Titus 2:1-14
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But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.
Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behaviour, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.
Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.
Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to answer back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Saviour.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
Back in the day, say 40 or 50 A.D. , the ideas of the world were quite different and based on very limited knowledge compared to today. In many instances, lives were not seen as fluid and as changeable as they are recognized to be today. If you were a woman, your place was set for the most part, although Jesus certainly did challenge the status quo in that regard. Sadly, it's a lesson that has yet to be learned in many circles. I wish I could excuse it by saying something like "it takes time". That would be, well you know, BS. If you were a slave for the most part your station in life was set and any good you saw was at the generosity and benevolence of your master. If you were a man, the world was your oyster except that, well, there too you could have been born into an upper class of person, especially in religious terms and be fine or you could also be born into an estate where labor was your inheritance. Many concepts were born of superstition or very superficial views of the world. Science was bare. Concepts like homosexuality did not exist but there were actions that were viewed as bad. Even so, it was okay (for a man) as long as you were not on the receiving end so to speak.
There were standards of behavior that were primarily rooted in what role you played in society. Some behavior was acceptable as long as certain criteria were met.
So what immutable truths are here?
This reading speaks of proper behavior but more often based in specific roles people played in society. That is very important to remember especially when reading ancient texts. Values, norms and roles are not automatically transferrable from their time to ours. The role of women is quite notable. The fact that we know slavery to be wrong is another. A truth that this reading contains is not so much the roles that people must play but being true to what we know we are as created by God. I am not speaking of a class system or even a defined sexual identity. There is much more in God's created world than simply man or woman, black or white. But whoever you are, whatever talents God has granted to you, respect that, cherish it, grow it, embrace it.
As far as this reading goes, be of good character and more than anything be true to yourself.
Back in the day, say 40 or 50 A.D. , the ideas of the world were quite different and based on very limited knowledge compared to today. In many instances, lives were not seen as fluid and as changeable as they are recognized to be today. If you were a woman, your place was set for the most part, although Jesus certainly did challenge the status quo in that regard. Sadly, it's a lesson that has yet to be learned in many circles. I wish I could excuse it by saying something like "it takes time". That would be, well you know, BS. If you were a slave for the most part your station in life was set and any good you saw was at the generosity and benevolence of your master. If you were a man, the world was your oyster except that, well, there too you could have been born into an upper class of person, especially in religious terms and be fine or you could also be born into an estate where labor was your inheritance. Many concepts were born of superstition or very superficial views of the world. Science was bare. Concepts like homosexuality did not exist but there were actions that were viewed as bad. Even so, it was okay (for a man) as long as you were not on the receiving end so to speak.
There were standards of behavior that were primarily rooted in what role you played in society. Some behavior was acceptable as long as certain criteria were met.
So what immutable truths are here?
This reading speaks of proper behavior but more often based in specific roles people played in society. That is very important to remember especially when reading ancient texts. Values, norms and roles are not automatically transferrable from their time to ours. The role of women is quite notable. The fact that we know slavery to be wrong is another. A truth that this reading contains is not so much the roles that people must play but being true to what we know we are as created by God. I am not speaking of a class system or even a defined sexual identity. There is much more in God's created world than simply man or woman, black or white. But whoever you are, whatever talents God has granted to you, respect that, cherish it, grow it, embrace it.
As far as this reading goes, be of good character and more than anything be true to yourself.
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