Verses 1-3
Titus 3:1-3. Put them. — All the
Cretian Christians; in mind to
be subject — Passively, not
resisting; to principalities —
Supreme rulers; and powers —
Subordinate governors; and to
obey magistrates — Actively, as
far as conscience permits. It is
probable that the reason whey
the apostle enjoined this so
particularly was, because the
Judaizing teachers in Crete
affirmed, that no obedience was
due from the worshippers of the
true God to magistrates who were
idolaters, and because by that
doctrine they were beginning to
make not only the Jewish, but
the Gentile believers, bad
subjects, and liable to be
punished as evil-doers. To be
ready to every good work — In
every relation which they
sustain; to speak evil of no man
— Neither of magistrates, nor of
any others. “The word βλασφημειν,
besides evil-speaking, denotes
all those vices of the tongue
which proceed either from hatred
or from contempt of others, and
which tend to hurt their
reputation, such as railing,
reviling, mocking speeches,
whisperings, &c.”
To be no brawlers — Greek,
αμαχους ειναι, not to be
contentious: or quarrelsome, to
assault none; but gentle —
επεικεις, yielding, when
assaulted, and often giving up
their own right rather than
contend; showing — In their
tempers, words, and actions; all
meekness — A mild, inoffensive,
and kind behaviour; unto all men
— Even enemies, and such as we
ourselves once were. For we
ourselves also — Or, even we
ourselves, though now new
creatures in Christ Jesus; were
sometimes, ποτε, formerly,
foolish — ανοητοι, ignorant, of
God and divine things;
unreasonable, particularly in
rejecting the Lord Jesus, though
demonstrated to be the true
Messiah by the most
incontrovertible evidences; and
imprudent, or destitute of true
wisdom, (as the word also
implies,) being enemies to
ourselves, in that we were
disobedient to the divine
commands, though holy, just, and
good; and refused to hearken to
the glad tidings of salvation
announced in the gospel of his
grace. The cause of this
unreasonable and foolish conduct
was, that we were deceived by
the grand enemy of our souls,
the subtle serpent that lies in
wait to deceive; deluded by the
allurements of this insnaring
world, and erred, or wandered,
(as the word πλανωμενοι means,)
from the right way of truth and
righteousness into by-paths of
error and sin, promising
ourselves liberty; but serving —
δουλευοντες, enslaved to, divers
lusts — επιθυμιαις, desires,
irregular and inordinate; (see
on Titus 2:12;) and pleasures —
Which perished in the using, but
nevertheless were alluring us
forward to everlasting miseries.
Such was the state of our
understanding, will, and
affections. But what were our
tempers? Such was our conduct
toward God and ourselves; but
what was it toward our
fellow-creatures? The apostle
tells us: living in malice —
Instead of exercising
benevolence and love toward all
men; and envy — Grieving at the
good enjoyed by others, instead
of rejoicing therein, as it was
our duty to have done; hateful —
Ourselves, while under the
tyranny of such detestable
passions, worthy to be abhorred
by God and man; and hating one
another — On account of little
clashings and oppositions in our
temporal interests, while we
forgot the great ties and bonds
which ought to have endeared us
to each other. Dr. Whitby,
arguing from Acts 23:1; 2
Timothy 1:3; Philippians 3:6,
pleads that the above
description could not be
applicable to Paul himself, even
while he was in his unconverted
state; and with him Dr.
Macknight agrees; forgetting, it
seems, the malicious and
vengeful passions which
evidently dwelt in him while he
was Saul the persecutor,
breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the best
people upon earth, the disciples
of the Lord Jesus; binding and
delivering into prisons both men
and women, and being exceedingly
mad against them, punishing them
oft in every synagogue, pursuing
them into strange cities, and
persecuting them even unto
death, Acts 9:1; Acts 22:4; Acts
26:11. On account of which
conduct, when the eyes of his
understanding were opened by the
wonderful miracle of grace which
the Lord Jesus wrought for him,
he always reckoned himself the
chief of sinners. But besides
the persecuting spirit which he
manifested toward the
Christians, when he had a just
view of his temper and behaviour
in other respects, and became
acquainted with the purity of
God’s holy law, he was so
convinced of the depravity of
his nature, and of the
imperfection of his best
obedience, that, notwithstanding
all he says in the passages
above quoted by Whitby, he could
undoubtedly, as Dr. Doddridge
justly observes, “apply what he
here wrote to much of his own
character while an enemy to
Christianity.” The reader will
easily see that the duty
inculcated in this passage is
highly reasonable, and of
peculiar importance, namely,
that we should be ready to show
that mercy to others which God
hath shown to us; and that, from
a recollection of the errors and
sins which we were chargeable
with in our unconverted state,
we should exercise compassion
toward those who are still
ignorant and out of the way, but
who may hereafter be brought to
the saving knowledge of the
truth, and be created anew in
Christ Jesus, as we have been.
