Titus 3:15 Kommentar

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 3 In this chapter the apostle exhorts Titus to press various duties incumbent on Christians, with arguments engaging to them; gives him some directions about dealing with heretics, and some instructions about private matters, and particular persons, and closes it with salutations. And first, he charges him to put his hearers in mind of their duty, to be subject to civil magistrates, and readily perform whatever is right and proper for them to do; and to abstain from blaspheming and brawling, and to exercise gentleness and meekness to all men, Tit 3:1. The arguments inducing thereunto are taken partly from their former state and condition, while unregenerate: when they were as ignorant and as wicked as other men, they are exhorted to behave well to; and partly from the consideration of the salvation they were now partakers of, Tit 3:3 which leads on the apostle to give an account of its causes and means: the moving cause of it is the love and mercy of God; the way and means in which it is brought about, are not works of righteousness done by men, but the regenerating and renewing grace of the Spirit, which is plentifully bestowed through Jesus Christ the Saviour, and justification by the free grace of God, by virtue of which men become heirs unto, and have an hope of eternal life, Tit 3:4 which several blessings of grace should be constantly insisted on in the ministry of the word, in order to engage believers carefully to perform good works; and because such doctrines are good in themselves, and profitable to men; whereas questions, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, are foolish, vain, and unprofitable, and to be avoided, Tit 3:8, wherefore an heretical man should be rejected from all Christian conversation and communion, after he has been admonished at least twice, seeing he is off of the foundation, has sinned, and is self-condemned, Tit 3:10. Next the apostle desires Titus to meet him at Nicopolis, where his design was to pass the winter, upon sending two ministering brethren to Crete, who are mentioned by name, Tit 3:12 and that he would accommodate two others, who are also named, with everything convenient for their journey, Tit 3:13 and charges him to exhort the brethren under his care to learn to be diligent and industrious in the performance of good works, which have their necessary uses, and prevent unfruitfulness, Tit 3:13. And the epistle is concluded with salutations, and the apostle's usual benediction, Tit 3:15.

All that are with me salute thee,.... All the apostles, fellow labourers, and the ministers of the Gospel that were with him; and all the members of the church where he was, sent their Christian salutation to Titus; he being a person greatly esteemed, and whose praise was in all the churches: greet them that love us in the faith; not merely as men, as their countrymen, as related to them in the flesh; or on account of any external things, but as believers; because of the doctrine of faith, professed and preached; and because of the grace of faith obtained and possessed; or who love us faithfully, sincerely, and uprightly, from their hearts, and not in word and tongue only: grace be with you all, Amen; which is the common concluding salutation in all Paul's epistles. This shows that this epistle was not designed for Titus only, but for the saints at Crete. It was written to Titus the first bishop of the church of the Cretians. But this subscription, as many others, is not to be depended upon; it is not very likely that Titus was bishop of this church at all; since his stay there was but short, nor indeed elsewhere, seeing he was an evangelist; though this is asserted both by Eusebius (d), and Sophronius (e), who adds, that he died and was buried here: and what follows, that it was written from Nicopolis of Macedonia, does not seem to be just, as may be concluded from Tit 3:12. Many learned men think it was written from Colosse, or some neighbouring place; though when he wrote his epistle to the Colossians it looks as if he had never been there before: the Syriac version adds, "sent by the hands of Zenas and Apollos"; which is not unlikely, since he desires they might be accommodated by Titus with what was necessary for the remaining part of their journey, Tit 3:13. (d) Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 4. (e) In Hieron. Eccl. Script. Catalog. sect. 12. Next: Philemon Introduction

Those who are with me greet you. And he had accustomed himself to say hello to Titus from everyone who was with him or at least properly to Titus, because he was such that he deserved the love of all who were with Paul. Truly great praise was attributed to Titus by everyone through Paul. Salute those who love us in faith. If everyone who loves, loved in faith, and there were no others who loved without faith, Paul would never have added love to faith, saying, "Salute those who love us in faith." For truly mothers love their children, so prepared as they are to die for them; but they do not love in faith, and wives, their husbands, with whom they very frequently die; but that love is not of faith. The love of only the saints loves with faith to such an extent that even if the one who is loved is unbelieving, yet the saint loves him in faith according to this: "Let all your things be done in faith" (1 Cor. 16:14). And elsewhere: "Love your enemies" (Luke 6:35). The saint loves his enemies and therefore loves them in faith because he believes in him who promised to reward him for the fulfillment of his commandment. The grace of our Lord be with all of you. It should be known that in the Greek codices it is written thus: "Grace be with all of you," so that neither "our Lord" nor "ourselves" is carried in the authentic books. Therefore, he (Paul) invokes grace upon the saints and believers in general, upon Titus and the others who were with him. And just as Isaac the Patriarch blessed his son Jacob (Gen. 27) and the twelve Patriarchs themselves (ibid., 29), so the Apostles, entering a house, would say: "Peace to this house" (Mat. 10:12). And if the house was worthy, their peace rested upon it; but if it showed itself unworthy, their peace returned to those who had invoked it. So even now, at the end of his Epistle, the Apostle invokes grace upon the believers, which, when it had taken effect according to his wish, was in the power of the believers to present as blessed to himself, just as he wished to give it.

All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. Greet those who love us in faith. Or it means those who love him, generally the faithful. And the phrase "in faith," as through faith. Finished, with divine help, of the Epistle to Titus. It was written from the city of Nicopolis in Macedonia to Titus, the ordained bishop of the first Church of the Cretans.

