The word ‘true’ means ‘legally begotten’. That doesn’t mean that Titus is physically his own son. The addition ‘in a common faith’ makes clear that it is about a spiritual conception (cf. 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 1:10). Titus came to faith and was born again through the ministry of Paul. The Gentile Titus and the Jew Paul confess the same faith (cf. 2 Peter 1:1). They both belong to the church in which is no Jew or Greek (1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11).

Paul concludes his introduction with the usual blessing of “grace and peace”. ‘Grace’ is at the front. Titus can only do his work if he is aware that he needs God’s grace for his task. He will never be able to execute his task by his own strength. If he is aware to be dependent on the grace that God is giving him, he will be able to do his task with the ‘peace’ of God. He will not easily be discouraged if he continuously faces adversary or if there is no cooperation or if his work doesn’t seem to bear fruit.

Grace and peace are wished to him from “God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior”. That puts Titus in the relation of a child to his Father and to the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer. The one gives confidence and the other works commitment and efforts.

Application: A spiritual leader knows God as his Father and entrusts himself totally to Him. He also knows the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer Who has set him free that he may live for Him. The price the Redeemer paid and the awareness that in that way he has been redeemed is the greatest exhortation to serve Him.

Now read Titus 1:2-4 again.

Reflection: Which criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Titus 1:2-4?

Hebrews 9:10

The Promise of Eternal Life

Titus 1:2. A third test of Paul’s apostleship is that it belongs to “the hope of eternal life”. Here eternal life is presented as something you still are to receive. That seems to be in contradiction to what John writes about that. John speaks about eternal life as something you already have now (1 John 5:11). Still, that is no contradiction because life is presented in two ways.

Briefly said: John speaks about the life through which we live, Paul about the life in which we live. The one is the life in you, the other life is about the life around you, your environment. In the first case you may compare it with living a healthy life and in the second case with an urban or rural life.

You have eternal life in you, but you still live in a world that lies in sin. When you are in heaven, then the whole environment and atmosphere wherein eternal life is being lived and enjoyed, will perfectly fit with the eternal life in you. Eternal life doesn’t indicate only the duration or length, but also the quality.

Application: Today you recognize the true spiritual leader by the fact that he encourages the hearts of those who are chosen by presenting to them the heavenly glory at the end of their journey.

You can be sure that you will enjoy eternal life in that life atmosphere, for it is promised by “the not-lying God” as it is literally said. God cannot lie, He is not able to, it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18). That stands against the character of the Cretans who apparently cannot do other than lie (Titus 1:12), and against the deceitful nature that each human has (Romans 3:4). God is perfectly faithful in His promise of eternal life.

I almost wrote: the eternal life is promised to you. That wouldn’t really be wrong either. After all you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. The promise is indeed for you, though it is not written like that. It is said that God has promised “long ages ago”, literally “before times eternal”. When I think of that I prefer the thought that God has promised this eternal life to the Lord Jesus, for only He was there then. Not that eternal life was promised to the Lord Jesus as something He didn’t possess, for the Lord Jesus is the eternal life (1 John 5:20). No, God promised Him eternal life to give it to His chosen ones (John 17:2).

You wouldn’t have known anything about that promise if God had not revealed it. Isn’t it impressive that God makes you familiar with something that was a topic of conversation in eternity between the Father and the Son? Isn’t it mind blowing if you consider that your name was mentioned by the Father to the Lord Jesus for giving you eternal life?

Titus 1:3. To manifest this promise God waited “at the proper time”, that is His own time. First the heart of man toward God had to be revealed. That has become fully clear at the cross. There man let the Lord Jesus, God revealed in goodness and mercy, die the most horrific death.

That lowest point in the history of man is at the same time the moment that God fully exposes His heart and reveals what is the breadth and length and height and depth of His counsels (Ephesians 3:18).

And how does God do that? Through “His word, in the proclamation”. This proclamation was entrusted by Him to the apostle Paul (cf. Romans 10:14-17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10). That Word we have now in the Scripture (Romans 16:25-27). In that way the revelation also reaches you (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

Paul has not taken this ministry himself or fulfilled it in his own way (Galatians 1:11-12). His apostleship and the ministry that is connected to it, is “according to the commandment of God our Savior”. This name of God shows Him as the One Who brings salvation – He is a Savior – to all men (cf. Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). The preaching that was entrusted to Paul is therefore twofold. On the one hand he preaches the gospel to all people through which they receive salvation. On the other hand he unfolds the full truth to all who have received the gospel and have been saved.

Application: Also today something has been entrusted to each spiritual leader to pass on to believers. What they pass on must cause that believers learn to live with one another to the honor of God.

Titus 1:4. Paul addresses Titus whom he calls his “true child in a common faith”. The word ‘true’ means ‘legally begotten’. That doesn’t mean that Titus is physically his own son. The addition ‘in a common faith’ makes clear that it is about a spiritual conception (cf. 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 1:10). Titus came to faith and was born again through the ministry of Paul. The Gentile Titus and the Jew Paul confess the same faith (cf. 2 Peter 1:1). They both belong to the church in which is no Jew or Greek (1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11).

Paul concludes his introduction with the usual blessing of “grace and peace”. ‘Grace’ is at the front. Titus can only do his work if he is aware that he needs God’s grace for his task. He will never be able to execute his task by his own strength. If he is aware to be dependent on the grace that God is giving him, he will be able to do his task with the ‘peace’ of God. He will not easily be discouraged if he continuously faces adversary or if there is no cooperation or if his work doesn’t seem to bear fruit.

Grace and peace are wished to him from “God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior”. That puts Titus in the relation of a child to his Father and to the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer. The one gives confidence and the other works commitment and efforts.

Application: A spiritual leader knows God as his Father and entrusts himself totally to Him. He also knows the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer Who has set him free that he may live for Him. The price the Redeemer paid and the awareness that in that way he has been redeemed is the greatest exhortation to serve Him.

Now read Titus 1:2-4 again.

Reflection: Which criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Titus 1:2-4?

Hebrews 9:11

The Promise of Eternal Life

Titus 1:2. A third test of Paul’s apostleship is that it belongs to “the hope of eternal life”. Here eternal life is presented as something you still are to receive. That seems to be in contradiction to what John writes about that. John speaks about eternal life as something you already have now (1 John 5:11). Still, that is no contradiction because life is presented in two ways.

Briefly said: John speaks about the life through which we live, Paul about the life in which we live. The one is the life in you, the other life is about the life around you, your environment. In the first case you may compare it with living a healthy life and in the second case with an urban or rural life.

You have eternal life in you, but you still live in a world that lies in sin. When you are in heaven, then the whole environment and atmosphere wherein eternal life is being lived and enjoyed, will perfectly fit with the eternal life in you. Eternal life doesn’t indicate only the duration or length, but also the quality.

Application: Today you recognize the true spiritual leader by the fact that he encourages the hearts of those who are chosen by presenting to them the heavenly glory at the end of their journey.

You can be sure that you will enjoy eternal life in that life atmosphere, for it is promised by “the not-lying God” as it is literally said. God cannot lie, He is not able to, it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18). That stands against the character of the Cretans who apparently cannot do other than lie (Titus 1:12), and against the deceitful nature that each human has (Romans 3:4). God is perfectly faithful in His promise of eternal life.

I almost wrote: the eternal life is promised to you. That wouldn’t really be wrong either. After all you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. The promise is indeed for you, though it is not written like that. It is said that God has promised “long ages ago”, literally “before times eternal”. When I think of that I prefer the thought that God has promised this eternal life to the Lord Jesus, for only He was there then. Not that eternal life was promised to the Lord Jesus as something He didn’t possess, for the Lord Jesus is the eternal life (1 John 5:20). No, God promised Him eternal life to give it to His chosen ones (John 17:2).

You wouldn’t have known anything about that promise if God had not revealed it. Isn’t it impressive that God makes you familiar with something that was a topic of conversation in eternity between the Father and the Son? Isn’t it mind blowing if you consider that your name was mentioned by the Father to the Lord Jesus for giving you eternal life?

Titus 1:3. To manifest this promise God waited “at the proper time”, that is His own time. First the heart of man toward God had to be revealed. That has become fully clear at the cross. There man let the Lord Jesus, God revealed in goodness and mercy, die the most horrific death.

That lowest point in the history of man is at the same time the moment that God fully exposes His heart and reveals what is the breadth and length and height and depth of His counsels (Ephesians 3:18).

And how does God do that? Through “His word, in the proclamation”. This proclamation was entrusted by Him to the apostle Paul (cf. Romans 10:14-17; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10). That Word we have now in the Scripture (Romans 16:25-27). In that way the revelation also reaches you (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

Paul has not taken this ministry himself or fulfilled it in his own way (Galatians 1:11-12). His apostleship and the ministry that is connected to it, is “according to the commandment of God our Savior”. This name of God shows Him as the One Who brings salvation – He is a Savior – to all men (cf. Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:3-4). The preaching that was entrusted to Paul is therefore twofold. On the one hand he preaches the gospel to all people through which they receive salvation. On the other hand he unfolds the full truth to all who have received the gospel and have been saved.

Application: Also today something has been entrusted to each spiritual leader to pass on to believers. What they pass on must cause that believers learn to live with one another to the honor of God.

Titus 1:4. Paul addresses Titus whom he calls his “true child in a common faith”. The word ‘true’ means ‘legally begotten’. That doesn’t mean that Titus is physically his own son. The addition ‘in a common faith’ makes clear that it is about a spiritual conception (cf. 1 Timothy 1:2; 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 1:10). Titus came to faith and was born again through the ministry of Paul. The Gentile Titus and the Jew Paul confess the same faith (cf. 2 Peter 1:1). They both belong to the church in which is no Jew or Greek (1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 3:11).

Paul concludes his introduction with the usual blessing of “grace and peace”. ‘Grace’ is at the front. Titus can only do his work if he is aware that he needs God’s grace for his task. He will never be able to execute his task by his own strength. If he is aware to be dependent on the grace that God is giving him, he will be able to do his task with the ‘peace’ of God. He will not easily be discouraged if he continuously faces adversary or if there is no cooperation or if his work doesn’t seem to bear fruit.

