God's Order in the Church: The Ministers--Titus 1:5-16

     On the previous web page The Messengers in "God's Order in the Church" were considered.  On this page to be examine is The Ministers, using that term in a broad sense to include all church officers.  First of  all, ponder:

I. THEIR REQUIREMENTS--vv. 5-8
     A. The Ordained Life--v. 5
          1. Titus left in Crete
               a. By Paul
               b. For the reason to establish church order
          2. "That thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting"
               a. The word that introduces the purpose for being left in Crete.
               b. The verb
                    (I) Only occurs here
                    (II) To set in order, with the implication what still required to be set in order
                    (III) The voice of the verb places stress on the subject as producing the action.
               c. The things that are wanting
                    (I) From the verb to leave behind
                    (II) Thus, the things wanting
          3. And ordain elders in every city
               a. The verb
                    (I) Literally:  to set down
                    (II) Thus, to set one over something, or to appoint
               b. Elders
                    (I) The words means:  elder in respect to age
                    (II) The presiding officers over the local assembly
                    (III) Same as bishop
                         (A) Context shows this to be so--cf. v. 7.
                         (B) Cf. 1 Peter 5:1, 2
               c. In every city
                    (I) Literally:  down through the city
                    (II) Used here in a distributive sense
                         (A) Thus, city by city
                         (B) Cf. Acts. 14:23
                    (III) Shows that there was more than one assembly of  believers on Crete
               d. As I appointed you
                    (I) Similar in meaning to earlier word ordain
                    (II) Means here to set in place
                    (III) 1 Corinthians 7:17
     B. The Home Life--v. 6
          1. If  anyone is blameless
               a. First class condition which assumes truth of  the condition
               b. The word blameless is two words.
                    (I) Not
                    (II) And accused
               c. Occurs 3 other places
                    (I) 1 Corinthians 1:8
                    (II) Colossians 1:22
                    (III) 1 Timothy 3:10
               d. "Not merely of  good reputation in general, but having no habit or characteristic upon which one could lay hold
                    to bring him into disrepute.  He must be 'above reproach.'" (Erdman, 141)
          2. Husband of  one wife
               a. Literally:  a man of  one woman
               b. Meaning of  this phrase
                    (I) Certainly a faithful husband
                    (II) Some say it means only once married.
                    (III) "At the same time, he who, having become an unmarried man by the death of  his wife, marries another,
                         ought, nevertheless, to be accounted 'the husband of  one wife.'" (Calvin, John, Commentaries on the
                         Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
                         1948; 292)
                    (IV) Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:39
                    (V) Would seem to preclude one remarried after divorce
                    (VI) Would preclude women who can not be the husband of  one wife (It is obvious that certain liberal and
                         charismatic churches do not heed this passage of  Scripture.)
          3. Having faithful children
               a. Meaning of faithful--trusting, believing
               b. "First, he demands that the children shall be 'believers;' whence it is obvious that they have been educated in
                    the sound doctrine of  godliness, and in the fear of  the Lord." (op. cit., 293)
               c. Unfortunately, a child could make a profession of  faith without a real genuine trust in the Lord.
          4. Children who are not accused of  riot or unruly
               a. Accused--literally:  in an accusation or charge
               b. Riot
                    (I) An abandoned, dissolute life
                    (II) Ephesians 5:18 (excess)
               c. Unruly
                    (I) That cannot be subject to control; disobedient
                    (II) Used again in verse 10
                    (III) 1 Timothy 1:9
               d. Cf. 1 Timothy 3:4, 12
     C. The Inner Life--v. 7
          1. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of  God
               a. The word bishop
                    (I) It is the word episcopal
                    (II) But our passage is talking about elders.
                    (III) Therefore, elders = bishops
                    (IV) Means:  overseer, guardian, superintendent
                    (V) Used of  the Lord--1 Peter 2:25
               b. Steward of  God
                    (I) Household manager
                    (II) 1 Peter 4:10
                    (III) 1 Corinthians 4:1ff.
                    (IV) Clearly God's household is in view, not his own--although he should be a good manager of  his own
                         household.
          2. Negative aspects
               a. Not self-willed
                    (I) Phrase occurs only here and 2 Peter 2:10.
