1

BEREAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

​

​

Titus 1:4-6

​

Wednesday September 8, 2021

​

2

Group Discussions

1. Share the inductive questions and observations that you made from 1:4-6.

​

2. What characteristics of a person’s children can disqualify him from becoming or being an elder.

​

3. What is one practical application you can make from your study of this passage?

​

Titus 1:4-9 [NASB95]

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Titus 1:4-9 [NASB95]

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Unlike…

​

Titus 1:16 (NASB95)

¹⁶They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

​

5

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

• Is this the beginning of a new sentence in the Greek or a continuation built on a previous thought?
• Is man specific to “male” or is this general? [Complementarianism vs. Egalitarianism debate]
• How much sin or imperfections or character flaw would still qualify as “above reproach”?
• Is “husband of one wife” referring simply to monogamy or more to marital fidelity (as the NIV would suggest)?
• If someone divorces and remarries, would that permanently disqualify him from ministry?
• How old should an elder’s children be before we can gauge whether or not they are believers? What if the elder is either young or without children?
• What is the length of time elders are to be held accountable for the behavior of their children?
• Does having an adult unbelieving child disqualify a person from eldership?
• Is the “accused of dissipation or rebellion” more for the elder’s children? Or only the elder?
• Is it okay if the child is unbelieving as long as he is not morally/behaviorally out of control?
• Is this based more on fact or reputation?
• Is there a deeper meaning in the word “dissipation (NASB) as the translations all differ some?

​

6

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

​

​

​

7

Exegesis vs. Eisegesis

Exegesis: the process of drawing out the meaning from Scripture in accordance with the context and discoverable meaning of its author.

​

Eisegesis: the process by which the reader imposes or injects his/her interpretation into the text.

8

Qualifications of Elders / Overseers

• What does the Titus 1:4-9 have to say?

​

• What does the whole of the epistle to Titus have to say (directly and indirectly)?

​

• What do the other pastoral epistles have to say (1-2 Timothy)?

​

• What does the whole Bible have to say about the kinds of men God would delight to have lead His people?

​

9

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

Above Reproach

Anenkletos – (a: negative prefix; enkaleo: to call into account) “without blame,” “absence of accusation,” “unimpeachable,” “irreproachable character.”

​

John Stott: “they should offer no loophole for criticism” in any of the character traits to follow.

​

As opposed to amomos: “unblemished”

​

​

​

10

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

MARRIAGE

​

μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἀνήρ

mias gynaikos aneir

​

‘One’ ‘Woman’ ‘Husband’

​

​

An unsullied reputation in the whole area of sex and marriage.

​

What it doesn’t mean

​

• Widower who has remarried (Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:39; 1 Tim. 5:14)

​

• Elder must be married (Acts 13:1; 1 Cor. 9:5)

​

11

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

“There is an interpretive problem here that we must pause to consider…” (Philip Towner)

(pista: believing, reliable, faithful)

​

Believing vs. faithful/trustworthy

​

• A leader in the church whose children are clearly non-believers
• Famous celebrity pastors whose children have strayed from the faith
• Leader with young children who have not professed faith in Christ
• My child has made one too many mistakes for me to serve as a leader
• Pastors/elders forcing their children to fake a profession or behave/perform

​

12

Qualifications of Elders / Overseers

• What does the Titus 1:4-9 have to say?

​

• What does the whole of the epistle to Titus have to say (directly and indirectly)?

​

• What do the other pastoral epistles have to say (1-2 Timothy)?

​

• What does the whole Bible have to say about the kinds of men God would delight to have lead His people?

​

13

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

πιστά

(pista: believing, reliable, faithful; trustworthy)

​

Passive use of πιστά in the NT: [Titus 1:6 is in the passive voice - τέκνα ἔχων πιστά]

• God’s faithfulness: (1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18)
• Christ’s faithfulness: (2 Thess. 3:3; Heb. 2:17; 3:2)
• Trustworthiness of God’s words (Acts 13:34; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2 Tim. 2:11; Titus 1:9; 3:8)

​

Active use of πιστά in the NT:

• Used of people who clearly are believers: (Matt. 25:21,23; Acts 16:15; 1 Cor. 4:2,17; Eph. 6:21; Col. 1:7; 4:7; Rev. 2:10,13; 17:14)
• Unbelievers are never referred to as faithful.

​

​

14

Titus 1:6

Inductive Questions & Observations

​

​

​

Comparison:1 Timothy 3:2–4 (NASB95)

​

²An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 

³not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 

⁴He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity.

​

​

15

Qualifications of Elders / Overseers

• Are these non-negotiables?

​

• Are these unattainable ideals that elders should try their best to model?

​

• Are these things that would be nice to have in an elder but not essential?

​

​

​

16

Breakdown and Overview

d. Make a chart!

​

i. Make note of

frequently repeated

or emphasized

traits, words, etc.

​

• Sensible
• Good deeds
• Contradict sound doctrine

​

• Our Savior

17

Application

• Pray for the leaders’ marriages, that God will strengthen and protect each of them.

​

• Pray for the salvation of your spiritual leaders’ children.

​

• Pray for God to raise up a many more godly leaders from and for the church.

​

​

​

​

18

For (Wednesday 9/22)

NO BIBLE STUDY NEXT WEDNESDAY 9/15 🡪 All Church P&P

​

1. Read Titus 1:7-9

​

• Ask inductive questions of these verses and come up with observations.

​

• How do these verses fit into the context of the rest of the section, chapter, and letter?

​

• What are some practical and measurable applications you can draw from these verses?

​

​