Titus 2:2-9
2. sober—Translated "vigilant," as sober men alone can be (1Ti 3:2). But "sober" here answers to "not given to wine," Tit 2:3; Tit 1:7.
grave—"dignified"; behaving with reverent propriety. temperate—"self-restrained"; "discreet" [ALFORD], (Tit 1:8; 1Ti 2:9). faith . . . charity [love] . . . patience—combined in 1Ti 6:11. "Faith, hope, charity" (1Co 13:13). "Patience," Greek, "enduring perseverance," is the attendant on, and is supported by, "hope" (1Co 13:7; 1Th 1:3). It is the grace which especially becomes old men, being the fruit of ripened experience derived from trials overcome (Ro 5:3).3. behaviour—"deportment."
as becometh holiness—"as becometh women consecrated to God" [WAHL]: being by our Christian calling priestesses unto God (Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10). "Observant of sacred decorum" [BENGEL]. not false accusers—not slanderers: a besetting sin of some elderly women. given to much wine—the besetting sin of the Cretans (Tit 1:12). Literally, "enslaved to much wine." Addiction to wine is slavery (Ro 6:16; 2Pe 2:19). teachers—in private: not in public (1Co 14:34; 1Ti 2:11, 12); influencing for good the younger women by precept and example.4. to be sober—Greek, "self-restrained," "discreet"; the same Greek as in Tit 2:2, "temperate." (But see on Tit 2:2; compare Note, 2Ti 1:7). ALFORD therefore translates, "That they school (admonish in their duty) the young women to be lovers of their husbands," &c. (the foundation of all domestic happiness). It was judicious that Titus, a young man, should admonish the young women, not directly, but through the older women.
5. keepers at home—as "guardians of the house," as the Greek expresses. The oldest manuscripts read, "Workers at home": active in household duties (Pr 7:11; 1Ti 5:13).
good—kind, beneficent (Mt 20:15; Ro 5:7; 1Pe 2:18). Not churlish and niggardly, but thrifty as housewives. obedient—rather "submissive," as the Greek is translated; (see on Eph 5:21, 22; Eph 5:24). their own—marking the duty of subjection which they owe them, as being their own husbands (Eph 5:22; Col 3:18). blasphemed—"evil spoken of." That no reproach may be cast on the Gospel, through the inconsistencies of its professors (Tit 2:8, 10; Ro 2:24; 1Ti 5:14; 6:1). "Unless we are virtuous, blasphemy will come through us to the faith" [THEOPHYLACT].6. Young—Greek, "The younger men."
sober-minded—self-restrained [ALFORD]. "Nothing is so hard at this age as to overcome pleasures and follies" [CHRYSOSTOM].7. In—with respect to all things.
thyself a pattern—though but a young man thyself. All teaching is useless unless the teacher's example confirm his word. in doctrine—in thy ministerial teaching (showing) uncorruptness, that is, untainted purity of motive on thy part (compare 2Co 11:3), so as to be "a pattern" to all. As "gravity," &c., refers to Titus himself, so "uncorruptness"; though, doubtless, uncorruptness of the doctrine will be sure to follow as a consequence of the Christian minister being of simple, uncorrupt integrity himself. gravity—dignified seriousness in setting forth the truth. sincerity—omitted in the oldest manuscripts.8. speech—discourse in public and private ministrations.
he that is of the contrary part—the adversary (Tit 1:9; 2Ti 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, 10; 1Ti 5:14; 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.9. servants—"slaves."
to please them well—"to give satisfaction" [ALFORD]. To be complaisant in everything; to have that zealous desire to gain the master's goodwill which will anticipate the master's wish and do even more than is required. The reason for the frequent recurrence of injunctions to slaves to subjection (Eph 6:5, &c.; Col 3:22; 1Ti 6:1, &c.; 1Pe 2:18) was, that in no rank was there more danger of the doctrine of the spiritual equality and freedom of Christians being misunderstood than in that of slaves. It was natural for the slave who had become a Christian, to forget his place and put himself on a social level with his master. Hence the charge for each to abide in the sphere in which he was when converted (1Co 7:20-24). not answering again—in contradiction to the master: so the Greek, "not contradicting" [WAHL].