Objective of this lesson: to challenge people to think about the differences in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.
There is a stark, depressing contrast between the congregation (singular) in the city of Ephesus and the congregations (plural) on the island of Crete. The city of Ephesus was known as a religious center. It was a sophisticated, progressive place known for the ways it benefited the Roman empire. In contrast, the society on Crete was known for its violence and love for money. The Cretan society for generations had been known as the place to acquire mercenaries. Their acts of piracy had at times caused major inconveniences for the Greeks and then for the Romans.
Seeing the differences between congregational needs in Ephesus and Crete begins with seeing the differences between society in Crete and society in Ephesus. Things that would be evident to Timothy and Titus in their world (and to most of the people who lived in the first-century Roman Empire) are not evident to people in the twenty-first century. A part of putting the message of the New Testament in context is understanding as much as we can about the first-century world. To assume that people in the first-century world held the same basic views we hold in the twenty-first century world is a frayed (perhaps false) assumption. While neither society was godly, both societies were quite different from each other. Just as in today's world, it was possible for one place to be considered unsophisticated and another place to be regarded as sophisticated.
Teacher, do as much research as possible on life in Crete in the 1st century (and before).
When Paul wrote in Titus 1:12, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons," he was quoting one of their own religious men and philosophers (Epimenides) who lived about 600 B.C. In the statement quoted by Paul, Epimenides was arguing that Zeus was holy and eternal, and Cretans could not be compared to Zeus. Paul was acknowledging that Cretans had a bad reputation as a society. Cicero wrote that Cretans considered highway robbery to be honorable (The Republic, 3.4.15). Polybius wrote of their love of money (Histories 6.46.1-3), declaring no financial gain was disgraceful to them. Diodorus of Sicily (Histories 6.47.5) related a story about a Cretan soldier who betrayed the Cretan army to the Roman army. When the soldier was offered Roman citizenship (extremely valuable to a person) as a reward, he rejected the citizenship, declaring he wanted money.
Cretans had an earned bad reputation because of (a) their violent behavior, (b) their values, and (c) their violation of their own laws. They were a people noted for violence and untrustworthiness. Their devotion to serving as mercenaries and to acquiring money provided them a set of values that were not respected by "civilized people."
The Cretans distinguished themselves through greed, violence, and a devotion to physical indulgence. Stabilizing Christianity in the immoral climate of the Cretan society involved challenges that did not exist in Ephesus. The values honored in Cretan society were often in contrast to the values of Ephesus. (This by no means affirms that the values of Ephesus were moral and compatible with Christianity's values.) The immoral values in the cities of Crete were, at times, in striking contrast to the immoral values of Ephesus.
Stabilizing Christianity (which was one of leadership's responsibilities) in the environment of Cretan society was a demanding challenge. The basic values of Cretan society would consider the basic values of Christianity as weakness. Christianity would not appeal to the minds devoted to Cretan society on the basis of what many in the first century looked upon as respectable values.
Begin by comparing the qualities given in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Some are the same in emphasis. Some are similar in emphasis. Some are different in emphasis.
Perhaps a good way to begin would be to list the same, the similar, and the different qualities from the two sources side-by-side for comparison.
Both scriptures state that the men should be above reproach, the husband of one wife, a sound spiritual influence as a parent, hospitable, not an alcoholic, and not pugnacious (one who is violent, who uses physical force to settle disagreements).
This could be one of the lists on a board or a large piece of paper. The list should be big enough for everyone to see. An alternative would be a regular sheet of paper distributed to each student to enable the teacher to coordinate class focus.
Both scriptures have a similar emphasis in being temperate (1 Timothy) or sensible (Titus); being prudent (1 Timothy) or self-controlled (Titus); being able to teach (1 Timothy) or exhorting in healthy teaching and refuting contradictors (Titus); refusing to be contentious (1 Timothy) or refusing to be quick-tempered (Titus); and refusing to love money (1 Timothy) or refusing to be fond of sordid gain (Titus).
This could be a second listing.