Grace and peace are wished to him from “God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior”. That puts Titus in the relation of a child to his Father and to the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer. The one gives confidence and the other works commitment and efforts.

Application: A spiritual leader knows God as his Father and entrusts himself totally to Him. He also knows the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer Who has set him free that he may live for Him. The price the Redeemer paid and the awareness that in that way he has been redeemed is the greatest exhortation to serve Him.

Now read Titus 1:2-4 again.

Reflection: Which criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Titus 1:2-4?

Hebrews 9:12

Elders

Titus 1:5. After his introduction Paul comes to the main point of his letter in Titus 1:5. He has founded some churches in Crete. That he speaks about “every city”, gives the impression that the gospel has been accepted on a large scale on that island, due to which possibly in every city in the island a church has come into existence. However, Paul has not had the opportunity to build up and confirm the churches in the truth. There was still something missing regarding the teachings.

If you read the next chapters you may think for instance of the teaching on the relationships among the believers (chapter 2) and the attitude toward the government (chapter 3). Although Paul himself is not able to provide what is lacking, he provides in the person of Titus someone who is capable to replace him.

Besides, it is not the purpose that Titus stays in Crete. Paul will have him to be replaced by someone else (Titus 3:12). Every ambassador of the apostle will be of great support to the believers in order to live their lives as Christians. But there is also qualified leadership needed among the believers that will not be changed. Therefore Titus receives the direction to appoint elders in every city where there is a church. That’s what the greater part of chapter 1 deals with.

The Cretans are wicked people by nature (Titus 1:12). Paul knows them. Therefore he knows what qualifications elders should have to be able to lead the churches in Crete so that they meet the will of the Lord.

In order to keep them in line or to bring them into order, Paul doesn’t develop a church order. He doesn’t order Titus to introduce church regulations that seem to be most suitable for their way of life on the island. That has certainly happened in church history, but that is not in accordance with the Bible. I will try to explain what it takes to appoint elders.

There has always been a lot of discussion about appointing elders. There are continually questions like: ‘Who is going to appoint?’ and ‘Do we still have elders nowadays and how do you recognize them?’ In order to find correct answers to these kinds of questions, you should consider some things. One of them is to bear in mind that elders occupy a position of authority and that they are put in that position by a higher authority.

You notice that where you read about the appointment of elders in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5) they are appointed by apostles or their representatives. So appointment cannot be done by the church. It would be strange if the church itself determines who exercises authority over it. That’s why this letter is addressed to Titus and not to the church in Crete. No, authority always comes from above.

Titus receives the direction to appoint elders on behalf of the apostle. The appointment of elders is necessary here because the church doesn’t have the complete New Testament yet. An official appointment gives the authority to elders to take action against people who pretend to be spiritual leaders, but who actually are deceivers. The church ought to listen to the elders and will as a result experience the blessing. In our days it is not necessary to have that official appointment, for we have the complete Word of God.

The question whether elders are still to be appointed is not that difficult to be answered if you consider that elders can only be appointed by a higher authority. There are no apostles anymore and neither are there people who can act as representatives of an apostle. Therefore it is not right to appoint elders in our days. But that doesn’t mean that they are not anymore to be found. The Bible more often speaks about elders without saying that they are officially appointed (e.g. Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).

The word ‘elder’ indicates in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a mature person with life experience. In that sense there are fortunately still ‘elders’, including those who have a leading position, pastors, the gift of leadership (Acts 15:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7; 17; 24). They all have no formal authority, but you are willing to submit yourself to them if you notice that they act in accordance with God’s Word.

Titus 1:6. Then the qualifications follow an elder must meet. Before I deal with those I want to point out to you that those qualifications do not only apply to an elder. It is a good thing to ask yourself to what extent they are present or absent with you. You may say that what is required for an elder as a qualification, is required to you as a rule of conduct.

The first qualification is that an elder must be “above reproach”. That means that he shouldn’t be accused of anything, that he is not to be blamed for anything. The first area where that applies is his marriage and family. He must be “the husband of one wife”. If he has more than one wife, as a result of his life in sin, he cannot be an elder. And in case he has children, they also have to be believers. And not only that. Those children should not be known as money wasting freeloaders, who cannot be controlled by their father.

Therefore the family of the elder may not be blamed for anything. For if he doesn’t manage his family well, how will he be able to manage the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Does it seem to ask too much of you? It may be, but can you imagine God to lower His standards to fit our practice? That’s not possible.

It is absolutely grace if the children come to faith, for faith is not a heritage. But there is also the side of human responsibility. God assumes that in a family where there are believing parents, the children are also believers. It is God’s purpose to save someone with his household (Acts 16:31; Joshua 2:18; Exodus 12:3; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:1).

Application: Spiritual leaders are responsible for causing their children to desire to follow the Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:7. After the family the personal qualifications of the overseer follow. Have you noticed that Paul spoke about ‘elders’ in Titus 1:5 and about “the overseer” in Titus 1:7? As it has been noticed already (see the explanation of 1 Timothy 3:1-5) this clarifies that the elder and overseer are the same person.

1. As the first personal qualification, now apart from his family, it is said again that he “must be above reproach”, i.e. not to be accused of anything. 2. He must be aware that it is about a task in God’s house. He is a “steward” there and not the owner. He has been entrusted to manage something that belongs to Another, God. Therefore he is also responsible, concerning his conduct, to Him. 3.

When an overseer is conscious of that, he will “not” act “self-willed”. He will not claim any authority and obedience without any reason. 4. He recognizes the right of the others for explanation whether something is good or bad. When questions rise he will not respond “quick-tempered” as if being stung by a wasp, even if he has the presumption of evil intentions. He is not quick to anger, but has self-control. 5. That self-control is also there over his lusts.

He is not to be tempted by alcohol, he is “not addicted to wine”. There is nothing wrong with drinking some wine at times (1 Timothy 5:23), but to desire it is wrong. 6. An overseer is also not a brawler, he is “not pugnacious”. He doesn’t seek to overpower other people, neither with his fists nor with his tongue. 7. He is also “not fond of sordid gain”, which implies that he doesn’t exercise his service to make financial profits.

Titus 1:8. After the characteristics in Titus 1:7 (of which six are negative) Paul reminds Titus of a number of positive characteristics in Titus 1:8-9. Being a Christian is not only characterized by the absence of negative things, but especially by the presence of positive things that are also to be developed. Instead of seeking his own interest and profit the elder ought to seek to be meaningful to others.

1. That is especially expressed in being “hospitable”. He not only invites friends for a cup of coffee, but he has an open heart for needy believers who may be unfamiliar to him. 2. As one “loving what is good” (or: ‘a friend of the good’) he has a heart that is wide open for everything that is good and useful. That doesn’t make him thoughtless, a person who gets excited about everything, without distinction. 3. He is “sensible” or thoughtful, well-balanced in his view and deeds. 4.

He acts “just” toward other people: he deals fairly and uprightly with others. 5. He is “devout”, which means that He is focused on God and lives in devotion to Him. 6. As far as he himself is concerned, he is “self-controlled”. That includes more than only with regard to the consumption of alcohol. It is about a person who can control himself and who is able to control his desires and lusts.

An elder must therefore be just toward people, holy toward God and sober-minded toward himself.

Titus 1:9. An elder also has to deal with contradictors, especially from the Jews – ‘those of the circumcision’ (Titus 1:10). These people are always and everywhere active against the truth. They try to confuse the thoughts of people in a devious way. The overseer is not to try to resist these people with his own words, but with a word that is in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. He ought to exhort and convict with a word that comes from the Word, for that alone is truly trustworthy because it comes from God, and Paul passed it on.

The overseer is actually a man with authority, but he himself is also under authority, that is the authority of the Word of God that has been taught by the apostle. This is called “sound doctrine”. It is sound in itself, not mixed with strange, human thoughts. Its effects are also sound. Therefore you will grow sound in faith if you listen to it.

Now read Titus 1:5-9 again.

Reflection: Which of the characteristics do you want to be seen in your life? What do you think you could do about it?

Hebrews 9:13

Elders

Titus 1:5. After his introduction Paul comes to the main point of his letter in Titus 1:5. He has founded some churches in Crete. That he speaks about “every city”, gives the impression that the gospel has been accepted on a large scale on that island, due to which possibly in every city in the island a church has come into existence. However, Paul has not had the opportunity to build up and confirm the churches in the truth. There was still something missing regarding the teachings.

If you read the next chapters you may think for instance of the teaching on the relationships among the believers (chapter 2) and the attitude toward the government (chapter 3). Although Paul himself is not able to provide what is lacking, he provides in the person of Titus someone who is capable to replace him.

Besides, it is not the purpose that Titus stays in Crete. Paul will have him to be replaced by someone else (Titus 3:12). Every ambassador of the apostle will be of great support to the believers in order to live their lives as Christians. But there is also qualified leadership needed among the believers that will not be changed. Therefore Titus receives the direction to appoint elders in every city where there is a church. That’s what the greater part of chapter 1 deals with.

The Cretans are wicked people by nature (Titus 1:12). Paul knows them. Therefore he knows what qualifications elders should have to be able to lead the churches in Crete so that they meet the will of the Lord.

In order to keep them in line or to bring them into order, Paul doesn’t develop a church order. He doesn’t order Titus to introduce church regulations that seem to be most suitable for their way of life on the island. That has certainly happened in church history, but that is not in accordance with the Bible. I will try to explain what it takes to appoint elders.

There has always been a lot of discussion about appointing elders. There are continually questions like: ‘Who is going to appoint?’ and ‘Do we still have elders nowadays and how do you recognize them?’ In order to find correct answers to these kinds of questions, you should consider some things. One of them is to bear in mind that elders occupy a position of authority and that they are put in that position by a higher authority.

You notice that where you read about the appointment of elders in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5) they are appointed by apostles or their representatives. So appointment cannot be done by the church. It would be strange if the church itself determines who exercises authority over it. That’s why this letter is addressed to Titus and not to the church in Crete. No, authority always comes from above.

