The Cretians are All Liars
One of Their Own Who are These Men that Paul is speaking of? Who are the Cretians? Who is this Prophet?
Last Updated on Wed March 25, 2020 @ 1:59 pm
One of Their Own
Even a prophet of their own said, The Cretians are always liars [Titus 1:12]
This witness [that their prophet says this] is true. Wherefore rebuke them [the slandering prophets] sharply…
What is Paul doing Here ?
Paul is telling Titus how to correct false teachers in Titus 1. Here Paul speaks of a prophet that is teaching lies, and how to rebuke that prophet – sharply.
Paul speaks of those whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, who teach things which they ought not for filthy lucre’s sake. That these men are unruly and vain talkers and deceivers. These are the fruits by which Paul says Titus is to identify them with.
Paul instructs Titus to rebuke them sharply because they are not sound in the faith. These men give heed to fables, and commandments of men, which turn people from the truth. They are defiled, unbelieving, and impure; their mind and conscience is defiled. These men are finally brought out (identified) in that they profess that they know God [Mt 7:22-23]; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Who are These Men ?
They are identified in verse 12 where Paul tells us about one of THEM, their calling, and what they say. “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.” [Titus 1:12]
Thus, the identifying mark of the above-listed works and fruits of these false teachers is that they are a prophet that says “The Cretians are alway liars…” [Bro Stair, April 2018 – “The Cretians are all liars”]
On a side note: Paul is here identifying prophets in with false teachers.
The prophet that says this is he of whose mouth must be stopped says Paul. Why? Because this prophet is speaking against the Cretians and the church of Crete to which Paul has appointed Titus to oversee. Therefore Titus should by sound doctrine exhort and convince these gainsayers and their gainsaying prophet, who is an unruly vain talker who deceives [Titus 1:10], to not speak evil of people and to shut his mouth.
The truth is after godliness not in much fair speeches [Titus 1:1]
The Kingdom of God is in power (the power of a holy life) not in talk [1Cor 4:20]
