Bible Study

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Remember the True Gospel


This is an exegesis of Galatians 1.1-10 for Hermeneutics, Fall 2008

REMEMBER THE TRUE GOSPEL

GALATIANS 1.1-10

Main Idea of the Text: There is only one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and any diversion from that gospel demands condemnation.

I. Paul has both an authority and calling from God. 1.1-2

II. God’s grace and peace rescue us from sin and evil. 1. 3-5

III. The Gospel of Christ is the one, true Gospel. 1. 6-7

IV. Preaching a false gospel is an act worthy of condemnation. 1.8-9

V. Pleasing the world and pleasing God cannot be accomplished simultaneously. 1.10

Practical Application:

1. Remember that you are set apart and called by God.

2. Trust in God’s grace and power to rescue you from sin.

3. Compare all teaching you hear to the Gospel found in the Word of God.

4. Confront and expose false teaching.

5. Be a pleasing servant of Christ, even when it makes you an enemy of men.


Introduction

Described by scholars as “the standard example of Paul’s style and theology,”[1] all other Pauline writings are thus judged against this epistle to the Galatians. Paul visited the Roman province of Galatia with Barnabas on his first missionary journey. His journey through the cities of Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe is recorded in Acts 13 and 14. “Many scholars conclude that Paul’s Galatian Epistle is addressed to these congregations.”[2] There is debate, however, as to the accuracy of this assessment. Some argue that the letter was not intended for the churches Paul founded in the area of Southern Galatia, but was instead delivered to churches in Northern Galatia, an area comprised of ethnic Galatians. While this theory has support from several well known scholars, a majority of New Testament scholars support the idea that Paul wrote to the churches he had planted in Southern Galatia.

This debate over the recipients of the letter is important, because issues concerning the dating of the letter stem from it. The Epistle to the Galatians is tied closely to the accounts of Paul’s missionary journeys recorded in the book of Acts, and a consistent understanding of the location and time of Paul’s writing to the Galatians solidifies one’s understanding of the events recorded in Acts. While there are several arguments supporting the theory that Paul was writing to ethnic Galatians in the Northern part of the province, this writer agrees with Bruce: “But if they belonged to different ethnic groups (Phrygian and Lycaonian) what common appellation could he have chosen to cover them all except their common political denominator, ‘Galatians’?”[3] When subscribing to the S Galatian theory, the dating of the writing of the epistle to the Galatians should be placed just prior to Paul’s journey to the Jerusalem Council, which took place in 48/49 AD.

Paul wrote this letter to the churches of Galatia in response to news that they had become ensnared in a false teaching that was leading them to abandon the freedom of the true Gospel of Christ. It is recorded in Acts that there were “missionaries” who followed Paul from city to city, teaching new converts that they had to not only accept Christ but also subscribe to certain Jewish customs like circumcision and food laws.

Apparently these Jewish-Christian preachers, telling the Galatians that Paul had failed to instruct them properly in God’s Law, were finding a receptive audience among the Galatians…. Outraged by this development, Paul fired off this letter to dissuade the Galatian churches from accepting this revision—Paul calls it a perversion (1:7)—of the gospel.”[4]

In his desire to remind the Galatians of the one, true Gospel, Paul pens this treatise of Christian liberty. In his letter, Paul defends his own apostleship, apparently called into question by these false teachers; he defends the doctrine of salvation by grace and not works; he appeals to the teachings he left with them on his initial visit and reminds of them of all that he taught them; he confronts them with the freedom from the Law that they have in Christ, and closes by begging them to return to the true gospel of Christ. The argument of this entire letter is grounded in Paul’s opening statements, found in the first ten verses of chapter one.

I. Paul has both an authority and calling from God. 1.1-2

Paul begins his letter by establishing the grounds for which he has the authority to write the following discourse. Throughout his ministry there were those who spoke against Paul and tried to claim that he had no apostolic authority because he had not physically walked with Jesus or been called by Him. Paul refutes this both here and in Second Corinthians. He gives his experience on the Damascus Road, recorded in Acts 9, as his calling from Jesus. Jesus speaks first to Paul, then to Ananias, and tells Ananias that Paul is His “chosen instrument to carry my name to the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.”[5] Paul demands that his readers understand from the beginning that he is “one with personal, delegated authority from God to proclaim accurately the Christian gospel.”[6] The word apostle could be used at the time as a general term as one sent by another; it is used in this manner even within the New Testament.[7] This is why Paul immediately qualifies the word by specifying that he is not sent by men but by God Himself. Paul is establishing that he has been called and set apart by God to do a specific work. He is not writing as Paul, their dear friend, or as Paul, as former pastor, but as Paul, the messenger of God to the Gentiles. And in writing as such, Paul is declaring his words have the authority of God as their foundation and support.

It is interesting to also note that in no other letter does Paul include such a general group as “all the brothers with me” in his greeting. Occasionally he included one or two specific names of those who traveled with him, but here Paul generalizes as though he is including with this letter the support of a group of fellow believers too numerous to name individually. In his Homily on Galatians, Chrysostom declared, “Why does he do this?…So as to destroy their calumny, therefore, and to show that his opinions are shared by many, he adds on ‘the brothers,’ showing that what he writes he writes with their consent.”[8] Paul wants to begin with the understanding that this letter is not being written from hurt feelings or ego. Paul has tested his concern against a body of believers and he has their support for confronting the churches in Galatia.

II. God’s grace and peace rescue us from sin and evil. 1.3-5

Verses three through five still follow the standard format of Roman letters. Following his identifications of writer and recipients, Paul writes a greeting. He greets the readers in Galatia with the grace and peace of “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Grace and peace are two separate qualities present in the life of the believer. The grace of God is what allows us to receive salvation; the peace of God is the result of being put into right relationship with Him in our salvation. Augustine explained it in this manner: “The grace of God, by which our sins are forgiven, is the condition of our being reconciled to him, whereas peace is that wherein we are reconciled.”[9] Simply put, it is by God’s grace that believers are able to experience peace with God.

He further elaborates on the work of Christ in the life of believers in verse four. There, Paul declares to his readers what Christ has done, “gave himself for our sins;” and why he did what he did, “to rescue us from the present evil age;” and the reason why it was necessary, “according to the will of our God and Father.” This is a description of the result of God’s grace in the life of the believer. Sinful, fallen humanity is separated from relationship with God, and there is nothing anyone can do to reconcile himself to God. In fact, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul declares that “it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”[10] His grace gives man what is not deserved—salvation and peace. It is through the substitutionary work of Christ that we are able to become a part of the covenant promise of salvation. The early church father Jerome explained the work of Christ in the will of the Father in this way: “Neither did the Son give himself without the Father’s will, nor did the Father give up the Son without the Son’s will… the Son gave himself, that he himself, as righteousness, might do away with the unrighteousness in us.”[11] It is God’s will that His children respond to His grace in faith so that they can receive His peace. At this declaration, Paul breaks into a moment of doxology: this rich, undeserved grace and favor of God should lead all believers to join with Paul in giving glory to God for ever and ever!