There are also some different emphases. 1 Timothy emphasizes that the man must be respectable, or conduct himself in good taste--he is not offensive to others; he is gentle; he is not a new convert; and he has a good reputation in the non-Christian community. In Titus, there is emphasis on being God's steward, not being self-willed, loving good, being just, and being devout (holy).
This could be a third listing. Discuss why in Cretan society a Christian would want to place emphasis on stewardship to God, loving good (by God's definition--the Cretans would define what was good differently), being just (to people), being devout in one's convictions, and not being self-willed. The focus is on serving God and benefiting others--not on exploitation. Demonstrate how a mercenary attitude or loving money exploited people.
Observations: in the different emphases, in Titus there is stress on God-centered stewardship, not self-centered indulgence; loving good (as defined by Jesus Christ and not by society); on being just instead of exploiting others; and on being devout (by Jesus Christ's values, not society's values). The emphasis in the 1 Timothy values (in the differences) was focused on community relations, gentleness, and experience. The contrast is appropriate for the social environments on Crete and in Ephesus.
Some Christian values had appeal in Ephesus' society that had no appeal in Cretan society. The approach to the Cretan mind and the approach to the mind in Ephesus would be different (remember 1 Corinthians 9:19-23?). There were concepts that would be respected in Ephesus that would not be respected in Cretan cities.
To be respectable and have a good reputation in Cretan society would be disastrous for Christians! Values the Cretan society honored clashed stringently with the values Christianity declared as godly. (For example, Cretan society would regard the seduction of another man's wife, the sale of one's children to be mercenaries, the financial exploitation of powerless people, or stealing from strong people, as honorable deeds. Their outlook was, "Break laws if it is to your benefit; just do not get caught.") Examine the clash between Cretan social values and Jesus Christ's values in scriptures such as Titus 1:10-16, 2:11-14, and 3:1-7. The contrast between Cretan society and the mature Christian who lived by Jesus Christ's values was striking!
In the differences, note things that Christianity would champion that Cretan society would oppose. Note the passages given, and note the emphases of those scriptures. Teachers, do your own survey of Titus and call attention to your findings.
Conclusion: there are some Christian values which should be stressed in all social environments. There are some Christian values that have unique application in a situation where the values of society clash with the values of Jesus Christ. In such situations, Christian values in Christ must be maturely evident in the lives of those who lead the Christian community. Crete presented such a social environment.
If we are wise, we vary our approach to different mindsets today. We do not approach people initially with values or concepts we know they will reject without thought. No one understands this better than people who are effective in mission work in other cultures.
Elders are not interchangeable. A man who was effective in Ephesus might not have been effective in Crete, and vice versa. The mature Christian man must be effective in leadership in the environment of the Christian community. Spiritual challenges differ from place to place. The values in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 are not an "overlay" with an identical stress.
Emphasize the fact that effective leadership is not "transportable" from one congregation to another congregation. Discuss why that is true.
For Thought and Discussion
That contrast exists between the congregation in the city of Ephesus and the congregations in the cities of Crete.
That description should include the Cretans' devotion to violence and to loving money.
The Cretans distinguished themselves through greed, violence, and a devotion to physical indulgence.
They are the same in these: above reproach, the husband of one wife, a sound influence as a parent, hospitable, not an alcoholic, and not pugnacious.
They are similar in these: being temperate--sensible, being prudent--self-controlled, being able to teach--exhorts in healthy teaching and refutes contradictors, refuses to be contentious--refuses to be quick-tempered, and does not love money--is not fond of sordid gain.
These are respectable, gentle, not a new convert, and of good reputation in the non-Christian community.
These are emphases on God's steward, not self-willed, loving good, being just, and being devout.
In Titus, the stress is on being God's steward rather than self-centered indulgence, on loving people, and on being just to people and devout to God. In 1 Timothy, the stress is on community relations, on gentleness, and on experience.
In the Cretan society, it would have been disastrous for Christian leaders to embrace Cretan concepts to the extent that the Christian leaders were respectable by Cretan standards or had a good reputation by Cretan standards.
The discussion should include the clash between Cretan values and concepts versus Christian values and concepts.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 9