Notes: Titus 1:12

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
(Titus 1:12)

It is one thing if an outsider calls you out for your faults. It is an entirely different situation when an insider calls you out. It is is easy to say “you don’t really know me, so you can’t judge”. But Paul says that not only one of their own people, but one of their prophets called them liars.

The prophet that Paul is quoting here is Epimenides, a 6th century BC Greek poet. His statement that “Cretians are always liars” is often used as an example of a logical paradox in critical thinking classes.

The Cretians had a history of lying regarding theological matters. Mainland Greeks disagreed with the Cretian assertion that the tomb of Zeus was on the island of Crete.

So when Paul quotes one of their own religious prophets, indicting them, he is giving a practical example, specifically, and via reference, that Titus was going to be dealing with people willing to be deceitful for the sake of sordid gain.

Lying is one of the first outward sins that anyone will commit. An infant that cries when it is not hungry, not tired, not dirty, is not being entirely truthful regarding its needs. Children do not need to be taught how to lie. Our fallen nature mirrors the behavior of the father of lies (John 8:44). A minister or elder that is unable to be truthful in matters should be removed from his position of authority.

The distinction is made between normal beasts and evil beasts. An evil beast has no remorse for seeking destruction. So to, there are those within the church that have no remorse for seeking the destruction of the Body.

Paul had already warned against seeking out leaders who were given to wine and were riotous. His warning is now applied to anyone that comes against the church body. Be careful of those that sit back and take credit for the hard work of others. Be careful of those that seek the easy way through everything.