Titus 1:12,13 Rebuke Apostates Sharply

[STEPHEN AMATO]

Rebuke Apostates Sharply

Titus 1:12,13 Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith

It's not that Paul was endorsing one of their own prophets, but rather noting how those of their own culture characterize them. Crete is an island off the southern coast of Greece. Paul quoted Epimenides, who was Cretian by birth. It is reported of him, that being sent by his father to his sheep in the field,  he by the way,  at noon,  turned aside into a cave,  and slept fifty seven years. Thus laziness was characteristic of Cretans. But also lying was characteristic of them. And their kind characterized them as evil beasts, driven by their own passions.

By the way, this style of rhetoric is a generalization, and Jesus himself uses such as for example in Mt 23 where he generalizes the characteristic behavior of scribes and pharisees. But this is not to say such is true in every particular case. Yes, the Bible does endorse such rhetoric. You're not lying in using generalizations.

Now, at times we're called to respond gently. But not in this kind of case. In this kind of case, particularly involving those who view themselves with some spiritual authority and are teaching false doctrine, those are to be rebuked sharply. Likewise of elders it says, “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.” 1Tim 5:20 Note even in the gospels how Jesus dealt harshly with the religious elite in comparison with ordinary folk.

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