Titus 2:8 Komentář

The apostle here directs Titus about the faithful discharge of his own office generally (Tit 2:1), and particularly as to several sorts of persons (Tit 2:2-10) and gives the grounds of these and of other following directions (Tit 2:11-14), with a summary direction in the close (Tit 2:15).

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS 2 In this chapter the apostle exhorts Timothy to the discharge of his office with respect to all sorts of persons, of every age, sex; and condition, he was concerned with, giving reasons for it, taken from the nature of the Gospel of Christ: he exhorts him in general to insist in his public ministry on those things, which were agreeable to sound doctrine, Tit 2:1 and particularly what became aged men and aged women, and young men and young women, Tit 2:2 in all which, both with respect to doctrine and practice, he desires him to be a pattern to them, that so even his very adversaries may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of him, Tit 2:7. And next he charges him to exhort servants, to obey their masters, and seek to please them, and not contradict them, and to be faithful to them; that so the doctrine of God their Saviour, professed by them, might be adorned in all things, Tit 2:9. And the reasons why the apostle would have duty urged on persons of every age, sex, and state, are taken from the nature of the Gospel being a doctrine of grace and salvation, which was preached to all sorts of persons, Tit 2:11, and from the efficacy of it, in teaching men to deny sin, and live a holy life and conversation, Tit 2:12 and from an expectation of eternal glory and happiness at the appearance of Christ, which the Gospel encourages to, Tit 2:13; and from the end of Christ's giving himself for his people, and redeeming them from sin, the sum and substance of the Gospel, which was, that they might be purified, and be zealous of good works, Tit 2:14 and these exhortations were to be delivered by Titus with authority, and in such a manner, that he might not be despised, Tit 2:15.

Not purloining..... Or stealing, embezzling their master's substance, taking away, and making use of what is their property, keeping back part of money or goods committed to their trust: the word is used in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. Act 5:2, but showing all good fidelity; approving themselves to be faithful servants in everything they are intrusted with: that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; Christ is our alone Saviour, and he is truly and properly God, and so fit and able to be a Saviour; and the Gospel is his doctrine, not only what he himself preached, when on earth, but it is a doctrine concerning him; concerning his deity, and the dignity of his person, and concerning his office as Mediator, and the great salvation by him; and which are so many reasons why it should be adorned by a suitable life and conversation; for this is what becomes the Gospel of Christ, throws a beauty upon it, and is ornamental to it; and in this way the doctrine of Christ may be, and ought to be, adorned by servants, as well as others: to adorn the Gospel, is first to believe and receive it, then to profess it, and hold fast that profession, and walk worthy of it. Two of Stephens's copies read, "in", or "among all men".

Ver. 7. "In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works." Let the elder women, he says, teach the younger, but do thou thyself exhort young men to be soberminded. And let the luster of thy life be a common school of instruction, a pattern of virtue to all, publicly exhibited, like some original model, containing in itself all beauties, affording examples whence those who are willing may easily imprint upon themselves any of its excellences. Ver. 7, 8. "In [thy] doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 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." By "him that is of the contrary part," he means the devil, and every one who ministers to him. For when the life is illustrious, and the discourse corresponds to it, being meek and gentle, and affording no handle to the adversaries, it is of unspeakable advantage. Of great use then is the ministry of the word, not any common word, but that which is approved, and cannot be condemned, affording no pretext to those who are willing to censure it.

Similarly, exhort the youth to be pure in all things, setting yourself as an example of good works in teaching, integrity and chastity, in sound and irreproachable speech, so that the outsider may respect us, having nothing bad to say about us. Just as what he had said previously, "Similarly, with elderly women dressed in a sacred manner," we said the similitude of elderly women should be referred to as the elderly; and so now with what he introduced: Similarly, exhort the youth to be pure, we think this similitude applies to the youth in relation to the elderly, and through the elderly to the elderly, so that they may have the sobriety of the elderly, and be honorable and pure, and sound in faith, and charity, and patience. But with regard to the elderly, he places them in the sanctity of their attire so that they may not be accusers, not slavishly devoted to much wine, teaching well, and so forth. But this has particular bearing on young men, that they should be pure in all things, namely in mind as well as body, as much in action as in thought, so that there might be no suspicion of indecency in the young man. And although some among the Latins think that it should be read thus: "Likewise exhort young men to be of honourable character, and afterwards to bring forth, in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works", nevertheless, let us know that, in all things, reference must be made to the higher, that is, to exhort them to be of honourable character in all things. It must also be known that continence is not only necessary in physical works and in the desire of the soul, but in all things, so that we do not seek undue honors, we are not inflamed by avarice, and we are not overcome by any passion. "Showing thyself," he says, "a pattern of good works." It is of no use for someone to be practised in speaking and to have learned the language for speaking, if he has more instructed by his example than by his word. Finally, whoever is shameless, although he be eloquent, if he exhorts those who hear him to chastity, his speech is feeble, and he does not have authority to exhort. And, vice versa, although he may be rustic and slow in speaking, if he is chaste, he can impel men to a likeness of life by his example. That which it says, "in incorruption," must be accepted as meaning that incorruption properly signifies virginity. Finally, those who are virgins are commonly called incorrupt; and those who have ceased to be virgins are called corrupt; and we say, she who was once a virgin, is corrupted. Wherefore I think that Titus, before he was occupied with the work of the flesh, received baptism as a believer of the Gospel, and remained a virgin, and is now reminded by the Apostle to show the form of incorruption; but we do not see this incorruption in Timothy. For when he said to him, Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity (1 Timothy 4:12), he was silent about incorruption and only mentioned chastity. However, purity even in celibacy can be understood without virginity. Unless we take purity in the mind and incorruption in the body as it is written elsewhere in the definition of a virgin: That she may be holy both in body and in spirit (1 Corinthians 7). He himself then added: in doctrine, in incorruption, in chastity. We might even interpret chastity and incorruption in the integrity of doctrine, but what particularly follows, "with wholesome speech that cannot be condemned," should have its own precept regarding the instruction of doctrine. However, when he says "speech cannot be condemned," he does not mean that anyone is so eloquent and wise that no one ever criticizes him (for both apostles and evangelists are criticized by heretics and pagans), but that he does not say or do anything worthy of criticism, though his opponents are ready to condemn him. And since there are many who are disobedient, vain talkers and deceivers of minds, who hate the one admonishing at the gates, and abominate holy discourse, therefore in all things let us set an example of doctrine, in integrity, in chastity, in sound and irreprehensible speech: that the adversaries of our life and doctrine, terrified by our soundness, may not dare to accuse, that is, to fabricate anything likely in accusation. And indeed we see some such today in churches (although this is a rare thing), of such gravity and continence that even from adversaries they have testimony, and it is said, that is a great man, and of holy conversation, and of good and proper behavior, if he were not a heretic. For there is no one of such unrestrained impudence that he can accuse the bright rays of the sun of darkness, and cast the clear light of night into obscurity. Hence also the Apostle, aware of this, says: To take away occasion from them that desire occasion (2 Cor. 11:12). Yet he can be understood to mean he who is an adversary, and that is the devil, who is the accuser of our brethren, as John the Evangelist preaches: who when he has nothing evil to accuse us of, is put to shame, and the accuser cannot accuse. But in the Latin language, devil signifies accuser.

