Obrighterdays

Titus 2:1-3:1

2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

KJV

Titus 2:1

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

But … thou - in contrast to the reprobate seducers, Titus 1:11, 15-16. ‘He deals more in exhortations, because those intent on useless questions needed chiefly to be recalled to a holy life; for nothing so allays men’s wandering curiosity as the being brought to recognize practical duties’ (Calvin).

Speak - without restraint, with open mouth: contrast Titus 1:11, “mouths must be stopped.”

Titus 2:2

That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Sober, [neefalious] - ‘vigilant,’ as sober men alone can be (1 Tim 3:2). But “sober” here answers to “not given to … wine” (Titus 2:3; 1:7).

Grave - ‘dignified.’

Temperate, [soofronas] - ’self-restrained,’ ‘discreet’ (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 2:9).

Faith, in charity (love), in patience - combined in 1 Tim 6:11. “Faith, hope, charity” (1 Cor 13:13). “Patience” [hupomonee: brave endurance] is supported by “hope” (1 Cor 13:7; 1 Thess 1:3). The grace which especially becomes old men; the fruit of ripened experience derived from trials overcome (Rom 5:3).

Titus 2:3

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Behaviour, [katasteemati] - ‘deportment:’ ‘the gait, movements, expression of countenance, speech, silence’ (Jerome).

As becometh holiness, [hieroprepeis] - ‘as becometh women consecrated to God’ (Wahl): Christian women being priestesses unto God (Eph 5:3; 1 Tim 2:10). ‘Observant of sacred decorum’ (Bengel).

Not false accusers - slanderers: a besetting sin of elderly women.

Given to much wine - the besetting sin of the Cretians (Titus 1:12). [Dedoulomenas, ‘enslaved to much wine.’] Addiction to wine is slavery (Rom 6:16; 2 Peter 2:19).

Teachers - in private: not public (1 Cor 14:34; 1 Tim 2:11-12): influencing for good the younger women by precept and example.

Titus 2:4

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Teach … to be sober, [soofronizoosin] - ’self-restrained,’ ‘discreet:’ Titus 2:2, “temperate” [soofronas]. But see note; cf. note, 2 Tim 1:7. Ellicott, ‘That they school the young women to be lovers of their husbands,’ etc. (the foundation of all domestic happiness). It was judicious that Titus, a young man, should admonish the young women, not directly, but through the older women.

Titus 2:5

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Keepers at home, [oikourgous] - ‘guardians of the house.’ So C H f g, Vulgate. But ‘Aleph (a) A Delta G read [oikourgous] ‘workers at home:’ active in household duties (Prov 7:11; 1 Tim 5:13).

Good - kind, beneficent (Matt 20:15; Rom 5:7; 1 Peter 2:18). Not churlish and niggardly, while thrifty as housewives; not harsh to servants.

Obedient, [hupotassomenas] - “submitting themselves,” as in Eph 5:21-24, notes.

Their own - marking the duty of subjection which they owe them as being their own husbands (Col 3:18).

Blasphemed - ‘evil spoken of.’ That no reproach may be cast on the Gospel, through the inconsistencies of its professors (Titus 2:8,10; Rom 2:24; 1 Tim 5:14; 6:1).

Titus 2:6

Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Young, [tous neooterous] - in contrast to “the aged men” (Titus 2:2). ‘The younger men.’

Sober-minded - self-restrained. ‘Nothing is so hard at this age as to overcome undue pleasures’ (Chrysostom).

Titus 2:7

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

In - with respect to all things.

Thyself a pattern - though but a young man. All teaching is useless unless one’s example confirm his word.

In doctrine - in thy ministerial teaching (showing) uncorruptness; i.e., untainted sincerity [afthorian, ‘Aleph (a) A Delta, for adiafthorian (C)] (cf. 2 Cor 11:3). As “gravity,” etc., refers to Titus’ manner (dignified seriousness in delivery), so “uncorruptness” to his doctrine.

