Titus 2:1-10
As I looked at Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding older men, I paused and asked myself how I measured up on Paul’s six items. Then I asked myself further how Carol would evaluate me on those six items. That would probably be the better evaluation!
…train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. (vv. 4-6) Paul has seven instruction items for young women and only one for young men. Strange…! There’s probably a lot more that he could have said by way of instructing young men!! One could argue that Paul goes on in the next two verses to give further instructions to Titus, if in fact Titus is also a young man (which is easy to presume from the context). But then again, most of Paul’s direct instructions to Titus have to do with Titus’ teachings.
Slava Bohu!
One could look at all of the instructions to Timothy any time instructions to young men are needed… 🙂
Somehow I am struggling with Paul’s pastoral letters, Timothy, Titus, etc. More so than in previous reads. Many of his instructions are culture- or context-specific. In my reading, I am taking the instructions as if for everyone as it applies in our context. We are to focus on the character of God and, empowered by the Holy Spirit through Christ’s redemption, grow closer to His heart and character. To be temperate, serious, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in endurance applies to all of us; reverent in behavior, not slanderers, slaves to drink, teach what is good, love your spouse and children, etc.
What does “struggling” mean? Struggling with understanding Paul, in or out of context? Or struggling with application back then and now? Or struggling…, how?
Wondering…
Struggling with some of his context-specific instructions.
Yes, Debbie, that makes sense. Paul was writing in a different time frame from our 21st century context. We weren’t there so it’s not always clear why he said what he said!
Unfortunately, that is precisely the argument that liberal “theologians” have used to toss out any number of Biblical instructions, claiming that they are outmoded or no longer applicable. They (we) do so at their (our) peril.