mercy triumphs over stupidity

Posted on March 2, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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mercy triumphs over stupidity

Titus 3:1-11 (JDV)

Titus 3:1 Keep reminding them to be submissive to their priorities and authorities, to obey them, to be ready to do every good achievement,
Titus 3:2 to insult no one, to be a non-combatant, to be gentle, and to demonstrate consideration of all humans.
Titus 3:3 Because we ourselves were once stupid, disobedient, led astray, slaves to our lusts and various pleasures, spending our lives by being mean and envious, hateful, hating one another.
Titus 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness appeared from our Savior God,
Titus 3:5 it appeared, not because of achievements done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Sacred Breath,
Titus 3:6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Titus 3:7 so that having been declared not guilty by his favor we might become heirs, confident of inheriting permanent life.
Titus 3:8 The word is trustworthy, and I intend for you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good achievements. These things are good and profitable for humans.
Titus 3:9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, arguments, and fights about the law because they are unprofitable and useless.
Titus 3:10 As for a human who causes division, after warning him once and twice, refuse to participate with him,
Titus 3:11 since we know that such a person has been warped and is being sinful; he is self-condemned.

mercy triumphs over stupidity

Harvey summarizes the argument of Paul here: “If God showed such kindness and love to men as he has manifested in saving us, we also ought to show kindness and love to all men” (142). God’s mercy reached out to us, removing our spiritual stupidity. Now it is our turn to treat others with the same mercy.

Harvey, H. Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, First and Second Timothy and Titus, and the Epistle to Philemon. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1890.

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say these kinds of things

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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say these kinds of things

Titus 2:11-15 (JDV)

Titus 2:11 Because the favor of God has appeared, announcing salvation for all humans,
Titus 2:12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly lusting, and to live self-controlled, fair, and godly lives in the present age,
Titus 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are uniquely his — enthusiastic about doing good achievements.
Titus 2:15 You should say these kinds of things; encourage and reprimand because you have every right to do so. Do not let anyone wonder about your right to teach them.

say these kinds of things

This passage gives advice to Titus about the kinds of things he should be saying as he goes about his task of managing the mission work on Crete. He should be telling people about the salvation God has announced in Christ. He should be telling the Cretan Christians to renounce ungodliness and live godly lives in this present age. He should be pointing them toward the next age, which will begin when Jesus appears gloriously at his second coming.

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training in consistent living

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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training in consistent living

Titus 2:1-10 (JDV)

Titus 2:1 But you should say what fits in with healthy teaching.
Titus 2:2 Teach older men to be balanced, dignified, self-controlled, healthy in the faith, in the care, and in the perseverance.
Titus 2:3 In the same way, teach older women to be reverent in how they act, not slanderers or slaves to a lot of wine. They should be good teachers,
Titus 2:4 so that they can train the young women to show love to their husbands and show love to their children,
Titus 2:5 to be self-controlled, devout, hard workers for their families, good, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be accused of being useless.
Titus 2:6 In the same way, encourage the younger men to be self-controlled.
Titus 2:7 Offer yourself to be a model of these good achievements in every way, demonstrating in your teaching integrity, dignity,
Titus 2:8 and a healthy message which is beyond criticism, so that anyone wanting to oppose you may be put to shame, finding nothing worthless to say about us.
Titus 2:9 Teach bond-servants to be submissive to their own employers in all matters; they should be satisfactory, not argumentative,
Titus 2:10 not embezzling, but demonstrating that they can be trusted to do all kinds of good so that in everything they make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

training in consistent living

Barnes paraphrases the text in 2:5 as “That the gospel may not be injuriously spoken of on account of the inconsistent lives of those who profess to be influenced by it” (343). Believers of all types need to be trained to live consistently with the gospel message we profess. For each of us, there might be a different temptation to overcome. But we all have the responsibility to demonstrate that the word we live by has made us trustworthy.

Barnes, Albert, and Ingram Cobbin. Notes on the Epistles to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon: Explanatory and Practical. Edinburgh: Gall & Inglis, 1840.

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detestable, disobedient, and disqualified

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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detestable, disobedient, and disqualified

Titus 1:10-16 (JDV)

Titus 1:10 Because there are also many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from the circumcision faction.
Titus 1:11 It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching what they shouldn’t in favor of getting money shamefully.
Titus 1:12 One of their very own prophets said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
Titus 1:13 This testimony is accurate. So, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be healthy in the faith
Titus 1:14 and may not pay attention to Jewish myths and the commands of humans who turn away from the truth.
Titus 1:15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are stained and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are stained.
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but they are denying Him by their achievements. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good achievement.

detestable, disobedient, and disqualified

This passage explains “why candidates for the office of overseer must possess the doctrinal qualifications described in verse 9 in order to assume this office.” 1 Others who are not qualified will presume that they should be overseers. Titus needed to look at the candidates’ achievements, not just their profession.

Some people who claim to be good leaders are actually “detestable, disobedient, and disqualified” and these should not be appointed as leaders in Christian communities.

William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries: “Exegesis and Exposition of Titus 1:10,” 2014. p.1.

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blameless and biblical

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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blameless and biblical

Titus 1:5-9 (JDV)

Titus 1:5 In favor of this, I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, like I directed you to, to appoint elders in every town:
Titus 1:6 someone who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of irresponsible living or rebellion.
Titus 1:7 Because an overseer, as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money,
Titus 1:8 but hospitable, loving what is good, reasonable, righteous, holy, self-controlled,
Titus 1:9 holding to the faithful word as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.

blameless and biblical

These two words were to describe the person chosen by Titus to oversee the work of a particular congregation. These overseers were not pastors — in the strict unbiblical sense in which we use the word today. These were community leaders. They had to be blameless in terms of their relationship in their own families and the public. They also had to hold to the faithful word as taught, able to encourage sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.