III. The Gospel of Christ is the one, true Gospel.

In verse six, Paul transitions from his greeting to the body of the letter in a startlingly unique manner. In Paul’s other letters, he follows his greeting with a gracious prayer of thanksgiving for the people to whom he is writing.[12] When writing to the Galatian church, however, Paul launches directly into a sharp reprimand of the believers in Galatia. He declares they have deserted the one who has called them and have turned to a different gospel. Longenecker explains that the grammar of this sentence shows Paul is emphasizing that this new teaching is not an addition to or expounding upon the teachings he delivered to the Galatians. “In all likelihood the errorists were claiming that their message and actions should be seen as complementary to Paul’s preaching and ministry. As Paul views matters, however, theirs was ‘a different gospel—which is not at all the same gospel.’”[13] One of the indications that there is something awry in the Galatian churches is the presence of confusion or disturbance amongst the members. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace….”[14] By contrasting the peace of God in verse 3 with the confusion found in the church, Paul is confirming to them that these new teachings cannot be of God. This word translated as “confusion” can also be translated as “instability, a state of disorder, disturbance.”[15] Paul points out the source of this confusion is the false teachings of those who are attempting to pervert the Gospel of Christ. Bruce describes Paul argument in the following statement:

Gospel it is not; it is a message of bondage, not of freedom. It is a form of the doctrine of salvation by law-keeping from which Paul himself had been liberated by the true Gospel he received on the Damascus road ‘by revelation of Jesus Christ.’ That was the gospel which he preached to others, including the Galatians, and there could be no other….its touchstone was the proclamation of salvation and life through the grace of God….[16]

IV. Preaching a false gospel is an act worthy of condemnation.

To these false teachers of a perverted gospel, Paul delivers the harshest words he writes in all of the New Testament.[17] Jesus told his disciples that “false teachers are children of their ‘father the devil, and… want to do the desires of [their] father,’ who ‘whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies’ (John 8:44).”[18] No doubt Paul had these words of Jesus in his mind as he quickly responded to the news that the Galatians were falling prey to the very false teachers they had been warned about. Paul does not disguise his disgust with these who were destroying the foundation of the faith for which he had nearly sacrificed his life so many times. He boldly declares them to be condemned, for they are indeed preaching a foreign gospel. He is so incensed, not only by the teachings, but by the fact that the Galatians had accepted it as truth, that he repeats himself to ensure they understand his great displeasure and even anger with their situation. Chrysostom says concerning this repetition: “Lest you should think that the words came from passion or were spoken hyperbolically or through a loss of self-control, he says the same things over again.”[19] Paul declares a curse against anyone who shares a false gospel. He also gives very specific instructions to the Galatians concerning how they should receive all future teaching.

Even if Paul or any of his associates were to change their teaching, then the Galatians should not listen to them but treat them like heretics, which they would then be…. The truth outranks anyone’s credentials, and every teacher or preacher must be evaluated on the basis of what he says, not who he is.[20]

“Here Paul showed once and for all that the issue at stake in Galatia was not in the messenger but in the message.”[21] MacArthur goes on to say, “False teachers not only should not be believed or followed but should be left God’s judgment to be accursed. Accursed is translated anathema, which refers to that which is devoted to destruction.”[22] What believers in all times and places must remember is that when sinless Jesus took the punishment for sin on himself on the cross, he took the curse of sin away. To take up a Gospel that requires anything other than the atoning work of Christ is to take that curse from Jesus and place it upon the one doing the false teaching.

V. Pleasing the world and pleasing God cannot be accomplished simultaneously.

After beginning his letter with a sharp rebuke of the report he have received concerning the Galatians, Paul shifts slightly and begins questioning these same believers. In verse ten he returns to discussing himself and his service to God. Paul does not mean in this question that he believes the approval of God can be earned; he has just chastised them for a false Gospel that includes a works-based salvation.

There was a time when in fact Paul did indeed seek to please other human beings. Before his conversion to Christ, he was on the fast track toward the highest echelons of the Jewish rabbinic establishment. His entire career, including his persecution of Christians, was designed not only to justify himself before God but also to curry the favor of those in power so as to better advance his own ambitions. But this kind of self-serving… endeavor was forever shattered when Saul of Tarsus and Jesus of Nazareth collided outside Damascus. Serving Christ and pleasing humanity are mutually exclusive alternatives.[23]

This pair of rhetorical questions is meant to force the Galatians to peer inward for a moment and consider the motivations of their own hearts. By asking these questions of himself, Paul is indirectly asking these same questions of them as well. “It would be a great mistake, then, to interpret Paul’s two questions in 1:10 as the angry outburst of an egotistical preacher. What we have instead is a clear rejection of unworthy motivations for ministry.”[24]

Conclusion and Application

The meaning and intention of Paul in these first ten verses of his letter to the Galatians is as clear today as it certainly was to the original recipients nearly two thousand years ago. Paul intends to remind the believers in Galatia of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ while dispelling the false teachings of works and law-based salvation. As clear as his original intent was, the lessons he desired his original readers to glean from his writings are applicable to readers today.

First, believers should remember that we are all called and set apart by God. Just as Paul desired to emphasize his own election and calling, each believer has be called and set apart by Father God to do His work on this earth. As sure as Paul was of his calling, so too should each believer be today.

Second, believers must rely on the grace of God and not their own work to deliver them from their sins. As a Jewish-Christian, Paul most likely understood the temptation to return to the old habits of the life he led prior to his conversion to Christ. But Paul even more understood the costly yet free grace of salvation in Christ alone. No amount of work on the part of a sinful human will ever stack up to the righteous standards of a holy God.

Third, when confronted with teaching that causes confusion, believers must compare it to the Word of God. There is a difference between confusion caused by false teaching of the enemy and conviction caused by the Holy Spirit concerning sin in the life of the believer. Whenever a believers’ soul is in conflict, the thought must be taken captive and made obedient to the cause of Christ.[25]

Fourth, if it is discovered that the teaching is in violation of Scripture, that false teaching must be immediately confronted and cast aside.[26] There is no room in the church for twisted truth. In his commentary on Galatians, MacArthur declares that “Satan’s primary target for false teaching is the doctrine of salvation, because if people are confused about that they have no way of coming to God in the first place.”[27] There are enough stumbling blocks on the road to salvation without false teachings in the church being added to the list.

Fifth, believers must be willing to stand for the truth of Christ, even when it means making enemies of man. There is no approval of man that would give validity to making a concession in the gospel of Christ. The early church father Tertullian took a similar stand with his congregation in Carthage in the 3rd century. When confronting church members who were still practicing pagan customs to appease their employers, Tertullian asked them why. They responded that they did so in order to be able to work. He again asked them why they must to that, to which they replied, “Because we must live.” At this Tertullian, himself converted upon the witness of courageous martyrs of the faith, replied, “No! You don’t have to work, or eat and you don’t have to live. The only thing you have to do is be faithful.”[28] This is heart cry of Paul in his letter to the Galatians: above all else, remain faithful to the grace bestowed upon man in the true gospel of Christ.


