Have Nothing To Do With…

I was reading the Pastoral Epistles recently and came across this repeated instruction from Paul to Timothy: “Have nothing to do with…” (Gk: paraiteomai). It appears in all three of his pastoral epistles, including his letters to Timothy and Titus. This phrase also appears in his letter to the church at Thessalonica. It is as if the apostle could see that we needed multiple "Wrong Way" signs when it comes to being quarrelsome. There are slight differences between these admonitions, but it might be helpful for us to consider them in this season.

"Just to be clear" Photo: Greg K Dueker 2024

1 Timothy 4:6-8

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

This first statement of avoidance was made in the larger context of false teaching and false worship/devotion in the “later times” (v.1) as some “depart from the faith”. What God has created is good and should be received with gratitude. However, some advocated rejecting such good things in an asceticism of false spirituality. There seems to be a contrast in this passage between what is good— God’s creation received with thanksgiving, words of the faith, good doctrine, and proving to be a good servant of Christ—and what is not good such as “irreverent, silly myths” (v.7). In essence, Paul was saying, “Don’t waste time with bad ideas and bad practices.” Such ideas and practices are bad because they…

• Refuse what God has generously provided.
• Reject what God has consistently taught.
• Recenter spirituality on what we do rather than on what God has done.
• Relish what mankind has devised, regardless of truth.

Let’s combat such worldly distractions by receiving with gratitude what God has done and said. Far be it from us to add or subtract from the gospel message, to think that we have something to do with our salvation.

 

2 Timothy 2:22-26

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

The second avoidance passage is directed at “foolish, ignorant controversies” (v.23), seemingly in parallel with “flee youthful passions” (v.22). Why? Because the Lor’s servant must not be quarrelsome. Why? Because Jesus wasn’t quarrelsome, despite his harsh words for abusive leaders. This instruction is a mantra for us to embrace each day as we contemplate texting, emailing, or posting anything online! To his credit, Pastor Karl Vaters has been reminding us of this by posting verse 23 on Twitter/X every day since February 9, 2019! I’ll let you do the math on how many days that has been. If you took away the foolish, ignorant controversies, how many social media feeds would remain intact?

The Grinch's Heart is Changed

This passage is so incarnational and redemptive in its approach to ministry. It looks for people to be set free! Does verse 24 describe our lives? Are we, who claim to be the Lord’s servants, living as directed?

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” (v.24-25a)

This five-fold admonition could be remembered by starting with a fist and then opening it up one digit at a time, starting with the thumb, until you have an open hand.

1. Not quarrelsome (thumbs up, not an angry-faced emoji)
2. Kind to everyone (not pointing a finger gun at others)
3. Able to teach (not cussing in anger)
4. Patiently enduring evil (awkward until you can straighten the last finger)
5. Correcting opponents with gentleness (not much harshness in a pinkie finger)

Where the goal is not to win an argument but to see a soul respond to the loving truth of the Gospel.

I remember a wise teacher in a rather contentious field who, unlike many of his associates, refused to schedule debates with opponents because he believed that debates didn't allow opponents to change their minds without losing face. However, he would do unlimited question and answer sessions in hostile environments to teach kindly and without quarrelsomeness. With this approach, students and other instructors could have more freedom to follow the evidence, not just defend their faulty ideology.

Titus 3:1-11

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 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.

Who was this passage addressed to? Titus was pastoring in Crete (1:5). What do we know about the Cretans? What were their tendencies? Many were “insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers” (1:10) and the classic self-identification, “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’” (1:12) Paul’s entire letter to Titus addresses the issue that the badly needed kindness of Christ (3:3-7), that we have received, should change the way we live. Part of that change has to do with the content and means of your communication with others. We should not hate others, nor should we teach as doctrines the foolish ideas of fallible people.

In verse 9, it lists several behaviors to avoid, “for they are unprofitable and worthless.” James uses the word “worthless” to describe the religion of someone “who doesn’t bridle his tongue.”

In verses 10-11, the avoidance shifts from the behaviors to the person “who stirs up division,” because such dividers are “warped and sinful.” We have different cultural norms today, for we tend to praise dividers as heroic figures rather than warped and sinful. I think that even in this avoidance, we are not to rush to judgment, for Paul states that this should only happen after two separate warnings. Sometimes a prophetic correction takes a bit of time to sink in.

Sadly, this passage has been misused against those working to unite the church by confronting hidden sins. Accusations of sexual abuse or other abuses of power by supposed spiritual leaders are not included in verse nine’s topic ban and fall clearly in the purview of earlier chapters. Paul consistently addressed such issues as wrong and those who do them should have no part in the leadership of the church. Paul is not discouraging the rooting out of hidden sins but rather exposing the hidden sin of dividing the body, which should be one in Christ. By the way, in Old Testament narratives, the shunning of prophets never ended well for those in power.

What do we do when we disagree about what makes “a foolish controversy,” which should be avoided? I would like to offer two suggestions.

1. St. James’ wisdom tests are helpful to determine is something is foolish (James 3:13-18). For more on this, see my post, In The Meekness of Wisdom.
2. Ask ourselves, are we pushing others away from Christ and each other, or are our efforts encouraging each other to draw closer in trust, dependence, and good works? If so, then repent!

2 Thessalonians 3:13-15

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

This final Pauline avoidance passage tempers the statement so that we are not waging war in some kind of old-fashioned shunning of adversaries but as a brotherly warning. Even in disagreement, we are still related. Are we becoming weary in doing good? Then we need to strengthen our weak arms and feeble knees in the Grace of God and keep going… together.

Matthew 27:17-23

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”  Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.  The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”  Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”  And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

The only other time this phrase is used in the New Testament is in a very different context. Pilate's wife was not advising that her husband shunned Jesus, but that he would not harm him (for Jesus was a “righteous man”). I wonder if her advice might be helpful for us as well. Does our focus on “irreverent, silly myths,” “foolish, ignorant controversies”, and those who are dividers abuse the spiritual body of Christ even as Pilate’s failure to heed his wife’s warning brought suffering and death to Jesus’ physical body? Paul warned the church against failing to discern the body present in their gatherings (1 Cor. 11:29) and against destroying the body/temple/church (Rom. 14:15, 20; 1 Cor. 3:17). A spiritual battle must be fought by spiritual means (Eph. 6:12ff).

We would do well to remember that the crowd and their agitators can still manipulate the narrative to the point where we can no longer heed the warnings we receive. Who do we allow to be voices of value in our lives?