"SALVATION TO ALL PEOPLE" πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις "All men"!

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By Tony Cavicchia

I’d like to add 2 small thoughts from the book of Titus. Paul is writing to Titus who is on the Greek Island of Crete. Here Paul makes a distinct reference between the diaspora and the Cretans.

Titus 1: 5 “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. 10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. 12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”

Paul is alerting Titus about the disruptive nature of the circumcised in Crete. And only the circumcised, those with the law, claim to know God. These are the diaspora who have lived there for generations. Paul also makes the distinct difference between the two races. Do we think that making disparaging racial remarks is something new? Paul says one of Crete’s own prophets, who is obviously one of the circumcised diaspora says that “Cretans are always liars, evil, brutes and lazy gluttons.” In addition, why would a Cretan be spreading Jewish myths to reject the truth? Wouldn’t a Cretan be trying to reject the truth with his own Hellenist myths? This prophet, Paul was speaking of couldn’t have been a Cretan, but had to be one of the diaspora. What person in their right mind would say that about himself? Paul goes on to say that, Titus must rebuke them sharply.

I find it interesting how the disparaging of a race or nationality takes hold after generations of hate and indifference. We find that in most all races and nationalities. It’s obvious the Cretans got a bad rap, because the word Cretin comes from the very word Crete, or Cretan.

Now for the good stuff. Short and sweet!!!

Titus 2: 11 "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED THAT OFFERS SALVATION TO ALL PEOPLE!!! 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."

I placed verse 11 in all capitals and exclamations to get your attention, so we just do read past it. ALL, to me means ALL, not some, not a few, or a certainly not just a race of people.