Works Referenced

Bruce, F.F. “The Epistle to the Galatians.” New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Ed. InterVarsity: Downer’s Grove, 1982.

Bruce, F.F. “The Epistle to the Galatians.” New International Greek Testament Commentary. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1982.

Carson, D.A. and Douglas J. Moo. “Galatians.” An Introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2005.

Edwards, Mark, editor. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. New Testament, vol. 8. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 1999.

Elwell, Walter A. and Robert W. Yarbrough. “Galatians.” Encountering the New Testament. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1998.

Fung, Ronald Y.K. “The Epistle to the Galatians.” The New international Commentary on the New testament. Gordon Fee, ed. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1953.

George, Timothy. “Galatians.” The New American Commentary. Broadman and Holman Publishers: Nashville, 1994.

Hansen, W.G. “Letter to the Galatians.” The IVP Dictionary of the New Testament. Daniel G. Reid, editor. InterVarsity: Downer’s Grove, 2004.

Hays, Richard B. “Galatians.” The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. XI. Abingdon Press: Nashville, 2000.

Longenecker, Richard N. “Galatians.” Word Biblical Commentary. Word Books, Publisher: Dallas, 1990.

MacArthur, John. “Galatians.” The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Moody Press: Chicago, 1987.

Robertson, A.T. “The Epistles of Paul.” Word Pictures in the New Testament, vol. IV. Richard Smith, Inc.: New York, 1931.

Strong, James. Strong’s Dictionary. New American Standard Verson. http://bible.crosswalk.com/ Lexicons/ Greek/grk.cgi?number=181&version=nas. Accessed November 27, 2008.

Wilkins, Tim. “Tertullian’s Advice to E-Harmony?” The Cross Examiner. http://www.crossministry.org/home. Accessed December 3, 2008.

[1]Hansen, W.G. “Letter to the Galatians.” The IVP Dictionary of the New Testament. Daniel G. Reid, editor. InterVarsity: Downer’s Grove, 2004. p. 396.

[2] Elwell, Walter A. and Robert W. Yarbrough. “Galatians.” Encountering the New Testament. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1998. p. 297.

[3] Bruce, F.F. “The Epistle to the Galatians.” New International Greek Testament Commentary. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1982. p. 401.

[4] Hays, Richard B. “Galatians.” The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. XI. Abingdon Press: Nashville, 2000. p. 184.

[5] Acts 9.15.

[6] Longenecker, Richard N. “Galatians.” Word Biblical Commentary. Word Books, Publisher: Dallas, 1990. p. 2.

[7] John 13.16; 2 Corinthians 8.23; Philippians 2.25

[8] Edwards, Mark, editor. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. New Testament, vol. 8. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, 1999. p. 3.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Eph 2.8-9

[11] Edwards, 4.

[12] Ro 1.8-9; 1 Cor 1.4-9; Eph 1.15-19; Phi 1.3-6; Col 1.3-8; 1 Thes 1.2-3; 2 Thes 1.3-12; Phil 4-7

[13] Longenecker, 4.

[14] 1 Cor 14:33

[15] Strong, James. Strong’s Concordance. New American Standard Version. http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=181&version=nas. Accessed November 27, 2008.

[16]Bruce, F.F. “The Epistle to the Galatians.” New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Ed. InterVarsity: Downer’s Grove, 1982. p. 87.

[17] George, Timothy. “Galatians.” The New American Commentary. Broadman and Holman Publishers: Nashville, 1994. p. 97.

[18] MacArthur, John. “Galatians.” The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Moody Press: Chicago, 1987. p. 10.

[19] Edwards, 7.

[20] MacArthur, 16.

[21] George, 97.

[22] MacArthur, 17.

[23] George, 100.

[24] Ibid., 101.

[25] 2 Cor 10.5

[26] Eph 5.11

[27] MacArthur, 11.

[28] Wilkins, Tim. “Tertullian’s Advice to E-Harmony?” The Cross Examiner. http://www.crossministry.org/home. Accessed December 3, 2008.

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Obedience: A Loving God Demands a Loving Response


This is a paper I wrote on Deuteronomy 10.12-22 for Introduction to Old Testament, Fall 2008:

Introduction

Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the Pentateuch, so named for the Septuagint title Deuteronomion, or “second law,” can be considered the last will and testament of Moses. After leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and through the subsequent forty year wandering in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, Moses and the Israelites arrive just over the Jordan River from the long awaited Promised Land. Before the Israelites cross into the Promised Land, Moses has some final words for the people to remember as they begin their lives serving God in the land He had promised their forefathers.

Deuteronomy is comprised of a series of speeches or “sermons” delivered by Moses just prior to his death. Internal evidence suggests Moses himself wrote the majority of Deuteronomy, while there is also internal evidence pointing to the use of a final editor. The most obvious proof of work separate from Moses is the inclusion of his death at the end of the book.

“Recent studies have…detected a five part concentric pattern known as a chiasm. The speeches of Moses may thus be described in the following fashion:

A The Outer Frame: A Look Backwards, chapters 1-3

B The Inner Frame: The Covenant Summary, chapters 4-11

C The Central Core: Covenant Stipulations, chapters 12-26

B` The Inner Frame: The Covenant Ceremony, chapters 27-30

A` The Outer Frame: A Look Forwards, chapters 31-34”[1]

Ancient cultures were formed on tradition of orality; this led to much of the writing preserved from this time period having a notable poetic structure, especially in didactic sections. This was specifically designed to aid the hearer in memorization and understanding. This paper will argue that Deuteronomy 10.12-22 forms a chiasm similar to that of the book as a whole, and thus emphasizing the importance of this passage as a summary of the law in its entirety.

Context

Chapters 4-11 comprise a historical review of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab. Moses is reminding the people of all the Lord has done for them on this journey. From chapter four through 10.11, Moses recounts in narrative form the giving of the law, the rebellious response of the people, and God’s gracious forgiveness and restoration of His people “so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their forefathers to give them.”[2] God is setting the people up for a transition from discussing His faithfulness to Israel to discussing their own faithfulness to Him. “As has been noted repeatedly, covenant relationship between the Lord and Israel had to be expressed in both a vertical and horizontal dimension. To love God is to love one’s neighbor, and to serve God necessitates societal obligation.”[3] This specific passage is designed to point the reader to examine his own heart in light of the requirements of a holy and righteous God.

