They must be silenced (Titus 1:11)

“They must be silenced.

They are upsetting

Whole families

By teaching

For sordid gain

What is not right

To teach.”

οὓς δεῖ ἐπιστομίζειν, οἵτινες ὅλους οἴκους ἀνατρέπουσιν διδάσκοντες ἃ μὴ δεῖ αἰσχροῦ κέρδους χάριν.

Paul said, “They must be silenced (οὓς δεῖ ἐπιστομίζειν).  They (οἵτινες) are upsetting (ἀνατρέπουσιν) whole families (ὅλους οἴκους) by teaching (διδάσκοντες) for (χάριν) sordid gain (αἰσχροῦ κέρδους) what is not right (ἃ μὴ δεῖ) to teach.”  Only this letter to Titus used this word ἐπιστομίζειν, that means to stop the mouth, muzzle, or silence.  Only the Pauline letters used this word αἰσχροῦ, that means shameful, base, or disgraceful, and the word κέρδους, that means gain, advantage, or profit.  Paul indicated to Titus that he was to silence or muzzle these false teachers because they were upsetting the other Christian followers, especially whole families.  They were teaching what they should not be teaching, so that they could personally benefit from it.  Paul wanted Titus to take the necessary steps to denounce and silence these false dissenters.  Are there any false dissenters in your Christian community?