{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Christ Covenant Church","title":"Three Strikes And You Are Out","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2891,"description":"If we are to accurately discern Paul’s point (in Tit 3:10-11), we must first determine what’s going on in the letter as a whole. Why? Because context always determines meaning (e.g., reading comprehension [larger picture det’s individual parts]).\n \n1. What’s going on? (What is the context or backstory of the letter?) \n1.1. This is a pastoral epistle. It was written to Paul’s church-planting partner and pastor, Titus in regard to those churches he and Titus had started in the various cities on the island of Crete. Titus was tasked with establishing two things in each of the churches: 1) order (sound doctrine and behavior), 2) authority (ordained pastors/elders) (Tit 1:4-5) “set in order what remains” [Grk., epidiorthaoh] = To straighten out what is still out of line (i.e., what persists in going its own direction) – which implies that there were people in these churches who were not believing or acting the way they should; “and appoint [elders]” = Anoint/ordain (same word translated “anoint” in Heb 8:3). Titus needed to deputize qualified men with (Jesus’) divine authority as a means to establishing order/dealing with those out of line (Joh 20:21-23). \n1.2. Beyond the obvious, these two tasks were necessary due to the fact that the Cretans were known for causing dissension in relation to established things – most especially things related to order and authority (Tit 1:12) = Part of a poem written by the Greek poet (or “prophet”) Epimenides. The reason for his accusation? The doubt Cretans were causing among those devout to the Greek religion and its chief god, Zeus by their divisive claim that his tomb resided on one of their mountains (i.e., that Zeus was not immortal)[1].\n1.3. Their proclivity for contention and dissension in relation to religious authorities and doctrine was also being felt in the churches. Hence the reason Paul makes apologetics a required skill for those serving as “God’s steward” (Tit 1:7 [Grk., theos oikonomos] = Compound word: God + house...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/UXGjftzm8Yw--IISwUKe6A6-CX1YtARptisfLmFJFoI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81Zjc4/MmNmNTMxZjNmOTgw/YjA1NWRhYmMxMTNl/YmE1Zi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}