I. The Lord’s Requirements of His People 10. 12-13

The word in Hebrew translated “‘and now…’ marks a transition from history (9:7-10:11) to the moral religious lesson that is to be drawn from it.”[4] These words are essentially saying to Israel, “In light of all that I am and all that I have done for you, let me explain how you are to respond.” “The opening words of v 12 are among the most familiar in the Hebrew Bible, partly because of their use in Mic 6:8—‘what does Yahweh require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?’”[5]

God’s will for his people is not clouded in obscurity. While there are multiple ways God’s will may come to fruition in the life of a faithful follower, these are the essential elements God requires of his people. There are five listed specifically within this section: (1) to fear God, (2) to walk in all his ways, (3) to love him, (4) to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and (5) to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees. One observation can immediately be made regarding the state of these commands. They are neither passive, nor is there an allowance for someone to accomplish these tasks for another; each command of God requires an active response of obedience from the individual. The first command in this list, to fear God, is the spring from which the other actions can flow. The verb used here, which is translated “fear” speaks not only of terror, but of reverential awe, which “motivates one to worship and obedience.”[6] Only when one has a right attitude and perspective toward God can right walking, love, service, and respect for His decrees follow.

Merrill suggests this list should be viewed as “fear” and “walking rightly” working in conjunction with one another to produce the next three: love, service, and obedience. He also suggests that the word love should be viewed as a technical term describing Israel’s reaction to the covenant relationship they have with God.[7] Craigie describes this initial list of God’s requirements of Israel as a description of “allegiance to the God of the covenant.”[8]

The closing statement of verse 13 is often overlooked in discussions concerning the law. While the emphasis tends to be placed on man’s ability (or inability) to successfully keep these laws, rarely is there a discussion concerning the reason behind the laws given by God. The law of God, handed down to Israel through Moses, is not a collection of laws designed solely to isolate Israel from a surrounding pagan society. In fact, this passage specifically describes how the Israelites are to appropriately interact with outsiders. But God himself qualifies these laws as statutes that are “for your own good.” The law of God is not an irrational set of decrees arbitrarily handed down by a distant deity. Rather, they are guidelines established by a loving Father, designed to bring success and safety to His children.

II. The Owner and Creator of the universe chose a people for Himself to love 10.14-15

Verses 14-15 further elaborate on the reason God has provided this law under which his chosen people are to live. God is described in these verses as being the owner of heaven and earth and everything in the earth. This is a theme drawn from the creation account of Genesis 1 and 2, and is carried throughout the remainder of the Old Testament writings. The Psalms especially emphasize the fact that all things belong to God. Yet, in spite of the fact that He owns all things and could have chosen any people in any place at any time, He chose to set His affections upon Israel. “A sharp disjunctive and restrictive adverb of which Deuteronomy is especially fond… makes the contrast vivid between the whole universe and the one people…Why God had this desire to love the patriarchs is never stated, because God’s election is always a mystery of His grace.”[9] God’s love for the patriarchs can be seen in fruition by the fact that He called the Israelites out of Egypt and brought them to the plains of Moab so that they could take possession of the land He had promised to Abraham. Just as God had demanded love in action from the Israelites, He modeled love in action by fulfilling the promises made to the patriarchs. God demonstrates His love by fulfilling His covenant with His people. God is again showing that the requirements He sets down for the Israelites are a reflection of His holy character and not a collection of arbitrary rules.

III. Those receiving the blessing of God’s covenant love must respond in obedience 10.16

Verse 16 serves as the crux of this chiastic description of God’s covenantal stipulations for His people. God gives His people instruction as to how they are to carry out the command He has given them in verses 12 and 13. The commands set down in 12 and 13 cannot be fulfilled in the human heart alone. Jeremiah describes the heart of man in this way: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ‘I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.’”[10] This is what God is confirming in this verse. Circumcision was initiated as an outward symbol for man of the covenant made with God. “God’s requirement was that his people love him, but to do this, they required a particular attitude of heart or mind, which—like circumcision—involved decision and action symbolizing allegiance.”[11] In this chiasm, God gives Israel instructions as to what do—fear, love, obey—and why they should do these things—he’s the great God of the universe who chose to love them—but in verse 16, God provides for them the means by which they will accomplish these tasks. “Circumcision of the heart connotes being open, responsive, and obedient to the Lord.” While circumcision denotes the responsive heart, “throughout the Old Testament ‘stiffnecked’ is a metaphor for stubbornness and recalcitrance (cf. Job 9:4; 2 Chr 30:8; 36:13; Neh 9:16-17, 29; Jer 7:26; 17:23; 19:15). In the present context it denotes a lack of compliance to the covenant requirements.”[12] These two attitudes—a circumcised heart and a stiff neck—illustrate the choice Israel must make: to uphold their portion of the covenant or to rebel and go their own way. The remainder of Deuteronomy is set up in such a way that they are constantly reminded of this choice. God gives them a law, then explains the blessings of obeying and curses of disobeying. The choice to live in blessing or in curse hinges on the attitude in which the Israelites approach God. “In view of God’s election-love, one must be humbled so that he can be submissive to the guidance of God. Otherwise, love of God is impossible.”[13]

IV. The All-Powerful God loves and protects the weak and powerless 10.17-19

In keeping with the chiastic pattern, verses 17-18 reiterate the character and nature of God in relation to loving people. God has just laid before Israel the mutually exclusive choices of serving Him or serving themselves. He now reminds them one more time of His power, love, and compassion.

His greatness is portrayed by the names ascribed to him as well as by the characteristics and acts attributed to him. “God of gods” and “Lord of lords” (v. 17) are Hebrew superlatives. The designations do not suggest that there are in reality other divine gods or lords over whom God rules. Rather, as God and Lord he is supreme over all.[14]

This description of God’s power and sovereignty place him in comparison to earthly kings who often make such claims for themselves. But the second portion of the description of God found here places him in direct opposition to most earthly rulers. God is also described here as being impartial and unaffected by bribes. It is God alone who knows the heart of man, and he cannot be swayed by insincere pledges of allegiance. The status and position of man is inconsequential to God. Not only is he not swayed by those in powerful positions, he defends and cares for those who have no means of protecting themselves. God does not exploit the needy; rather, He lifts them up to a position of being worthy of love. During this time, there were no legal rights for widows or orphans.[15] In most cultures, they were left to fend for themselves, but usually with no legal means of doing so. God declares here that he is the one who cares for those who cannot care for themselves. This is a practical picture of the love God provides in salvation for his people. Israel could nothing to protect and provide for itself; they had to totally rely on God. And here God is again saying that it is he who protects the powerless.

God also tells them that he loves the alien. The word used here for alien or sojourner is

a technical term for the foreigner who has left his own people and has taken up residence in Israel. Though especially liable to injustice and oppression, he was a member of the covenant…. As God loves the sojourner, so Israel is to love him, remembering they were once in the same position in Egypt—whence they were delivered from oppression (cf. Lev 19:34).[16]

V. Fear and worship the Lord, for He has greatly blessed his people 10. 20-22

The chiasm of 10.12-22 is completed with a return to the expectations God lays out for the Israelites. After the descriptions of God’s great power and love, Israel is again reminded to fear and serve the Lord. “The theme of this part of the address is repeated here for emphasis.”[17] The Israelites are given another key to covenantal love; only if one “holds fast” to the Lord will he be able to walk rightly with him. This phrase, also translated “cleave” or “cling,” “indicates a very close and intimate relationship. The same verb is employed to describe the relationship between a man and his wife.”[18] God is to be trusted by his people as a wife trusts her husband for love and protection. He further declares Israel’s ability to trust him by declaring they are to take their oaths in his name. He is unchanging, and the promises he makes are to be trusted without question.

