Titus 2 English Standard
Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
Teach Sound Doctrine
2
But as for you, teach what accords with sound[a] doctrine. 2 Older men are to
be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in
steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not
slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so
train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be
self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own
husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger
men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of
good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech
that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having
nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves[b] are to be submissive to their own
masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not
pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour.
11 For the grace of God
has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and
godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing
of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for
us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his
own possession who are zealous for good works.
15
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one
disregard you.
The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series
The Appearance of the Grace
of God (2:11)
It
may seem strange to us to speak of God's grace "appearing." Pagans
used the term grace to signify divine or regal beneficence—something good done
by a god or king for those who could not do for themselves. For the Hebrew and
the Christian, however, the grace of God is the essence of God's covenant with
humankind. It signifies God's unmerited love. The language of verse 11 shows
that this grace culminated or found full expression in a particular event. But
what event does Paul mean?
The
verb appeared is a technical term for the manifestation or "epiphany"
of a god (or hero) to bring help. Paul (or his material) has borrowed this
concept to denote the "appearance" of Christ (2 Tim 1:10), and
elsewhere in these letters the term refers to the second, future
"appearance" of Christ (2:13; 1 Tim 6:14; 2 Tim 4:1; compare 2 Thess
2:8). It is this historical event that gives full expression to God's grace.
This
event, too, brought help. But the help associated with God's grace, salvation,
transcends any pagan notions of help or deliverance from physical calamity. It
is salvation from sin and sin's extensive, destructive results. Salvation is an
adjective in the Greek sentence which describes something intrinsic to grace:
God's grace is not simply beneficent in purpose, it means to save.
This
event is unique in another respect. In scope it is universal, reaching in some
way to all men. This does not mean that all people respond to the appearance of
Christ—to his birth, ministry, death and resurrection—with equal acceptance. In
fact, the change to us below (vv. 12, 14) implies the need for belief. But as a
means of salvation God's grace in Christ is offered to all. Compared with pagan
beliefs in patron gods who might deliver a city from crisis, the claims of
Christianity are startling.
Thus
Paul's logic begins with the event of Christ's incarnation and earthly
ministry. But his main point is yet to come
The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series
The Purpose of the
Appearance (2:12-13)
Without
a break in the Greek sentence, verse 12 gets right to the point. Christ
appeared to "teach" us to live a new life. Thus we might say that
"living" or "how to live" is God's curriculum. In this
respect, Christ (or God through the medium of his grace) followed a long line
of teachers. Moreover, Paul's material employs the Greek teaching model in this
description. In Greek thought, education (paideia; here the verbal form of this
term occurs) produces virtue. Paul makes good use of this model here, but while
maintaining contact with secular ideas, he describes the Christian counterpart
to virtue in a way that it is placed on an entirely different level.
1.
The new life and conversion (2:12). Part of the earliest gospel message was the
call to repent (Mk 1:15). It meant "to change the mind," to leave
behind an old way, a godless way, and turn to follow God. Paul's material here
uses a different word, "deny." But the thrust is the same. The
original language of this verse makes it clear that pursuit of the new life
below is actually contingent upon this denial. As the NIV interprets it, say
"No," this denial is to be final and almost vocal. Of course, if the
event of baptism lay behind this creed, it would indeed have been a vocal
pledge.
What
is to be denied if we are to pursue life? It is the way of this world.
Ungodliness is a general reference to all that is anti-God (3:3). Worldly
passions are the sinful impulses that express themselves through the body (1 Jn
2:15-16). Together these two expressions summarize the old life, the life
natural to the inhabitants of this world before they have the knowledge of God.
But
the appearance of Christ demands that the old way be abandoned. A conscious
choice of denial must be made. It is the first step in a new life.
2.
The new life (2:12). The goal of God's curriculum is the living of a new life.
After the old way has been abandoned, what then? If Christianity ended there,
it would consist of a life of avoidance. We could sum it up with a divine
"Thou shalt not." But the focus in this passage (and above in vv.
1-10) is actually on "being" or "living," and a far more
appropriate and positive summary is "Thou shalt."
As
we saw, the Greeks thought that education would lead to virtue. Now Paul
translates that into Christian thinking. His translation is really more of a
transliteration, for he describes the Christian's new life with three terms
that designated cardinal virtues in Greek ethics. In doing this he emphasizes
again that Christian conduct should be observable.
