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13.This testimony is true. (230) How worthiness soever the witness may have been, (231) yet the truth which has been spoken by him is acknowledged by Paul. The inhabitants of Crete, of whom he speaks with such sharpness were undoubtedly very wicked. The Apostle, who is wont to reprove mildly those who deserved to be treated with extreme severity, would never have spoken so harshly of the Cretans, if he had not been moved by very strong reasons. What term more reproachful than these opprobrious epithets can be imagined; that they were “ devoted to the belly, destitute of truth, evil beasts?” Nor are these vices charged against one or a few persons, but he condemns the whole nation.
It was truly a wonderful purpose of God, that he called a nation so depraved, and so infamous on account of its vices, to be among the first who should partake of the gospel; but his goodness is not less worthy of admiration, in having bestowed heavenly grace on those who did not even deserve to live in this world. (232) In that country so corrupt, as if in the midst of hell, the Church of Christ held a position, and did not cease to be extended, though it was infected by the corruption of the evils which prevailed there; for here Paul not only reproves those who were strangers to the faith, but expressly reproves those who had made a profession of Christianity. Perceiving that these vices so hateful have already taken root, and are spreading far and wide, he does not spare the reputation of the whole nation, that he may attempt the care of those whom there was some hope of healing.
Wherefore rebuke them sharply Of that circumspection and prudence with which a bishop ought to be endowed, it is not the least part, that he regulate his manner of teaching by the dispositions and conduct of men. We must not deal with obstinate and unruly persons in the same manner as with those who are meek and teachable; for, in instructing the latter, we ought to use such mildness as is suitable to their teachable disposition, while the stubbornness of the former must be severely corrected, and (as the saying is) for a bad knot there must be a bad wedge. (233) The reason why Titus ought to be more sharp and severe in rebuking them has been already stated, namely, that they are “ beasts.”
That they may be sound in the faith Whether the “” or “” is here contrasted with the diseases which he has mentioned, or whether he simply commands them to remain in the sound faith, is uncertain. I prefer the latter view. As they already are exceedingly vicious, and may easily be corrupted more and more, he wishes them to be more closely and strictly kept within the pure faith. (234)
(230) “ general character of the Cretans, noticed in Paul’ Epistle to Titus, is confirmed by the testimony of antiquity. The Apostle, writing to Titus, who had been left in Crete to regulate the affairs of the Christian Church in that island, complains of many disorderly men there, — ‘ unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, who subvert whole houses, (or families,) teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’ sake, (Tit_1:10); and he quotes the following verse from ‘ of themselves, a prophet of their own,’ namely, Epimenides, who was a Cretan poet, and whose writings were by the ancients termed χρησμοὶ or ‘’
Κρὢτεσ ἀεὶ ψεῦσται κακὰ θηρία γαστέρες ἀργαί
The general import of which passage is, that ‘ Cretans were a false people, and united in their character the ferocity of the wild beast with the luxury of the domesticated one.’ The circumstance of Paul’ styling Epimenides ‘ prophet’ is sufficiently explained by the fact of the words Poet and Prophet being often used promiscuously by the Greeks and Romans, — probably because their poets pretended to be inspired, and were by some believed to be so. The Apostle adds, that the testimony of Epimenides is but too true, ‘ witness is true.’ How true the first part of it is, with respect to their deceit and lying, the following facts will attest. From the time of Homer, the island of Crete was regarded as the scene of fiction. Many authors affirm that, as a people, its inhabitants were infamous for their violation of truth; and at length their falsehood became so notorious, that Κρητίζειν to Cretise, or imitate the Cretans, was a proverbial expression among the ancients for lying.” — Horne’ Introduction.
(231) “Combien que l’ soit profane et de nulle authorite.” — “ the author is a heathen and of no authority.”
(232) “De vivre en ce monde.”
(233) “A un mauvais noeud il faut un mauvais coin.”
(234) “ have to observe that here, in a single word, Paul declares to us by what means men may defend themselves. It is, by keeping the purity of faith. If, then, we do not turn aside from the simple doctrine of the gospel, but wish to be governed according to the will of God; if we are not carried away by our volatile passions, and do not walk according to our groveling appetites; in short, if we are good scholars of our God, and reckon it enough to have received the doctrine which he teaches us; if that be the case, we shall be fortified against all evil. It is true, the devil will seek to poison the whole world with his venom, and will spread his filth everywhere, so that the world will be full of so many corruptions that every place shall be infected by them. But however that may be, we must not turn aside from time simplicity of our faith, and must always seek to be instructed simply by our God. When we follow this course, though the devil may contrive all that he can, still we shall be fortified against all evil.”—Fr. Ser.