2 Timothy and Titus. Aída Besançon Spencer

52. E.g., Stephana’s household chose to enter the “business” of ministry (1 Cor 16:15) (Spencer, 2005: 69–77).

53. Willetts 1965: 48.

54. Hawkes 1968: 52, 55, 58.

55. Gordon 1987: 334.

56. According to the Cretan Gortyn Code, the father had power over the children and the property. Strabo, Geogr. 10.4.16, 20; Plato, Leg. I.625C-626A; Aristotle, Pol. II.ii.10 (1264a); II. vi.21 (1271a); II. vii.3 (1272a); Willetts 1965: 86–87, 111, 113–14, 117, 119.

57. E.g., Matt 12:10; 27:12; John 18:29; Acts 22:30; 24:2, 8, 13, 19; 25:5, 11, 16.

58. LSJ, 926–27.

59. BDAG, 697; Thayer, 440–41; Luke 12:42–44; 16:1–7; Gal 4:2; Xenophon, Oec. I, V, IX.

60. Pistos, 1 Cor 4:1–2; Matt 25:21, 23.

61. Xenophon mentions the importance of loyalty for a steward (Oec. XII [5]).

62. God can express a just anger, with good cause (e.g., Rev 11:18; Matt 18:34; 22:7).

63. Matt 5:21–26; Luke 15:28–32; cf. 1 Tim 3:3, amachos.

64. See 1 Tim 3:2–3 for explanation of paroinos (“given to getting drunk”), plēktēs (“not pugnacious”), philoxenos (“hospitable”), and sōphrōn (“wise”) (Spencer 2013).

65 Literally, “not [a] loving [philos] silver [argyros].”

66. Literally, “shameful gain” (aischros + kerdos) or “sordidly greedy of gain.” The verb kerdainō can refer to financial profit (e.g., Jas 4:13).

67. A typical Minoan touch in harvest festival vases is “the celebrant who has had too much to drink and has fallen almost flat on his face” (Gordon 1987: 333). The Cretans claimed that Dionysus, the wine god, was born in Crete (Diodorys 5. 75. 4–5). Xenophon points out that drink makes estate managers “forget everything they ought to do” (Oec. 12.11).

68. Philo, Mos. 2.2 (9); Minos, the founder of Crete, imitated Rhadamanthys, “a man most just . . . who is reputed to have been the first to civilize the island by establishing laws . . . and by setting up constitutions.” In ancient times, according to Strabo, Crete had “good laws,” but later “it changed very much for the worse” when it began piracy (Strabo, Geogr. 10.4.8–9 [C476-C477]; Plato, Leg. I.624–25A, 631B); TLNT 3:438. See also Titus 1:8.

69. See also Acts 7:52; 22:14.

70. LSJ, 429; Thayer, 148; TLNT 1:320.

71. Thayer, 167.

72. Xenophon also understands “overseers” to be guardians of the laws . . . commending the law-abiding and punishing law-breakers (Oec. 9.14).

73. See Titus 1:13.

74. God had been opposed (Rom 10:21; Jude 11) and, of course, even Jesus’ own people rejected him (John 1:11).

75. BDAG, 621.

76. Ibid.; Thayer, 392.

77. Eph 4:17; Rom 1:21; 1 Pet 1:18. 2 Pet 2:10–19 describes such a lifestyle as one that indulges in irrational passions of the flesh, such as sexual immorality and greed, and despises authority.

78. Thayer, 393.

79. See also chart 2 Tim 2:16–18, p. 108.

80. E.g., John 7:22–23; Acts 7:8; Rom 2:25—3:1; 4:10–12; 1 Cor 7:19; Gal 5:6, 11; 6:15; Phil 3:4–5.

81. Rom 4:12; Gal 2:7–9; Eph 2:11; Phil 3:3; Col 3:11.

82. Acts 10:45; Rom 3:30; 4:9; Col 4:11.

83. Acts 11:2–3; Gal 2:12–13; 5:2–4; John 18:28–29; m. Tehar. 7.2, 5–6.

84. Acts 11:2–3; 10:12–14; Deut 14:3–21; Gal 2:12–13; Col 2:16; 1 Tim 4:3; Rom 14:14–23; Heb 13:9.

85. E.g., Epictetus, Disc. 1.22.11.

86. Thayer, 243; BDAG, 382; LSJ, 661.

87. Josephus, Ant. 17.10.1 (251). For other examples, see TLNT 2:61–62.

88. Diogenes Laertius 1.10.110–111, 114; Plato, Leg. I.642D–E; Aristotle, Rhet. III.17.10.

89. In Romans, Paul asserts that all humans can learn about God from creation (1:19–21). Even Jesus’ adversary, the high priest Caiaphas, could prophesy accurately about Jesus’ substitutionary death (John 11:49–53). Thus, even nonbelievers can observe truths about Jesus. Christ “enlightens everyone” (John 1:9).

90. LSJ, 995.

91. Lucian repeats this illustration in Sacr. 10.

92.