The
new life is described as self-controlled and upright. We have come across these
two terms already in the description of the lifestyle of the church leader
(1:8). "Self-control" was to be exercised over the impulses and
sensual desires common to human life (see discussion on 1 Tim 3:2).
"Uprightness" is a more general description of observable
"rightness" in all aspects of life.
If
only these two terms were used to describe the qualities of the new life, one
might get the idea that Christianity is acting a certain way, putting on an
acceptable performance. The third term, however, at least as Paul uses it,
takes us beyond that to show that true spirituality is meant. Godly, as a
description of life, brings together faith in or knowledge of God and its
visible outworking in life ("godliness," 1:1; see notes on 1 Tim
2:2). It is Paul's term for genuine Christianity. Consequently, the life to be
lived as a result of Christ's entrance into human history (v. 11) is not only
characterized by visible respectability but is also born of the knowledge of
God.
Further,
it is the antithesis of the old life. Formerly the values of the world shaped
life (v. 12), but now a new set of values and goals define life in Christ
(compare 3:3-4; Rom 6:20-22; 11:30-32; Gal 1:23; 4:8-9; Eph 2:1-22; 5:8; Col
1:21-22; 3:7-8; Philem 11; 1 Pet 2:10).
Finally,
the new life introduced by the appearance of Christ pertains to the present
time. Christianity or spirituality is not something that is unattainable or
something that is proper to life outside of this world. The time reference in
this present age focuses readers' attention on the now. Salvation may not be complete
(or completely realizable) until the return of Christ; but it has made possible
a new quality of life in this present age. With the Christian possibility goes
Christian responsibility to live fully engaged in this world.
The IVP New Testament
Commentary Series
The Significance of
Christ's Sacrifice (2:14)
The
identification of the God and Savior as Jesus Christ at the end of verse 13
leads to a discussion in verse 14 of the actual outworking of God's grace (v.
11). The language of this description was well known and would have immediately
struck a chord with the readers; Paul's material combines a saying of Jesus
(that the early church made good use of) with well-known citations from the Old
Testament, which together explain the significance of Christ's death for the
formation of God's people.
Verse
14 describes the death of Jesus Christ as an offering/sacrifice that was made
for those who could not make it themselves.
First,
the verb gave (and indeed the entire saying—who gave himself for us) portrays
Christ's death as a ritual offering made specifically to atone for sins (Rom
4:25; 8:32; compare Gal 1:4). Although here the traditional saying of Jesus is
attenuated (compare Mk 10:45; 1 Tim 2:6), the same thoughts are in mind.
Second,
the note of willingness is emphasized, for it is said that he gave himself.
Consequently, it cannot be said that Christ's death was an accident that took
him by surprise. This death had to occur; it was an intrinsic part of God's
plan of salvation (Acts 2:23).
Third,
the phrase for us reveals that this offering was both representative and
substitutionary. In giving himself as a sacrifice, the God-Man represented
sinful humans, almost as a modern-day attorney would take a case. Furthermore,
his death for us was a death rightly required of people; he stepped in as our
substitute and suffered what is rightfully our punishment for sins.
Christ's
redemptive death, understood in this way, is without question the ultimate
illustration of God's grace. The act originated in God's plan, was executed in
behalf of undeserving people and accomplished their salvation. But the theme of
Christian living that runs throughout Titus 2 suggests that Paul's focal point
in verse 14 is on the purpose or result of this event, which the following
clause introduces.
Consequently,
God's action in Christ purified a peculiar people of God. This idea goes back
to Exodus 19:5, where God's purpose in establishing a covenant with Israel is
revealed (Deut 7:6; 14:2; 28:18; compare Eph 1:14; 1 Pet 2:9). In response to
God's grace, the new people were to observe God's law (Deut 26:18). In New
Testament and Pauline terms this is translated into being "zealous for
good works." Salvation results in works of the Spirit (see notes on 1 Tim
2:10).
God's
grace (v. 11) in Christ's self-offering (v. 14) has established a special
people for God's own possession (v. 14). Set free from sin's bondage and
purified, they are able to pursue a manifestly new manner of life,
characterized by good works. From the interweaving of Old Testament citations
it is clear that the early church viewed itself as being continuous with
Israel, the true Israel, enjoying the fulfillment of God's Old Testament
promises to his people. Jesus' death is the decisive event in the fulfilling of
God's promise to create a special people for himself.