Because of this unchanging reliability, verse 21 declares that Israel is to see God as their praise. Due to grammatical ambiguity, this phrase can be translated two ways. One, this can mean that God is to be the sole recipient and object of praise. This is fitting, for the previous verses fully provide reason for God to be the sole object of worship by Israel. Two, this phrase can also mean that God’s provision for Israel is the foundation on which Israel is praised by surrounding nations.[19] Though weaker contextually, this translation can also work here considering the previous discussion concerning God’s care for and love of the aliens in Israel. Either way, the object and purpose of the worship is unchanging; the Lord God of Israel is worthy to be praised.

Verse 22 serves as a final illustration to the Israelites as to why God is worthy of this praise. He has performed mighty works before their eyes, and the care and protection he provided to the patriarchs on their journey into Egypt, as well as the care and protection he provided to this generation of Israel on their subsequent journey out of Egypt are to serve as markers, reminding them that their God is the God of covenant love and faithfulness.

Conclusion

Though the Israelites of Deuteronomy are separated from us by millennia, we are closely connected to them by our covenant relationship with God. Even the stiff-necked rebellion and subsequent exile of Israel proves that God is trustworthy—He is trustworthy to not only provide blessing for obedience, but also discipline for disobedience. The character of God is one of absolute consistency and reliability. In Malachi 3, God describes to the people a time when they will be restored to Him as His covenant people. Though they have disobeyed and abandoned God, He will not abandon them. Throughout Israel’s spiritual adultery, God holds to the covenant he made with the patriarchs. “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”[20] Because the Lord does not change, we can assured even today that by following the commands laid down in this passage—by fearing God, walking in his ways, by loving, serving, and obeying him—he will be faithful to defend us who are weak people, incapable of saving ourselves.


Works Referenced

Arnold, Bill T. and Bryan Beyer. “Deuteronomy,” Discovering the Old Testament. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1999.

B., D.R. “Deuteronomy.” Harper’s Bible Dictionary. Paul J. Achtemeier, editor. Haper & Row: San Francisco, 1985.

Buttrick, George A. The Interpreter’s Bible. Abingdon: New York, 1953.

Christensen, Duane L. “Book of Deuteronomy.” Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Watson E. Mills, editor. Mercer University Press: Macon, 1991.

Christensen, Duane L. “Deuteronomy 1-11.” Word Biblical Commentary. Nelson: Nashville, 1991.

Craigie, Peter C. “The Book of Deuteronomy.” New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 1976.

Easton, M.A. “Deuteronomy.” Easton’s Bible Dictionary. Online version. Accessed September 12, 2008.

Kalland, Earl S. “Volume 3: Deuteronomy- 2 Samuel.” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 1992.

Lienhard, Joseph T., ed. “Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.” Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. InterVarsity: Downers Grove, 2001.

Luther, Martin. Lectures on Deuteronomy. Jaroslav Pelikan, editor. Concordia: St. Louis, 1960.

Merrill, Eugene H. “Deuteronomy.” The New American Commentary. Broadman and Holman: Nashville, 1994.

Phillips, Anthony. Deuteronomy. University Press: Cambridge, 1973.

Thompson, J.A. “Book of Deuteronomy.” New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition. InterVarsity: Downers Grove, 1962.

Weinfeld, Moshe. “Deuteronomy 1-11.” The Anchor Bible. Doubleday: New York, 1991.

Weinfeld, Moshe. “Deuteronomy.” The Anchor Bible Dictionary. David Noel Freedman, editor. Doubleday: New York, 1992.

[1] Arnold, Bill T. and Bryan Beyer. “Deuteronomy,” Discovering the Old Testament. Baker: Grand Rapids, 1999. p. 143.

[2] Deut 10.11

[3] Merrill, 201.

[4] Weinfeld, 435.

[5] Christensen, Word Biblical Commentary, 205.

[6] Merrill, 202.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Craigie, 204.

[9] Buttrick, 400.

[10] Jeremiah 17.9-10

[11] Craigie, 205.

[12] Merrill, 203.

[13] Buttrick, 400.

[14] Kalland, 86.

[15] The expansion of the law concerning the care of widows, orphans, and aliens can be found in De 24:17-22.

[16] Buttrick, 401.

[17] Craigie, 207.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Christensen, 207.

[20] Mal 3.5-6

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The “Affection of Christ Jesus”


While I was studying the writings of several commentators and pastors when preparing for this passage, I came across this section of a sermon on Philippians 1:9-11, and it was too good to just paraphrase or include as a link. This is from Tom Steller’s sermon on verses 9-11, delivered at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota in August of 1986. The entire transcript of the sermon can be found at http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByScripture/34/556_The_Excellence_Which_Love_Approves/

How, then, could Paul be filled with such warmth for these rascals? Or even more, how could Jesus be yearning for them with his own deep affection?

God Smiles on His People Through Jesus Christ

Do we dare say that God Almighty, the Holy One, is excited about the Philippians—problems and all? And can we apply that to you and me and say that God’s face is aglow with affection toward us this morning, even though we too have varying remnants of selfishness and grumbling in our hearts? Doesn’t the fact that we are still unholy demand God’s countenance to be a stern one with a frown instead of a smile? O how many of you out there are laboring under a frowning God. You can’t look into his face because he makes you think of your angry father or teacher or boss who is demanding perfection of you NOW! And you can’t give it so he frowns and you are defeated and depressed.

Well let it be known that God Almighty through his Son Jesus Christ is smiling on every one of you who are diligently—though not perfectly—working out your salvation with fear and trembling. True, when he zeros in and points his finger at the sin in your life, there is angry fire in his eyes; but never think he is locked into that gaze until every vestige of sin is burned away. God alone, in his infinite complexity, has the ability to frown and smile at the same time—and he is not a hypocrite, he is not two-faced, and he is not fickle. He frowns when you delight in sin and frolic in the defamation of his name through covetousness, lust, dishonesty, and bitterness. Wrath burns in his eyes, but then he is continually reminded that the full force of his righteous revenge and punishment which you and I deserved was unleashed once and for all upon his own dear Son hanging in our place on the cross of Calvary. So God is free to look beyond our sin and see the whole picture—and what does he see? He sees you and me—pieces of worthless coal which he has snatched from the fire which he is holding in his loving and strong hands, and squeezing and applying infinite pressure as he transforms us into brilliant diamonds which will reflect his glory, his character, and his worth forever.

And THAT, my friends, is the love of Christ—the same love with which we are to love one another. The love that sees the big picture, that loving confronts sin but does not take that sin personally. The love that presses each of us farther from ourselves and closer to the foot of the cross. The love that allows us to put others’ needs and desires ahead of our own. And the love that will conform our needs and desires to become the same need and desire; the need and desire to see Christ glorified and a lost and dying world come to know Him as Savior. We are, after all, called to be of one mind and one goal– the goal of showing and sharing Christ should rise above all other goals and desires in our lives. If we began living each moment of our intentionally, with the display of the glory and love of Christ as our goal, people might actually see Christ living through His body, the church!

