10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. 12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. 13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; 14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. 15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:10-16 KJV)
The Elders’ Task
Here Titus is warned about whom to reject: false teachers who are rebellious, deceptive, and destructive (Titus 1:10). Especially among those of the circumcision, many tried to mix Judaism with Christianity, corrupting the gospel. Paul directs that “their mouths must be silenced” (Titus 1:11)—not by force, but by refuting their errors and exposing their motives, for they subvert whole families for the sake of dishonest gain. Since “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), such teachers must be resisted with sound doctrine.
Paul supports this with a testimony from one of the Cretans’ own poets, Epimenides: “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). Paul affirms, “This testimony is true” (Titus 1:13). Therefore, Titus must rebuke them sharply, not out of malice, but to bring them to sound faith. Different people require different approaches: some may be corrected gently (2 Timothy 2:25), but others, like the stubborn Cretans, need sharp rebuke (Jude 1:22-23). The goal is that they may “be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth” (Titus 1:14).
Paul adds that “to the pure, all things are pure” (Titus 1:15). Legalistic distinctions about food and rituals no longer apply under the gospel. But to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, for their mind and conscience are corrupted. Even their good works are spoiled, just as “the sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord” (Proverbs 15:8).
Some of these false teachers profess to know God but deny Him by their actions (Titus 1:16). Like those described in Ezekiel 33:31, they speak well but follow their own greed. They are abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. This sharp rebuke is necessary, not to condemn, but to awaken repentance and preserve the purity of the church (Philippians 1:10-11).