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ANSWER: Read the American Standard Bible for the meaning of "heretic," a word which is found nowhere else in the Bible, "A factious man... reject." It refers to the man who obstinately persists in contending about non-essentials, and thus destroys the peace of the church by promoting cliques and animosities. He is generally eager to obtain prominence in God's flock, for he wishes to be "either the bellwether or no sheep." The word "reject" might have been more literally rendered by "shun," or "leave him to himself," instead of "burn him." This is the only text ever quoted for such a punishment. Its mistranslation has sent many a good Christian to the stake.
— Steele's Answers pp. 184, 185.
Titus 3:10 in the original reads as follows: "αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ...." This is the one and only appearance of the word αἱρετικός in the New Testament. The Mounce Greek Lexicon gives the following meaning: "one who creates or fosters factions." Verse 11 does cast aspersions on such people, calling them "perverted" (ἐξέστραπται) and "sinful" (ἁμαρτάνει). Titus 3:10. & 11 in the NRSV reads: "After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions, since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being self-condemned."
ReplyDeleteSo, Dr. Steele was quite correct in saying that αἱρετικός denotes "the man who obstinately persists in contending about non-essentials, and thus destroys the peace of the church by promoting cliques and animosities." And, he is also correct in pointing out that there is no basis, in this passage, for the punishment or execution of "heretics."
It just means stay away from trouble makers.
In my previous comments on this I failed to mention that αἱρετικὸν transliterates hairetikon which is the basis of the English term "heretic."
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