Verses 4-7
Titus 3:4-7. But after that the
kindness — χρηστοτης, the
goodness, the benignity, και
φιλανθρωπια, and philanthropy,
love toward man, of God our
Saviour, appeared — επεφανη, was
manifested, or shone forth,
namely, through the preaching of
the gospel. The Father is here
called God our Saviour, as is
evident from Titus 3:6, where
the same person is said to have
poured out the Holy Ghost on
believers, through Jesus Christ
our Saviour. Indeed, the title
of our Saviour justly belongs to
the Father, because he formed
the scheme of our salvation, and
sent his Son into the world to
accomplish it; on which account
the title of Saviour is given to
the Son likewise. Not by works
of righteousness which we have
done — The best of which were so
defective and polluted by sin
while we were in our
unregenerate state, that,
instead of meriting acceptance,
they needed forgiveness. But
according to his mercy — His
compassion for us in our state
of sin and misery, and his free,
unmerited love; he saved us —
From our state of ignorance and
guilt, of depravity, weakness,
and misery. Observe, reader, the
apostle does not say, he will
save us, but, he hath saved us,
true believers in Christ being
already enlightened, justified,
and made new creatures, and
therefore in a great measure
saved. See on Ephesians 2:8; 2
Timothy 1:9. By the washing of
regeneration — That is, by
regeneration itself, the thing
signified, and not merely by
baptismal water, the outward and
visible sign; which regeneration
cleanses the soul from the filth
of sin, (as water washes the
body,) implying the renewing
influences of the Holy Ghost:
see on Ezekiel 36:25; Ezekiel
36:27; Ephesians 5:26-27. Which
he shed on us abundantly —
πλουσιως, richly, through our
believing with our heart unto
righteousness, on Jesus Christ
our Saviour — In virtue of whose
sacrifice and intercession it
has been imparted to us, sinful
and guilty children of men. That
being justified — Acquitted from
the guilt of sin, and accounted
righteous; by his grace — His
mere mercy, his unmerited
favour, through the redemption
that is in Jesus Christ; see on
Romans 3:24-28; we should be
made heirs — All who are
justified being adopted into
God’s family, born of God’s
Spirit, and made his children,
and therefore his heirs, Romans
8:17; according — Agreeably; to
the hope of eternal life — With
which we are inspired, and for
which his promises, in and
through Christ Jesus, made to
all such, lay a firm foundation,
2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:2.
Verse 8
Titus 3:8. This is a faithful
saying — A saying of infallible
truth and infinite importance;
(see on 1 Timothy 1:15;) and
these things I will that thou
affirm constantly — βουλομαι σε
διαβεβαιουσθαι, I will that thou
strenuously, zealously, and
continually assert, as a matter
of unspeakable moment; that they
who have believed in the living
and true God — Or rather, who
have believed God, (as the words
οι πεπιστευκοτες τω θεω
signify,) namely, with respect
to the revelation which he has
made of his will; might be
careful — ινα φροντιζωσι, may
think, consider, contrive,
prepare, and take care; to
maintain — Greek, προιστασθαι,
to excel, take the lead, and go
before others; in good works —
Of all kinds which they have
ability and opportunity to
perform, namely, works of piety
toward God, and of justice and
mercy for the good of men.
Though the apostle does not lay
these for the foundation of
men’s confidence and hope of
eternal life, yet he brings them
in, as we see here and
elsewhere, in their proper
place, and then mentions them,
not slightly, but as affairs of
great importance. He insists
that all believers should fix
their thoughts upon them, use
their best contrivance, their
utmost endeavours, not barely to
practise, but to excel, to be
eminent and distinguished in
them, because, though they do
not procure our reconciliation
with God, yet they are good —
καλα, amiable and honourable, as
the word means, namely, to the
Christian profession, and bring
glory to God; and are profitable
to men — To those who do them,
and to those who are the objects
of them: to the former, as being
the means of exercising, and
thereby increasing, their grace,
and preparing them for a greater
reward in the everlasting
kingdom of their God and
Saviour; and to the latter, as
lessening their miseries and
increasing their happiness in a
variety of ways.
Verse 9
Titus 3:9. But avoid foolish
questions — Questions of no
consequence; and genealogies —
See on 1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy
2:23; and contentions, &c.,
about the law — About the
observance of the ceremonial
law, or some little things
contained therein; for they are
unprofitable, &c. — Not only
consuming to no purpose that
time which is capable of being
much better improved, but also
tending to discompose men’s
minds, to alienate the
affections of Christians from
each other, and to render them
indifferent to the proper duties
of life.