Take some time the next couple of days to really meditate on the love of our Father God. Really think about what He gave, what Christ sacrificed for us, and consider how you can show that same love to those around you. Are you willing to give whatever it takes—a little self-discipline, a little inconvenience, maybe setting aside a personal desire to give time or money or advice to someone really in need—to show the world around you the love of Christ?

I will post the actual lesson for verses 9-11 in another post; but I thought this would be an appropriate “warm-up” to get us back on track after taking some time off.

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Qualifications of a Female Mentor


The Feminist Movement in America, which began in the 1960s, opened the floodgate for a deluge of women who, for the first time in history, began working outside of the home by choice and not just out of necessity. Women were told working in businesses of all varieties showed liberation from the constraints of an archaic, patriarchal society. A generation of liberated and empowered women went to work, dropping their children off at daycare on their way to the office.

A generation later, those children are having children of their own. Like every other generation of parents before them, they are passionately dedicated to giving their children all the things they did not have as children. The only difference is that the children of the 1970s and 80s, the ones that had every material possession available to them, are determined to give their children the stable and nurturing environment that they often did not experience themselves.

Today more mothers are opting for fewer toys and gadgets and smaller budgets in exchange for staying home and being full-time wives and mothers. But as more women choose to make their families their primary focus, a new problem has emerged; they have no idea how to be homemakers. As children they were raised by day care workers and fed by McDonald\’s. Many young wives and mothers are facing the daunting task of on-the-job training for the most demanding full-time job that exists: motherhood. Many feel they are on their own and must learn the job through the exhausting and often overwhelming task of trial and error. While the cultural pendulum (at least in the church) seems to be swinging away from the extreme of the Women\’s Liberation Movement and back towards a more balanced and conservative view of womanhood, the prevailing attitudes of the movement are still very present. Behaviors have changed as more women are choosing to stay home, but the hearts of many are still stained with the \”I can do it myself\” attitude of a generation ago. At best, this attitude can lead to a stressful and lonely existence for mother and children as these women set out to prove that they are more than capable of doing this job of mothering on their own. But at its worst, this prideful isolationism can lead to a spiral of depression and despair for the woman who feels she is simply unable to be the perfect wife and mother she believed she should be.

While the results of the last forty years of history and culture can be complicated and even devastating, the solution to the problem has been laid out in a clear and simple manner in Scripture. Author Lucy Mabery-Foster goes so far as to say, \” Many marital problems would be avoided if godly older women fulfill the biblical mandate of Titus 2:4-5. … Many of the problems our society faces today are the direct result of our failure to fulfill this divine mandate –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1] –>[endif]–>.\”

The first concept all people must grasp is that, contrary to the message of today\’s society, humans simply were not created to be able to live this life independent of all counsel and assistance. From the moment that God created Adam, humanity has required help. Author Paul David Tripp aptly describes humanity\’s need for assistance in his book Instruments in the Redeemer\’s Hands:

Immediately after creating Adam and Eve, God talks to them…God knew that even though Adam and Eve were perfect people living in perfect relationship with him, they could not figure out life on their own. They were created to be dependent. God had to explain who they were and what they were to do with their lives. They did not need this help because they were sinners. They needed this help because they were human… Our culture tends to think that we need help because of something we did or something that was done to us—the result of bad biology or bad personal chemistry. But Genesis 1 confronts us with the fact that our need for help preceded sin. We were created to be dependent. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[2] –>[endif]–>

God created humanity with the need to be taught. Contrary to what some people think and what many television shows and movies portray, no one was simply born knowing how to be a successful person, regardless of how success is defined. This basic concept must be grasped before anyone can be taught anything. God in His sovereignty did not give simply one example of His teaching humanity in the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible is full of instructions, examples, and guidelines for how people are to submit to the teachings of God. Christians are also instructed to submit to the teachings of the men and women God places in authority to carry on the teachings of successful, godly living. \”In 2 Timothy 2:2 we see the potential for four generations\’ worth of impact by [teaching] the Word of God: \’and what you (Timothy) heard me (Paul) say in the presence of many others as witnesses entrust to faithful people (third generation) who will be competent to teach others (fourth generation) as well.\’ –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[3] –>[endif]–>\”

The simple fact is that even in matters of the household, the modern culture is in direct opposition to the words of Scripture. While society is now telling beleaguered mothers to get away from their families and focus on themselves, Scripture tells women to learn how to run a household in a godly and efficient manner. How are women to learn how to do this?

According to Titus chapter two, women are to learn from those experienced in the work required to run a household and maintain a godly character; mature women. \”As women, we draw strength from others who have survived tough times. We benefit from those who have walked longer with the Lord… We need to see how life has been handled by others who can be examples for us to follow. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[4] –>[endif]–>\”

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. –Titus 2:3-5, NIV

Paul wrote this passage to Titus, a fellow missionary, whom Paul had left on the island of Crete to \”straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[5] –>[endif]–>\” In the instructions given to Titus, Paul sets up a system of teaching, which is to be implemented in the churches on Crete. Titus is instructed to appoint elders to \”encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[6] –>[endif]–>\” They are also to rebuke sharply those whose minds and consciences are corrupt. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[7] –>[endif]–>

Paul then gives Titus specific instructions about what he is to teach the congregations: sound doctrine. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[8] –>[endif]–> While Titus is to teach the people sound doctrine, Paul gives the older, more mature Christians in the congregations the responsibility of teaching the next generation of believers how to live their daily lives in a manner that exhibits the fruits of an active life in Christ. Paul gives the character qualities of those whom he sees as being qualified for carrying out such a huge responsibility. Titus is instructed to both teach the older men and to encourage the young men, –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[9] –>[endif]–> but he instructs Titus to gather the older women and instruct them to teach the younger women. Paul understands that \”an older woman will be able to expand upon a pastor\’s input, applying God\’s truth in a way unique to younger women. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[10] –>[endif]–>\” Author Kelley Mathews continues to explain this system further:

Who\’s going to model godly marriages if not those who have been doing it for a while? What does it mean to be kind, to work diligently at home? How do we love our husbands better? Our children?… God knew that only women who have been there can speak with authority to those coming behind. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[11] –>[endif]–>

So if it is the older, more mature women who are to teach the younger women, what qualifies a woman as being older or more mature? Most will agree there are two areas that qualify a woman as being more mature: More mature in age and more mature in faith. Age is important simply because more life experience grants a woman more authority in many given subjects. It would be highly unusual to see a sixteen-year-old girl leading a Bible study on being a godly wife simply because she would not be equipped to teach women how to do something she herself has never done. Logically, a young mother would want to seek out a mother of middle schoolers to ask advice on raising children through the elementary school years. A mom with kids in high school will want to find a woman who may be a recent empty nester to find out how to prepare for such life transitions. Advice often comes best from the mouth of experience, and many experiences can only occur with passing age.