Sincerity, [aftharsian] - Delta. But omitted in ‘Aleph (a) A C G, Vulgate.

Titus 2:8

Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Speech - discourse in public and private.

He that is of the contrary part - the adversary (Titus 1:9; 2 Tim 2:25), whether pagan or Jew.

May be ashamed - put to confusion by the power of truth and innocence (cf. Titus 2:5,10; 1 Tim 5:14; 6:1).

No evil thing - in our acts or demeanour.

Of you. So A. But ‘Aleph (a) C Delta G f g read ‘of us,’ Christians.

Titus 2:9

Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

Servants - ’slaves.’

To please them well - to be complaisant in everything: to have that zealous desire to gain the master’s good-will which anticipates the master’s wish, and does even more than is required. The reason for the frequent injunctions to slaves to subjection (Eph 6:5, etc.; Col 3:22; 1 Tim 6:1, etc.; 1 Peter 2:18) was, that in no rank was there more danger of the spiritual equality and freedom of Christians being misunderstood than in that of slaves. It was natural for the slave who became a Christian to forget his place, and put himself on a social level with his master. Hence, the charge for each to abide in the sphere in which he was when converted (1 Cor 7:20-24).

Not answering again - in contradiction to the master [antilegontas] (Wahl).

Titus 2:10

Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Not purloining, [nosfizomenous] - ‘Not appropriating’ what does not belong to one. ‘Keeping back’ dishonestly or deceitfully (Acts 5:2-3).

Showing - in acts.

All - all possible, every form of, good; really; not in mere appearance (Eph 6:5-6). ‘Heathen do not judge of the Christian’s doctrines from these, but from his actions and life’ (Chrysostom). Men will write, fight, and even die for religion; but how few live for it!

God our Saviour, [Tou Sooteeros heemoon Theou] - ‘of our Saviour God;’ i.e., God the Father, the originating Author of salvation (cf. note, 1 Tim 1:1; 2:3). God deigns to have His Gospel-doctrine adorned even by slaves, regarded by the world as no better than beasts of burden. ‘Though the service be rendered to an earthly master, the honour redounds to God, as the servant’s good-will flows from the fear of God’ (Theophylact). His love in being “our Saviour” is the strongest ground for adorning His doctrine by our lives: the force of “For” in Titus 2:11.

Titus 2:11

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

The grace of God - God’s gratuitous favour in redemption.

Hath appeared, [epefanee] - ‘hath been made to shine from above’ (Isa 9:2; Luke 1:79), ‘hath been manifested’ (Titus 3:4), after having been long hidden in God’s loving counsels (Col 1:26; 2 Tim 1:9-10). The grace of God was embodied in Jesus, “the brightness of the Father’s glory,” the manifested “Sun of righteousness,” “the Word made flesh.” The Gospel dispensation is “the day” (1 Thess 5:5,8: there is a double “appearing,” that of “grace,” that of “glory,” Titus 2:13: cf. Rom 13:12). [Translate, hoe sooteerios pasin anthroopois, ‘the grace … that bringeth salvation to all men hath,’ etc., not “appeared to all men:” for “us” fellows (1 Tim 2:4; 4:10). Hence, God is called “our Saviour” (Titus 2:10). Jesus means the same.]

To all - cf. the different classes (Titus 2:2-9): even to servants; to us Gentiles, once aliens from God. Hence arises our obligation to all (Titus 3:2).

Titus 2:12

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Teaching, [paideuousa] - ‘disciplining us.’ Grace is connected with disciplining chastisements (1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:6-7). Children need disciplining. The discipline which grace exercises teaches us to deny worldly lusts, and to live soberly, etc., in this present world [aion, course of things], wherein self-discipline is needed, since its spirit is opposed to God (Titus 1:12,16; 1 Cor 1:20; 3:18-19): in the coming world we may gratify every desire without need of self-discipline, because all desires there will be conformable to the will of God.