                    (II) Means:  self-pleasing or arrogant
                    (III) "For society and friendship cannot be cherished, when every man pleases himself to such an extent as to
                         refuse to yield and accommodate himself to others." (Calvin, 294)
               b. Not soon angry
                    (I) Only occurs here
                    (II) Not prone to anger
                    (III) Does not said he never gets angry
               c. Not give to wine
                    (I) Means: not alongside one's wine
                    (II) Not drunken
                    (III) Used only here and 1 Timothy 3:3
               d. Not a striker
                    (I) Not ready with a blow
                    (II) Not a contentious or quarrelsome person
                    (III) Used only here and 1 Timothy 3:3
               e. Not given to filthy lucre
                    (I) Not eager for base gain
                    (II) Used only here and 1 Timothy 3:3
                    (III) Related word used in verse 11 and 1 Peter 5:2
     D. The Outward Life--v. 8
          1. These are all positive characteristics in contrast to the last part of  verse 7 (negative aspects).
          2. Lover of  hospitality
               a. One word
                    (I) Also occurs in 1 Timothy 3:2
                    (II) Cf. 1 Peter 4:9
               b. Combination of  two words
                    (I) Friendly or lover of--cf. John 15:13
                    (II) Stranger--Matthew 25:35
          3. Lover of  good men
               a. Only occurs here
               b. Again combination of  two words
                    (I) Friendly or lover of
                    (II) Excelling in any respect, distinguished, or good
               c. Thus, loving goodness, whether men of  things
          4. Sober
               a. Of  sound mind
               b. Occurs
                    (I) 1 Timothy 3:2
                    (II) Titus 2:2, 5
               c. Thus, self-controlled; which control is really only possibly through the Holy Spirit
          5. Just
               a. Wide sense:  upright, righteous, observing divine and human laws
               b. Narrow sense:  passing just judgment on others whether expressed in words or shown by manner of
                    dealing with them.
          6. Holy
               a. Undefiled of  sin
               b. Closely related to word just
               c. The word just deals with the general aspect; holy with the specific case.
          7. Temperate
               a. Used only here
               b. Have power over, mastering, or controlling
               c. Here used in the absolute sense of  controlling oneself, again only possible by the power of  the Holy Spirit

II. THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES-vv. 9-16
     A. Holding Fast the Word--v. 9a
          1. Holding fast
               a. To hold before or against
               b. In the New Testament used only in the middle voice meaning to keep one's self directly opposite to
                    anything
               c. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (support)
               d. "Constantly keeping to, and not letting go." (Alford, Henry, The Greek Testament.  Chicago:  Moody Press,
                    1958; III:411)
          2. The faithful word
               a. The word faithful
                    (I) Same word as in verse 6
                    (II) Here the idea is trustworthy--cf. 1 Timothy 1:15.
               b. The word word is the usual one and is used for the Lord Jesus in John 1:1.
          3. As he has been taught
               a. Literally:  according to the instruction
               b. Preposition is the same as discussed in verse 1.
               c. Instruction--that which is taught
               d. "In short, the first thing required in a pastor is, that he be well instructed in the knowledge of  sound doctrine."
                    (Calvin, 296)
     B. Refuting the Deceivers--vv. 9b-11
          1. That he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers
               a. That introduces a reason for the first part of  verse 9.
               b. Able with the verb to be means powerful, mighty, and strong.
               c. Exhort--to call to one's side; thus, to admonish (believers are in view)
               d. In the sphere of  sound, well, or good healthy teaching
                    (I) Here that can be taught
                    (II) Earlier in verse that which is taught
               e. To convince gainsayers
                    (I) To convict, refute, or expose
                    (II) Gainsayers
                         (A) Speakers against
                         (B) Cf. Acts 13:45
          2. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of  the circumcision.
               a. For introduces explanation
               b. Many unruly--same as verse 6
               c. Vain talkers
                    (I) Only here
                    (II) One who utters empty, senseless things
                    (III) Related word in 1 Timothy 1:6
               d. Deceivers
                    (I) Again only here
                    (II) Literally:  a mind deceiver
                    (III) Verb occurs in Galatians 6:3.
               e. Especially those of  the circumcision
                    (I) Literally:  those out of  the circumcision
                    (II) Refers to professing Jewish believers
          3. Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's
               sake
               a. Whom it is necessary to reduce to silence
               b. All those who overthrow whole houses
                    (I) 2 Timothy 2:18
                    (II) Whole houses--complete families
               c. Teaching that which it is not right and proper
                    (I) Normal word for teaching
                    (II) In view of  the context, improper doctrine is meant.
               d. For filthy lucre sake
                    (I) For the sake of--in favor of  or  for the pleasure of
                    (II) Filthy--base or dishonorable
                    (III) Lucre
                         (A) Gain or advantage (therefore not necessarily money)
                         (B) Cf. Philippians 1:21
     C. Exhorting the Faithful--vv. 12-16
          1. The quotation--v. 12
               a. One of  themselves--a Cretan--a prophet
               b. Probably Epimenides who lived about 600 B. C.
