Titus 3:9-11 Commentary
Here I have learned another of my shortcomings. These forums are a great place to cultivate strife and bickering over stupid things, as well as mysteries that are for God alone to know, leading to an unproductive life. Such has greatly been a fault of mine. So sad that I felt myself unable to accomplish anything and utterly convinced of it on all sides and from all sources. To be humble is to be exalted, but somehow I didn't get that I should be humble at all times.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]There are always plenty of thorn about, and there are certain professors who spend half their lives in fighting about nothing at all. There is no more in their contention than the difference between Tweedledum and Tweedledee; but they will divide a church over it, they will go through the world as if they had found out a great secret,-it really is not of any consequence whatever,-but having made the discovery, they judge everybody by their new-found fad, and so spread a spirit that is contrary to the Spirit of Christ.
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Thankfully, even if I didn't get quite this bad.
There are hundreds of questions, which are thought by some people to be very important, but which have no practical bearing whatever, either upon the glory of God, or upon the holiness of man. We are not to go into these matters; let those who have time to waste take up these questions; as for us, we have not time enough for things that are unprofitable and vain.
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My turning away from the world, to me, became turning away from profit itself unfortunately.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Strife (2054) ([FONT=Times New Roman,Times]eris[/FONT]) means contention, wrangling, quarrels. It refers to engagement in rivalry, especially with reference to positions taken in a matter, such a belief in the meaning of a genealogy! strife, a general term that carries the ideas of all kinds of self-centered rivalry and contentiousness about the truth. Strife is an expression of enmity with bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension. It refers to persistent contention, bickering, petty disagreement, and enmity. It reflects a spirit of antagonistic competitiveness that fights to have its own way, regardless of cost to itself or of harm to others. It is produced by a deep desire to prevail over others, to gain the highest prestige, prominence, and recognition possible. Strife is characterized by self-indulgence and egoism. It has no place even for simple tolerance, much less for humility or love.
Eris - 9x in NT - Ro 1:29-note; Ro 13:13 -note; 1Co 1:11; 3:3; 2Co 12:20; Gal 5:20; Php 1:15[FONT=Times New Roman, Times]-note[/FONT]; 1Ti 6:4; Titus 3:9. There are no uses in the Septuagint (LXX).
Barclay writes that strife (eris)...
is the contention which is born of envy, ambition, the desire for prestige, and place and prominence. It comes from the heart in which there is jealousy. If a man is cleansed of jealousy, he has gone far to being cleansed of all that arouses contention and strife. It is God-given gift to be able to take as much pleasure in the successes of others as in one’s own...Eris is the spirit that is born of unbridled and unholy competition. It comes from the desire for place and power and prestige and the hatred of being surpassed. It is essentially the sin which places self in the foreground and is the entire negation of Christian love...(Eris) is a word of battles. It denotes rivalry and competition, discord about place and prestige. It is the characteristic of the man who has forgotten that only he who humbles himself can be exalted. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)
Strife is typical of those who are unsaved (Ro 1:29-note) and of who are who are of the night (Ro 13:13-note), is productive of divisions (1Cor 1:11), is one of the deeds of the flesh (1Co 3:3, 2Co 12:20), it characterized those who preached Christ from selfish motives (Php 1:15-note) and which if constantly practiced strongly suggests that person is an unbeliever (Gal 5:20).
Paul explains the relationship between controversial questions (zetesis = controversies here in Titus 3:9) and strife recording that...
1Timothy 6:3-4 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions (zetesis) and disputes about words (logomachia = literally "word battles") out of which arise envy, strife (eris), abusive language, evil suspicions..."
Comment: Here we see one man constantly contradicting the other which in the language of mythology is as if Eris, the goddess of strife has a field day.
Well, my experience with strife was not a desire for prestige, but a desire for truth. Most of my experiences with strife are inner strife, but over time I did enjoy debating anything I considered to be of any real concern.