That, [hina] - ‘in order that:’ the end of the ‘disciplining’ is ‘in order that … we may live soberly’ etc. This is lost by the translation, “teaching us.”

Denying … lusts (Luke 9:23). The aorist [arneesamenoi], ‘denying once for all.’ We deny them when we withhold our consent from them, refuse the delight they suggest, and the act to which they solicit; nay, tear them up by the roots out of our soul (Bernard, ‘Sermon’ 11).

Worldly lusts - the [tas: all] lusts of the world (Gal 5:16; Eph 2:3; 1 John 2:15-17; 5:19). The world [kosmos] will not come to an end when this present age [aeon] or world-course shall.

Live soberly, righteously, and godly - the positive side of the Christian character; as “denying … lusts,” the negative. “Soberly,” i.e., with self-restraint, in relation to one’s self: “righteously,” or justly, toward our neighbour; “godly,” toward God (not merely amiably and justly, but something higher, with reverential love toward God). These three comprise our ‘disciplining’ in faith and love, from which he passes to hope (Titus 2:13).

Titus 2:13

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

(Phil 3:20-21).

Looking for - with constant expectation [prosdechomenoi], “waiting for” (Luke 2:25), and joy (Rom 8:19): the antidote to worldly lusts; the stimulus to “live in this present world” conformably to this expectation.

That - Greek, “the.”

Blessed - bringing blessedness (Rom 4:7-8).

Hope - i.e., object of hope; including glory, righteousness, and resurrection (Rom 8:24; Gal 5:5; Col 1:5).

The glorious appearing. One Greek article connects closely “hope” and “appearing” (the hope being about to be realized only at the appearing of Christ). ‘The blessed hope and manifestation (cf. note, Titus 2:11) of the glory.’ [Epiphaneian] ‘Manifestation’ is translated “brightness,” 2 Thess 2:8. As His “coming” [parousia] expresses the fact, so Epiphany, or ‘manifestation,’ His personal visibility when He shall come. There are two Epiphanies-the one of grace (Titus 2:11), the other of glory.

The great God and our Saviour Jesus, [Tou megalou Theou kai Sooteeros].

(1) One article combines “God” and “Saviour,” which shows that both are predicated of one and the same Being. ‘Of Him who is at once the great God and our Saviour.’ Also

(2) “appearing” [Epefanee] is never by Paul predicated of God the Father (John 1:18), or even of ‘His glory’ (as Alford explains it), but invariably of CHRIST’S coming, to which (at His first advent, cf. 2 Tim 1:10) the kindred “appeared” [epefanee], Titus 2:11, refers (1 Tim 6:14,16; 2 Tim 4:1,8). Also

(3) in the context (Titus 2:14) there is no reference to the Father, but to Christ alone; and here there is no occasion for reference to the Father. Also

(4) the expression “great God,” is uncalled for as to the Father, but is appropriate to Christ, the glory of His appearing being contrasted with His humility in “giving Himself for us,” as “the true God” is predicated of Christ (1 John 5:20).

The phrase occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but often in the Old. Deut 7:21; 10:17, predicated of Yahweh, their manifested Lord, who led the Israelites through the wilderness, the Second Person in the Trinity. Believers now look for the manifestation of His glory, as they shall share in it. Even the Socinian explanation, making “the great God” to be the Father, “our Saviour,” the Son, places God and Christ on an equal relation to “the glory” of the future appearing: incompatible with the notion that Christ is not divine: it would be blasphemy so to couple any created being with God.

Titus 2:14

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Gave himself - Himself, His whole self, the greatest gift ever given (Ellicott) (Gal 1:4; Eph 5:25).

For us, [huper heemoon] - ‘in our behalf.’

Redeem us, [lutrooseetai] - ‘ransom us from bondage at the price of His precious blood’ (Eph 1:7; Matt 20:28). An appropriate image in addressing bond servants (Titus 2:9-10).

