Titus 1:12

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. ONE - Epimenides, priest, bard, and seer of Gnossus, in Crete, about 600 BC, sent for to purify Athens from the pollution occasioned by Cylon. The words here are probably from his treatise 'concerning oracles.' Paul also quotes from two other pagan writers, Aratus () and Menander (), but does not honour them so far as even to mention their names. OF THEMSELVES ... THEIR OWN - which enhances his authority as a witness. 'To Cretanize' was proverbial for to lie; as 'to Corinthianise' for to be dissolute. ALWAY LIARS - not merely at times, as every natural man is. Contrast...

12_One of themselves, a prophet of their own _I have no doubt that he who is here spoken of is Epimenides, who was a native of Crete; for, when the Apostle says that this author was “one of themselves,” and was “a prophet of their own,” he undoubtedly means that he belonged to the nation of the Cretans. Why he calls him a Prophet--is doubtful. Some think that the reason is, that the book from which Paul borrowed this passage bears the title Περὶ Χρησμῶν “concerning oracles.” Others are of opinion that Paul speaks ironically, by saying that they have such a Prophet — a Prophet worthy of a nation which refuses to listen to the servants of God. But as poets are sometimes called by the Greeks ( προφὢται) “prophets,” and as the Latin authors call them _Vates _, I consider it to denote simply a teacher. The reason why they were so called appears to have been, that they were al

10-16 False teachers are described. Faithful ministers must oppose such in good time, that their folly being made manifest, they may go no further They had a base end in what they did; serving a worldly interest under pretence of religion: for the love of money is the root of all evil. Such should be resisted, and put to shame, by sound doctrine from the Scriptures. Shameful actions, the reproach of heathens, should be far from Christians; falsehood and lying, envious craft and cruelty, brutal and sensual practices, and idleness and sloth, are sins condemned even by the light of nature. But Christian meekness is as far from cowardly passing over sin and error, as from anger and impatience. And though there may be national differences of character, yet the heart of man in every age and place is deceitful and desperately wicked. But the sharpest reproofs must aim at the good of the reprov...

Verse 12. _ONE OF THEMSELVES_, EVEN _A PROPHET OF THEIR OWN_] This was _Epimenides_, who was born at _Gnossus_, in Crete, and was reckoned by many the _seventh wise man_ of Greece, instead of _Periander_, to whom that honour was by them denied. Many fabulous things are related of this poet, which are not proper to be noticed here. He died about 538 years before the Christian era. When St. Paul calls him a _prophet of their own_, he only intimates that he was, by the _Cretans_, reputed a _prophet_. And, according to Plutarch, (_in Solone_,) the Cretans paid him divine honours after his death. _Diogenes Laertius_ mentions some of his prophecies: beholding the fort of Munichia, which guarded the port of Athens, he cried out: "O ignorant men! if they but knew what slaughters this fort shall occasion, they would pull it down with their teeth!" This prophecy was fulfilled several years after,...

ONE OF THEMSELVES - That is, one of the Cretans. The quotation here shows that Paul had his eye not only on the Jewish teachers there, but on the native Cretans. The meaning is, that, alike in reference to Jewish teachers and native-born Cretans, there was need of the utmost vigilance in the selection of persons for the ministry. They all had well-known traits of character, which made it proper that no one should be introduced into the ministry without extreme caution. It would seem, also, from the reasoning of Paul here, that the trait of character here referred to pertained not only to the native Cretans, but also to the character of the Jews residing there; for he evidently means that the caution should extend to all who dwelt on the island, EVEN A PROPHET OF THEIR OWN - Or, a poet; for the word “prophet” - προφήτης prophētēs - like the Latin

EXPOSITION TITUS 1:1 _Knowledge _for _acknowledging, _A.V.; _according to _for _after, _A.V. A SERVANT OF GOD (δοῦλος Θεοῦ); so in the superscriptions: Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ;_ _James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1; Jud 2 Peter 1:1; Revelation 1:1. St. Paul also calls himself "the servant of Christ" ...

ONE OF THEMSELVES, EVEN A PROPHET OF THEIR OWN,.... This was Epimenides, in whose poems stand the words here cited; the apostle rightly calls him "one of themselves", since he was a Cretian by birth, of the city of Gnossus; 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 m and he is very properly called a "prophet" of their own; for in Crete Jupiter had his prophets n, and he might be one of them: the priests among the Heathens were called prophets; so Baal's priests are called the prophets of Baal, and the prophets of the groves, 1 Kings 18:19. Besides, Epimenides was thought to be inspired by the gods: he is called by Apuleius o, a famous fortune teller; and is said by Laertius p to be very skilful in divination, and to have foretold many things which came to pass; a

While reading this chapter, we must understand that Titus was sent to Crete, to superintend the preaching of the gospel throughout that island. Crete was at that time inhabited by a people who were only partially civilized, and sunk in the very worst of vices. Paul, therefore, tells Titus to speak to them about things which would hardly be mentioned to Christians nowadays. Titus 1:1. _Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; to Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour._

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The salutation (Titus 1:1)_ 2. Instructions concerning elders (Titus 1:5) 3. Warnings against false teachers (Titus 1:10) Titus 1:1 Paul calls himself in writing to Titus “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,” for he speaks in these introductory words of God's elect, and their faith in Him; and the promise of eternal life, God, who cannot lie, gave before the dispensations began; and that His Word is now manifested through preaching which was committed unto him by our Saviour-God. God's elect are those who have trusted in Christ. Th

TITUS-' ATTITUDE TO FALSE TEACHERS. Loyalty to sound doctrine is needful for silencing many deceitful teachers not outside the Church (Hort), but self-constituted instructors within its borders, who reject its discipline (unruly = insubordinate). These men, exemplifying Epimenides-' judgment (600 B.C.) of the Cretan character, teach error for monetary profit (_cf._ 1 Timothy 6:5). Chiefly, and therefore not wholly, of Jewish origin (Titus 1:10), they base their empty talking on Jewish legends (1 Timothy 1:3 *) and mere human traditions which foster asceticism. Their asceticism is manifestly false, since pure men can make a pure use of everything ...