Or: "loving" Him truly and without hypocrisy, or: "loving" His faithful ones, that is, Christians. He prayerfully wishes them well, that the gift of God may be preserved in them, or that His love for mankind may always abide with them, preserving them by grace. Or: may "grace" always abide with them, who are most in need of it, guarding both their souls and their bodies in the Holy Spirit. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

Then he greets them: first, on the part of the others; second, he asks them to greet the others; third, he sends his own greeting. In regard to the first, he says, all that are with me greet you, i.e., wish you health. Second, he says, greet them that love us in the faith, i.e., who live in the faith of Christ, because there is no friendship between believers and unbelievers: "should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?" (2 Chr 19:2): or, that love us in the faith, i.e., with true affection: "a faithful friend is a sturdy shelter" (Sir 6:14). The Grace of God, which is the source of all good things: "justified by his grace as a gift" (Rom 3:24); be with you all. He says, be with you all, because he did not write to Titus just for Titus's benefit, but for the entire church.

The necessity of obedience to the civil powers, and of meek and gentle deportment towards all men, is to be diligently enforced, Tit 3:1, Tit 3:2. The wretched state of man, previously to the advent of Christ, Tit 3:3. The wonderful change which the grace of God makes, and the means which it uses to bring men to glory, Tit 3:4-7. The necessity of a holy life, and of avoiding things which produce strifes and contentions, and are unprofitable and vain, Tit 3:8, Tit 3:9. How to deal with those who are heretics, Tit 3:10, Tit 3:11. St. Paul directs Titus to meet him at Nicopolis, and to bring Zenas and Apollos with him, Tit 3:12; 13. Concluding directions and salutations, Tit 3:14, Tit 3:15.

All that are with me - He means his companions in the ministry. Salute thee - Wish thee well, and desire to be affectionately remembered to thee. Greet them that love us in the faith, - All that love us for Christ's sake, and all that are genuine Christians. Grace be with you - May the Divine favor be your portion for ever. Some MSS. read, The grace of the Lord be with you all; others, The grace of God be with you all; and one, Grace be with Thy spirit, as if the greeting was sent to Titus only, whereas the others send it to the whole Church at Crete. Amen - This is wanting in ACD, and some others. The subscriptions are, as usual, various. Those of the Versions are the following: - The Epistle to Titus was written from Nicopolis; and sent by the hands of Zena and Apollo. - Syriac. To the man Titus. - Aethiopic. The end of the epistle: it was written from Nicopolis. Incessant and eternal praise be to the God of glory. Amen. - Arabic. Written in Nicopolis, and sent by Artemas, his disciple. - Coptic. The Epistle to Titus is ended, who was the first bishop of the Church of the Cretans: and it was written from Nicopolis of Macedonia. - Philoxenian Syriac. There is no subscription in the Vulgate. The Manuscripts are also various. To Titus. - C, and Clarom. That to Titus is completed: that to Philemon begins. - DEFG. To Titus, written from Nicopolis. - A. To Titus, written from Nicopolis of Macedonia. - of the Macedonians. - From Nicopolis, which is a province of Macedonia. Paul the apostle's Epistle to Titus. To Titus, ordained the first bishop of the Church of the Cretans: written from Nicopolis of Macedonia. - Common Greek Text. To Titus, archbishop of Crete. - One of the Vienna MSS., written a.d. 1331. There is not one of these subscriptions of any authority, and some of them are plainly ridiculous. We do not know that Titus was what we term bishop, much less that he was ordained bishop of Crete, as appointed to a particular see; and still less that he was the first bishop there. As to his being archbishop, that is the fiction of a time of deep darkness. That the epistle was written from some place near to Nicopolis, of Epirus, is very probable. That it was not written at Nicopolis is evident; and that this was not Nicopolis of Macedonia is also very probable. See the preface to this epistle for farther information on this point. And see a treatise by old Mr. Prynne entitled, The unbishoping of Timothy and Titus, 4to. Lond. 1636 and 1660, where, among many crooked things, there are some just observations.

WHAT TITUS IS TO TEACH CONCERNING CHRISTIANS' BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE WORLD: HOW HE IS TO TREAT HERETICS: WHEN AND WHERE HE IS TO MEET PAUL. SALUTATION. CONCLUSION. (Tit 3:1-15) Put them in mind--as they are in danger of forgetting their duty, though knowing it. The opposition of Christianity to heathenism, and the natural disposition to rebellion of the Jews under the Roman empire (of whom many lived in Crete), might lead many to forget practically what was a recognized Christian principle in theory, submission to the powers that be. DIODORUS SICULUS mentions the tendency of the Cretans to riotous insubordination. to be subject--"willingly" (so the Greek). principalities . . . powers--Greek, "magistracies . . . authorities." to obey--the commands of "magistrates"; not necessarily implying spontaneous obedience. Willing obedience is implied in "ready to every good work." Compare Rom 13:3, as showing that obedience to the magistracy would tend to good works, since the magistrate's aim generally is to favor the good and punish the bad. Contrast "disobedient" (Tit 3:3).

Greet--"Salute them that love us in the faith." All at Crete had not this love rooted in faith, the true bond of fellowship. A salutation peculiar to this Epistle, such as no forger would have used. Grace--Greek, "The grace," namely, of God. with you all--not that the Epistle is addressed to all the Cretan Christians, but Titus would naturally impart it to his flock. Next: Philemon Introduction