From all iniquity, [anomias] - ‘lawlessness,’ the essence of sin; namely, ‘transgression of the law’ (1 John 3:4), in bondage to which we were until then. The aim of redemption was to redeem us, not merely from the penalty, but the being of iniquity. He reverts to the “teaching,” or disciplining effect of the grace of God that bringeth salvation (Titus 2:11-12).

Peculiar - peculiarly His own, as Israel was: treasured up as such [Periousion. 1 Peter 2:9, laos eis peripoieesin; Hebrew, `am cªgulaah, Ex 19:5; Deut 7:6; note, Eph 1:14].

Zealous - in doing and promoting “good works.”

Titus 2:15

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

With all authority, [epitagees] - ‘authoritativeness’ (Titus 1:13; Matt 7:29, Jesus).

Let no man despise thee. Speak with such vigour as to command respect (1 Tim 4:12): that no one may think himself above [perifroneito] admonition.

Titus 1:12-13

12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

KJV

The character of the Cretians

The character of the Cretians: — The charge of falsehood is repeated undoubtedly by Callimachus, and this characteristic must have been deserved, if we are to trust the host of testimonies to the same effect from other sources. The very word “Cretize” was invented, meaning, “to play the part of a Cretian,” and was identical with “to deceive, or to utter and circulate a lie.” “Evil beasts” is a phrase expressive of untamed ferocity, truculent selfishness, and greed; while “idle bellies,” or “do nothing gluttons,” completes a picture of most revolting national character.

(H. R. Reynolds, D. D.)

(from The Biblical Illustrator Copyright © 2002, 2003 Ages Software, Inc. and Biblesoft, Inc.)

CRETE

CRETE. A large island in the Mediterranean, about 150 miles in length and from 6 to 35 miles wide. It lies 60 miles S of Cape Malea in the Peloponnesus. Anciently it was the home of the great Minoan civilization. It is mountainous, and its famous peak is Mt. Ida. The vessel carrying Paul on his way to Rome sailed along the southern coast of the island, where it was overtaken by a storm (Acts 27:7-21). Cretans were among those specially mentioned as attending the great feast of Pentecost (2:11). The Cretans had a name in ancient times for being good sailors, skilled archers, and experts in ambush.

The ancient notices of their character fully agree with the quotation that Paul produces from “a prophet of their own” (Titus 1:12): “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” The classics abound with allusions to the untruthfulness of the Cretans; and it was so frequently applied to them that kretizein, “to act the Cretan,” was a synonym for to play the liar. Paul sent Titus to organize the church there.

Though archaeological work on Crete is extensive, it concerns the Minoan civilization and is not germane to biblical studies. Caphtor (which see), home of the Philistines, is usually identified with Crete.

(from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright © 1988.)

Think you all for being here.

I will be reading out of Titus. 1:12-13

And pulling off that:

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

[For this cause left I thee in Crete] That Paul had been in Crete, though nowhere else intimated, is clear from this passage. That he could not have made such an important visit, and evangelized an island of the first consequence, without its being mentioned by his historian, Luke, had it happened during the period embraced in the Acts of the Apostles, must be evident. That the journey, therefore, must have been performed after the time in which Luke ends his history, that is, after Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome, seems almost certain.

[Set in order the things that are wanting] It appears from this that the apostle did not spend much time in Crete, and that he was obliged to leave it before he had got the church properly organized. The supplying of this defect, he tells Titus, he had confided to him as one whose spiritual views coincided entirely with his own.

[Ordain elders in every city] That thou mightest appoint, katasteesees, elders-persons well instructed in divine things, who should be able to instruct others, and observe and enforce the discipline of the church. It appears that those who are called elders in this place are the same as those termed bishops in Titus 1:7. We have many proofs that bishops and elders were of the same order in the apostolic church, though afterward they became distinct. Lord Peter King, in his view of the primitive church, has written well on this subject.

