Titus part four

Verses 15-16 of chapter one seem to imply that those who oppose Paul's message are impure and corrupted. "They claim to know god, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." That's Paul's Christian love speaking.

In chapter two, Paul tells Titus to teach according to sound doctrine, which of course, is Paul's doctrine. First Titus is told to teach the older men to be "temperate, worthy of respect (whose?), self-controlled, and sound in faith and endurance." I wonder how older guys liked being told how to live and behave by someone younger?

Verse 3 says, "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." I wonder how the older women felt about some young male foreigner trying to tell them how to behave and live. I wonder how their husbands felt about it.

Verse four goes on to tell the older women to "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." This scripture is often drilled into the minds of devout christian women, even today. It's what makes many become stay at home mothers and housewives, even if they are not naturally inclined toward that occupation. Because it is in the bible, it is considered the words of god, but it is actually just the words of Paul or some other writer. The author is clearly concerned about the reputation of the church and seems to feel that young women should behave in a manner that coincides with his ideas of what is appropriate. It is probably consistent with the ideals of that time and culture. No gods needed.

Verse six tells Titus to encourage the young men be self-controlled. Just encourage? Young men are notoriously hard to command and often resistant to those who set themselves up as authorities. Paul tells Titus to lead them by example, not a bad tactic. He is to do what is good, show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech. This is again to protect the reputation of Paul 's followers in the eyes of his opposition.

Verse nine tells Titus to "teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in everything they will make the teaching about our god and savior attractive." Oh, the harm these verses have done! It is inexcusable. Why did Paul not tell christian masters to set an example and free their slaves? Why did he not suggest that free christians help christian slaves buy their freedom if they had nonchristian masters? I'll tell you why. He was not receiving any revelation from an almighty benevolent god. He was speaking from his own experience in culture and time. Plus his goal in these passages is clearly the preservation and boosting of the reputation of his followers, so the opposition would not be able to accuse them of anything unseemly.

The slave was told to obey his master in everything! What if the slave was ordered to have nothing more to do with the Paulites? What if the slave was ordered to slander or sabotage them? The slave was told his obedience would make christianity attractive. Your darn tootin' it would, to slave owners. It sure would give the slave owner leverage to be able to read that passage to his slaves. It might be worth the trouble to become a christian, at least in name, if you could take advantage of Paul's teachings on slavery.