Titus 1:12
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
Doesn’t Paul involve himself in a paradox or contradiction here?
PROBLEM: Paul quoted a Cretan who said that “Cretans are always liars” (1:12). But if this was said by a Cretan and Cretans always lie, then he too was lying. But if this Cretan was lying when he said Cretans always lie, then Cretans do not always lie and there is a lie in the Scripture. If, on the other hand, this Cretan was telling the truth about Cretans, then Cretans do not always lie, at least not the one who said this. In either event, by incorporating this statement in Scripture, the apostle seems to have included a falsehood.
SOLUTION: Paul seemed to be aware of this dilemma and quickly added, “This testimony is true” (v. 13). In other words, the Cretans generally lie, but at least on this one occasion a Cretan uttered the truth when he characterized the Cretans as liars. In this way the paradox is broken, and no falsehood is thereby included in Scripture.
Titus 1:12 — Doesn’t Paul pronounce this pagan poet inspired by making him part of Scripture?
PROBLEM: Christians believe that only the Bible is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Yet the Apostle Paul quotes pagan poets on at least three occasions. But in so doing he seems to give assent to the sources he quotes as inspired, just as when he quotes OT Scripture as the Word of God (cf. Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10).
SOLUTION: Paul is not quoting this non-Christian source as inspired, but simply as true. All truth is God’s truth, no matter who said it. Caiaphas the Jewish high priest uttered a truth about Christ (John 11:49). The Bible often uses non-inspired sources (cf. Numbers 21:14; Joshua 10:13; 1 Kings 15:31). Three times Paul cites non-Christian thinkers (Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Titus 1:12). Jude alludes to truths found in two non-canonical books (Jude 1:9; Jude 1:14). But never does the Bible cite them as divinely authoritative, but simply as containing the truth quoted. The usual phrases, such as, “thus saith the Lord” (cf. Isaiah 7:7; Jeremiah 2:5, KJV) or “it is written” (cf. Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10) are never found when these non-inspired sources are cited. Nonetheless, truth is truth wherever it is found. And there is no reason, therefore, that a biblical author, by direction of the Holy Spirit, cannot utilize truth from whatever source he may find it.