Titus receives the direction to appoint elders on behalf of the apostle. The appointment of elders is necessary here because the church doesn’t have the complete New Testament yet. An official appointment gives the authority to elders to take action against people who pretend to be spiritual leaders, but who actually are deceivers. The church ought to listen to the elders and will as a result experience the blessing. In our days it is not necessary to have that official appointment, for we have the complete Word of God.

The question whether elders are still to be appointed is not that difficult to be answered if you consider that elders can only be appointed by a higher authority. There are no apostles anymore and neither are there people who can act as representatives of an apostle. Therefore it is not right to appoint elders in our days. But that doesn’t mean that they are not anymore to be found. The Bible more often speaks about elders without saying that they are officially appointed (e.g. Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).

The word ‘elder’ indicates in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a mature person with life experience. In that sense there are fortunately still ‘elders’, including those who have a leading position, pastors, the gift of leadership (Acts 15:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7; 17; 24). They all have no formal authority, but you are willing to submit yourself to them if you notice that they act in accordance with God’s Word.

Titus 1:6. Then the qualifications follow an elder must meet. Before I deal with those I want to point out to you that those qualifications do not only apply to an elder. It is a good thing to ask yourself to what extent they are present or absent with you. You may say that what is required for an elder as a qualification, is required to you as a rule of conduct.

The first qualification is that an elder must be “above reproach”. That means that he shouldn’t be accused of anything, that he is not to be blamed for anything. The first area where that applies is his marriage and family. He must be “the husband of one wife”. If he has more than one wife, as a result of his life in sin, he cannot be an elder. And in case he has children, they also have to be believers. And not only that. Those children should not be known as money wasting freeloaders, who cannot be controlled by their father.

Therefore the family of the elder may not be blamed for anything. For if he doesn’t manage his family well, how will he be able to manage the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Does it seem to ask too much of you? It may be, but can you imagine God to lower His standards to fit our practice? That’s not possible.

It is absolutely grace if the children come to faith, for faith is not a heritage. But there is also the side of human responsibility. God assumes that in a family where there are believing parents, the children are also believers. It is God’s purpose to save someone with his household (Acts 16:31; Joshua 2:18; Exodus 12:3; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:1).

Application: Spiritual leaders are responsible for causing their children to desire to follow the Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:7. After the family the personal qualifications of the overseer follow. Have you noticed that Paul spoke about ‘elders’ in Titus 1:5 and about “the overseer” in Titus 1:7? As it has been noticed already (see the explanation of 1 Timothy 3:1-5) this clarifies that the elder and overseer are the same person.

1. As the first personal qualification, now apart from his family, it is said again that he “must be above reproach”, i.e. not to be accused of anything. 2. He must be aware that it is about a task in God’s house. He is a “steward” there and not the owner. He has been entrusted to manage something that belongs to Another, God. Therefore he is also responsible, concerning his conduct, to Him. 3.

When an overseer is conscious of that, he will “not” act “self-willed”. He will not claim any authority and obedience without any reason. 4. He recognizes the right of the others for explanation whether something is good or bad. When questions rise he will not respond “quick-tempered” as if being stung by a wasp, even if he has the presumption of evil intentions. He is not quick to anger, but has self-control. 5. That self-control is also there over his lusts.

He is not to be tempted by alcohol, he is “not addicted to wine”. There is nothing wrong with drinking some wine at times (1 Timothy 5:23), but to desire it is wrong. 6. An overseer is also not a brawler, he is “not pugnacious”. He doesn’t seek to overpower other people, neither with his fists nor with his tongue. 7. He is also “not fond of sordid gain”, which implies that he doesn’t exercise his service to make financial profits.

Titus 1:8. After the characteristics in Titus 1:7 (of which six are negative) Paul reminds Titus of a number of positive characteristics in Titus 1:8-9. Being a Christian is not only characterized by the absence of negative things, but especially by the presence of positive things that are also to be developed. Instead of seeking his own interest and profit the elder ought to seek to be meaningful to others.

1. That is especially expressed in being “hospitable”. He not only invites friends for a cup of coffee, but he has an open heart for needy believers who may be unfamiliar to him. 2. As one “loving what is good” (or: ‘a friend of the good’) he has a heart that is wide open for everything that is good and useful. That doesn’t make him thoughtless, a person who gets excited about everything, without distinction. 3. He is “sensible” or thoughtful, well-balanced in his view and deeds. 4.

He acts “just” toward other people: he deals fairly and uprightly with others. 5. He is “devout”, which means that He is focused on God and lives in devotion to Him. 6. As far as he himself is concerned, he is “self-controlled”. That includes more than only with regard to the consumption of alcohol. It is about a person who can control himself and who is able to control his desires and lusts.

An elder must therefore be just toward people, holy toward God and sober-minded toward himself.

Titus 1:9. An elder also has to deal with contradictors, especially from the Jews – ‘those of the circumcision’ (Titus 1:10). These people are always and everywhere active against the truth. They try to confuse the thoughts of people in a devious way. The overseer is not to try to resist these people with his own words, but with a word that is in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. He ought to exhort and convict with a word that comes from the Word, for that alone is truly trustworthy because it comes from God, and Paul passed it on.

The overseer is actually a man with authority, but he himself is also under authority, that is the authority of the Word of God that has been taught by the apostle. This is called “sound doctrine”. It is sound in itself, not mixed with strange, human thoughts. Its effects are also sound. Therefore you will grow sound in faith if you listen to it.

Now read Titus 1:5-9 again.

Reflection: Which of the characteristics do you want to be seen in your life? What do you think you could do about it?

Hebrews 9:14

Elders

Titus 1:5. After his introduction Paul comes to the main point of his letter in Titus 1:5. He has founded some churches in Crete. That he speaks about “every city”, gives the impression that the gospel has been accepted on a large scale on that island, due to which possibly in every city in the island a church has come into existence. However, Paul has not had the opportunity to build up and confirm the churches in the truth. There was still something missing regarding the teachings.

If you read the next chapters you may think for instance of the teaching on the relationships among the believers (chapter 2) and the attitude toward the government (chapter 3). Although Paul himself is not able to provide what is lacking, he provides in the person of Titus someone who is capable to replace him.

Besides, it is not the purpose that Titus stays in Crete. Paul will have him to be replaced by someone else (Titus 3:12). Every ambassador of the apostle will be of great support to the believers in order to live their lives as Christians. But there is also qualified leadership needed among the believers that will not be changed. Therefore Titus receives the direction to appoint elders in every city where there is a church. That’s what the greater part of chapter 1 deals with.

The Cretans are wicked people by nature (Titus 1:12). Paul knows them. Therefore he knows what qualifications elders should have to be able to lead the churches in Crete so that they meet the will of the Lord.

In order to keep them in line or to bring them into order, Paul doesn’t develop a church order. He doesn’t order Titus to introduce church regulations that seem to be most suitable for their way of life on the island. That has certainly happened in church history, but that is not in accordance with the Bible. I will try to explain what it takes to appoint elders.

There has always been a lot of discussion about appointing elders. There are continually questions like: ‘Who is going to appoint?’ and ‘Do we still have elders nowadays and how do you recognize them?’ In order to find correct answers to these kinds of questions, you should consider some things. One of them is to bear in mind that elders occupy a position of authority and that they are put in that position by a higher authority.

You notice that where you read about the appointment of elders in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5) they are appointed by apostles or their representatives. So appointment cannot be done by the church. It would be strange if the church itself determines who exercises authority over it. That’s why this letter is addressed to Titus and not to the church in Crete. No, authority always comes from above.

Titus receives the direction to appoint elders on behalf of the apostle. The appointment of elders is necessary here because the church doesn’t have the complete New Testament yet. An official appointment gives the authority to elders to take action against people who pretend to be spiritual leaders, but who actually are deceivers. The church ought to listen to the elders and will as a result experience the blessing. In our days it is not necessary to have that official appointment, for we have the complete Word of God.

The question whether elders are still to be appointed is not that difficult to be answered if you consider that elders can only be appointed by a higher authority. There are no apostles anymore and neither are there people who can act as representatives of an apostle. Therefore it is not right to appoint elders in our days. But that doesn’t mean that they are not anymore to be found. The Bible more often speaks about elders without saying that they are officially appointed (e.g. Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).

The word ‘elder’ indicates in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a mature person with life experience. In that sense there are fortunately still ‘elders’, including those who have a leading position, pastors, the gift of leadership (Acts 15:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7; 17; 24). They all have no formal authority, but you are willing to submit yourself to them if you notice that they act in accordance with God’s Word.

Titus 1:6. Then the qualifications follow an elder must meet. Before I deal with those I want to point out to you that those qualifications do not only apply to an elder. It is a good thing to ask yourself to what extent they are present or absent with you. You may say that what is required for an elder as a qualification, is required to you as a rule of conduct.

The first qualification is that an elder must be “above reproach”. That means that he shouldn’t be accused of anything, that he is not to be blamed for anything. The first area where that applies is his marriage and family. He must be “the husband of one wife”. If he has more than one wife, as a result of his life in sin, he cannot be an elder. And in case he has children, they also have to be believers. And not only that. Those children should not be known as money wasting freeloaders, who cannot be controlled by their father.

Therefore the family of the elder may not be blamed for anything. For if he doesn’t manage his family well, how will he be able to manage the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Does it seem to ask too much of you? It may be, but can you imagine God to lower His standards to fit our practice? That’s not possible.

It is absolutely grace if the children come to faith, for faith is not a heritage. But there is also the side of human responsibility. God assumes that in a family where there are believing parents, the children are also believers. It is God’s purpose to save someone with his household (Acts 16:31; Joshua 2:18; Exodus 12:3; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:1).

Application: Spiritual leaders are responsible for causing their children to desire to follow the Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:7. After the family the personal qualifications of the overseer follow. Have you noticed that Paul spoke about ‘elders’ in Titus 1:5 and about “the overseer” in Titus 1:7? As it has been noticed already (see the explanation of 1 Timothy 3:1-5) this clarifies that the elder and overseer are the same person.