sound speech. Clearly, that of the doctrines. For when these are added to the teaching, he who opposes, whether the slanderer or the heretic, will be ashamed, finding no hold at all against us.

That is, orthodox, containing nothing blameworthy. The adversary he calls either the devil, or anyone who serves him.

Then he shows how he should act in doctrine and in word; and he says that he should have the sound word that cannot be blamed or corrupted by falsity: follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 1:13); fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince (Prov 17:7). Then in regard to the manner he says, that cannot be blamed, i.e., that it be spoken in due season with all propriety and in a way that will incline men to correct themselves: a proverb from a fool's lips will be rejected, for he does not tell it at its proper time (Sir 20:20). The end of teaching is that he who is on the contrary part may be afraid, having no evil to say of us. As if to say: if everyone acts properly, namely, prelates and subjects, your adversaries cannot harm you: for it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (1 Pet 2:15); give the enemy no occasion to revile us (1 Tim 5:14).

Sundry directions to aged men, Tit 2:1, Tit 2:2. To aged women, Tit 2:3. To young women, Tit 2:4, Tit 2:5. To young men, Tit 2:6. Directions to Titus, relative to his own conduct, Tit 2:7, Tit 2:8. Directions to servants, Tit 2:9, Tit 2:10. What the Gospel of the grace of God teaches all men, Tit 2:11, Tit 2:12. The glorious prospect held out by it; salvation from all sin, and final glory, Tit 2:13-15.

Sound speech - Λογον ὑγιη· Sound or healing doctrine. Human nature is in a state of disease; and the doctrine of the Gospel is calculated to remove the disease, and restore all to perfect health and soundness. All false doctrines leave men under the influence of this spiritual disease; the unadulterated doctrine of the Gospel alone can heal men. He that is of the contrary part - Whether this may refer to the Judaizing teachers in general, or to some one who might, by his false doctrine, have been disturbing the peace of the Churches in Crete, we cannot tell. Having no evil thing to say of you - Against a person who is sound in his doctrine, and holy in his life, no evil can be justly alleged. He who reports evil of such a person must be confounded when brought to the test. Instead of περι ὑμων, of You, περι ἡμων, of Us, is the reading of CDEFG, and about forty others; with both the Syriac, all the Arabic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the primitive fathers. This reading makes a better sense, and is undoubtedly genuine.

DIRECTIONS TO TITUS: HOW TO EXHORT VARIOUS CLASSES OF BELIEVERS: THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST OUR GRAND INCENTIVE TO LIVE GODLY. (Tit 2:1-15) But . . . thou--in contrast to the reprobate seducers stigmatized in Tit 1:11, Tit 1:15-16. "He deals more in exhortations, because those intent on useless questions needed chiefly to be recalled to the study of a holy, moral life; for nothing so effectually allays men's wandering curiosity, as the being brought to recognize those duties in which they ought to exercise themselves" [CALVIN]. speak--without restraint: contrast Tit 1:11, "mouths . . . stopped." doctrine--"instruction" or "teaching."

speech--discourse in public and private ministrations. he that is of the contrary part--the adversary (Tit 1:9; Ti2 2:25), whether he be heathen or Jew. may be ashamed--put to confusion by the power of truth and innocence (compare Tit 2:5, Tit 2:10; Ti1 5:14; Ti1 6:1). no evil thing--in our acts, or demeanor. of you--So one of the oldest manuscripts. Other very old manuscripts read, "of US," Christians.