Titus 1

Tit 1:1-16.

ADDRESS:

FOR

WHAT

END

TITUS

WAS

LEFT IN

CRETE.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR

ELDERS:

GAINSAYERS IN

CRETE

NEEDING

REPROOF.

1. servant of God--not found elsewhere in the same connection. In

Ro 1:1

it is "servant of Jesus Christ"

(Ga 1:10;

Php 1:1;

compare

Ac 16:17;

Re 1:1; 15:3).

In

Ro 1:1,

there follows, "called to be an apostle," which corresponds to

the general designation of the office first, "servant of GOD," here, followed by the special description,

"apostle of Jesus Christ." The full expression of his

apostolic office answers, in both Epistles, to the design, and is a

comprehensive index to the contents. The peculiar form here

would never have proceeded from a forger.

according to the faith--rather, "for," "with a view to subserve the

faith"; this is the object of my apostleship (compare

Tit 1:4, 9;

Ro 1:5).

the elect--for whose sake we ought to endure all things

(2Ti 2:10).

This election has its ground, not in anything belonging to those thus

distinguished, but in the purpose and will of God from everlasting

(2Ti 1:9;

Ro 8:30-33;

compare

Lu 18:7;

Eph 1:4;

Col 3:12).

Ac 13:48

shows that all faith on the part of the elect, rests on the divine

foreordination: they do not become elect by their faith, but

receive faith, and so become believers, because they are

elect.

and the acknowledging of the truth--"and (for promoting) the

full knowledge of the truth," that is, the Christian truth

(Eph 1:13).

after godliness--that is, which belongs to piety: opposed

to the knowledge which has not for its object the truth, but error,

doctrinal and practical

(Tit 1:11, 16;

1Ti 6:3);

or even which has for its object mere earthly truth, not growth in the

divine life. "Godliness," or "piety," is a term peculiar to the

Pastoral Epistles: a fact explained by the apostle having in them to

combat doctrine tending to "ungodliness"

(2Ti 2:16;

compare

Tit 2:11, 12).

2. In hope of eternal life--connected with the whole preceding

sentence. That whereon rests my aim as an apostle to promote

the elect's faith and full knowledge of the truth, is, "the hope of

eternal life"

(Tit 2:13; 3:7;

Ac 23:6; 24:15; 28:20).

that cannot lie--

(Ro 3:4; 11:29;

Heb 6:18).

promised before the world began--a contracted expression for

"purposed before the world began (literally, 'before the ages of

time'), and promised actually in time," the promise springing from

the eternal purpose; as in

2Ti 1:9,

the gift of grace was the result of the eternal purpose "before

the world began."

3. in due times--Greek, "in its own seasons," the

seasons appropriate to it, and fixed by God for it

(Ac 1:7).

manifested--implying that the "promise,"

Tit 1:2,

had lain hidden in His eternal purpose heretofore (compare

Col 1:26;

2Ti 1:9, 10).

his word--equivalent to "eternal life"

(Tit 1:2;

Joh 5:24; 6:63; 17:3, 17).

through preaching--Greek, "in preaching," of

rather as ALFORD (see on

2Ti 4:17),

"in the (Gospel) proclamation (the thing preached, the Gospel)

with which I was entrusted."

according to--in pursuance of (compare

1Ti 1:1).

of God our Saviour--rather as Greek, "of our Saviour

God." God is predicated of our Saviour (compare

Jude 25;

Lu 1:47).

Also

Ps 24:5;

Isa 12:2; 45:15, 21,

Septuagint. Applied to Jesus,

Tit 1:4;

Tit 2:13; 3:6;

2Ti 1:10.

4. Titus, mine own son--Greek, "my genuine child"

(1Ti 1:2),

that is, converted by my instrumentality

(1Co 4:17;

Phm 10).

after the common faith--a genuine son in respect to (in virtue of)

the faith common to all the people of God, comprising in a common

brotherhood Gentiles as well as Jews, therefore embracing Titus a

Gentile

(2Pe 1:1;

Jude 3).

Grace, mercy, and peace--"mercy" is omitted in some of the

oldest manuscripts. But one of the best and oldest manuscripts supports

it (compare Notes, see on

1Ti 1:2;

2Ti 1:2).

There are many similarities of phrase in the Pastoral Epistles.

the Lord Jesus Christ--The oldest manuscripts read only "Christ

Jesus."

our Saviour--found thus added to "Christ" only in Paul's

Pastoral Epistles, and in

2Pe 1:1, 11; 2:20; 3:18.