[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Our days are few, and are far better spent in doing good, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. The old schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our Churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field. Questions upon points wherein Scripture is silent; upon mysteries which belong to God alone; upon prophecies of doubtful interpretation; and upon mere modes of observing human ceremonials, are all foolish, and wise men avoid them. Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle’s precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my conversation adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord, and watching as a servant should do who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus? Such enquiries as these urgently demand our attention; and if we have been at all given to cavilling, let us now turn our critical abilities to a service so much more profitable. Let us be peace-makers, and endeavour to lead others both by our precept and example, to “avoid foolish questions.”[/FONT]
Here I have learned another of my shortcomings. These forums are a great place to cultivate strife and bickering over stupid things, as well as mysteries that are for God alone to know, leading to an unproductive life. Such has greatly been a fault of mine. So sad that I felt myself unable to accomplish anything and utterly convinced of it on all sides and from all sources. To be humble is to be exalted, but somehow I didn't get that I should be humble at all times.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]There are always plenty of thorn about, and there are certain professors who spend half their lives in fighting about nothing at all. There is no more in their contention than the difference between Tweedledum and Tweedledee; but they will divide a church over it, they will go through the world as if they had found out a great secret,-it really is not of any consequence whatever,-but having made the discovery, they judge everybody by their new-found fad, and so spread a spirit that is contrary to the Spirit of Christ.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times]
Thankfully, even if I didn't get quite this bad.
There are hundreds of questions, which are thought by some people to be very important, but which have no practical bearing whatever, either upon the glory of God, or upon the holiness of man. We are not to go into these matters; let those who have time to waste take up these questions; as for us, we have not time enough for things that are unprofitable and vain.
[/FONT][/FONT]
My turning away from the world, to me, became turning away from profit itself unfortunately.
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times] Strife (2054) ([FONT=Times New Roman,Times]eris[/FONT]) means contention, wrangling, quarrels. It refers to engagement in rivalry, especially with reference to positions taken in a matter, such a belief in the meaning of a genealogy! strife, a general term that carries the ideas of all kinds of self-centered rivalry and contentiousness about the truth. Strife is an expression of enmity with bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension. It refers to persistent contention, bickering, petty disagreement, and enmity. It reflects a spirit of antagonistic competitiveness that fights to have its own way, regardless of cost to itself or of harm to others. It is produced by a deep desire to prevail over others, to gain the highest prestige, prominence, and recognition possible. Strife is characterized by self-indulgence and egoism. It has no place even for simple tolerance, much less for humility or love.
Eris - 9x in NT - Ro 1:29-note; Ro 13:13 -note; 1Co 1:11; 3:3; 2Co 12:20; Gal 5:20; Php 1:15[FONT=Times New Roman, Times]-note[/FONT]; 1Ti 6:4; Titus 3:9. There are no uses in the Septuagint (LXX).
Barclay writes that strife (eris)...
is the contention which is born of envy, ambition, the desire for prestige, and place and prominence. It comes from the heart in which there is jealousy. If a man is cleansed of jealousy, he has gone far to being cleansed of all that arouses contention and strife. It is God-given gift to be able to take as much pleasure in the successes of others as in one’s own...Eris is the spirit that is born of unbridled and unholy competition. It comes from the desire for place and power and prestige and the hatred of being surpassed. It is essentially the sin which places self in the foreground and is the entire negation of Christian love...(Eris) is a word of battles. It denotes rivalry and competition, discord about place and prestige. It is the characteristic of the man who has forgotten that only he who humbles himself can be exalted. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)
Strife is typical of those who are unsaved (Ro 1:29-note) and of who are who are of the night (Ro 13:13-note), is productive of divisions (1Cor 1:11), is one of the deeds of the flesh (1Co 3:3, 2Co 12:20), it characterized those who preached Christ from selfish motives (Php 1:15-note) and which if constantly practiced strongly suggests that person is an unbeliever (Gal 5:20).
Paul explains the relationship between controversial questions (zetesis = controversies here in Titus 3:9) and strife recording that...
1Timothy 6:3-4 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions (zetesis) and disputes about words (logomachia = literally "word battles") out of which arise envy, strife (eris), abusive language, evil suspicions..."
Comment: Here we see one man constantly contradicting the other which in the language of mythology is as if Eris, the goddess of strife has a field day.
Well, my experience with strife was not a desire for prestige, but a desire for truth. Most of my experiences with strife are inner strife, but over time I did enjoy debating anything I considered to be of any real concern.
[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times]Our days are few, and are far better spent in doing good, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. The old schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our Churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field. Questions upon points wherein Scripture is silent; upon mysteries which belong to God alone; upon prophecies of doubtful interpretation; and upon mere modes of observing human ceremonials, are all foolish, and wise men avoid them. Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle’s precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.
There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my conversation adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord, and watching as a servant should do who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus? Such enquiries as these urgently demand our attention; and if we have been at all given to cavilling, let us now turn our critical abilities to a service so much more profitable. Let us be peace-makers, and endeavour to lead others both by our precept and example, to “avoid foolish questions.”[/FONT]
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