In every city.-Kata polin. This seems to intimate that the apostle had gone over the whole of the hecatompolis or hundred cities for which this island was celebrated. Indeed it is not likely that he would leave one in which he had not preached Christ crucified.

Titus 1:6

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

[If any be blameless] See the notes at 1 Tim 3:2, etc.

[Having faithful children] Whose family is converted to God. It would have been absurd to employ a man to govern the church whose children were not in subjection to himself; for it is an apostolic maxim, that he who cannot rule his own house, cannot rule the church of God; 1 Tim 3:5.

Titus 1:7

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

[Not self-willed] Mee authadee. Not one who is determined to have his own way in everything; setting up his own judgment to that of all others; expecting all to pay homage to his understanding. Such a governor in the church of God can do little good, and may do much mischief.

[Not soon angry] Mee orgilon. Not a choleric man; one who is irritable; who is apt to be inflamed on every opposition; one who has not proper command over his own temper.

Titus 1:8

But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

[A lover of hospitality] Philoxenon. A lover of strangers. See the note at 1 Tim 3:2. Instead of philoxenon, one manuscript has philoptoochon, a lover of the poor. That minister who neglects the poor, but is frequent in his visits to the rich, knows little of his Master’s work, and has little of his Master’s spirit.

[A lover of good men] Philagathon. A lover of goodness or of good things in general.

[Sober] Prudent in all his conduct. Just in all his dealings. Holy in his heart. Temperate-self-denying and abstemious, in his food and raiment; not too nice on points of honour, nor magisterially rigid in the exercise of his ecclesiastical functions. Qualifications rarely found in spiritual governors.

Titus 1:9

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

[Holding fast the faithful word] Conscientiously retaining, and zealously maintaining, the true Christian doctrine, kata teen didacheen, according to the instructions, or according to the institutions, form of sound doctrine, or confession of faith, which I have delivered to thee.

[That he may be able by sound doctrine] If the doctrine be not sound, vain is the profession of it, and vain its influence. It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing; but zeal for what is not of God will do no good to the souls of men, how sincere soever that zeal may be.

[To exhort] Them to hold the faith, that they may persevere.

[And to convince] Refute the objections, confound the sophistry, and convert the gainsayers; and thus defend the truth.

Titus 1:10

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

[There are many unruly] Persons who will not receive the sound doctrine, nor come under wholesome discipline.

[Vain talkers] Empty boasters of knowledge, rights, and particular privileges; all noise, empty parade, and no work.

[Deceivers] Of the souls of men by their specious pretensions.

[They of the circumcision] The Judaizing teachers, who maintained the necessity of circumcision, and of observing the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law, in order to the perfecting of the Gospel.

Titus 1:11

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

[Whose mouths must be stopped] Unmask them at once; exhibit them to the people; make manifest their ignorance and hypocrisy; and let them be confounded before the people whom they are endeavouring to seduce.

[Subvert whole houses] Turn whole Christian families from the faith, attributing to the broad way what belongs only to the strait gate; ministering to disorderly passions, and promising salvation to their proselytes, though not saved from their sins.

Titus 1:12

One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

[One of themselves, even a prophet of their own] This was Epimenides, who was born at Gnossus in Crete, and was reckoned by many the seventh wise man of Greece, instead of Periander, to whom that honour was by them denied. Many fabulous things are related of this poet, which are not proper to be noticed here. He died about 538 years before the Christian era. When Paul calls him a prophet of their own, he only intimates that he was, by the Cretans, reputed a prophet. And, according to Plutarch (in Solone), the Cretans paid him divine honours after his death. Diogenes Laertius mentions some of his prophecies: beholding the fort of Munichia, which guarded the port of Athens, he cried out: “O ignorant men! if they but knew what slaughters this fort shall occasion, they would pull it down with their teeth!” This prophecy was fulfilled several years after, when the king, Antipater, put a garrison in this very fort, to keep the Athenians in subjection. See Diog. Laert., lib. 1 p. 73.