               c. Always liars
                    (I) Always--incessantly or perpetually
                    (II) Liars
                         (A) Normal word
                         (B) Cf. 1 Timothy 1:10
               d. Evil beasts--actually evil little beasts
               e. Slow bellies
                    (I) Idle gluttons
                    (II) Fat and lazy
          2. The statement--v. 13a
               a. Witness--testimony
               b. True--literally:  not hidden or unconcealed
          3. The rebuke--vv. 13b, 14
               a. Wherefore
                    (I) For which cause
                    (II) What was said in vv. 12, 13a
               b. Rebuke them sharply
                    (I) Rebuke--same word as in verse 9
                    (II) Sharply--Abruptly or severely
                    (III) Sometimes an elder or a pastor must rebuke members however unpleasant it may be.
               c. Sound in faith
                    (I) Sound--same word as in verse 9 including preposition
                    (II) Faith--here the faith, thus, the body of  doctrine
                    (III) Healthy in the faith
               d. Not given to Jewish fables
                    (I) To give heed to--to apply one self  to anything
                    (II) Jewish fables
                         (A) The fiction of  Jewish philosophy that set forth emanations resulting in making Jesus Christ something
                              less than God
                         (B) Problem existed in the Colossian Church
               e. Commandments of  men
                    (I) Also a part of  these philosophies which involved abstinence from meats and other things approved by 
                         God
                    (II) Cf. Colossians 2:16, 22
               f. That turn from the truth
                    (I) Verb means to turn oneself  from anything
                    (II) 2 Timothy 1:15
          4. The exhortation--vv. 15, 16
               a. All things are pure
                    (I) Both words pure are the same and mean  free  from the admixture or adhesion of  anything that
                         would adulterate or corrupt.
                    (II) "Absolutely--all things with which man can be concerned." (Alford, III:414)
                    (III) Note it says all things
               b. Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure
                    (I) Those who were polluted and still are and unbelieving
                    (II) Nothing is pure--in sharp contrast to first part of  verse
                    (III) Unregenerated man will take the most innocent thing and make it dirty.
               c. But even their mind and conscience is defiled.
                    (I) The word but appears in verse 8, but here carries the idea of  Yea moreover.
                    (II) Their minds--"(their rational part, Eph. iv. 17, which presides over and leads all the determinate acts and
                         thoughts of  the man)" (Ibid.)
                    (III) Their conscience--the awareness of  right and wrong
                    (IV) Defiled--same word as earlier in verse
               d. They profess to know God
                    (I) Profess--to say the same thing as another or to agree with or assent
                    (II) To know
                         (A) To perceive or to have an experience of  God (apart from the Word)
                         (B) The claim of  many today
               e. But in works deny Him
                    (I) The word work is that with which any one is occupied, but here refers to any good action springing                               from piety.
                    (II) Deny--to renounce or  forsake anything
               f. Being abominable and disobedient
                    (I) Abominable--that which is rendered  foul
                         (A) Occurs only here
                         (B) Verb occurs in Revelation 21:8 and Romans 2:2.
                    (II) Disobedient--impersuasable or to refuse belief
                g. Unto every good work reprobate
                    (I) Unto
                         (A) Near or facing
                         (B) Thus, toward
                    (II) Reprobate
                         (A) Not standing the test or not approved as a metal or coin
                         (B) Thus, unfit for anything

     All church officers, and pastors in particular, should follow God's order in the church.  The ministers of  the church using that word in its broader sense has been considered.  They have their requirements--vv. 5-8:  the ordained life--v. 5, the home life--v. 6, the inner life--v. 7, and the outward life--v. 8,
     They have their responsibilities--vv. 9-16:  holding fast the Word--v. 9a, refuting the deceivers--vv. 9b-11, and exhorting the faithful--vv. 12-16.
     You who are church officers, and those who may be, are particularly in view.  But there is instruction here also for their families, church members in general, and any unsaved person.
     Are you among the pure--those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?  Or are you among the polluted and deceived?  If  so, you must trust Him as your Savior; will you do it now? (See, How to be Saved)
     Church members, carefully and prayerfully consider these qualifications that you may select men as church officers who qualify.  Families of  elders, do you measure up to those qualifications mentioned here?
     Men, are you prepared to take the oversight of  the Lord's work?  Will you prayerfully review these qualification and prepare yourself to be elders and deacons?