Age is the indicator for practical advice, but often spiritual advice can come from someone who is older in her faith. A twenty-one-year-old woman who has been walking with the Lord most of her life may have some deep spiritual insights and devotional tips for a new Christian who is in her forties. Regardless of age, however, Paul points out several characteristics that should be present in the life of a woman who desires to be a mentor in the lives of other women. The ability to be a mentor \”does not come with educational degrees, age, or other accomplishments. Instead, you are qualified in your heart. Christ qualifies you… Serving as an effective mentor does mean you are open to Christ, learning and growing, and actively pursuing your own wholeness. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[12] –>[endif]–>\”

The first guideline Paul gives is a foundational point for any Christian: a woman seeking to mentor others should live her life in a reverent manner. In her book The Titus 2 Woman, Martha Peace describes a reverent life in the following manner:

The Greek word for reverent is hieroprepeis…. Heirps means sacred or services. Prepei means proper, to be fitting. Behavior is the word katastema meaning demeanor or behavior or deportment. In other words, you behave in a proper manner…. Matthew Henry described this type of woman as one whose \”behavior becomes a woman consecrated to God.\”… She should be outwardly different from the world and holy within. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[13] –>[endif]–>

The woman desiring to have a godly influence in the lives of other women should simply be living her life in a manner that speaks Christ to all who are in contact with her. This is mainly accomplished, according to Mrs. Peace, in three key areas of a woman\’s life: in her dress and attitude, in her actions, and in her words.

In his writings, Paul has much to say to women concerning their behavior, dress, and interaction with others. God has told His people that \”man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[14] –>[endif]–>\” This directly correlates to Peter\’s directions concerning how godly women should appear: \”And let not your adornment be merely external… but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[15] –>[endif]–>\” Peter is essentially telling women that it is more important to have a spirit that is beautiful in the eyes of the Lord than to have a beautiful appearance and nothing more. \”Her true beauty comes from what is on the inside—a \’gentle and quiet spirit.\’ This kind of gentleness is meekness. …In addition to a gentle heart, she has a quiet spirit; one that is peaceable and tranquil. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[16] –>[endif]–>\”

Mrs. Peace continues giving practical advice for applying this Scripture to life by describing for the reader the qualities of a woman who acts in a reverent manner.

She shows love to others by remembering that \”love is not rude\” (1 Corinthians 13:5). She has good manners…. She is not loud and obnoxious and rolling over people like a steam roller. Plainly put, she behaves herself. She is a proper lady at home and in public. … [W]omen who are actually reverent in their behavior enjoy life. They laugh and speak loudly enough for others to hear. They do not have a false idea of spirituality. They have fun and love the Lord. They want to make others feel comfortable. They show love to others by acting properly as they rejoice in every day that the Lord has made. Their dress, attitude, and behavior are pleasing to the Lord. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[17] –>[endif]–>

After discussing an older woman\’s reverent attitude, Paul lists two behaviors that specifically indicate the spiritual health of a person: They are not to be slanderers, nor are they to be \”addicted to much wine. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[18] –>[endif]–>\” The Women\’s Evangelical Commentary states that in the Greek, \”slanderer\” is diabolous, or \”devils.\” \”This word is a compound form with dia, a preposition meaning \’through or by means of,\’ and ballo, a verb meaning \’to throw.\’… Spiritually mature women who are going to be leaders must not cast through or gossip. Their words are to be encouraging and uplifting and instructive. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[19] –>[endif]–>\” In addition, Susan Hunt has pointed out that, concerning the speech of women, \”A critical and complaining spirit is devastating on those who come under its effect. A reverent inner-life will enable a woman to \’speak with wisdom, and faithful instruction… on her tongue\’ (Proverbs 31:26). –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[20] –>[endif]–>\”

Not surprisingly, Jesus had similar instructions for those who would listen to his teachings: \”The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[21] –>[endif]–>\” The condition of a woman\’s heart will greatly affect her ability to minister to those around her. Paul recognized this and instructed Titus to teach the existing members of the church the doctrine of Christ that would create an inner change. Titus was then instructed to ask those people to teach younger Christians how to behave in a manner that showed the world the impact Christ had on their souls. While actions can speak louder than words, often the words a woman speaks offer a window to her soul\’s true intentions. The ideal mentor is one whose actions, attitudes, and speech all coincide with a life described in Scripture as being fruitful. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[22] –>[endif]–>

The final qualification Paul gives for a woman who desires to be a mentor is to not be addicted to \”much wine.\” Matthew Henry says, \”The word denotes such addictedness thereto as to be under the power and mastery of it. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[23] –>[endif]–>\” The Cretan people were well known for their drunken reputation, so for Paul to mention this stronghold specifically would make sense in the context of his audience. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[24] –>[endif]–> While this was an issue of direct concern for the churches in Crete, the concept can be transferred to any behavior that can become a powerful and addictive force in the life of a woman. \”Addiction is enslavement. We must be free from habitual, compulsive behavior in order to live disciplined lives for God\’s glory. Self-control, as opposed to self-indulgence, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[25] –>[endif]–>\” To say that Paul is only speaking of addiction to alcohol would be a rather limited instruction for women today, but Martha Peace addresses this by pointing out:

Many of you are probably not plagued by drunkenness. However, there is a secondary application. You can be enslaved to other things such as television, food, romance novels or prescription drugs. Just because something may be \”lawful\” such as prescription drugs does not mean it is profitable…Being mastered by anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ is a serious sin…. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[26] –>[endif]–>

To be a godly woman and a qualified mentor, Peace goes on to give this timely advice: \”Instead of pursuing wine or food, use that same energy to think about God—His goodness, mercy, and holiness. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[27] –>[endif]–>\”

The need for spiritual mothering has rarely been more obvious than it is in the church today. Thankfully, God used the negative situation in Crete as a blueprint for future believers concerning how to deal with a culture fraught with sin and ungodliness. A look at the beginning of Titus gives a description of Crete that sounds very familiar to the situation facing the church today. Paul describes the Cretans as being \”rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[28] –>[endif]–>\” \”liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons, –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[29] –>[endif]–>\” and \”detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[30] –>[endif]–>\” Paul desired these believers to live lives contrary to the reputation of Crete, so he gave a standard for the women who would help other women strive toward godliness. God used Paul to deliver a message specifically to the women under Titus\’s authority, a message that is repeated and reinforced throughout Scripture; the heavenly Father expects his children to live out their faith as a walking testimony of their belief in him. \”Women who want to be teachers and mentors of other women are to be held to the highest standards.\” –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[31] –>[endif]–> Like their male counterparts, the lives of women in positions of leadership are to be lived as an example of how a godly life should look.

Through the remainder of his instructions regarding the teaching of women, Paul gives an outline that these mature women should teach the younger women. A woman who is teaching other women how to successfully live and work in the home will not be accepted as a respected teacher if her own home life is in disarray. If these women are teaching these concepts, they should also be exhibiting them in their own lives.

