βNot giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truthβ (Titus 1:13,14).
The βvain talkersβ¦of the circumcisionβ in Crete (Tit. 1:10) were telling βJewish fablesβ that were turning men from the truth, so Paul told Titus to tell people to put them on the pay-no-mind list. But what were these fables about?
Whatever they were, they probably had to do with βthe commandments of menβ that Paul says they wereΒ alsoΒ using to turn others from the truth. And since these fables were being told by unsaved Jews of the circumcision, it seems reasonable to believe that they were about the commandments of men Paul mentions in Colossians 2:21,22:
βTouch not; taste not; handle notβ¦ the commandmentsβ¦Β of men.β
The commandments of men here wereΒ the commandmentsΒ ofΒ the law of Moses.Β The law wasΒ filledΒ with commands concerning things that couldnβt be touched, tasted or handled!
You say, βBut the law contained the commandmentsΒ of God,Β not the commandments of men!β And youβd be rightβif we were under the law.Β But our apostle says βwe are not under the law,Β but under graceβΒ (Rom. 6:15). And when you put men under commandments found in past dispensations, those commandments of GodΒ becomeΒ the commandments of men.Β What a testimony to the importance of βrightly dividing the word of truthβ (II Tim. 2:15).
But now that we know which commandments of men Paul is warning Titus about, it helps us determine the nature of those fables. He was telling him to beware of men who teach the law,Β and then tell stories about the law.Β A fable is a story that is told to teach a lesson, and the fables these unsaved Jews were telling were designed to teach the lessonΒ that we are still under the law.
What kind of stories? The same kind men tell about the lawΒ today.Β How many times have you heard this verse from the law quoted:
ββ¦serveβ¦ God,Β and He shallβ¦ take sickness away from the midst of theeβ (Ex. 23:25).
Thatβs a promise God made to the people of Israel under the law. But when you tell people whoΒ quoteΒ that verse that weβre not under the law, and so we canβt expect God to honor that prom-ise, what do you hear? Stories! βBut Brother Jim serves the Lord, and God took away his terminal cancer!β Thatβs a fable, a story designed to teach the lesson that we are still under the law.
The law also said, βthe LORD thy Godβ¦ is He that giveth thee powerΒ to get wealthβ (Deut. 8:18). ThatβsΒ anotherΒ promise God gave the people of Israel under the law. If they would βhearken diligently unto the voice of the LORDβ (Deut.28:1), God promised to multiply their crops and livestock (v. 4,11,12). But when you remind people today that weβre not under the law where this promise is found, what do you hear? More fables! βBut Brother Smith always hearkened to God, and now heβs so rich he can afford to pay Bill Gates to cut his grass!β More stories designed to teach the lesson we are still under the law. Paul says to pay no attention to fables like that!
But as Iβm sure you know, most Christians put a lot of stock in those kinds of success stories. But that shouldnβt surprise you, for the Apostle Paul predicted it, saying,
ββ¦the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, butβ¦ they shall turn away their ears from the truth,Β and shall be turned unto fablesβΒ (II Timothy 4:3,4).
Sadly, this prophecy has come true. Most Christians would rather believeΒ a fableΒ than the Word of God, rightly divided.
Donβt you be one of them!Β Table the fables, turn back to the truth of grace taught by Paul, and never look back! source