Plato, De Legibus, lib. 2, says that, on the Athenians expressing great fear of the Persians, Epimenides encouraged them by saying “that they should not come before ten years, and that they should return after having suffered great disasters.” This prediction was supposed to have been fulfilled in the defeat of the Persians in the battles of Salamis and Marathon.

He predicted to the Lacedemonians and Cretans the captivity to which they should one day be reduced by the Arcadians. This took place under Euricrates, king of Crete, and Archidamus, king of Lacedemon; vide Diog. Laert., lib. 1 p. 74, edit. Meibom.

It was in consequence of these prophecies, whether true or false, that his countrymen esteemed him a prophet; that he was termed aneer theios, a divine man, by Plato; and that Cicero, De Divin., lib. 1, says he was futura praesciens, et vaticinans per furorem: “He knew future events, and prophesied under a divine influence.” These things are sufficient to justify the epithet of prophet, given him here by Paul. It may also be remarked that vates and poeta, prophet and poet, were synonymous terms among the Romans.

[The Cretians are always liars] The words quoted here by the apostle are, according to Jerome, Socrates, Nicephorus, and others, taken from a work of Epimenides, now no longer extant, entitled Peri chreesmoon, Concerning Oracles. The words form a hexameter verse:

Kreetes aei pseustai, kaka theeria, gasteres argai.

The Cretans are always liars; destructive wild beasts; sluggish gluttons.

That the Cretans were reputed to be egregious liars, several of the ancients declare; insomuch that Kreetizein, to act like a Cretan, signifies to lie; and chreesthai Kreetismoo, to deceive. The other Greeks reputed them liars, because they said that among them was the sepulchre of Jupiter, who was the highest object of the Greek and Roman worship. By telling this truth, which all others would have to pass for a lie, the Cretans allowed that the object of their highest admiration was only a dead man.

[Evil beasts] Ferocious and destructive in their manners.

[Slow bellies.] Addicted to voluptuousness, idleness, and gluttony; sluggish or hoggish men.

Titus 1:13

This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

[This witness is true.] What Epimenides said of them nearly 600 years before continued still to be true. Their original character had undergone no moral change.

[Rebuke them sharply] Apotomoos. Cuttingly, severely; show no indulgence to persons guilty of such crimes.

[That they may be sound in the faith] That they may receive the incorrupt doctrine, and illustrate it by a holy and useful life.

Titus 1:14

Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

[Not giving heed to Jewish fables] See the note at 1 Tim 1:4, and 4:7.

[Commandments of men] The injunctions of the scribes and Pharisees, which they added to the law of God.

[That turn from the truth.] For such persons made the word of God of none effect by their traditions. Sometimes the verb apostrephomai signifies to be averse from, slight, or despise. So, here, the persons in question despised the truth, and taught others to do the same.

(from Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Titus 1:15

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

[Unto the pure all things are pure] This appears to have been spoken in reference to the Jewish distinctions of clean and unclean meats. To the genuine Christian every kind of meat proper for human nourishment is pure, is lawful, and may be used without scruple. This our Lord had long before decided. See the note at Luke 11:39-41.

[But unto them that are defiled] In their consciences, and unbelieving, apistois, unfaithful both to offered and received grace, nothing is pure-they have no part in Christ, and the wrath of God abides upon them. Their mind is contaminated with impure and unholy images and ideas, and their conscience is defiled with the guilt of sins already committed against God.

Titus 1:16

They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

[They profess that they know God] He still speaks concerning the unbelieving Jews, the seducing teachers, and those who had been seduced by their bad doctrine. None were so full of pretensions to the knowledge of the true God as the Jews. They would not admit that any other people could have this knowledge; nor did they believe that God ever did or ever would reveal himself to any other people; they supposed that to give the law and the prophets to the Gentiles would be a profanation of the words of God. Hence, they became both proud, uncharitable, and intolerant; and in this disposition they continue until the present day.