Those are the qualifications of congregational leadership.

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a promise revealed

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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a promise revealed

Titus 1:1-4 (JDV)

Titus 1:1 From Paul, servant of God, and missionary sent by Jesus Christ, representing the faith of God’s chosen ones, and the awareness of the truth which godliness brings;
Titus 1:2 In hope of permanent life, which God (who is free from deceit) promised before the ages began;
Titus 1:3 But he has revealed that promise in our own seasons through preaching, a task which has been handed over to me by order of God our Savior;
Titus 1:4 To Titus, a legitimate child representing that shared faith: Favor, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

a promise revealed

God has revealed a promise that he hinted at in the Old Testament — a promise of another life, a life that will not end. It is a permanent life, and only those who put their faith in Christ will receive it. Immortality is not an inherent possession of every soul. It is a gift, and it will be given only to those who respond to the promise in faith.

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put him in the center

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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put him in the center

Ezekiel 48:30-35 (JDV)

Ezekiel 48:30 “These are the exits of the city: On the north side, which measures 4,500 cubits,
Ezekiel 48:31 there will be three gates facing north, the gates of the city being named for the tribes of Israel: one, the gate of Reuben; one, the gate of Judah; and one, the gate of Levi.
Ezekiel 48:32 On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Joseph; one, the gate of Benjamin; and one, the gate of Dan.
Ezekiel 48:33 On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Simeon; one, the gate of Issachar; and one, the gate of Zebulun.
Ezekiel 48:34 On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Gad; one, the gate of Asher; and one, the gate of Naphtali.
Ezekiel 48:35 The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and the name of the city from that day on will be, Yahveh Is There.”

put him in the center

Laura Putnam comments on this text: “Because the people had turned from God, he, in turn, had sent them off to exile, not as punishment exactly, but as a teaching experience — that they might learn to trust and obey him, to put him in the center of their lives as was only fitting for the great Creator God that he truly is” (Maranatha Daily Devotional, August 10th, 2020).

This picture of a city, with Yahveh’s temple in the center, and a life-giving river flowing from it — shows us what can happen if we dare put him in the center of our lives today.

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inheriting the land

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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inheriting the land

Ezekiel 48:23-29 (JDV)

Ezekiel 48:23 “As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west, will be Benjamin– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:24 Next to the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, will be Simeon– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:25 Next to the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, will be Issachar– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:26 Next to the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, will be Zebulun– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:27 Next to the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, will be Gad– one portion.
Ezekiel 48:28 Next to the territory of Gad toward the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the Brook of Egypt, and out to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ezekiel 48:29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to Israel’s tribes, and these will be their portions.” This is the declaration of the Lord Yahveh.

inheriting the land

When Jesus blessed the meek by telling them that they will inherit the “earth” he would have used the same language that we see in Ezekiel 48. The word for “land” and “earth” is the same word in Hebrew (ארץ (erets) ) and Greek (γῆ (gē) ). He was not promising that we would own the planet. He was promising that we would have land apportioned to us in the new kingdom.

As I write this, I am freshly showered from the morning garden chores. A basket full of vegetables was harvested, and a mountain of weeds were pulled, and I am now ready for the rest of the day. Praise the Lord for land that can produce an abundant harvest. Yet my garden plot is on borrowed land. No matter. I will inherit my own land someday.

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top rung

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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top rung

Ezekiel 48:21-22 (JDV)

Ezekiel 48:21 “The remaining area on both sides of the sacred donation and the city property will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, next to the 25,000 cubits of the donation as far as the eastern border and next to the 25,000 cubits of the donation as far as the western border. The sacred donation and the sanctuary of the house will be in the middle of it.
Ezekiel 48:22 Except for the Levitical property and the city property in the middle of the area belonging to the prince, the area between the territory of Judah and that of Benjamin will belong to the prince.

The political ramifications of a pronouncement like this bear noting. Neither the Levites nor the prince has an autocracy. The prophet speaks for God, and God decides what is appropriate. Each of these — the priests and their workers, and the ruling class — bows the knee to God.

Leadership cannot function right without submission. Dictatorships will all eventually fall because no one but God can really be the top rung.

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even the common is set apart

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Jefferson Vann

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even the common is set apart

Ezekiel 48:15-20 (JDV)

Ezekiel 48:15 “The remaining area, 5000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for common use by the city, for both residential and open space. The city will be in the middle of it.
Ezekiel 48:16 These are the city’s measurements: 4,500 cubits on the north side; 4,500 cubits on the south side; 4,500 cubits on the east side; and 4,500 cubits on the west side.
Ezekiel 48:17 The city’s open space will extend 425 feet to the north, 425 feet to the south, 425 feet to the east, and 425 feet to the west.
Ezekiel 48:18 “The remainder of the length alongside the sacred donation will be 10,000 cubits to the east and 10,000 cubits to the west. It will run alongside the sacred donation. Its produce will be food for the workers of the city.
Ezekiel 48:19 The city’s workers from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it.
Ezekiel 48:20 The entire donation will be 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits; you are to set apart the sacred donation along with the city property as a square area.

even the common is set apart

Even the common area of the next Jerusalem is a sacred place. City workers from each tribe will cultivate and preserve this land.

Our Master calls us to be a city on a hill, which cannot be hidden. We should have no mundane areas that do not reflect his presence and power. Even the common everyday moments of our lives should shine for the world to see.

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