But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,11knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned. (Titus 3:9-11 NAU)Before we look at Paul’s solutions for dealing with the discouragers in our lives, we need to look at how he describes their discouraging behavior. Paul says to avoid “foolish controversies and genealogies.” “Foolish controversies” refers to questioning, debating, and arguing about things that are mere speculations and hypotheticals not related to or rooted in real, cold, hard facts or what is in scripture. It is characterized by a lot of "I think," "Maybe," It involves drawing conclusions and forming opinions, even passing judgement based on guessing, not real facts.
[Foolish controversies and genealogies] concerned Jewish legendary and fictitious tales added to Old Testament history, legends about Adam, Moses, Elijah, and other Old Testament saints. But somehow fictitious additions were added to the genealogical trees of these and other Old Testament saints. (J. Hampton Keathley, III)Paul is talking about made up stories and exaggerations or twisting of actual events. These foolish controversies were based on speculations and myths related to the genealogies of the Old Testament.
As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. (1 Timothy 1:3-4 NAU)
The expression "myths and genealogies" is one. It must not be divided, as if Paul were thinking, on the one hand, of myths, and on the other, of genealogies.... As to material contents these myths concern genealogical narratives that were largely fictitious.
Here we have been introduced into the realm of typically Jewish lore. It is a known fact that from early times the rabbis would "spin their yarns" - and endless yarns they were! – on the basis of what they considered some "hint" supplied by the Old Testament. They would take a name from a list of pedigrees (for example, From Genesis, I Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah), and expand it into a nice story. (William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary)So, the rabbis would take a little fact and add to it and make a big exaggerated story out of it. And so, it is comments and conversation that has no spiritual value in helping someone else know or grow in Christ. Paul describes this as unprofitable and worthless.
What is our “worthless chatter?” Well, one aspect of what Paul is referring to here is superstitions, myths, or “old wive’s tales” about “bad luck” and what can harm you. These issues are not about morality or real wisdom. They are not based on scripture, founded upon science or rooted in any sound logic or accurate facts.
I lived in Nassau, Bahamas for over six years. One of the superstitions I heard there was that if you go out in a boat on Good Friday you’ll break down or sink. Some people feel very strongly about this and will warn others not to do it. I can picture someone planning their boat outing for Good Friday and a superstitious friend or family member warning them and hounding them in the days before trying to get them to cancel their plans.
Other superstitions I recall hearing as warnings have been, “If you get your hair wet in the rain you have to wipe down in alcohol.” “You can't go to bed with your hair wet or without a shirt on.” “If you walk on cold tile without socks on you'll get sick.”
Sometimes these things are spoken as a joke, not to be taken seriously. Other times they are spoken as rules. They are preached as something that must be followed. And so, you can feel boxed in by these superstitions; it can become oppressive and discouraging.
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Next: (56) The Discourager’s Discourse – Worthless Chatter Pt. 2
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