Bible Word of the Day
Bible Vocabulary
Crete, Creatans (Inhabitants of Create, Bad Behavior)
Meaning
Crete is a large island in the Mediterranean Ocean located just off the southwest coast of Greece. Crete is the largest island in Greece. In addition, it's one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Ocean. It is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea and it separates the Aegean from the Libyan Sea. Crete is approximately 600 miles long and 35 miles wide and has a high mountain region running through the island. It has been known to history as far back as 6000 BC. However the most well known or important period is the Minoan period under king Minos. The Minoan period lasted from the third to second millennium BC and saw the development of trade and commerce.
The island was populated by the Romans from the first century BC to the middle of the fourth century AD. The Cretans were known for their bad and immoral behavior. So much so that the word "Cretan" became synonymous with immoral and coarse behavior. The Apostle Paul landed on Crete while being taken to Rome to stand before Caesar for his appeal. Remember Paul was a prisoner arrested for preaching the Gospel of Christ. And it was when the soldiers guarding Paul tried leaving Crete during the winter that his shipwreck occurred which we can read about in the book of Acts.
Paul helped bring the Gospel to the island of Crete and we see evidence of that in Paul's letter to Titus. Titus traveled to Crete in 57 AD and stayed in order to organize the church and appoint elders. Paul warns Titus in the letter of false teachers and their ability to undermine the fledgling church. Paul gives Titus instructions on how to go about appointing elders.
"For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth." (Epistle to Titus 1:10-14)
"Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 'And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.'" (Book of Acts 2:7-11)
   
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