Read The Jewish Annotated New Testament Online
Authors: Amy-Jill Levine
A distinguishing characteristic of Titus is the title “savior” to describe both God and Jesus. In a key phrase, the letter speaks of waiting for “the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2.13). The words “manifestation” (
epiphaneia
) and “savior” (
soteros
) are borrowed from the Hellenistic context where they are applied to deities and emperors. For example, an Ephesian inscription calls Julius Caesar “god made manifest, of Ares and Aphrodite, the common savior of human life.” The explicit equation between Jesus and God is rare in the New Testament, although it is suggested by other passages such as John 1, and it becomes a central Christian doctrine, articulated by the Councils of Nicaea (325 CE) and Chalcedon (451 CE).
GUIDE TO READING
Titus emerges out of a confluence of Hellenistic culture and Jewish Scriptures. “Paul” calls himself a “servant of God” who labors for “God’s elect” (1.1). The title “servant of God” appears frequently in the Septuagint in reference to the patriarchs, Moses, Elijah, David, and Jonah, among others. The phrase “God’s elect” also draws on themes from the Jewish Scriptures. Jesus’ followers, regardless of background, saw themselves as the true inheritors of the Jewish covenant.
The letter identifies the rebellious group as “of the circumcision” (1.10) and accuses them of propagating “Jewish myths” and “commandments of those who reject the truth” (1.14). The passage continues with the language of purity and defilement (1.15–16), perhaps alluding to the irrelevance of dietary regulations (as in Rom 14.14,20) or asceticism and celibacy (as expressed in 1 Tim 4.3–4). Whereas Paul’s epistles (especially Galatians) address challenges from “Judaizers” (those, whether Jewish or Gentile in origin, who believed that followers of Jesus should also follow Torah’s ritual as well as moral laws), the Pastorals show little engagement with this issue (see also 1 Tim 1.7). The letter closes by adding “genealogies” and “quarrels about the law” to the list of disagreeable beliefs and behaviors (3.9). These genealogies may be the generational lists that appear in the Jewish Scriptures (Gen 10; 11.10–32; 1 Chr 1–9), and the speculations about them may be similar to those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (1QapGen). Alternatively, the genealogies may be of Jesus himself, of which two conflicting ones are extant (Mt 1 and Lk 3). The extent to which Mosaic legislation was still binding on those who believed in Jesus as the Christ was a hotly debated issue in several New Testament epistles (see especially Galatians, which also identifies an antagonistic group as “of the circumcision” in 2.12).
It is difficult to determine the ways in which the letter reflects social and historical realities. There may be differences between Jewish and Gentile community members over the interpretation of scripture and living out its teachings. However, “those from the circumcision” are not necessarily Jewish believers in Jesus, since there were Jews who did not advocate circumcision for inclusion in the community (most notably, Paul); there were Gentiles who did want to follow Torah, or at least believed that circumcision was an essential mark of the covenant, whether “old” or “new” (some Gentiles in Galatia were circumcised). In addition to these complexities, the rhetoric of the letter is harsh, likening the writer’s opponents to animals, and including an ethnic slur against Cretans (1.11–12). Such polemical language makes determining the views of those the author condemns difficult, since it indicates that the author is relying more on name-calling than reasoned argument to discredit his opponents. Thus, the letter may reflect a time in the developing church when simply associating a teaching with Judaism was to mark it as unacceptable, whether or not the teaching really had such a connection.
Jennifer L. Koosed
1
Paul,
*
servant
*
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in accordance with godliness,
2
in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began—
3
in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,
4
To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share:
Grace
*
and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
5
I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you:
6
someone who is blameless, married only once,
*
whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious.
7
For a bishop,
*
as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain;
8
but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.
9
He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.
10
There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision;
11
they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it is not right to teach.
12
It was one of them, their very own prophet, who said,
“Cretans are always liars, vicious brutes,
lazy gluttons.”
13
That testimony is true. For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may become sound in the faith,
14
not paying attention to Jewish myths or to commandments of those who reject the truth.
15
To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted.
16
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
2
But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine.
2
Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.
3
Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good,
4
so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5
to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.
6
Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
7
Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity,
8
and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.
9
Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back,
10
not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior.
11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,
*
12
training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly,
13
while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior,
*
Jesus Christ.
14
He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
15
Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority.
*
Let no one look down on you.
3
Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
2
to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.
3
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.
4
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5
he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water
*
of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
6
This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7
so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8
The saying is sure.
I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.
9
But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
10
After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions,
11
since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being self-condemned.
12
When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
13
Make every effort to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, and see that they lack nothing.
14
And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.
15
All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace be with all of you.
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THE LETTER OF PAUL TO PHILEMON
NAME AND AUTHORSHIP
This letter, one of Paul’s undisputed writings, takes its name from its first-mentioned addressee, Philemon (v.1). The shortest of the Pauline letters at 335 words in Greek, Philemon has been the subject of voluminous debate due both to the many uncertainties concerning its historical context and purpose and to its presentation. It is unique among the New Testament writings in naming a slave in a Christian household.
Paul writes the letter from prison (vv. 1,9–10,13,23) but does not mention the location of his imprisonment. Possibilities include Rome (see Acts 28.16) and Caesarea Maritima (Acts 23.23,33). Today many favor Ephesus, given Paul’s lengthy stay and missionary activities there and the city’s relative proximity to Colossae, the likely location of the letter’s addressees. Colossae or its environs is suggested by the mention of Archippus (v. 2), the slave Onesimus (v. 10), and the co-workers who send greetings (vv. 23–24) in the later Letter to the Colossians (see Col 4.9–10,12,14,17). If written from Rome, the date of Philemon is ca. 61–63; if from Ephesus, an earlier date in the mid-50s is likely. Philemon has traditionally been grouped with two other letters, Philippians (a genuine Pauline letter) and Colossians (a letter attributed to Paul but probably not by him) into a group known as the “captivity epistles,” because they all claim to have been written from jail.