Verse 10-11
Titus 3:10-11. A man that is a
heretic — Greek, αιρετικον, a
party or schism-maker, namely,
in the church, among the true,
genuine people of God; or one
that causes divisions among
those that are united in
Christian fellowship; see on
Romans 16:17; after the first
and second admonition — From
thee and the elders of the
church, given with proper
solemnity; reject — Avoid, and
declare him unfit to be any
longer looked upon as a member
of your community. “This is the
only place in the whole
Scripture where this word
heretic occurs; and here it
evidently means a man that
obstinately persists in
contending about foolish
questions, and thereby occasions
strifes and animosities, schisms
and parties, among the faithful.
This, and this alone, is a
heretic in the Scripture sense.
And his punishment likewise is
here fixed. Shun, avoid, leave
him to himself, have no
fellowship with him. As for the
Popish sense of the word, ‘A man
that errs in fundamentals,’
although it crept, with many
other things, early into the
church, yet it has no shadow of
foundation either in the Old or
New Testament.” — Wesley.
Knowing that such a one — Who is
so fond of his own darling
notions, that he will ruin the
peace of the church: and will
not submit to thy remonstrances,
and those of the wiser and
better part of the society; is
subverted — Or perverted, as
εξεστραπται maybe properly
rendered; and sinneth — In
making such obstinate efforts to
diffuse his notions, and form a
party to himself; being
condemned of himself — Convinced
in his own conscience that he
acts wrong, as he cannot but see
it to be evil to cause strife,
animosity, contention, and
disunion among those that fear
God, and were, before he thus
troubled them, united in
Christian love. “In the first
age, when the doctrines of the
gospel were delivered by the
apostles in person, under the
guidance of inspiration, and
when the true meaning of the
doctrines was not liable to any
doubt, because it was
ascertained by the apostles
themselves, if any teacher
taught differently from them,
and made a party in the church
in opposition to them, he must
have done these things contrary
to his conscience, either from
the love of money, or the lust
of power, or from an immoderate
propensity to sensual
pleasures.” — Macknight; who
observes further, “This method
of treating heretics is worthy
of attention; for the Spirit of
God doth not order heretics to
be banished, and their goods
confiscated; far less doth he
order them to be imprisoned,
tortured, and burned, if they
will not retract their errors.
He doth not even give allowance
to rail at or speak evil of
them. Such methods of treating
heretics never proceeded from
the college of the apostles, but
from the synagogue of Satan. To
disown a wicked man as a
Christian brother, and to avoid
all familiar society with him,
and to cast him out of the
church by a public sentence of
excommunication, is what the
church and every society hath a
right to do, agreeably to our
Lord’s rule, (Matthew 18:15;
Matthew 18:17,) and is all that
should be done in such a case.”
Verse 12
Titus 3:12. When I shall send
Artemas to thee, or Tychicus —
To succeed thee in thy office;
be diligent to come unto me —
Tychicus is often mentioned in
St. Paul’s epistles, but of
Artemas we know nothing: only
from this passage it appears
that he was a faithful and able
teacher, and fit to supply
Titus’s place in Crete. At
Nicopolis — There was a city of
this name in Macedonia, on the
confines of Thrace; also one in
Epirus, and another in Pontus.
The one in Epirus was built
opposite to Actium, and named
Nicopolis, or the city of
victory, in memory of the
victory which Augustus obtained
over Antony and Cleopatra. It is
probable that this was the
Nicopolis here referred to: many
think the Nicopolis in Macedonia
was intended. For I have
determined to winter there —
This manner of speaking shows
that the apostle was at liberty
when he wrote this epistle, and
consequently that it was written
in the interval between his
first and second imprisonment,
and not from Nicopolis; for he
was not there when he wrote it,
but only expected to be there by
and by. See the preface.
Verses 13-15
Titus 3:13-15. Bring — Or send
forward; Zenas the lawyer —
Zenas is mentioned in this
passage only, and called
νομικον, the lawyer, because,
according to Jerome’s
interpretation, which is also
that of Dr. Benson, he had
formerly been a teacher of the
law among the Jews; see Matthew
22:35, where the same
appellation is given to one of
that profession. He might
possibly, however, as others
think, be a Roman lawyer; and
Apollos — It is probable that
Zenas and Apollos were to pass
through Crete, either in their
way to the apostle, or to some
place whither he had sent them.
He therefore desired Titus to
help them forward on their
journey by supplying them with
such necessaries as they were in
want of, that they might not be
retarded. And let ours also —
All our brethren in Crete,
whether ministers or private
members of the church; learn —
By thy admonition and example;
to maintain good works — Works
of charity and bounty; for
necessary uses — For the relief
of the poor brethren, that they
may not want any necessary; that
they — The Cretian believers; be
not unfruitful — Unserviceable
to those among whom they dwell.
Perhaps, at some former period,
they had not assisted Zenas and
Apollos as they ought to have
done. Greet them that love us in
the faith — That is, for the
faith’s sake, and with such a
love as Christianity requires. |