5. I left thee--"I left thee behind"

[ALFORD] when I left the island: not

implying permanence of commission (compare

1Ti 1:3).

in Crete--now Candia.

set in order--rather as Greek, "that thou mightest

follow up (the work begun by me), setting right the things that

are wanting," which I was unable to complete by reason of the shortness

of my stay in Crete. Christianity, doubtless, had long existed in

Crete: there were some Cretans among those who heard Peter's preaching

on Pentecost

(Ac 2:11).

The number of Jews in Crete was large

(Tit 1:10),

and it is likely that those scattered in the persecution of Stephen

(Ac 11:19)

preached to them, as they did to the Jews of Cyprus, &c. Paul also was

there on his voyage to Rome

(Ac 27:7-12).

until Paul's later visit, after his first imprisonment at Rome, the

Cretan Christians were without Church organization. This Paul began,

and had commissioned (before leaving Crete) Titus to go on with, and

now reminds him of that commission.

ordain--rather, "appoint," "constitute."

in every city--"from city to city."

as I . . . appointed thee--that is, as I directed

thee; prescribing as well the act of constituting elders, as

also the manner of doing so, which latter includes the

qualifications required in a presbyter presently stated. Those called

"elders" here are called "bishops" in

Tit 1:7.

Elder is the term of dignity in relation to the college

of presbyters; bishop points to the duties of his office

in relation to the flock. From the unsound state of the Cretan

Christians described here, we see the danger of the want of Church

government. The appointment of presbyters was designed to check idle

talk and speculation, by setting forth the "faithful word."

6. (Compare Notes, see on

1Ti 3:2-4.)

The thing dwelt on here as the requisite in a bishop, is a good

reputation among those over whom he is to be set. The immorality of

the Cretan professors rendered this a necessary requisite in one who

was to be a reprover: and their unsoundness in doctrine also

made needful great steadfastness in the faith

(Tit 1:9, 13).

having faithful children--that is, believing children. He

who could not bring his children to faith, how shall he bring others?

[BENGEL]. ALFORD explains,

"established in the faith."

not accused--not merely not riotous, but "not (even) accused of

riot" ("profligacy" [ALFORD]; "dissolute life"

[WAHL]).

unruly--insubordinate; opposed to "in subjection"

(1Ti 3:4).

7. For . . . must--The emphasis is on "must." The

reason why I said "blameless," is the very idea of a "bishop" (an

overseer of the flock; he here substitutes for "presbyter" the term

which expresses his duties) involves the necessity for

such blamelessness, if he is to have influence over the flock.

steward of God--The greater the master is, the greater the virtues

required in His servant [BENGEL],

(1Ti 3:15);

the Church is God's house, over which the minister is set as a steward

(Heb 3:2-6;

1Pe 4:10, 17).

Note: ministers are not merely Church officers, but God's

stewards; Church government is of divine appointment.

not self-willed--literally, "self-pleasing"; unaccommodating to

others; harsh, the opposite of "a lover of hospitality"

(Tit 1:6);

so Nabal

(1Sa 25:1-44);

self-loving and imperious; such a spirit would incapacitate him for

leading a willing flock, instead of driving.

not given to wine--(See on

1Ti 3:3;

1Ti 3:8).

not given to filthy lucre--not making the Gospel a means of gain

(1Ti 3:3, 8).

In opposition to those "teaching for filthy lucre's sake"

(Tit 1:11;

1Ti 6:5;

1Pe 5:2).

8. lover of hospitality--needed especially in those days

(Ro 12:13;

1Ti 3:2;

Heb 13:2;

1Pe 4:9;

3Jo 5).

Christians travelling from one place to another were received and

forwarded on their journey by their brethren.

lover of good men--Greek, "a lover of (all that is)

good," men or things

(Php 4:8, 9).

sober--towards one's self; "discreet"; "self-restrained"

[ALFORD], (see on

1Ti 2:9).

just--towards "men."

holy--towards God (see on

1Th 2:10).

temperate--"One having his passions, tongue, hand and eyes, at

command" [CHRYSOSTOM]; "continent."

9. Holding fast--Holding firmly to (compare

Mt 6:24;

Lu 16:13).

the faithful--true and trustworthy

(1Ti 1:15).

word as he has been taught--literally, "the word (which is)

according to the teaching" which he has received (compare

1Ti 4:6,

end;

2Ti 3:14).

(instruction) which is sound"; sound doctrine or

instruction is the element IN which his

exhorting is to have place . . . On "sound" (peculiar

to the Pastoral Epistles), see

1Ti 1:10; 6:3.

convince--rather, "reprove" [ALFORD],

(Tit 1:13).

