Titus 1:1-16 (The Message)
There are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. They’re disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck. One of their own prophets said it best:
“The Cretans are liars from the womb, barking dogs, lazy bellies.”
He certainly spoke the truth. Get on them right away. Stop that diseased talk of Jewish make-believe and made-up rules so they can recover a robust faith. Everything is clean to the clean-minded; nothing is clean to dirty-minded unbelievers. They leave their dirty fingerprints on every thought and act. They say they know God, but their actions speak louder than their words. They’re real creeps, disobedient good-for-nothings.
Today, with a quick look through Titus (because Titus is a very quick book) we’re going to finish up with the original plan we had for this summer sermon series – to read through the attributed-to-Paul-but-most-likely-not-by-him letters of the New Testament – Colossians, Ephesians, 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy – and now Titus. I don’t think we entirely realized before when we started just how similar they all are and how repetitive, without adding a whole lot that’s new.
First and Second Timothy and Titus are assumed to have all three been written by the same writer. They are collectively referred to as “the pastoral letters” -- in part, because they are addressed to Timothy and Titus, who were in pastoral roles. “Pastor” wasn’t yet an official institutional role and was still used more in its ancient meaning as “shepherd,” or the “leader of the flock.” Since these two men traveled on directions from Paul, think, maybe we should look at it in terms of a diocesan level ministry rather than a single parish level, if that makes any sense to you. More like La Taunya Bynum than me. The letters are also pastoral because their subject matter deals with specific instructions on how to lead the flocks.
Since we know these letters were written 50 years after the fact, it is entirely possible that not only was the real Paul long gone, (which he was), but that the Timothy and Titus who originally traveled with him, and to whom these letters are supposedly addressed, were deceased by now, as well. In this case, not only is the writer false but also the ones to whom the letters are directed. It is likely that the congregations receiving these letters, however, were real – real people, in real time, facing real issues --- just not issues the living Paul would have dealt with.
Like the Timothy letters, the language used in Titus doesn’t sound like Paul – not his rhetorical style, not his attitudes towards people, not his subject matter. And just as 2nd Timothy appears to double-down on the “you must” language from 1st Timothy, so Titus seems to go further yet in its insistence on following proper doctrinally approved positions. Men must be upright (as “upright” is defined by the writer), women must be invisible, slaves must be subservient at all times. No discussion, no differing opinions.
But more frightening even than all the social control, following the proper rules has now almost completely overtaken listening for the voice of the Spirit within you to understand God’s will for you. Now there are authoritative “rules” and “sound doctrine” telling you what to believe.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of this letter is not the escalating language against woman, slaves, and outsiders, but the almost hysterical tone in the writer’s voice as he condemns any and all who act outside the officially approved doctrine. From our reading this morning: There are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. That’s from The Message.
The NRSV makes it even stronger: There are many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; they must be silenced.
“They’ve got to be shut up”.....”they must be silenced.” This is not the language of Paul, and it is certainly not the language of Jesus. This is the language of authoritarianism. And it sounds distressingly familiar to present day ears.
“Lock ‘em up! Shut ‘em down! Toss ‘em out!” Today we expect to hear this language from a Trump rally, but this is the institutional church that was being built back in 110 AD. I am, frankly, not a big fan of that church.
There are five points that are traditional Disciples of Christ affirmations. These points are a large part of why I am here today. Probably it’s the same for you:
Each of these points is important to me, but it is #4 which speaks the most clearly to today's message. As followers of Jesus (Remember him? He's the one the real Paul preached about,) we are not only allowed but expected to study and pray and think for ourselves. We are expected to welcome and pay heed to the voice of the Spirit speaking within each one of us -- not to blindly submit to authorities who wish to tell us what they have decided we must believe.
This is who we are. I suspect we might well drive the author of these “pastoral” letters crazy.
I most certainly hope so.
First and Second Timothy and Titus are assumed to have all three been written by the same writer. They are collectively referred to as “the pastoral letters” -- in part, because they are addressed to Timothy and Titus, who were in pastoral roles. “Pastor” wasn’t yet an official institutional role and was still used more in its ancient meaning as “shepherd,” or the “leader of the flock.” Since these two men traveled on directions from Paul, think, maybe we should look at it in terms of a diocesan level ministry rather than a single parish level, if that makes any sense to you. More like La Taunya Bynum than me. The letters are also pastoral because their subject matter deals with specific instructions on how to lead the flocks.
Since we know these letters were written 50 years after the fact, it is entirely possible that not only was the real Paul long gone, (which he was), but that the Timothy and Titus who originally traveled with him, and to whom these letters are supposedly addressed, were deceased by now, as well. In this case, not only is the writer false but also the ones to whom the letters are directed. It is likely that the congregations receiving these letters, however, were real – real people, in real time, facing real issues --- just not issues the living Paul would have dealt with.
Like the Timothy letters, the language used in Titus doesn’t sound like Paul – not his rhetorical style, not his attitudes towards people, not his subject matter. And just as 2nd Timothy appears to double-down on the “you must” language from 1st Timothy, so Titus seems to go further yet in its insistence on following proper doctrinally approved positions. Men must be upright (as “upright” is defined by the writer), women must be invisible, slaves must be subservient at all times. No discussion, no differing opinions.
But more frightening even than all the social control, following the proper rules has now almost completely overtaken listening for the voice of the Spirit within you to understand God’s will for you. Now there are authoritative “rules” and “sound doctrine” telling you what to believe.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of this letter is not the escalating language against woman, slaves, and outsiders, but the almost hysterical tone in the writer’s voice as he condemns any and all who act outside the officially approved doctrine. From our reading this morning: There are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. That’s from The Message.
The NRSV makes it even stronger: There are many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision; they must be silenced.
“They’ve got to be shut up”.....”they must be silenced.” This is not the language of Paul, and it is certainly not the language of Jesus. This is the language of authoritarianism. And it sounds distressingly familiar to present day ears.
“Lock ‘em up! Shut ‘em down! Toss ‘em out!” Today we expect to hear this language from a Trump rally, but this is the institutional church that was being built back in 110 AD. I am, frankly, not a big fan of that church.
There are five points that are traditional Disciples of Christ affirmations. These points are a large part of why I am here today. Probably it’s the same for you:
- All people are God’s children. All - just ALL.
- Open Communion. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated weekly and is open to all. Again, All means all.
- The Ministry of all Believers: Both ordained ministers and lay persons are responsible for leading worship and nurturing spiritual growth. How and where, and why we choose to worship is our responsibility.
- Diversity of Opinion: Each person is free to determine their own belief guided by the Holy Spirit, the Bible, study and prayer. No one is anointed by God to make these choices for us.
- Faith in Service: We believe God’s gifts are never given just for us, but for service in raising up the reign of God among all peoples. This is what we do - not just for ourselves but for all God's beloveds.
Each of these points is important to me, but it is #4 which speaks the most clearly to today's message. As followers of Jesus (Remember him? He's the one the real Paul preached about,) we are not only allowed but expected to study and pray and think for ourselves. We are expected to welcome and pay heed to the voice of the Spirit speaking within each one of us -- not to blindly submit to authorities who wish to tell us what they have decided we must believe.
This is who we are. I suspect we might well drive the author of these “pastoral” letters crazy.
I most certainly hope so.
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