1. As the first personal qualification, now apart from his family, it is said again that he “must be above reproach”, i.e. not to be accused of anything. 2. He must be aware that it is about a task in God’s house. He is a “steward” there and not the owner. He has been entrusted to manage something that belongs to Another, God. Therefore he is also responsible, concerning his conduct, to Him. 3.

When an overseer is conscious of that, he will “not” act “self-willed”. He will not claim any authority and obedience without any reason. 4. He recognizes the right of the others for explanation whether something is good or bad. When questions rise he will not respond “quick-tempered” as if being stung by a wasp, even if he has the presumption of evil intentions. He is not quick to anger, but has self-control. 5. That self-control is also there over his lusts.

He is not to be tempted by alcohol, he is “not addicted to wine”. There is nothing wrong with drinking some wine at times (1 Timothy 5:23), but to desire it is wrong. 6. An overseer is also not a brawler, he is “not pugnacious”. He doesn’t seek to overpower other people, neither with his fists nor with his tongue. 7. He is also “not fond of sordid gain”, which implies that he doesn’t exercise his service to make financial profits.

Titus 1:8. After the characteristics in Titus 1:7 (of which six are negative) Paul reminds Titus of a number of positive characteristics in Titus 1:8-9. Being a Christian is not only characterized by the absence of negative things, but especially by the presence of positive things that are also to be developed. Instead of seeking his own interest and profit the elder ought to seek to be meaningful to others.

1. That is especially expressed in being “hospitable”. He not only invites friends for a cup of coffee, but he has an open heart for needy believers who may be unfamiliar to him. 2. As one “loving what is good” (or: ‘a friend of the good’) he has a heart that is wide open for everything that is good and useful. That doesn’t make him thoughtless, a person who gets excited about everything, without distinction. 3. He is “sensible” or thoughtful, well-balanced in his view and deeds. 4.

He acts “just” toward other people: he deals fairly and uprightly with others. 5. He is “devout”, which means that He is focused on God and lives in devotion to Him. 6. As far as he himself is concerned, he is “self-controlled”. That includes more than only with regard to the consumption of alcohol. It is about a person who can control himself and who is able to control his desires and lusts.

An elder must therefore be just toward people, holy toward God and sober-minded toward himself.

Titus 1:9. An elder also has to deal with contradictors, especially from the Jews – ‘those of the circumcision’ (Titus 1:10). These people are always and everywhere active against the truth. They try to confuse the thoughts of people in a devious way. The overseer is not to try to resist these people with his own words, but with a word that is in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. He ought to exhort and convict with a word that comes from the Word, for that alone is truly trustworthy because it comes from God, and Paul passed it on.

The overseer is actually a man with authority, but he himself is also under authority, that is the authority of the Word of God that has been taught by the apostle. This is called “sound doctrine”. It is sound in itself, not mixed with strange, human thoughts. Its effects are also sound. Therefore you will grow sound in faith if you listen to it.

Now read Titus 1:5-9 again.

Reflection: Which of the characteristics do you want to be seen in your life? What do you think you could do about it?

Hebrews 9:15

Elders

Titus 1:5. After his introduction Paul comes to the main point of his letter in Titus 1:5. He has founded some churches in Crete. That he speaks about “every city”, gives the impression that the gospel has been accepted on a large scale on that island, due to which possibly in every city in the island a church has come into existence. However, Paul has not had the opportunity to build up and confirm the churches in the truth. There was still something missing regarding the teachings.

If you read the next chapters you may think for instance of the teaching on the relationships among the believers (chapter 2) and the attitude toward the government (chapter 3). Although Paul himself is not able to provide what is lacking, he provides in the person of Titus someone who is capable to replace him.

Besides, it is not the purpose that Titus stays in Crete. Paul will have him to be replaced by someone else (Titus 3:12). Every ambassador of the apostle will be of great support to the believers in order to live their lives as Christians. But there is also qualified leadership needed among the believers that will not be changed. Therefore Titus receives the direction to appoint elders in every city where there is a church. That’s what the greater part of chapter 1 deals with.

The Cretans are wicked people by nature (Titus 1:12). Paul knows them. Therefore he knows what qualifications elders should have to be able to lead the churches in Crete so that they meet the will of the Lord.

In order to keep them in line or to bring them into order, Paul doesn’t develop a church order. He doesn’t order Titus to introduce church regulations that seem to be most suitable for their way of life on the island. That has certainly happened in church history, but that is not in accordance with the Bible. I will try to explain what it takes to appoint elders.

There has always been a lot of discussion about appointing elders. There are continually questions like: ‘Who is going to appoint?’ and ‘Do we still have elders nowadays and how do you recognize them?’ In order to find correct answers to these kinds of questions, you should consider some things. One of them is to bear in mind that elders occupy a position of authority and that they are put in that position by a higher authority.

You notice that where you read about the appointment of elders in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5) they are appointed by apostles or their representatives. So appointment cannot be done by the church. It would be strange if the church itself determines who exercises authority over it. That’s why this letter is addressed to Titus and not to the church in Crete. No, authority always comes from above.

Titus receives the direction to appoint elders on behalf of the apostle. The appointment of elders is necessary here because the church doesn’t have the complete New Testament yet. An official appointment gives the authority to elders to take action against people who pretend to be spiritual leaders, but who actually are deceivers. The church ought to listen to the elders and will as a result experience the blessing. In our days it is not necessary to have that official appointment, for we have the complete Word of God.

The question whether elders are still to be appointed is not that difficult to be answered if you consider that elders can only be appointed by a higher authority. There are no apostles anymore and neither are there people who can act as representatives of an apostle. Therefore it is not right to appoint elders in our days. But that doesn’t mean that they are not anymore to be found. The Bible more often speaks about elders without saying that they are officially appointed (e.g. Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).

The word ‘elder’ indicates in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a mature person with life experience. In that sense there are fortunately still ‘elders’, including those who have a leading position, pastors, the gift of leadership (Acts 15:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7; 17; 24). They all have no formal authority, but you are willing to submit yourself to them if you notice that they act in accordance with God’s Word.

Titus 1:6. Then the qualifications follow an elder must meet. Before I deal with those I want to point out to you that those qualifications do not only apply to an elder. It is a good thing to ask yourself to what extent they are present or absent with you. You may say that what is required for an elder as a qualification, is required to you as a rule of conduct.

The first qualification is that an elder must be “above reproach”. That means that he shouldn’t be accused of anything, that he is not to be blamed for anything. The first area where that applies is his marriage and family. He must be “the husband of one wife”. If he has more than one wife, as a result of his life in sin, he cannot be an elder. And in case he has children, they also have to be believers. And not only that. Those children should not be known as money wasting freeloaders, who cannot be controlled by their father.

Therefore the family of the elder may not be blamed for anything. For if he doesn’t manage his family well, how will he be able to manage the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Does it seem to ask too much of you? It may be, but can you imagine God to lower His standards to fit our practice? That’s not possible.

It is absolutely grace if the children come to faith, for faith is not a heritage. But there is also the side of human responsibility. God assumes that in a family where there are believing parents, the children are also believers. It is God’s purpose to save someone with his household (Acts 16:31; Joshua 2:18; Exodus 12:3; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:1).

Application: Spiritual leaders are responsible for causing their children to desire to follow the Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:7. After the family the personal qualifications of the overseer follow. Have you noticed that Paul spoke about ‘elders’ in Titus 1:5 and about “the overseer” in Titus 1:7? As it has been noticed already (see the explanation of 1 Timothy 3:1-5) this clarifies that the elder and overseer are the same person.

1. As the first personal qualification, now apart from his family, it is said again that he “must be above reproach”, i.e. not to be accused of anything. 2. He must be aware that it is about a task in God’s house. He is a “steward” there and not the owner. He has been entrusted to manage something that belongs to Another, God. Therefore he is also responsible, concerning his conduct, to Him. 3.

When an overseer is conscious of that, he will “not” act “self-willed”. He will not claim any authority and obedience without any reason. 4. He recognizes the right of the others for explanation whether something is good or bad. When questions rise he will not respond “quick-tempered” as if being stung by a wasp, even if he has the presumption of evil intentions. He is not quick to anger, but has self-control. 5. That self-control is also there over his lusts.

He is not to be tempted by alcohol, he is “not addicted to wine”. There is nothing wrong with drinking some wine at times (1 Timothy 5:23), but to desire it is wrong. 6. An overseer is also not a brawler, he is “not pugnacious”. He doesn’t seek to overpower other people, neither with his fists nor with his tongue. 7. He is also “not fond of sordid gain”, which implies that he doesn’t exercise his service to make financial profits.

Titus 1:8. After the characteristics in Titus 1:7 (of which six are negative) Paul reminds Titus of a number of positive characteristics in Titus 1:8-9. Being a Christian is not only characterized by the absence of negative things, but especially by the presence of positive things that are also to be developed. Instead of seeking his own interest and profit the elder ought to seek to be meaningful to others.

1. That is especially expressed in being “hospitable”. He not only invites friends for a cup of coffee, but he has an open heart for needy believers who may be unfamiliar to him. 2. As one “loving what is good” (or: ‘a friend of the good’) he has a heart that is wide open for everything that is good and useful. That doesn’t make him thoughtless, a person who gets excited about everything, without distinction. 3. He is “sensible” or thoughtful, well-balanced in his view and deeds. 4.

He acts “just” toward other people: he deals fairly and uprightly with others. 5. He is “devout”, which means that He is focused on God and lives in devotion to Him. 6. As far as he himself is concerned, he is “self-controlled”. That includes more than only with regard to the consumption of alcohol. It is about a person who can control himself and who is able to control his desires and lusts.

An elder must therefore be just toward people, holy toward God and sober-minded toward himself.

Titus 1:9. An elder also has to deal with contradictors, especially from the Jews – ‘those of the circumcision’ (Titus 1:10). These people are always and everywhere active against the truth. They try to confuse the thoughts of people in a devious way. The overseer is not to try to resist these people with his own words, but with a word that is in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. He ought to exhort and convict with a word that comes from the Word, for that alone is truly trustworthy because it comes from God, and Paul passed it on.

