The Opponents. Titus 1:10-11.
For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
A year ago on the 22nd of March 2020, the Corona Epistles were born out of the grace of God upon me, as many of you will remember. Tomorrow we start a new year. May the grace of God continue to work in all of us to bring out in us his perfect will.
The elders of the church in Crete were to be prepared to defend the faith because there were detractors.
Deceivers (v. 10). Of the detractors, Paul says that they are Insubordinate. This most likely is because they refused to submit to his authority as an apostle, or to the authority of those whom he had appointed to represent him. They also are Insurrectionist. Their empty, deceptive talk leads to rebellion, just as they themselves have rebelled. A key component of this group is “the circumcision party,” no doubt a group of Jewish people who insisted on Gentile Christians being circumcised in order to fully access the grace of God, the false teaching that Paul denounced at every opportunity.
Destructive (v. 11a). Paul wants these people stopped because “they are upsetting whole families.” This was probably because all members of a family would not necessarily sign up for the false teachers’ doctrines. Some would and others would remain true to the teaching of Paul. This would result in conflict in the family.
Deviant (v. 11b). The false teachers ought not to have taught their lies, in the first place. But to compound the whole situation, they did it “for shameful gain.” This is because they knew the truth and chose the lie instead because it was more lucrative. This problem is with us to this day and only seems to be getting worse. What a shame that anyone should teach what they know to be false, in order to profit from it.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.