Titus 1:13-14 13This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, in order that they may be sound in the faith, 14not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
The Cretan believers should already have known of their society’s bad reputation because it was well known and true. As followers of Christ, they did not need to live this way and neither did their leaders. Unfortunately, the false teachers were living up to this bad reputation. Because of that, Paul charges Titus as mission director to rebuke them sharply. Sharply (apotomōs ) can mean “harshly” or “severely.” This was a serious problem that required a forceful approach. Confronting people who are in the wrong is never easy. This would require Titus to show courage. His courage would come from his standing in the truth and not anything about himself personally. This response was necessary because of the threat to the truth of the gospel.
Paul wants Titus to be redemptive in his strong rebuke of those who were teaching the wrong doctrines. The goal should be for the leaders in the church to be sound in the faith. Faith is used with the article, which narrows this faith to “the Christian faith.” Sound (hygiainōsin) can mean healthy. When it is used in reference to teachings, it means orthodox or the faith that has been received from Christ and passed on through the apostles (1 Timothy 1:10). Any deviation from the truth of the received gospel would lead to spiritual sickness.
The major problem with the false teaching is that it focused on Jewish myths and human commands. These false teachers were majoring on minor issues that drew people away from the central truths of the Bible. There are many interesting ideas and questions in the Bible that are not easily answered. People offer all kinds of opinions. When creative and convincing ideas are offered to people, they are easily deceived by these opinions. We must focus our teaching, preaching, and discipleship upon the truths about Jesus Christ and not opinions, myths, or speculation, which only cause people to turn from the truth. In Paul’s time, there was still a strong Jewish influence in the early church. Some of this Jewish perspective focused on a narrow interpretation of the law that led to legalistic interpretations of the gospel. This influence had evidently even reached the island of Crete. Titus needed to deal with this since Paul could not be there. The answer was to focus on the gospel.
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