The overseer is actually a man with authority, but he himself is also under authority, that is the authority of the Word of God that has been taught by the apostle. This is called “sound doctrine”. It is sound in itself, not mixed with strange, human thoughts. Its effects are also sound. Therefore you will grow sound in faith if you listen to it.

Now read Titus 1:5-9 again.

Reflection: Which of the characteristics do you want to be seen in your life? What do you think you could do about it?

Hebrews 9:16

Elders

Titus 1:5. After his introduction Paul comes to the main point of his letter in Titus 1:5. He has founded some churches in Crete. That he speaks about “every city”, gives the impression that the gospel has been accepted on a large scale on that island, due to which possibly in every city in the island a church has come into existence. However, Paul has not had the opportunity to build up and confirm the churches in the truth. There was still something missing regarding the teachings.

If you read the next chapters you may think for instance of the teaching on the relationships among the believers (chapter 2) and the attitude toward the government (chapter 3). Although Paul himself is not able to provide what is lacking, he provides in the person of Titus someone who is capable to replace him.

Besides, it is not the purpose that Titus stays in Crete. Paul will have him to be replaced by someone else (Titus 3:12). Every ambassador of the apostle will be of great support to the believers in order to live their lives as Christians. But there is also qualified leadership needed among the believers that will not be changed. Therefore Titus receives the direction to appoint elders in every city where there is a church. That’s what the greater part of chapter 1 deals with.

The Cretans are wicked people by nature (Titus 1:12). Paul knows them. Therefore he knows what qualifications elders should have to be able to lead the churches in Crete so that they meet the will of the Lord.

In order to keep them in line or to bring them into order, Paul doesn’t develop a church order. He doesn’t order Titus to introduce church regulations that seem to be most suitable for their way of life on the island. That has certainly happened in church history, but that is not in accordance with the Bible. I will try to explain what it takes to appoint elders.

There has always been a lot of discussion about appointing elders. There are continually questions like: ‘Who is going to appoint?’ and ‘Do we still have elders nowadays and how do you recognize them?’ In order to find correct answers to these kinds of questions, you should consider some things. One of them is to bear in mind that elders occupy a position of authority and that they are put in that position by a higher authority.

You notice that where you read about the appointment of elders in the New Testament (Acts 14:23; Acts 20:28; Titus 1:5) they are appointed by apostles or their representatives. So appointment cannot be done by the church. It would be strange if the church itself determines who exercises authority over it. That’s why this letter is addressed to Titus and not to the church in Crete. No, authority always comes from above.

Titus receives the direction to appoint elders on behalf of the apostle. The appointment of elders is necessary here because the church doesn’t have the complete New Testament yet. An official appointment gives the authority to elders to take action against people who pretend to be spiritual leaders, but who actually are deceivers. The church ought to listen to the elders and will as a result experience the blessing. In our days it is not necessary to have that official appointment, for we have the complete Word of God.

The question whether elders are still to be appointed is not that difficult to be answered if you consider that elders can only be appointed by a higher authority. There are no apostles anymore and neither are there people who can act as representatives of an apostle. Therefore it is not right to appoint elders in our days. But that doesn’t mean that they are not anymore to be found. The Bible more often speaks about elders without saying that they are officially appointed (e.g. Acts 11:30; 1 Timothy 5:17; James 5:14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).

The word ‘elder’ indicates in both the Old Testament and the New Testament a mature person with life experience. In that sense there are fortunately still ‘elders’, including those who have a leading position, pastors, the gift of leadership (Acts 15:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7; 17; 24). They all have no formal authority, but you are willing to submit yourself to them if you notice that they act in accordance with God’s Word.

Titus 1:6. Then the qualifications follow an elder must meet. Before I deal with those I want to point out to you that those qualifications do not only apply to an elder. It is a good thing to ask yourself to what extent they are present or absent with you. You may say that what is required for an elder as a qualification, is required to you as a rule of conduct.

The first qualification is that an elder must be “above reproach”. That means that he shouldn’t be accused of anything, that he is not to be blamed for anything. The first area where that applies is his marriage and family. He must be “the husband of one wife”. If he has more than one wife, as a result of his life in sin, he cannot be an elder. And in case he has children, they also have to be believers. And not only that. Those children should not be known as money wasting freeloaders, who cannot be controlled by their father.

Therefore the family of the elder may not be blamed for anything. For if he doesn’t manage his family well, how will he be able to manage the church (1 Timothy 3:5)? Does it seem to ask too much of you? It may be, but can you imagine God to lower His standards to fit our practice? That’s not possible.

It is absolutely grace if the children come to faith, for faith is not a heritage. But there is also the side of human responsibility. God assumes that in a family where there are believing parents, the children are also believers. It is God’s purpose to save someone with his household (Acts 16:31; Joshua 2:18; Exodus 12:3; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:1).

Application: Spiritual leaders are responsible for causing their children to desire to follow the Lord Jesus.

Titus 1:7. After the family the personal qualifications of the overseer follow. Have you noticed that Paul spoke about ‘elders’ in Titus 1:5 and about “the overseer” in Titus 1:7? As it has been noticed already (see the explanation of 1 Timothy 3:1-5) this clarifies that the elder and overseer are the same person.

1. As the first personal qualification, now apart from his family, it is said again that he “must be above reproach”, i.e. not to be accused of anything. 2. He must be aware that it is about a task in God’s house. He is a “steward” there and not the owner. He has been entrusted to manage something that belongs to Another, God. Therefore he is also responsible, concerning his conduct, to Him. 3.

When an overseer is conscious of that, he will “not” act “self-willed”. He will not claim any authority and obedience without any reason. 4. He recognizes the right of the others for explanation whether something is good or bad. When questions rise he will not respond “quick-tempered” as if being stung by a wasp, even if he has the presumption of evil intentions. He is not quick to anger, but has self-control. 5. That self-control is also there over his lusts.

He is not to be tempted by alcohol, he is “not addicted to wine”. There is nothing wrong with drinking some wine at times (1 Timothy 5:23), but to desire it is wrong. 6. An overseer is also not a brawler, he is “not pugnacious”. He doesn’t seek to overpower other people, neither with his fists nor with his tongue. 7. He is also “not fond of sordid gain”, which implies that he doesn’t exercise his service to make financial profits.

Titus 1:8. After the characteristics in Titus 1:7 (of which six are negative) Paul reminds Titus of a number of positive characteristics in Titus 1:8-9. Being a Christian is not only characterized by the absence of negative things, but especially by the presence of positive things that are also to be developed. Instead of seeking his own interest and profit the elder ought to seek to be meaningful to others.

1. That is especially expressed in being “hospitable”. He not only invites friends for a cup of coffee, but he has an open heart for needy believers who may be unfamiliar to him. 2. As one “loving what is good” (or: ‘a friend of the good’) he has a heart that is wide open for everything that is good and useful. That doesn’t make him thoughtless, a person who gets excited about everything, without distinction. 3. He is “sensible” or thoughtful, well-balanced in his view and deeds. 4.

He acts “just” toward other people: he deals fairly and uprightly with others. 5. He is “devout”, which means that He is focused on God and lives in devotion to Him. 6. As far as he himself is concerned, he is “self-controlled”. That includes more than only with regard to the consumption of alcohol. It is about a person who can control himself and who is able to control his desires and lusts.

An elder must therefore be just toward people, holy toward God and sober-minded toward himself.

Titus 1:9. An elder also has to deal with contradictors, especially from the Jews – ‘those of the circumcision’ (Titus 1:10). These people are always and everywhere active against the truth. They try to confuse the thoughts of people in a devious way. The overseer is not to try to resist these people with his own words, but with a word that is in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. He ought to exhort and convict with a word that comes from the Word, for that alone is truly trustworthy because it comes from God, and Paul passed it on.

The overseer is actually a man with authority, but he himself is also under authority, that is the authority of the Word of God that has been taught by the apostle. This is called “sound doctrine”. It is sound in itself, not mixed with strange, human thoughts. Its effects are also sound. Therefore you will grow sound in faith if you listen to it.

Now read Titus 1:5-9 again.

Reflection: Which of the characteristics do you want to be seen in your life? What do you think you could do about it?

Hebrews 9:17

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:18

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:19

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:20

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:21

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:22

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:23

False Teachers

Titus 1:10. The work that Paul has achieved in Crete was much blessed. In many cities churches have come into existence. However, where the Lord is at work satan also becomes active. The adversary has not only sneaked a few insubordinate people into the churches to destroy the work, but “many”. That’s why formal authority in Crete is so useful and necessary.

These “many rebellious men” are people who are baptized and who profess to be Christians. They have taken their place in the church, but they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They openly resist the truth that is revealed by God and preached by Paul. By opposing sound doctrine they reveal their rebelliousness. These people have no respect at all for authority.

Paul also calls them “empty talkers”, who spit out only empty words that lead to no good at all. They possibly are eloquent people, who have a ready tongue. Believers who have no spiritual discernment are being deceived by this empty talk. That’s what it is all about for this people. They are “deceivers” who fool the thoughts of the believers, misguide them and lead them in the wrong direction. They are not people who sincerely think that they are right, but swindlers who confuse the believers inwardly.

Most of these false teachers are “of the circumcision”, so from Judaism. They are Christians who are originally circumcised Jews. They have never been totally freed from the law and are trying to impose the law on the Christians in Crete. Also today there are many of such people to be found in professing Christianity where so much Jewish religiosity from the Old Testament is present. A Judaist spirit of outward form service and legalism pervades professing Christianity. It is in contrast with the spirit of the Scripture to introduce elements of the Jewish religion, especially the law.

There has been a contention about this in the early church. This contention had come to a solution at an apostles’ meeting in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-10). There it was decided that the law is not to be imposed on the believers ‘from the nations’. The law cannot be the rule of life for the Christian. You are not legalistic if you live strictly for yourself and at the same time give freedom to the other. You become legalistic only if you impose your rules of life on others.

