Titus 1:7 Contrast

For the supervisor must be unimpeachable as an administrator of God, not given to self-gratification, nor irritable, no toper, not quarrelsome, not avaricious

Paul lists five additional qualities that are incompatible with the supervisor as God’s administrator. The first is that of self-gratification or self-pleasing. Such a person is not open to criticism and correction and is wayward.

The supervisor would also be “not irritable”. Whoever has a temper does not even control himself, let alone be able to manage God’s house. For the same reason, the overseer would also be “no toper.” For although the Bible has nothing against wine in itself (cf. Judg.9:13), one would control oneself in it. The supervisor would also be “not quarrelsome”. This characteristic is in line with the previous properties because even a brawler (lit. puncher) does not control himself. Such an aggressive attitude does not necessarily have to express itself in ‘loose hands’, one can also be verbally violent.

The last negative quality Paul gives of the supervisor is that he is “not avaricious”. It means that he has no intention of materially improving his position. Through all these contrasts, Paul has now made it clear what the supervisor is not. Now he’s going to say what he is…

Delen: