Brace yourself.

You’re probably not gonna like what Paul has to say.

Essentially Paul says, There are many who are empty talkers and deceivers. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families. They are liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to myths that turn people away from the truth. Their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny God by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

How can Paul say such things?!? Especially considering the fact that Paul’s words apply to older men!?!? For instance, there were men from the church in Jerusalem who were respected and honored. These older men were regarded as venerable fathers in the church! People looked to these older men for guidance in godliness and wisdom. These older men were esteemed as eloquent exemplars of cherished traditions! And the Bible clearly says, “Thou must honor fathers, and double-honor elders” and “Do not rebuke an older man.”

And yet, Paul offers searing rebukes to OLDER MEN! For example, when Cephas came to Antioch – Paul opposed him to his face, because Peter stood condemned! …”How was Peter ‘standing condemned'” you ask? Because Peter (and a bunch of other older men from a highly traditional church in Jerusalem) lived in fear of being “out of alignment” with adherance to laws, policies, and ceremonial conventions. So Peter and the other older men pompously separated themselves, and many others hypocritically went along with them (even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy). But when Paul saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, Paul rebuked Cephas in front of everyone.

In his letter to Titus, Paul says, “Avoid foolish controversies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. And as for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

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On a related note, another interesting instance where a younger man is rebuking older men is found in Matthew chapter three, where John the baptizer sees many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, and he says to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”