Titus
2New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Duties
of the Older and Younger
2
But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. 2 Older
men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in
[a]perseverance.
3
Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behaviour, not malicious
gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may
[b]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5
to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own
husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonoured.
6
Likewise urge the young men to be [c]sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to
be an example of good deeds, with [d]purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in
speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame,
having nothing bad to say about us.
9
Urge bond-slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be
well-pleasing, not [e]argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good
faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in every respect.
11
For the grace of God has appeared, [f]bringing salvation to all men, 12
[g]instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly,
righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and
the appearing of the glory of [h]our great God and Saviour, Christ Jesus, 14
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for
Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
15
These things speak and exhort and reprove with all [i]authority. Let no one
disregard you.
The
IVP New Testament Commentary Series
The
Sound Doctrine and Social Ethics (2:1)
Christian
ethics and the Christian message are meant to be inseparably and harmoniously
related. Paul's command in verse 1 binds Titus to this principle. He does so
because the opponents had rejected the message and perverted the concept of a
Christian way of life.
Sound
doctrine, the approved teaching of the Christian faith which produces spiritual
health, is the immovable foundation of the Christian life. What is taught about
Christian living must be in accord with (or correspond to) it. Paul measures
this in two ways.
First,
the Christian message is the source of the real Christian life. It is salvation
through Christ that has introduced this new manner of life (2:12). Without the
message there can be no Christian ethics. Consequently, many of the terms that
describe aspects of godly living in verses 2-10 represent the possibilities of
belief and in principle do not have their beginning in human effort. Here
Christian and secular "respectability" part ways.
Second,
the Christian manner of life accords with the Christian message by serving its
missionary purpose. It adorns the gospel and makes it attractive to those who
look on (2:5, 8, 10).
This
opening command is therefore not simply a transition to bring the readers from
1:16 to the practical teaching of 2:2. Rather, it reminds Titus and Christian
teachers that Christian ethics to be Christian must emerge from, correspond to
and serve the message of the Scriptures. Furthermore, every believer's lifestyle
must be subjected to the test of biblical principles; the alternative is to
allow our lives to be shaped and approved by a value system that is opposed to
God's.
The
Basis of Godly Conduct (2:11-15)
It
might be asked, Why should Christians pursue this respectable and dignified
life? Surely God's people should turn from sin; but what warrant is there for
endorsing such a mundane form of respectability? Actually, it is not mundane at
all, if it is properly understood. It is a part of God's plan. This is what
Paul meant to prove in this passage.
The
language of this text, especially verses 11-14, is majestic and somewhat
allusive. Content, tone and form suggest the passage was probably originally
constructed for a baptismal service. Its use of terms that were widely popular
made it applicable in this context in which Paul seeks contact with the
outsider. But despite these points of contact, the theological basis for the
new life that Paul establishes places this life into an entirely different
category.
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 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
7797 teaching
The apostles’teaching formed the basis of the instruction given to the
first Christians. Parts of the NT draw a distinction between preaching and
teaching, seeing the former as a means of converting individuals, and the
latter as a means of instructing them after conversion.
The importance of teaching
Ecc 12:11-12 “goads” prod the sluggish to action, while “embedded nails”
furnish a kind of mental anchorage. “Shepherd” is almost certainly a reference
to God himself. See also Pr 1:8-9; Pr 3:1-2; Pr 4:1-4; Pr 6:20-23; Mt 5:19; 1Co
14:6; 2Ti 4:2-3
Teaching given by parents
Pr 22:6 See also Dt 6:6-9; Dt 11:18-19; Eph 6:1-4
The apostles’teaching
Ac 2:42; Tit 1:9 See also Mt 28:19-20; Ro 6:17; Ro 16:17; 1Th 4:8; 2Th
2:15; 1Ti 1:10-11; 1Ti 4:6; 1Ti 6:3; 2Ti 1:13-14; 2Ti 4:3; Tit 2:1
The gift of teaching in the church
Ro 12:7 See also 1Ti 4:13-14
Ways of teaching believers
Through example 1Th 1:5-6 See also 1Co 4:17; 1Co 11:1; Php 4:9; 1Th
2:14; 2Ti 3:10; Tit 2:3-7
Through dialogue with the teacher Ac 20:7; Ac 19:8-9
Through explanation of ceremonies Ex 12:26-27; Ex 13:14-16
Through proverbs Pr 1:1-6,20-28
Through the law Dt 6:6-9; Dt 11:18-19; Dt 27:1-26; Ps 78:5-8
Through mutual edification Col 3:16 See also Ro 15:14; 1Th 5:11; Heb
5:12
Through the instruction of different groups within the church Eph
5:22-6:9; Col 3:18-4:1; Tit 2:1-10; 1Pe 2:18-3:7; 1Pe 5:1-5
The distinction between teaching and preaching
Ac 15:35 See also Mt 4:23; Mt 9:35; Mt 11:1; Lk 20:1; Ac 4:2; Ac 5:42;
Ac 28:31
Examples of major themes taught in the NT church
Righteousness from God through faith in Jesus Christ Ro 3:21-22 See also
Gal 2:20-21
Freedom in Christ from the demands of the law Gal 5:1-3
The humility of Jesus Christ Php 2:5-8 See also Heb 13:12-13
The supremacy of Jesus Christ Col 1:18
The superiority of Jesus Christ Heb 3:3 Hebrews also shows Jesus Christ
to be superior to the angels, the high priest and the sacrifices.
Godly behaviour Eph 4:22-24 See also Ro 12:1-2; 1Ti 6:1-2
Dictionary of Bible Themes
8166 theology
The study of God, as he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ and in
Scripture.
Theology is based on God’s self-revelation
2Ti 3:15-17 See also Ps 1:1-3; Ro 1:1-3; Ro 15:4; 1Co 15:1-4; 2Pe 1:19
The benefits of theology
A concern for right teaching in the church Tit 2:1 See also Heb 6:1-3
A deepened understanding of God Ps 119:169 See also Ps 119:24; Ro 15:4;
2Ti 3:14-16
Spiritual illumination Ps 119:130 See also Ps 119:105; 2Pe 1:19; 1Jn 2:8
Access to the truth Ps 33:4 See also Ps 119:43,160; Col 1:3-6; Rev 21:5
An inspiration to meditation and praise Ps 119:15-16 See also Jos 1:8;
Ps 48:9; Ps 56:4,10; Ps 119:27,97-98,148; Ps 143:5
A life of obedience and holiness Ps 119:9-11; Mt 7:24-27; Lk 11:28; Jn
14:15; Jn 17:6; 2Ti 3:16-17; Jas 1:22
Yours by His Grace, for the sake
of His Gospel and His Kingdom
Blair Humphreys
Southport, Merseyside, England
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