A Brief Escape into Theology

There were lots of things I wanted to write about for the first Kerux post of the semester. I could have covered the Capitol Riot from January 6, or the Inauguration of Pres. Joe Biden on the 20th, or the positive news I’ve heard about new COVID vaccines that will likely pave the way for the country (and the world) to reopen.

Unfortunately, all of these things are hotly debated within my circle of friends and family. Every time I thought about writing something, it came off sounding angry, or passive aggressive, or sometimes, just plain aggressive. 

So instead, I’ve decided to write about something that is (hopefully) far less controversial: the double chiastic structure of Titus 2. But first, some ground work. 

A chiasm (named for the greek letter “χ,” or “chi”) is a literary device typically found in Hebrew literature in which the first half of a text is mirrored by the second half, often (but not always) with what we call a “central axis” in the middle — it’s the idea that the chiasm “revolves” around. For example, in Matthew 23:12, Jesus says 

1. Whoever exalts themselves
   1. Will be humbled, 
      1. X
   2. And whoever humbles themselves
2. Will be exalted.

In this example, we don’t find a central axis, but the reflective pattern can be seen. A longer example is Joel 3:17-21, which has seven parts (paraphrased below):

1. God dwells in Zion (17a)
   1. Jerusalem is Holy (17b)
      1. Foreign Invaders are Banished (17c)
         1. THE BLESSINGS OF THE KINGDOM (18)
      2. Foreign enemies are destroyed (19)
   2. Jerusalem and Judah are preserved (20-21a)
2. God dwells in Zion (21b)

Here the central axis is the idea that God is blessing the Kingdom of Israel. Again, there are numerous examples of chiasm in scripture, which I encourage you to try and spot for yourself as you read. That’s exactly how I stumbled upon the chiasm — or, rather, double chiasm — that I’m writing about now. I was preparing a sermon on Titus 2 when a few of the phrases Paul uses popped out at me: he begins by exhorting Titus to “teach” what is good. He mentions old men, and how old women should not be addicted to wine, but should “teach what is good.” Then he talks about young women and their self control, then likewise the young men. In these first few verses, we thus see this structure:

1. Teach sound doctrine
   1. Teach…
      1. Old men to be self-controlled.
         1. Old women should be self-controlled.
            1. “Teach what is good.”
         2. Young women should be self-controlled.
      2. Young men should be self-controlled.
   2. Teach these things.

And where we would normally see something which mirrors the opening line, “teach sound doctrine” we instead find the beginning of a new idea. Paul tells Titus to set an example by “doing what is good.” He should tell slaves to obey their masters so that the gospel will be attractive. He then enters into a sort of theological treatise: God’s grace appeared to us, and teaches us to be self-controlled while we wait for the appearing of Jesus, who purified for himself a “people of his own possession.” Paul ends the chapter by saying, again, to “teach these things.” So in our second half, we find this structure:

1. Slaves, obey your masters
   1. To make “God Our Savior” attractive
      1. All because Grace appeared
         1. So we may be self-controlled.
      2. As we wait for hope to appear
   2. In the person of our “God and Savior,” Jesus
2. Who made us a people of his possession

And now, all together:

1. Teach sound doctrine
   1. Teach…
      1. Old men to be self-controlled.
         1. Old women should be self-controlled.
            1. “Teach what is good.”
         2. Young women should be self-controlled.
      2. Young men should be self-controlled.
   2. Teach these things.
   3. Slaves, obey your masters
      1. To make “God Our Savior” attractive
         1. All because Grace appeared
            1. So we may be self-controlled.
         2. As we wait for hope to appear
      2. In the person of our “God and Savior,” Jesus
   4. Who made us a people of his possession
2. Teach these things.

This structure is further highlighted by Paul’s use of the greek word “λαλει,” or “say/teach” in verses 1 and 15, along with the “σωφρόνως,” or “self-controlled” throughout the first half and then again in the central axis of the second half, tying them together.

Paul is using a chiastic structure in order to highlight the intertwined relationship of sound teaching and sound living — that is, “self control.” In the first chiasm, Paul is emphasizing that self-controlled living must hinge on sound doctrine. In the second, he demonstrates that sound doctrine will lead to self-controlled living.

Hopefully this was educational. For me, thinking through the relatively black-and-white world of literary devices was a pleasant mental escape from the turmoil of our American political landscape. But let us never forget: good theology is not an escape from the world, but a guide for how to live in it.

Sources:

What is a chiasm / chiastic structure in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Noah Matthysse is the Editor for Kerux. He is in his (Lord willing) final year of Seminary in the MDiv program. He and his wife, Julie, are the proud parents of Alethea, who is 6 months old and growing too fast.