[But in works they deny him] Their profession and practice were at continual variance. Full of a pretended faith, while utterly destitute of those works by which a genuine faith is accredited and proved. Dio Cassius represents Caesar as saying of his mutinous soldiers: Onoma Roomaioon echontas, erga de Keltoon droontas. “Having the name of Romans, while they had the manners of the Gauls.” How near are those words to the saying of the apostle!

[Being abominable] Bdeluktoi. This word sometimes refers to unnatural lusts.

[And disobedient] Apeitheis. Unpersuadable, unbelieving, and consequently disobedient. Characters remarkably applicable to the Jews through all their generations.

[Unto every good work reprobate.] Adokimoi. Adulterate; like bad coin, deficient both in the weight and goodness of the metal, and without the proper sterling stamp; and consequently not current. If they did a good work, they did not do it in the spirit in which it should be performed. They had the name of God’s people; but they were counterfeit. The prophet said; Reprobate silver shall men call them.

1. Through the principal part of this chapter, and indeed of the whole letter, may be found in nearly the same words in the First Epistle to Timothy, yet there are several circumstances here that are not so particularly noted in the other; and every minister of Christ will do well to make himself master of both; they should be carefully registered in his memory, and engraven on his heart.

2. The truth, which is according to godliness, in reference to eternal life, should be carefully regarded. The substantial knowledge of the truth must have faith for its foundation, godliness for its rule, and eternal life for its object and end. He who does not begin well, is never likely to finish fair. He who does not refer everything to eternity, is never likely to live either well or happily in time.

3. There is one subject in this chapter not sufficiently attended to by those who have the authority to appoint men to ecclesiastical offices; none should be thus appointed who is not able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince the gainsayers. The powers necessary for this are partly natural, partly gracious, and partly acquired.

a. If a man have not good natural abilities, nothing but a miracle from heaven can make him a proper preacher of the Gospel; and to make a man a Christian minister, who is unqualified for any function of civil life, is sacrilege before God.

b. If the grace of God do not communicate ministerial qualifications, no natural gifts, however splendid, can be of any avail. To be a successful Christian minister, a man must feel the worth of immortal souls in such a way as God only can show it, in order to spend and be spent in the work. He who has never passed through the travail of the soul in the work of regeneration in his own heart, can never make plain the way of salvation to others.

c. He who is employed in the Christian ministry should cultivate his mind in the most diligent manner; he can neither learn nor know too much. If called of God to be a preacher (and without such a call he had better be a galley slave), he will be able to bring all his knowledge to the assistance and success of his ministry. If he have human learning, so much the better; if he be accredited, and appointed by those who have authority in the church, it will be to his advantage; but no human learning, no ecclesiastical appointment, no mode of ordination, whether Popish, Episcopal, Protestant, or Presbyterian, can ever supply the divine unction, without which he never can convert and build up the souls of men. The piety of the flock must be faint and languishing when it is not animated by the heavenly zeal of an overseer; they must be blind if he be not enlightened; and their faith must be wavering when he can neither encourage nor defend it.

4. In consequence of the appointment of improper persons to the Christian ministry, there has been, not only a decay of piety, but also a corruption of religion. No man is a true Christian minister who has not grace, gifts, and fruit; if he have the grace of God, it will appear in his holy life and godly conversation. If to this he add genuine abilities, he will give full proof of his ministry; and if he give full proof of his ministry, he will have fruit; the souls of sinners will be converted to God through his preaching, and believers will be built up on their most holy faith. How contemptible must that man appear in the eyes of common sense, who boasts of his clerical education, his sacerdotal order, his legitimate authority to preach, administer the Christian sacraments, etc., while no soul is benefited by his ministry! Such a person may have legal authority to take tithes, but as to an appointment from God, he has none; else his word would be with power, and his preaching the means of salvation to his perishing hearers.

(from Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)