Titus 1:11. We should combat legalism radically, for it permeates whole families. In the letter to the Galatians Paul also sharply responds to these false brothers (Galatians 2:4-5). Their doctrine is wrong and it is preached from evil motives. Paul commands here in general, so also you, that they must be silenced. ‘To silence’ is to muzzle the mouth, that it is not able anymore to do any harm. That is only possible through the power of God’s Word and through His Spirit (cf. Matthew 22:34).

You cannot take a passive attitude toward false teachers. The moment they get an entrance in a family, if for instance a member of a family joins them, they disrupt the whole family. They ruin families by sowing confusion regarding sound doctrine. The motive that is hidden behind it, is the greed for money (cf. Acts 20:33).

Titus 1:12. These Jewish false teachers easily find entrance because of the depraved national character of the Cretans. If someone comes to faith, he fundamentally doesn’t belong to a certain nation anymore. Still he bears with him the national nature with its evil characteristics. He always has to be alert that it will not control him again. Paul point this out to Titus. It is necessary to take a stand and act with authority against the expressions of this evil national character, that the believers may remain sound in faith.

This assertion about their national character is not just a view of Paul, but is confirmed by one of their own prophets, a certain Epimenides. He states without circumlocution that Cretans always lie. Their mendacity is even proverbial. ‘Speaking like a Cretan’ means lying.

Their own prophet compares them also with an evil, wild beast. Such a beast doesn’t want any bridle, for its nature is rebellious. It wants to bite and has a propensity for cruelty. A ‘lazy glutton’ thinks of nothing else than the satisfaction of his own lowest needs. He has an uncontrollable gluttony.

Titus 1:13. Paul underlines the truth of their own prophet. Although Epimenides is not a prophet of God, God acknowledges his testimony through the mouth of Paul.

The false teachers are being led in their evil practices by this depraved national character. Paul knows what he is talking about. He has experienced during his stay in Crete that they are troublesome people. Therefore he tells Titus to act sharply against the outbreaks of that national character in the church. The goal of this action is that they may be sound in the faith.

Titus 1:14. Paul connects another goal to this action. Titus must severely rebuke fantasies, human statutes and traditions. They are evil plagues in the church of God that stir Him up to jealousy and that are in contrast with His grace, for they exalt man. That applies to the believers in Crete and that applies to all believers at all times all over the world.

It concerns in the first place “Jewish myths”. Those are all kinds of fantasies and fabrications about the origin of spiritual beings like angels and demons. Those are all speculations without even a modicum of truth. It may seem interesting and books are written about it that also find readers. But to be sound in faith the believers should turn away from it. We must not pay attention to that, we must totally ignore it.

In the second place it concerns “commandments of men”. The commandments of men put man in the middle and make him imagine that he can earn salvation by complying with certain traditions and rituals. That can happen by additions to a commandment of God or by a distortion of a commandment of God. Jewish scribes are excellent masters in that. The result is that people neglect the commandment of God, while they keep the traditions of people (Mark 7:5-13).

In both cases there is mention of a “turn away from the truth” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4). You recognize it today in many protestant churches where human statutes (reverends and pre-programmed services) play a major role and in the roman-catholic church where traditions (fables, mystics and idolatry) also play a major role.

Titus 1:15. The Christendom that the Scripture shows us, doesn’t know any external rituals, except baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It comes down to the innermost being (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 51:6). He, who is inwardly pure, is allowed to freely make use of all things, without any fear to get defiled. Such a person is not guided by his fleshly lusts, but by love (Romans 14:20).

“All things” doesn’t refer to morally evil things of course, but to external things like eating and drinking. Nothing of that is impure in itself (Romans 14:14; 1 Timothy 4:4). But those who have defiled themselves by sin and the unbelievers, defile everything they come into contact with. That’s because their mind and also their will and all their desires and goals have been blemished and defiled. That goes also for their conscience, their inward awareness. They have lost the ability to discern between good and evil. Where the mind and the conscience are defiled, there can be no purity.

Titus 1:16. It is not about plain apostates. They claim to be fully informed about God and so join the ranks of believers. But profession and practice with these people are opposites. If you see what they are doing, it has got nothing to do with God. This denial of God by their deeds makes them “detestable” or ‘abominable’. The word ‘detestable’ is also used for an idol image and then it is indicated by ‘abomination’ (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Here lies a close relation with the performance of the antichrist. These false teachers are breathing his spirit.

Another characteristic is that they are disobedient to God and His truth. They do not want to bow to it, but oppose it. There is not “any good deed”, i.e. everything that is useful, of such people to be expected; they are totally “worthless” for that.

Now read Titus 1:10-16 again.

Reflection: How can you recognize false teachers and how should you protect yourself against their influence?

Hebrews 9:25

Older Men, Older Women

Chapter 1 deals especially with the flock of God and the dangers that threaten the flock. Therefore the Lord gave elders, pastors and leaders. They can lead the flock and keep them from dangers. The practical things are connected with the doctrine and with those chosen of God. That shows how precious the believers are to God’s heart. That is what should determine the behavior of the leaders and what makes their responsibility great in dealing with them.

Chapter 2 deals with, as it is said at the end of this chapter, an “own special people” for the Lord Jesus who are zealous for good works. We are His own special people. The Lord Jesus wanted to have His own people or nation in this world, a people who are a joy and pleasure to Him. That sounds in each group that is being addressed in this chapter. He wants to have the older men, the older women, the young women, the young men and the bondslaves for Himself. He wants to be able, in the midst of all nationalities, to point to a nation or at people of whom He can say: ‘They are My people.’ Kings and rulers have their people, He has them too.

Our task is to live in such a way that He can really say with joy, without being ashamed of us: ‘They are My people.’ Then certainly not only the gatherings are the point here, where we are visibly together from our living environment and people see a nation or a unity of people. It is about what the Lord Jesus sees when He looks at us in our houses and at our working place. He sees all of those different groups in their environment, not gathered, but often as a solitary individual in the midst of so many who do not belong to His people. He not only loves to see His people when they are together, but also in everyday life in the midst of the world.

Titus 2:1. To make sure that He can look at us with joy, Paul commands Titus to speak things which are proper for “sound doctrine”. By the way, this verse starts with: “But as for you.” That indicates a contrast to the previous. He should not stop to minister the saints with the sound doctrine by speaking about it again and again. This is the best remedy against the influence of the false teachers.

Titus doesn’t receive the command to teach the sound doctrine, but to ‘speak the things’ that are fitting for it. This may have to do with the fact that the work of Titus is not so much that of a teacher, but more of a pastoral worker, which implies that he often has individual conversations. Public preaching is often not sufficient to meet all needs. A person who especially ministers as a shepherd, once said to me: ‘From what you bring in the meeting as doctrine, I take small chunks which I use for an individual believer who needs care.’ This is how to complement one another and this is also what the Lord purposed.

The starting point is the sound doctrine. That’s the doctrine which is sound in itself and which also makes all people sound who take in this doctrine. It is like fruit. In healthy fruit there are no worms or rotten spots. When you eat healthy fruit, it improves your health.

Apparently Titus is still a young man. This makes it more necessary that he only speaks things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Only then the different age groups will accept his exhortations. Each category has a doctrine that is fitting for that certain group. Titus has to talk about that with each separate group. The differences between the groups will then not cause the believers to live separately from each other, or worse, in opposition to each other, but on the contrary in harmony with one another. In that way the sound doctrine will have a sound effect.

You may say that a sound church consists of the four categories mentioned. The phenomenon ‘youth church’ ignores this and isolates the youth of the larger whole of the church. In a church as it is presented here, you see a mixture of the maturity and experience of the older people and the energy and activity of the youth.

Paul doesn’t address the groups directly, as he does in the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians. He gives instructions to Titus on how he should properly minister each group by age and gender so that they may walk in accordance with their profession. First it is important to consider that each position that is mentioned here, is given by God (age, gender) or is acknowledged by Him (bondslave, master). As long as you are in that position, you ought to act in a way that is fitting for that position.

Titus 2:2. The first category that is being addressed is the “older men”. Not all older men are elders. Spiritually these older men are not much older than the young people, but they certainly are regarding their age and wisdom of life. Still, their old age goes together with its own dangers. When they get older a feeling of uselessness can arise or not knowing what to do anymore.

1. The danger arises that they open themselves for influences that cause them not to be “temperate” anymore. In that case they are no example anymore for the young people who look upon them. A sober person is free from exaggeration and excitement in words and deeds. 2. Their behavior should not be like that of a puppy, necessarily wanting to act like a young person, but “dignified”. An older man ought to have an attitude with a certain dignity. 3.

He will be “sensible” and adopt a tactful reservation. He no longer needs to assert himself so much. 4. Another danger of getting older is that conversation become limited and one-sided. Therefore he must be instructed to be “sound in faith”, which means: sound in what he believes. Then he will be balanced in his speech about the truth, whereby he doesn’t overemphasize certain truths and neglects other truths. 5. Also “in love” he ought to be sound, that it goes out to all God’s children and is not limited to a select few. 6.

The last thing that Titus must tell the older men is that they must be sound “in perseverance”. The older you get, the more the danger increases to become despondent. The feeling can arise that nothing makes any sense at all. Weariness of life may occur.

The older men may bear in mind that the Lord has His purpose with their stay on earth until the last minute of their life. Professor Gunning said it this way when he grew old: ‘I will not give death that honor to wait for it.’ He looked forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. The expectation of Him with perseverance also renews the strength of older men (Isaiah 40:31).

Titus 2:3. After the exhortations to older men now those to the “older women” follow. Their behavior, which means their whole visible performance in daily life in words, gestures, clothing, decoration, ought to be “reverent”. That means that they are continually aware to be living in God’s presence. Anna is a wonderful example of such a woman. You read of her that she “never left the temple” (Luke 2:37).

The abuse of the tongue by “malicious gossips” is a great danger for older women. Anna did not commit that sin. On the contrary, she spoke about God. She also served God night and day. She was full of God and praised Him (Luke 2:38). Therefore she was “not enslaved to much wine”. She did not have to turn to the bottle out of boredom to get a kind of happy feeling by drinking wine (cf. Ephesians 5:18).

