For there are many and disorderly vain speakers and deceivers of people's minds, specially those of [the] circumcision,
Paul has just described the elder who holds firm to the trustworthy word and can "rebuke those who contradict it." Now he explains why Crete needed such men. The verse counts the opposition, names its three marks, and traces most of it to one source.
One writer ties the elder's grip on the faithful word straight to conditions on Crete.
Here, where dealing with those who contradict is the prominent thought, Paul reminds Titus that the bishop himself should hold fast the faithful word according to the teaching. Then he can both encourage with sound doctrine and convict those who contradict it. This was most needed in Crete; for there were many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths should be stopped.
The trouble was not a fringe. It was already widespread before Paul's service ended, and it grieved him.
We see this even before the apostle's service closed. There were already "many" of these disorderly men... It was a bitter sorrow for the heart of one who was soon to depart and be with Christ. It hurt all the more when he thought of the church, the beloved of Christ, so exposed to the attacks and schemes of the enemy. If grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, there were many now who bore His name whose speech was empty and built no one up. Their aim was their own appetite, not to serve the Lord Jesus. And they did not merely foam out their own shame — they deceived people's minds.
The three words are not equal in weight. Their conduct was out of hand, but the danger lay in what they said.
No doubt the ways of these troublemakers were unruly. But evil teaching is still more damaging, because it habitually dresses itself in thoughts that flatter human nature. Christ is not in it, and He is the life and nourishment of all who are born again.
Paul singles out one group, but the label describes a mindset, not a bloodline. The same spirit reaches far beyond people born Jewish.
The Jewish element made this all the more needed, even for these Gentile minds among the Cretans and elsewhere. It was the constant and fruitful cause of trouble... I do not mean necessarily Jews when I speak of the Jewish element. Sadly, the evil of Judaism infects Gentiles. The spirit of tradition fills some, and legalism soaks deeply into others. These are the people who give special trouble.
There is a sting in calling law-teachers "unruly," and one writer points it out.
Law was their theme, but law degenerated into human commandments. They bound law on other people, yet a fine stroke of irony brands them as unruly themselves.
Commentators differ on where these men stood. One puts them outside the assembly, the gathered church, attacking the truth it held.
Even in that day there were many mere "talkers." They were not subject themselves, and empty in what they had to say, yet they deceived others. Their number has multiplied today, though by no means limited to those professing Judaism... These of course were not in the assembly, but always active in attacking the truth the assembly held, and seeking to deceive souls. Elders therefore were to be always on guard.
Another writer sees them as people who claimed the Christian name.
These Cretan Jews who claimed to have accepted Christianity worked evil in the assembly.
One writer applies the verse inside the church too, as a test for anyone who speaks there.
While this may especially refer to men outside of the Assembly, it gives instruction for within the Church as well. Unruly and vain talkers must have their mouths stopped, especially in God's Assembly. Pride, empty boasting, and self-will may prompt someone to speak. But if there is no power in his words, and souls get no help, we may well ask whether he speaks for the glory of God and the building up of the hearers.
- Reason. The verse opens with "for". Crete needed elders who could correct opponents, because opponents were already there in numbers.
- Unruly. They pressed law on others, yet would not submit themselves. That is the irony.
- Vain. Their speech built nobody up. Test any speaker by one question: does his talk help souls and glorify God?
- Deceivers. Their teaching did more harm than their behaviour. Error flatters human nature and leaves Christ out.
- Circumcision. Legalism and tradition were the special channel then. They belong to no one nation now, so elders stay on guard.
who must have their mouths stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which ought not [to be taught] for the sake of base gain.
Paul has just described the overseer Titus should appoint. Now he says why Crete needed such men: a crowd of talkers was at work there, and Paul's instruction is blunt — silence them, because their teaching was wrecking families and money was the motive.
(These writers use an older translation. It reads "subvert whole houses" and "filthy lucre" where the ESV reads "upsetting whole families" and "shameful gain.")
One writer describes what these talkers were like, and says their kind has only grown since:
Even then there were many who were only "talkers." They were not under authority themselves, and they had nothing real to say, yet they deceived others. This was especially true of those of the circumcision — the ones eager for the merely formal religion of Judaism. Their numbers have multiplied today, though they are by no means limited to people who profess Judaism. Yet it is the same mold: it would drag Christianity down to an earthly level, with legal rules and forms.
Paul singles out "those of the circumcision" — teachers from a Jewish background. Kelly warns against reading this as a charge against one people:
When I speak of the Jewish element, I do not necessarily mean Jews. Sadly, the evil of Judaism infects non-Jews as well. The spirit of tradition fills some; legalism soaks deep into others. These are the people who cause the most trouble — the ones "whose mouths," we are told, "must be stopped."
Silencing them sounds like a job for rank or force. Kelly says it is nothing of the kind, and he points to the damage in Cretan homes:
Paul tells Titus that their mouths must be stopped. Of course, no outward authority could do this. Only the power of the word, used in the Spirit, could… Taking evil lightly may look like grace, but it is grace's shame and utter ruin. Grace holds to the truth and cannot be separated from it. Otherwise it is no longer grace, but a pretence of good that is really evil — and it breaks down morals, corrupts, and destroys. God is dishonoured, and whole houses are ruined as well. That phrase matters morally: "whole houses." The ruin might come through the head of the house, whose faith was undermined and whose ways grew loose. What damage to the family!
One writer names the tool that stops them, and who it protects:
The way to stop the mouths of such men was, of course, the sound teaching of the Word of God. That would keep honest souls safe from their deceptions.
Bad teaching does not spread by looking ugly. Kelly names its appeal and what it lacks:
No doubt these troublemakers behaved in an unruly way. But evil teaching does even more harm, because it usually dresses itself in ideas that flatter human nature. Christ is not in it — and He is the life and food of all who are born again.
One writer traces this religious talk down to its root:
The corruption in the world comes through lust. At the bottom of all this convincing twisting of what God had given, there was a spirit craving what it counted as gain.
Another writer sees the same motive at work today:
Their motive is exposed here too: they were seeking money for themselves. That is far too common a feature of much that passes for Christianity.
The verse aims first at troublemakers outside the church. One writer applies it closer to home:
This may refer mainly to men outside the assembly, but it also gives instruction for inside the church. Unruly, empty talkers must have their mouths stopped, especially in God's assembly. Pride, empty self-display, and self-will may push a person to speak. But if there is no power in his words, and souls gain nothing, we may well ask whether his motive is the glory of God and the building up of the hearers.
- Talk. The trouble starts with men who are not under authority and have nothing real to say, yet still deceive. Their religion is Christianity dragged down to rules and forms.
- Bait. Their teaching spreads because it flatters human nature. Christ is not in it.
- Greed. Under the religious talk sits a spirit that craves gain. That motive still runs through much of what passes for Christianity.
- Wreckage. The damage reaches whole households: undermine the head of a house, and the whole family suffers.
- Silence. The Word, used in the Spirit's power, stops these mouths — not rank or force. Tolerating evil may look like grace, but grace and truth cannot be separated.