Titus 1:5- 9 1:5 For this cause8 left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order9 the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife,10 having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
1:7 For a11 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;
1:8 But a lover of hospitality,12 a lover of good men, sober,13 just, holy, temperate;
1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound13 doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
8. This commencement seems to indicate (as we have above remarked) that, in exercising the commission given to him by St. Paul for reforming the Cretan Church, Titus had been resisted.
9. Not simply "set in order" (as in A.V.), but "set in order farther."
10. This part of the Presbyter’s qualifications has been very variously interpreted. See note on 1Timothy 3:2.
11. Rightly translated in A.V. "a" (not the) "bishop," because the article is only used generically. So, in English, "the reformer must be patient:" equivalent to "a reformer," &c. We see here a proof of the early date of this Epistle in the synonymous use of ejpiskopov and presbuterov; the latter word designating the rank, the former the duties, of the Presbyter. The best translation here would be the term overseer, which is employed in the A.V. as a translation of ejpiskopov , Acts 20:28; but. unfortunately, the term has associations in modern English which do not permit of its being thus used here. Compare with this passage 1Timothy 3:2.
12. Cf. 3Jo. 1:5, 6. In the early Church, Christians traveling from one place to another were received and forwarded on their journey by their brethren; this is the "hospitality" so often commended in the N. T.
13. The Appendix in the larger editions contains a list of words peculiarly used in the Pastoral Epistles. Among them are these words.
Titus 1:10- 16 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped,14 who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet15 of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke16 them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables,17 and commandments18 of men, that turn from the truth.
1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure:19 but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient,20 and unto every good work reprobate.
14. The word literally denotes to put a bit and bridle upon a horse.
15. Epimenides of Crete, a poet who lived in the 6th century B. C., is the author quoted. His verses were reckoned oracular, whence the title "prophet." So by Plato he is called "a divinely-inspired man," and by Plutarch "a man dear to the gods."
16. Rebuke:this seems to refer to the same word in v. 9.
17. Fables . See note on 1Timothy 4:7.
18. These precepts were probably those mentioned 1Timothy 4:8, and Colossians 2:16-22. The "Jewish" element appears distinctly in the Colossian heretics ("Sabbaths," Colossians 2:16), although it is not seen in the Epistles to Timothy. Comp. Titus 3:9, and see p. 397.
19. It would seem from this that the heretics attacked taught their followers to abstain from certain acts, or certain kinds of food, as being impure. We must not, however, conclude from this that they were Ascetics. Superstitious abstinence from certain material acts is quite compatible with gross impurity of teaching and of practice, as we see in the case of Hindoo devotees, and in those impure votaries of Cybele and of Isis mentioned so often in Juvenal and other writers of the same date. The early Gnostics, here attacked, belonged apparently to that class who borrowed their theosophy from Jewish sources; and the precepts of abstinence which they imposed may probably have been derived from the Mosaic law. Their immorality is plainly indicated by the following words.
20. Literally, unable to stand the test; i.e. when tested by the call of duty, they fail.
Titus 2:1- 15
2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity,1 sincerity,
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.2
2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
2:10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,3
2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
2:13 Looking for that blessed hope,4 and the glorious appearing of the great God and our5 Savior Jesus Christ;
2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,6 zealous of good works.
2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
1. The best MSS. omit the word translated "sincerity" in A.V.
2. Us (not you) is the reading of the best MSS.
3. This statement seems intended to contradict the Gnostic notion that salvation was given to the enlightened alone. It should be observed that the definite article of T. E. is omitted by some of the best MSS.
4. Compare the same expectation expressed Romans 8:18-25.
5. The A.V. here is probably correct, notwithstanding the omission of the article before "savior." We must not be guided entirely by the rules of classical Greek in this matter. Comp. 2Thessalonians 1:12.
6. This expression is borrowed from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 14:2, and other places. (LXX.)
Titus 3:1- 11
3:1 Put them in mind1 to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing2 of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;
3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according3 to the hope of eternal life.
3:8 This is a faithful saying,4 and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
3:9 But avoid foolish questions,5 and genealogies,6 and contentions, and strivings about the law;7 for they are unprofitable and vain.
3:10 A man that is an heretick8 after the first and second admonition reject;
3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
1. St. Paul himself had no doubt insisted on the duty of obedience to the civil magistrate when he was in Crete. The Jews throughout the Empire were much disposed to insubordination at this period.
2. The word does not mean "washing" (A.V.), but lover; i.e. a vessel in which washing takes place.
3. Through hope is explained by Romans 8:24, 25.
4. The "saying" referred to is supposed by some interpreters to be the statement which precedes (from 3 to 7). These writers maintain that it is ungrammatical to refer "Faithful is the saying" to the following, as is done in A.V. But this objection is avoided by taking "that" as a part of the quotation. The usage is similar in Ephesians v. 33.
5. Disputations: see 1Timothy 6:4 and 2Timothy 2:23.
6. See 1Timothy 1:4
7. Compare precepts (Titus 1:14), and teachers of the Law . 1Timothy 1:7.
8. Sectarian. We have seen that the word from which our term "heresy" comes is used by St. Paul, in his earlier writings, simply for a religious sect, sometimes (as Acts 26:5) without disapprobation, sometimes (as 1Corinthians 11:19) in a bad sense; here we find its derivative (which occurs here and nowhere else in the N. T.) already assuming a bad sense, akin to that which it afterwards bore. It should be also observed that these early heretics united moral depravity with erroneous teaching; their works bore witness against their doctrine; and this explains the subsequent "by his sins he is self-condemned." See pp. 397-399.
