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0 The Cretans are always liars (Titus and Philemon)

Episode 293: The Cretans are always liars

Titus and Philemon

Titus

Greetings and Salutations!

1 1-4 From Paul, hoping for the eternal life, promised by God, who can't lie, before the world began, to Titus.

5 I left you in Crete to ordain elders in every city.

Who can be a bishop?

6-8 A bishop must have one wife, have well-behaved children, be sober, a lover of good men, and be just and holy.

There are many Jewish deceivers (whose mouths must be stopped)

10-11 There are many vain deceivers, especially among the Jews, whose mouths must be stopped.

Cretans are liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies

12 As a Cretan philosopher has rightly said, The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies.

13And that's the truth. So rebuke them soundly, so they stay in the faith.

Ignore Jewish fables and commandments

14 Don't listen to Jewish fables and commandments.

15 To those who are pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Even their mind and conscience is defiled.

16 They are abominable, disobedient and reprobate.

Women, obey your husbands (so the word of God isn't blasphemed)

2 4-5 Teach the young women to be obedient to their husbands, so the word of God isn't blasphemed.

Slaves, obey your masters (and please them in all things)

9-10 Tell the slaves to obey their masters, and to please them in all things, not talking back, but being perfectly faithful, and thereby follow the Savior's doctrine.

We’re waiting for Jesus

13 We are waiting for the appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who will redeem us from all iniquity.

15 Say these things to everyone. Don't let anyone despise you.

Do good works (but you won't be saved by them)

3 1 Do all the good things that you can.

2 Don't speak badly about others. Be gentle to others.

5 We aren't saved by works, but by washing with the Holy Ghost.

Avoid foolish genealogies (and reject heretics)

9 Avoid foolish genealogies.

10-11 Reject heretics after warning them once or twice, knowing that their minds are subverted and have already condemned themselves.

14 Do good works.

15 Amen.


Philemon

Greetings and Salutations

1 From Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy to Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus, and the church at your house.

7 The bowels of the saints are refreshed by you, brother.

I'm returning your slave to you (be nice to him)

10 I'm writing to you about Onesimus, whom I have converted while in prison.

12 I ask you to receive him again, as though he were my own bowels.

13-14 I 'd like to keep him here with me, but I wouldn't do that without your consent.

15-16 Perhaps now he can return and serve you, not as a slave but as a brother.

18 If he has wronged you or owes you anything, I'll make it up to you.

19 I'm writing this letter with my own hand.

Refresh my bowels in the Lord

20 So refresh my bowels in the Lord.

25 Amen.

A few more words about this episode

From Paul to Titus (Titus 1:1-4)
Although Titus claims to have been written by Paul, most scholars believe that it, along with the other pastoral epistles (1 and 2 Timothy), was written by someone else long after his death.
Titus was a companion of Paul, mentioned in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and 1 Timothy.
As a Cretan philosopher has rightly said (1:12)
Paul is referring here to the Epimenides paradox, which was formulated by a Cretan philosopher name Epimendies ca. 600 BCE. It stated that all Cretans are liars - which, if spoken by a Cretan, is both true and false.
From Paul, who is in prison, and Timothy to Philemon (Philemon 1:1)

Most scholars believe that this letter was written by Paul; it is the only undisputed letter of Paul to a single individual. (Although the letter is said to be from Paul and Timothy, and it is also addressed to Apphia, and Archippus, it's clear from the text that it was written by Paul to Philemon.)

Paul wrote this letter to Philemon while he was in prison. Philemon must have been a wealthy man, since he sponsored the local church. One of his slaves, Onesimus, had ran away and met Paul in prison, where he became a Christian. Paul is writing to Philemon on his behalf.

But I wouldn't do that without your consent (1:14)

If Paul opposed slavery, this would have been a good time to say so. But no, he returned Onesimus to Philemon, since he was, in Paul's mind, his rightful owner.

See 1 Cor 7:21-24 for Paul's views on slavery.

Perhaps now he can return and serve you, not as a slave but as a brother. (15:16)

Paul is suggesting here that Philemon not punish Onesimus for running away (a punishment that could be execution), but rather let him serve him forever, not as a slave, but as a fellow believer. This request by Paul is used on both sides of the slavery debate. Paul asked for a slave to be set free, but he didn't command it - or condemn slavery itself.

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