Titus must instruct older women that they should spend their time in a good way by “teaching what is good”. Older women do not have to care for a family anymore and therefore they have less domestic occupations than when there were children to care for.

You may be thinking: ‘But isn’t it written that the woman is not supposed to be teaching’ (1 Timothy 2:12)? You are right about that. However, here it is not about explaining certain truths of God’s Word, but about how something is to be done. They do not perform as teachers before the whole church, but their teaching is only focused on just one certain category: the young women. The teaching here regards the efforts to make clear to young women how they can be good witnesses in daily life.

Now read Titus 2:1-3 again.

Reflection: Do you know older men and older women in your environment with whom you see something of the characteristics mentioned?

Hebrews 9:26

Older Men, Older Women

Chapter 1 deals especially with the flock of God and the dangers that threaten the flock. Therefore the Lord gave elders, pastors and leaders. They can lead the flock and keep them from dangers. The practical things are connected with the doctrine and with those chosen of God. That shows how precious the believers are to God’s heart. That is what should determine the behavior of the leaders and what makes their responsibility great in dealing with them.

Chapter 2 deals with, as it is said at the end of this chapter, an “own special people” for the Lord Jesus who are zealous for good works. We are His own special people. The Lord Jesus wanted to have His own people or nation in this world, a people who are a joy and pleasure to Him. That sounds in each group that is being addressed in this chapter. He wants to have the older men, the older women, the young women, the young men and the bondslaves for Himself. He wants to be able, in the midst of all nationalities, to point to a nation or at people of whom He can say: ‘They are My people.’ Kings and rulers have their people, He has them too.

Our task is to live in such a way that He can really say with joy, without being ashamed of us: ‘They are My people.’ Then certainly not only the gatherings are the point here, where we are visibly together from our living environment and people see a nation or a unity of people. It is about what the Lord Jesus sees when He looks at us in our houses and at our working place. He sees all of those different groups in their environment, not gathered, but often as a solitary individual in the midst of so many who do not belong to His people. He not only loves to see His people when they are together, but also in everyday life in the midst of the world.

Titus 2:1. To make sure that He can look at us with joy, Paul commands Titus to speak things which are proper for “sound doctrine”. By the way, this verse starts with: “But as for you.” That indicates a contrast to the previous. He should not stop to minister the saints with the sound doctrine by speaking about it again and again. This is the best remedy against the influence of the false teachers.

Titus doesn’t receive the command to teach the sound doctrine, but to ‘speak the things’ that are fitting for it. This may have to do with the fact that the work of Titus is not so much that of a teacher, but more of a pastoral worker, which implies that he often has individual conversations. Public preaching is often not sufficient to meet all needs. A person who especially ministers as a shepherd, once said to me: ‘From what you bring in the meeting as doctrine, I take small chunks which I use for an individual believer who needs care.’ This is how to complement one another and this is also what the Lord purposed.

The starting point is the sound doctrine. That’s the doctrine which is sound in itself and which also makes all people sound who take in this doctrine. It is like fruit. In healthy fruit there are no worms or rotten spots. When you eat healthy fruit, it improves your health.

Apparently Titus is still a young man. This makes it more necessary that he only speaks things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Only then the different age groups will accept his exhortations. Each category has a doctrine that is fitting for that certain group. Titus has to talk about that with each separate group. The differences between the groups will then not cause the believers to live separately from each other, or worse, in opposition to each other, but on the contrary in harmony with one another. In that way the sound doctrine will have a sound effect.

You may say that a sound church consists of the four categories mentioned. The phenomenon ‘youth church’ ignores this and isolates the youth of the larger whole of the church. In a church as it is presented here, you see a mixture of the maturity and experience of the older people and the energy and activity of the youth.

Paul doesn’t address the groups directly, as he does in the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians. He gives instructions to Titus on how he should properly minister each group by age and gender so that they may walk in accordance with their profession. First it is important to consider that each position that is mentioned here, is given by God (age, gender) or is acknowledged by Him (bondslave, master). As long as you are in that position, you ought to act in a way that is fitting for that position.

Titus 2:2. The first category that is being addressed is the “older men”. Not all older men are elders. Spiritually these older men are not much older than the young people, but they certainly are regarding their age and wisdom of life. Still, their old age goes together with its own dangers. When they get older a feeling of uselessness can arise or not knowing what to do anymore.

1. The danger arises that they open themselves for influences that cause them not to be “temperate” anymore. In that case they are no example anymore for the young people who look upon them. A sober person is free from exaggeration and excitement in words and deeds. 2. Their behavior should not be like that of a puppy, necessarily wanting to act like a young person, but “dignified”. An older man ought to have an attitude with a certain dignity. 3.

He will be “sensible” and adopt a tactful reservation. He no longer needs to assert himself so much. 4. Another danger of getting older is that conversation become limited and one-sided. Therefore he must be instructed to be “sound in faith”, which means: sound in what he believes. Then he will be balanced in his speech about the truth, whereby he doesn’t overemphasize certain truths and neglects other truths. 5. Also “in love” he ought to be sound, that it goes out to all God’s children and is not limited to a select few. 6.

The last thing that Titus must tell the older men is that they must be sound “in perseverance”. The older you get, the more the danger increases to become despondent. The feeling can arise that nothing makes any sense at all. Weariness of life may occur.

The older men may bear in mind that the Lord has His purpose with their stay on earth until the last minute of their life. Professor Gunning said it this way when he grew old: ‘I will not give death that honor to wait for it.’ He looked forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. The expectation of Him with perseverance also renews the strength of older men (Isaiah 40:31).

Titus 2:3. After the exhortations to older men now those to the “older women” follow. Their behavior, which means their whole visible performance in daily life in words, gestures, clothing, decoration, ought to be “reverent”. That means that they are continually aware to be living in God’s presence. Anna is a wonderful example of such a woman. You read of her that she “never left the temple” (Luke 2:37).

The abuse of the tongue by “malicious gossips” is a great danger for older women. Anna did not commit that sin. On the contrary, she spoke about God. She also served God night and day. She was full of God and praised Him (Luke 2:38). Therefore she was “not enslaved to much wine”. She did not have to turn to the bottle out of boredom to get a kind of happy feeling by drinking wine (cf. Ephesians 5:18).

Titus must instruct older women that they should spend their time in a good way by “teaching what is good”. Older women do not have to care for a family anymore and therefore they have less domestic occupations than when there were children to care for.

You may be thinking: ‘But isn’t it written that the woman is not supposed to be teaching’ (1 Timothy 2:12)? You are right about that. However, here it is not about explaining certain truths of God’s Word, but about how something is to be done. They do not perform as teachers before the whole church, but their teaching is only focused on just one certain category: the young women. The teaching here regards the efforts to make clear to young women how they can be good witnesses in daily life.

Now read Titus 2:1-3 again.

Reflection: Do you know older men and older women in your environment with whom you see something of the characteristics mentioned?

Hebrews 9:27

Older Men, Older Women

Chapter 1 deals especially with the flock of God and the dangers that threaten the flock. Therefore the Lord gave elders, pastors and leaders. They can lead the flock and keep them from dangers. The practical things are connected with the doctrine and with those chosen of God. That shows how precious the believers are to God’s heart. That is what should determine the behavior of the leaders and what makes their responsibility great in dealing with them.

Chapter 2 deals with, as it is said at the end of this chapter, an “own special people” for the Lord Jesus who are zealous for good works. We are His own special people. The Lord Jesus wanted to have His own people or nation in this world, a people who are a joy and pleasure to Him. That sounds in each group that is being addressed in this chapter. He wants to have the older men, the older women, the young women, the young men and the bondslaves for Himself. He wants to be able, in the midst of all nationalities, to point to a nation or at people of whom He can say: ‘They are My people.’ Kings and rulers have their people, He has them too.

Our task is to live in such a way that He can really say with joy, without being ashamed of us: ‘They are My people.’ Then certainly not only the gatherings are the point here, where we are visibly together from our living environment and people see a nation or a unity of people. It is about what the Lord Jesus sees when He looks at us in our houses and at our working place. He sees all of those different groups in their environment, not gathered, but often as a solitary individual in the midst of so many who do not belong to His people. He not only loves to see His people when they are together, but also in everyday life in the midst of the world.

Titus 2:1. To make sure that He can look at us with joy, Paul commands Titus to speak things which are proper for “sound doctrine”. By the way, this verse starts with: “But as for you.” That indicates a contrast to the previous. He should not stop to minister the saints with the sound doctrine by speaking about it again and again. This is the best remedy against the influence of the false teachers.

Titus doesn’t receive the command to teach the sound doctrine, but to ‘speak the things’ that are fitting for it. This may have to do with the fact that the work of Titus is not so much that of a teacher, but more of a pastoral worker, which implies that he often has individual conversations. Public preaching is often not sufficient to meet all needs. A person who especially ministers as a shepherd, once said to me: ‘From what you bring in the meeting as doctrine, I take small chunks which I use for an individual believer who needs care.’ This is how to complement one another and this is also what the Lord purposed.

The starting point is the sound doctrine. That’s the doctrine which is sound in itself and which also makes all people sound who take in this doctrine. It is like fruit. In healthy fruit there are no worms or rotten spots. When you eat healthy fruit, it improves your health.

Apparently Titus is still a young man. This makes it more necessary that he only speaks things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Only then the different age groups will accept his exhortations. Each category has a doctrine that is fitting for that certain group. Titus has to talk about that with each separate group. The differences between the groups will then not cause the believers to live separately from each other, or worse, in opposition to each other, but on the contrary in harmony with one another. In that way the sound doctrine will have a sound effect.

You may say that a sound church consists of the four categories mentioned. The phenomenon ‘youth church’ ignores this and isolates the youth of the larger whole of the church. In a church as it is presented here, you see a mixture of the maturity and experience of the older people and the energy and activity of the youth.