Paul says these women are to \”teach what is good. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[32] –>[endif]–>\” There is a great difference between actively doing good and simply avoiding evil. Paul encourages the women of the Cretan church not just to teach a list of behaviors to avoid, but he challenges them to go a step further and actually pursue what is good. According to the Women\’s Evangelical Commentary, the word Paul uses to explain what they are to teach is used only in this one instance in the New Testament and other ancient Greek manuscripts. –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[33] –>[endif]–>

Perhaps Paul coined this word to describe a unique method of teaching, which would combine both example (character) and behavior (lifestyle). Actually, the apostle showed a prophetic edge as he offered a timely word for subsequent generations. How can you warn against evil effectively when the pattern for what is good and godly has been lost? –>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[34] –>[endif]–>

This question can still be asked today. To expect people to act in a \”good and godly\” way when they have not been taught what a good and godly lifestyle encompasses is difficult. Often people come into a church knowing what specific behaviors in their lives are ungodly, but they are never taught godly behaviors which can replace those ungodly ones. It has been proven countless times that the best way to teach a person a skill is to model that skill and then allow her to try it herself. Living a victoriously godly Christian life is no different, and Paul\’s challenge to the women of the churches in Crete survives to challenge women in churches across the globe today. If there is to be a new generation of women to rise up and actively to pursue righteousness and holiness in their daily lives, women must answer God\’s call to model lives of righteousness and holiness and in turn encourage those coming behind them to come alongside and learn the ways of an actively good and Christ-like life.


Works Referenced

Akin, Dr. Danny L. \”God\’s Portrait of a Wonderful Wife and Marvelous Mother: Proverbs 31:10-31.\” May 8, 2005. Transcript of a sermon delivered May 8, 2005 at Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC. (August 18, 2006). The publisher of this website is the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.

—. \”The Role of Men and Women in the Church: Titus 2:1-8.\” March 30, 2005. Transcript of a chapel message delivered March 30, 2005 at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. (August 18, 2006). The publisher of this website is the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.

Agar, Frederick A. Help Those Women: A Manual for Women Church Workers. (New York: Revel, 1917)

Brown, Jamieson F. \”Titus 2:2-5.\” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. (copyright 2005-2006) (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published by the Salem Web Network.

Echevarria, Pegine. For All Our Daughters: How Mentoring Helps Young Women and Girls Master the Art of Growing Up. (Worcester: Chandler, 1998)

Ellison, Edna and Tricia Scribner. Woman to Woman: Preparing Yourself to Mentor. (Birmingham: New Hope, 2000)

Elwell, Walker, ed. \”Human Beings: Women.\” Baker Topical Guide to the Bible. (GrandRapids: Baker, 1991)

Gill, John. \”Titus 2:3-5.\” John Gill\’s Exposition of the Bible. (copyright 2005-2006) (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published by the Salem Web Network.

Henry, Matthew. \”Titus 2:2-5.\” Matthew Henry Commentary. (copyright 2005-2006) (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published by the Salem Web Network.

Hunt, Susan. Spiritual Mothering: The Titus 2 Model for Women Mentoring Women. (Wheaton: Crossway, 1992)

Kaemmerling, Charlene. \”Ordination of Women: Wrong or Right?\” The Theological Educator, No. 37 (Spring 1988): 93-99.

Mabery-Foster, Lucy. Women and the Church: Reaching, Teaching, and Developing Women for Christ. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999)

Matthews, Kelley. Women Training Women: What\’s the Point? (copyright 2005-2006) (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published by the Salem Web Network.

Mauldon, Frank Louis. \”Pricilla and Aquila.\” Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. Watson E. Mills, editor. (Macon: Mercer University Press, 1991), 712.

McBeth, Leon. Women in Baptist Life. (Nashville: Broadman, 1979)

Otto, Donna. Between Women of God: The Gentle Art of Mentoring. (Eugene: Harvest, 1995)

—. Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor. (Eugene: Harvest, 2001), pp.

Patterson, Dorothy Kelley. Beattitudes for Women: Wisdom from Heaven for Life on Earth. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000)

Peace, Martha. Becoming a Titus 2 Woman. (Bemidji: Focus, 1997)

Robertson, A.T. \”Titus 2:1-8.\” Robertson\’s Word Pictures of the New Testament. (copyright 2005-2006) (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published by the Salem Web Network.

Women\’s Evangelical Commentary. Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Rhonda Harrington Kelley, eds. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006), 731-736.

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–>[endif]–>

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1] –>[endif]–> Lucy Mabery-Foster, Women and the Church (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 5.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[2] –>[endif]–> Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer\’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2002), 40-41.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[3] –>[endif]–> Kelley Mathews, \”Women Training Women: What\’s the Point?\” (copyright 2005-2006) http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/1415961.html, (accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published and maintained by Salem Web Network.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[4] –>[endif]–> Ibid.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[5] –>[endif]–> Titus 1:5

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[6] –>[endif]–> Titus 1:9b

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[7] –>[endif]–> Titus 1:13, 15

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[8] –>[endif]–> Titus 2:1

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[9] –>[endif]–> Titus 2:6

[if !supportFootnotes]–>[10] –>[endif]–> Mathews.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[11] –>[endif]–> Ibid.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[12] –>[endif]–> Edna Ellison and Tricia Scribner, Woman to Woman: Preparing Yourself to Mentor (Birmingham: New Hope, 2000), 5.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[13] –>[endif]–> Martha Peace, Becoming a Titus2 Woman (Bimidji: Focus, 1997), 32.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[14] –>[endif]–> 1 Samuel 16:7

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[15] –>[endif]–> 1 Peter 3:3-4

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[16] –>[endif]–> Peace, 33-34.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[17] –>[endif]–> Ibid., 35.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[18] –>[endif]–> Titus 2:3

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[19] –>[endif]–> Women\’s Evangelical Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006) 734.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[20] –>[endif]–> Susan Hunt, Spiritual Mothering (Crossway: Wheaton, 1992), 43-44.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[21] –>[endif]–> Luke 6:45

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[22] –>[endif]–> See Galatians 5:19-26 for a further discussion from Paul concerning the comparison of living in a sinful nature and living in the Spirit.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[23] –>[endif]–> Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Commentary (copyright 2005-2006) (Accessed August 18, 2006) This website is published and maintained by Salem Web Network.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[24] –>[endif]–> Women\’s Evangelical Commentary, 734.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[25] –>[endif]–> Hunt, 44.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[26] –>[endif]–> Peace, 43.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[27] –>[endif]–> Peace, 44.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[28] –>[endif]–> Titus 1:10

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[29] –>[endif]–> Verse 12.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[30] –>[endif]–> Verse 16.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[31] –>[endif]–> Women\’s Evangelical Commentary, 734.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[32] –>[endif]–> Titus 2:3

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[33] –>[endif]–> Women\’s, 734.

–>[if !supportFootnotes]–>[34] –>[endif]–> Ibid.