Bite Your Tongue

to slander no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing every consideration for all people.  Titus 3:2  NASB

Consideration – You know, sometimes trying to get Paul’s ideas into English is just such a mess.  Here we have a translation that first says “gentle” (epieikḗs) which really should be something like “upright” (doing what is the right thing) followed by a Greek word that really does mean “gentle” (praǘtēs) but gets translated as “consideration.”  The English just twists the meanings to fit some rule about synonyms, ethics, and modern elucidation.  What we really should do is try to understand Paul in Greek in the first century.  Far too often translations attempt to place the words and the meanings in our contemporary frame of reference when nothing of the sort was the intention of the author.  Paul’s writing a letter to first century Hellenistic Gentiles.  That’s where we have to begin.

Let’s take another look at praǘtēs.

This word means “mild and gentle friendliness.” The Greeks value this virtue highly so long as there is compensating strength. Thus rulers should be gentle with their own people and stern with others. Laws should be severe but judges should show leniency. Gentleness is a mark of culture and wisdom if it does not degenerate into self-abasement. It is especially a virtue in women and characterizes female deities.^[1]

But things change a bit in Jewish Greek (the LXX).

praǘs occurs 12 times for various Hebrew terms. Since the Hebrew relates primarily to the social position of a servant or inferior, and thus carries the nuance of humble, praǘs is never used of God. In the Pentateuch praǘs is used only in Num. 12:3 for Moses. In Joel 3:10 there is no Hebrew original for praǘs; the point is that the gentle must become warriors. Zech. 9:9–10 depicts the king of salvation as the king of peace. In Ps. 45:4 praǘtēs is a quality of the royal hero, and although the group does not occur in Proverbs, Sirach values praǘtēs as pleasing to God (1:27), an adornment of women (36:23), and an antidote to arrogance (10:28). Since the prophets castigate the wealthy, the lowly come to be seen as the bearers of the promise who keep God’s commandments (Zeph. 2:3). A quiet and expectant bearing of destiny that is grounded in God is a mark of piety (cf. Is. 26:6; Pss. 76:9; 37:9ff.).^[2]

When applied to the Messiah, the term is very rare.  “Jesus calls himself praǘs. His is a lowly mission, and his heart is fixed only on God; for this very reason he can invite with full authority.”^[3]  This occurs only in Matthew.

What do we learn from this?  Well, praǘtēs is essentially power under control.  It’s not solicitousness or sensitivity training.  It’s not necessarily sympathy or charity.  It’s authority bending to care.  It’s power mastery restrained by compassion.  Do you want a picture?  Think of wild horses with a bit in their mouths.  When Paul exhorts the people to endeiknymi (“demonstrate”) praǘtēs (“tame”), he is asking them to keep calm in the light of others’ needs.

Harness the power of the living God—and be careful about it.

Topical Index:  praǘtēs, power, control, Titus 3:2

^[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 929). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] Ibid.