Paul doesn’t address the groups directly, as he does in the letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians. He gives instructions to Titus on how he should properly minister each group by age and gender so that they may walk in accordance with their profession. First it is important to consider that each position that is mentioned here, is given by God (age, gender) or is acknowledged by Him (bondslave, master). As long as you are in that position, you ought to act in a way that is fitting for that position.

Titus 2:2. The first category that is being addressed is the “older men”. Not all older men are elders. Spiritually these older men are not much older than the young people, but they certainly are regarding their age and wisdom of life. Still, their old age goes together with its own dangers. When they get older a feeling of uselessness can arise or not knowing what to do anymore.

1. The danger arises that they open themselves for influences that cause them not to be “temperate” anymore. In that case they are no example anymore for the young people who look upon them. A sober person is free from exaggeration and excitement in words and deeds. 2. Their behavior should not be like that of a puppy, necessarily wanting to act like a young person, but “dignified”. An older man ought to have an attitude with a certain dignity. 3.

He will be “sensible” and adopt a tactful reservation. He no longer needs to assert himself so much. 4. Another danger of getting older is that conversation become limited and one-sided. Therefore he must be instructed to be “sound in faith”, which means: sound in what he believes. Then he will be balanced in his speech about the truth, whereby he doesn’t overemphasize certain truths and neglects other truths. 5. Also “in love” he ought to be sound, that it goes out to all God’s children and is not limited to a select few. 6.

The last thing that Titus must tell the older men is that they must be sound “in perseverance”. The older you get, the more the danger increases to become despondent. The feeling can arise that nothing makes any sense at all. Weariness of life may occur.

The older men may bear in mind that the Lord has His purpose with their stay on earth until the last minute of their life. Professor Gunning said it this way when he grew old: ‘I will not give death that honor to wait for it.’ He looked forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus. The expectation of Him with perseverance also renews the strength of older men (Isaiah 40:31).

Titus 2:3. After the exhortations to older men now those to the “older women” follow. Their behavior, which means their whole visible performance in daily life in words, gestures, clothing, decoration, ought to be “reverent”. That means that they are continually aware to be living in God’s presence. Anna is a wonderful example of such a woman. You read of her that she “never left the temple” (Luke 2:37).

The abuse of the tongue by “malicious gossips” is a great danger for older women. Anna did not commit that sin. On the contrary, she spoke about God. She also served God night and day. She was full of God and praised Him (Luke 2:38). Therefore she was “not enslaved to much wine”. She did not have to turn to the bottle out of boredom to get a kind of happy feeling by drinking wine (cf. Ephesians 5:18).

Titus must instruct older women that they should spend their time in a good way by “teaching what is good”. Older women do not have to care for a family anymore and therefore they have less domestic occupations than when there were children to care for.

You may be thinking: ‘But isn’t it written that the woman is not supposed to be teaching’ (1 Timothy 2:12)? You are right about that. However, here it is not about explaining certain truths of God’s Word, but about how something is to be done. They do not perform as teachers before the whole church, but their teaching is only focused on just one certain category: the young women. The teaching here regards the efforts to make clear to young women how they can be good witnesses in daily life.

Now read Titus 2:1-3 again.

Reflection: Do you know older men and older women in your environment with whom you see something of the characteristics mentioned?

Hebrews 9:28

Young Women, Young Men, Bondslaves

Titus 2:4. Titus is not commanded to teach “young women”. That would not be fitting for him as a brother. Brothers cannot teach a young sister much regarding their relationship with her husband and her children. He must instruct the older women that that’s their responsibility. It gives older women the opportunity to bring the warmth of motherly relations in the church. Titus passes on seven admonishments to the older women on behalf of the young women. Apparently these admonishments are necessary because of the false teachers who are “upsetting whole families” (Titus 1:11).

What counts most is that there is an atmosphere of love in the family. The young woman ought to have that love to her husband and her children. The housekeeping and maintaining the family can take up so much of her attention that she may have no time and attention for her husband anymore. To what occupies his mind, she doesn’t get around to it. There is also often no time to really show attention to the children.

In our days there is the danger that the career becomes more and more important. Then husband and wife have their own agenda. The relation with one another and also with the children (if at least they are there) happens by leaving notes to one another or through social media. Love stealthily grows cold. However, the environ notices it and the results become visible in the long term. The beautiful and attractive character of the Christian family is shown by the faithfulness and love of the wife for her husband and her children (Proverbs 31:10-31).

Titus 2:5. “[To be] sensible” implies that she acts calmly and with deliberation. She must learn to think carefully before she does something. She will not fall into extremes by on the one hand acting impulsively and on the other hand by underestimating what is necessary.

The fourth thing that has to be made clear to young women is that they should keep themselves “pure”. They should not defile themselves with other men, even not in their thoughts. They should neither cause men to have impure thoughts by wearing defiant clothing or seductive make-up nor by looking seductively or using tantalizing language.

She has an extensive task at home. That is her working area. “Workers at home” does not only mean to look after the external things, like clothing and food and drink, but also the spiritual nourishment of the children.

It is important that she is behaving “kind” in doing so. Due to the workload, she can come under such a stress that she may be tempted to do the evil things.

As the seventh aspect older women should instruct their younger sisters to be “subject to their own husband”. Indeed the woman is equivalent to the man, but she is not equal to him. That doesn’t mean that the husband is the master or commander of his wife. He is certainly the head of the wife (1 Corinthians 11:7-10), he has the leading role and makes decisions, of course after deliberation. This is how God has ordained it in creation and it is not wise to deviate from that. He who does, will reap the bitter fruit of that.

There is another aspect connected to deviating from God’s ranking in creation: if what God had ordained is being put aside His Word is dishonored.

Titus 2:6. Then it is the turn of “the young men”. Titus must ‘urge’ them. The only exhortation that Titus is to speak out to them, is that they must be “sensible”. They ought to control themselves in each territory and aspect of their life.

To be sensible is connected to almost each category mentioned here (Titus 1:8; Titus 2:2; 6). Therefore it should be a ‘core activity’ of the Christian. Young people especially run the risk to act uncontrollably and hastily, due to their inexperience.

Titus 2:7. The rest of Titus’ exhortation to the young men must consist of his own “example of good deeds” and indeed “in all things”, which means that he should be an ‘all embracing’ pattern (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12). He is not supposed to expect things of his contemporaries that are not visible in his own life.

First of all he will be known because of his “purity in doctrine”. To compromise with the Word of God is unfamiliar to him. You cannot catch him on explaining God’s Word in a way that suits him best.

Furthermore the reverential character of God’s Word will be made clear from his whole performance. Due to his great respect for God’s Word he will guard himself for trying to make the Word attractive by using popular words.

Titus 2:8. Each word that Titus speaks must be “sound” and “beyond reproach”. Ambiguous words or untrue or far-fetched explanations will give opponents the opportunity to deliver just criticism. If you do not behave yourself like a Christian, it gives the opponent the opportunity to speak evil about you. If you make sure that he cannot speak any evil of you, the reverse will happen: instead of you being put to shame, “the opponent will be put to shame”.

Titus 2:9. As the fifth and last group Titus must exhort “the bondslaves”. This group includes people of all previous groups by age and gender. Yet they are clearly distinct from the previous groups. Men and women are created as such by God. It also goes together with creation that there is a difference in age. Regarding the bondslaves it is different. Slavery is not a part of creation, but it is a consequence of the fall. Does it mean that slavery has been abolished by the introduction of Christendom? No. That’s also not the purpose of Christendom. Christendom doesn’t change social evils, but changes hearts of people, including those of bondslaves.

It is certainly a blessing that slavery has been abolished for the greater part, due to Christendom. But that doesn’t mean that what is being said here to bondslaves doesn’t count for today. You can apply all instructions for the bondslaves in our time, in any case to all people who are an employee in the service of an employer.

The word for “master” is ‘despot’, that is a person who has absolute authority and unlimited power over other people, in this case over a bondslave. The bondslave in that time was totally delivered to his master. The bondslave is here being told not to be grumpy and feel compelled, but to be active and willingly “subject” to his master. He ought to do the best he can to be “well-pleasing” in everything, even to the capricious master who is hard to be pleased. If that applies to that relation, then how much more should Christian employees be subject to their superiors.

That will not be easy in all cases, but the believing employee is certainly able to satisfy his superior in the strength that the Lord gives. A beautiful example of someone, who as a faithful bondslave was well-pleasing in all things in miserable circumstances, is Joseph (Genesis 39:1-6). Also the little maid of Naaman’s wife did not only do her duty, but sought the well-being of her master (2 Kings 5:2-3). The Lord Jesus, Who as the perfect Slave always did what was well-pleasing to the Father (John 8:29), exceeds these examples.

Now you have seen the general behavior, still some details of their performance follow. A bondslave is for instance to be expected to obey without being argumentative. This goes beyond not giving brutal answers. It is more about not obstructing the master, not hindering his master to be met in his desires. Today that may mean that you should not argue with your supervisor and that you do not undermine his authority. Of course that doesn’t have to stop a sound deliberation, but it is about your motives.

Titus 2:10. A bondslave is also told not to be pilfering. He will quite surely have that tendency. The bondslave could have the thought of being entitled to, after all he has been stolen from his family. Thereby he could have the feeling of being greatly underpaid or think that what he pilfers is only the appropriation of back pay. But the wrong that is done to us, does not justify us to do the same injustice. This prescription of not pilfering can for instance be applied today by using the Internet with the device and in the time of the superior or by submitting unjustified or excessive claims.

The bondslave must show the opposite by “showing all good faith” to his master. It is about ‘good’ faith. If the master demands him to lie or to pilfer somewhere else, he is not to obey that (Acts 5:29). If the bondslave shows all good faith, then he is ‘an adorning’ for “the doctrine of God our Savior”. That brings being a bondslave to an awesomely high level!

The knowledge of Him Who has redeemed him from his sins, brings him to a life in which the most beautiful features of the Lord Jesus become visible in an impressive way. What joy God must find in a life in which He is so reminded of His Son’s life on earth. Don’t you too long to be such a bondslave?

Now read Titus 2:4-10 again.

Reflection: In which category do you belong? What applies to you most?