The Bible Panorama
Titus 2
V 1: TEACH TRUTH Titus must speak things which are
appropriate to sound teaching from God’s truth.
V 2–8: ALL AGES In a wide-ranging panorama of the
church, each age range of people is to be taught and exhorted to follow God’s
work and to honour Him in what they think and say.
V 9–10: SUBMISSIVE SLAVES Slaves are
to obey their masters, without answering back, and show faithfulness that
adorns God’s Word.
V 11–14: GOD’S GRACE God’s grace has caused His salvation to be offered to all men. The evidence of acceptance of God’s offer is
a sober, holy, and righteous lifestyle, a looking for the appearing of the Lord
Jesus Christ, an appreciation of His redemptive death on the cross, and a
purity and zeal that mark His people out as different.
V 15: CONSISTENT CONDUCT In speaking, exhorting and rebuking with God’s authority, Titus is to
live in such a way that no one will despise him because of any lack of
correlation between his lifestyle and his teaching and preaching.
Dictionary of Bible
Themes
5847 enthusiasm
A
state of eagerness, leading to the
positive and committed performance of actions.
Enthusiasm for doing
good
1Pe
3:10-13 See also Tit 2:11-14
Enthusiasm for doing
evil
Jer
8:6 See also Mic 2:1-2; Zep 3:7
Enthusiasm for work
Pr
31:10-19 See also Pr 6:6-11; Pr 31:24,27
Enthusiasm for giving
2Co
9:2 See also 2Co 8:10-12; Gal 2:10
Enthusiasm for spiritual
gifts
1Co
14:12 See also 1Co 14:39
Enthusiasm for serving
God
2Co
8:16-17 See also 1Pe 5:2
8239
earnestness
An
attitude characterised by seriousness and commitment. Scripture commends
earnestness in believers’ attitudes towards God and in the concerns of the
gospel.
The significance of earnestness
In
repentance Joel 2:12 See also 1Sa 7:2-3; Rev 3:19
In
seeking God Jer 29:13 See also Ps 119:2; Heb 11:6
In
salvation Lk 13:24 See also Mt 7:24-27 pp Lk 6:47-49; Heb 2:3; Heb 6:11; Jas
1:22; Jas 2:14
In
love for God Dt 6:5 See also Mt 22:37 pp Mk 12:30 pp Lk 10:27
In
prayer 2Ch 7:14 See also Isa 62:6-7; Mt 6:5-6
In
trusting God Pr 3:5 See also Isa 26:3-4
In
spiritual progress Php 2:12-13 See also 1Co 9:24; Heb 12:1; 2Pe 1:5-11
In
serving God Mt 6:24 pp Lk 16:13 See also Dt 18:6-7; Lk 9:57-62; 1Co 12:31; 1Co
14:1; 2Ti 2:15
Examples of earnestness
In
seeking God Ps 63:1 See also 2Ch 15:15; Hos 5:15
In
prayer Ac 12:5 See also 1Th 3:10; Jas 5:17-18
In
evangelism 1Co 9:19-22 See also 1Th 2:2-9
In
Christian living Php 3:13-14 See also 1Co 9:25-27; 2Co 8:7-8
Regarding
personal needs Mt 9:18 pp Mk 5:22-23 pp Lk 8:41-42; Lk 7:4
Jesus
Christ’s own earnestness Mt 26:39 pp Mk 14:35 pp Lk 22:42 See also Jn 2:17; Jn
4:34
Earnest concern for the
people of God
For
Israel Lk 19:41; Ro 9:1-3 See also Ne 1:2-4; Isa 22:4; Isa 62:1; Jer 4:19-21;
Jer 8:21; Jer 9:1; Jer 13:17; La 3:48; Mic 1:8-9; Mt 23:37 pp Lk 13:34; Ro 10:1
For
the church 2Co 11:28-29 See also Ac 20:31; Ro 1:11; 2Co 2:4; 2Co 11:2-3; Gal
4:19-20; Col 1:24,28-29; Col 2:1; 1Th 2:17
Earnestness may be
misdirected
Ro
11:7 See also Ac 26:7
Yours
by His Grace,
Blair
Humphreys,
Southport, Merseyside, United Kingdom
No comments:
Post a Comment