10. unruly--"insubordinate."

and--omitted in the oldest manuscripts. "There are many unruly

persons, vain talkers, and deceivers"; "unruly" being predicated of

both vain talkers and deceivers.

vain talkers--opposed to "holding fast the faithful word"

(Tit 1:9).

"Vain jangling"

(1Ti 1:6);

"foolish questions, unprofitable and vain"

(Tit 3:9).

The source of the evil was corrupted Judaism

(Tit 1:14).

Many Jews were then living in Crete, according to

JOSEPHUS; so the Jewish leaven remained in some of

them after conversion.

deceivers--literally, "deceivers of the minds of others"

(Greek,

Ga 6:3).

11. mouths . . . stopped--literally, "muzzled,"

"bridled" as an unruly beast (compare

Ps 32:9).

who--Greek, "(seeing that they are) such men as"; or

"inasmuch as they" [ELLICOTT].

subvert . . . houses--"overthrowing" their "faith"

(2Ti 2:18).

"They are the devil's levers by which he subverts the houses of God"

[THEOPHYLACT].

for filthy lucre--

(1Ti 3:3, 8; 6:5).

12. One--Epimenides of Phæstus, or Gnossus, in Crete,

about 600. He was sent for to purify Athens from its pollution

occasioned by Cylon. He was regarded as a diviner and prophet.

The words here are taken probably from his treatise "concerning

oracles." Paul also quotes from two other heathen writers, ARATUS

(Ac 17:28)

and MENANDER

(1Co 15:33),

but he does not honor them so far as even to mention their names.

of themselves . . . their own--which enhances his

authority as a witness. "To Cretanize" was proverbial for to

lie: as "to Corinthianize" was for to be dissolute.

alway liars--not merely at times, as every natural man is.

Contrast

Tit 1:2,

"God that cannot lie." They love "fables"

(Tit 1:14);

even the heathen poets laughed at their lying assertion that they had

in their country the sepulchre of Jupiter.

evil beasts--rude, savage, cunning, greedy. Crete was

a country without wild beasts. Epimenides' sarcasm was that its

human inhabitants supplied the place of wild beasts.

slow bellies--indolent through pampering their bellies.

They themselves are called "bellies," for that is the member for

which they live

(Ro 16:18;

Php 3:19).

13. This witness--"This testimony (though coming from a Cretan) is

true."

sharply--Gentleness would not reclaim so perverse offenders.

that they--that those seduced by the false teachers may be

brought back to soundness in the faith. Their malady is strifes

about words and questions

(Tit 3:9;

1Ti 6:4).

14. Jewish fables--(See on

1Ti 1:4;

1Ti 4:7;

2Ti 4:4).

These formed the transition stage to subsequent Gnosticism; as yet the

error was but profitless, and not tending to godliness, rather than

openly opposed to the faith.

commandments of men--as to ascetic abstinence

(Tit 1:15;

Mr 7:7-9;

Col 2:16, 20-23;

1Ti 4:3).

that turn from the truth--whose characteristic is that they turn

away from the truth

(2Ti 4:4).

15. all things--external, "are pure" in themselves; the

distinction of pure and impure is not in the things, but

in the disposition of him who uses them; in opposition to "the

commandments of men"

(Tit 1:14),

which forbade certain things as if impure intrinsically. "To the pure"

inwardly, that is, those purified in heart by faith

(Ac 15:9;

Ro 14:20;

1Ti 4:3),

all outward things are pure; all are open to, their use. Sin alone

touches and defiles the soul

(Mt 23:26;

Lu 11:41).

nothing pure--either within or without

(Ro 14:23).

mind--their mental sense and intelligence.

conscience--their moral consciousness of the conformity or

discrepancy between their motives and acts on the one hand, and God's

law on the other. A conscience and a mind defiled are represented as

the source of the errors opposed in the Pastoral Epistles

(1Ti 1:19; 3:9; 6:5).

16. They profess--that is, make a profession

acknowledging God. He does not deny their theoretical knowledge of

God, but that they practically know Him.

deny him--the opposite of the previous "profess" or "confess" Him

(1Ti 5:8;

2Ti 2:12; 3:5).

abominable--themselves, though laying so much stress on the

contracting of abomination from outward things (compare

Le 11:10-13;

Ro 2:22).

disobedient--to God

(Tit 3:3;

Eph 2:2; 5:6).

reprobate--rejected as worthless when tested (see on

Ro 1:28;

1Co 9:27;

2Ti 3:8).