Bibelkommentare

Ch. 2. The Apostolate; its Efficiency and its Sphere

1. sound doctrine] See on Titus 1:9, 1 Timothy 1:10.

1–3. What standard of holy living is to be maintained; first, for elder men and women

After these instructions to Titus for the appointment of presbyters and the repression of false teachers in chap. 1, St Paul proceeds to lay down for him the standard of Christian life (Titus 2:1), in old men (Titus 2:2), old women (Titus 2:3), young women (Titus 2:4-5), young men, including Titus himself (Titus 2:6-8), slaves (Titus 2:9-10); based on the gifts of God’s grace in Christ and the hope of God’s glory (Titus 2:11-14); this standard to be authoritatively maintained (Titus 2:15).

2. the aged men] Better, aged men; here of the ordinary life of the older men, as the comparative is used in 1 Timothy 5:1 ‘rebuke not an elder’; not ‘elders’ or ‘presbyters.’ St Paul is himself four or five years older than when he wrote to Philemon ‘being such an one as Paul the aged’ (Titus 2:9).

sober, grave, temperate] Render sober, grave, pure, in preference to R.V. ‘temperate, grave, sober-minded,’ which are too nearly allied in modern significance; R.V. has the restricted modern sense of ‘temperate’ here (of use in drink), when in Titus 1:8 it has been used in the large and proper sense. Bp Wordsworth for ‘grave’ suggests ‘reverend,’ ‘worshipful.’ ‘Sober’ in regard to ‘strong drink,’ see note on the word 1 Timothy 3:2; ‘grave’ in all ‘propriety of demeanour,’ see note on the corresponding substantive 1 Timothy 3:4; ‘pure’ in respect of ‘unclean thought and desire,’ see notes on the word 1 Timothy 3:2; below Titus 2:4.

sound in faith, in charity, in patience] The articles seem intentionally prominent, sound in their faith, their love, their patience; ‘these are recognised essentials of Christian character, but be careful that you have the real wholesome graces, without anything spurious or diseased.’ The article is used throughout the emphatic enumeration of these and other Christian virtues, 2 Peter 1:5-7, where R.V. translates with italics ‘in your temperance patience, &c. There ‘faith’ is the first and ‘love’ the last. The ‘patience’ is especially seen in tribulation, cf. Romans 12:12.

3. The aged women likewise] That aged women, not of any order of women corresponding to that of ‘elders’; though this exact word is used of such an order in the 11th Laodicean Canon, ‘those that are called elder women, to wit those that preside in the church, must not be ordained’; cf. Neander, Ch. Hist., iii. 305 sqq.; and in Apocryphal Acts and Martyrdom of Matthew, Tisch. Act, apocr. apost., p. 187. It undoubtedly arose later, based upon this passage, see note on 1 Timothy 5:3-16.

be in behaviour] Vulg. here ‘in habitu sancto,’ and in 1 Timothy 2:9 ‘in habitu ornato,’ but the Greek word here more properly corresponds to the classical sense of habitus ‘settled ways and bearing,’ (comp. ‘behaviour’), while the Greek word there fits its Low Latin sense ‘raiment’ (‘arrayment’), (comp. ‘riding habit’). The translation by the earlier English versions, Wiclif ‘habite,’ Tyndal, Cranmer ‘raiment,’ makes it likely that the sense of the Vulgate was the later sense of ‘habitus’ and therefore here inadequate. R.V. rightly demeanour as covering more than the modern sense of ‘behaviour,’—Jerome’s ‘incessus, motus, vultus, sermo, silentium.’

as becometh holiness] One word, an adjective, in the Greek, for which R.V. gives reverent, Alford ‘reverend,’ with a difference of meaning intended, though ‘reverent’ had once the sense of ‘reverend,’ e.g. Homilies, p. 345, ‘partakers of his reverent Sacraments.’ But ‘reverent’ now implies ‘with a certain dignity of sacred decorum,’ to use Jerome’s words. ‘Reverend’ occurs in English Bible only in Psalm 111:9, ‘holy and reverend is his name,’ and 2Ma 15:12, ‘a virtuous and a good man, reverend in conversation.’

The Greek means literally ‘as becometh a sacred office,’ and, as the simple word and its derivatives are used especially of the priesthood, well expresses a reverential spirit of consecration, mindful of the Christian believer’s priesthood and its requirements. This passage and 1 Timothy 2:9 ‘that women adorn themselves … which becometh women professing godliness—through good works,’ taken with 1 Peter 2:9, ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,’ and Titus 2:14, ‘a people for his own possession, zealous of good works,’ seem to supplement and explain one another. The phrase finds full recent appropriation in Miss F. R. Havergal’s lines:

‘Keep my life, that it may be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Keep my feet, that they may be

Swift and ‘beautiful’ for Thee.

Keep my lips, that they may be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Keep myself, that I may be

Ever, only, all, for Thee.’

Who that has known the happiness of help for Christian living from the example and service of such an elder saintly woman among his own kinsfolk or acquaintance, but will bless St Paul as Founder and Patron, through the Holy Spirit his Inspirer, of the best women’s rights, although he ‘suffered not a woman to speak in the church’?

not false accusers] As 1 Timothy 3:11, A.V. and R.V., not slanderers; see note.

not given to much wine] Lit. with R.V. nor enslaved to much wine, cf. Romans 6:16-18, where however the Revisers leave the weaker ‘servants’; lit. ‘ye were enslaved to Righteousness.’ Cf. 2 Peter 2:19, ‘slaves of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome to the same is he also enslaved.’ The use of the word rendered ‘temperate’ in 1 Timothy 3:11 in conjunction with ‘not slanderers,’ and corresponding to our phrase here, defines its meaning in these Epistles as strictly literal—‘sober, as to strong drinks;’ see Titus 2:2.

This character of women generally for intemperance is satirised in Anthology, xi. 297, 1:

‘Mother, how is it thou lovest the wine

More than thou lovest this son of thine?’

And xi. 298, 1–5:

‘The thirsty boy begs mother for a draught;

But, like her sex, quite overcome with wine,

Still drinking deep and turning just her head,

“I can’t—’tis such a drop, dear laddie mine,

This flagon holds but thirty pints,” she said.’

teachers of good things] The only other N.T. compound with this word for ‘good,’ ‘fair,’ ‘beautiful’ is in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, ‘be not weary in well-doing.’ The adjective, used with ‘works,’ is specially characteristic of this Epistle; below Titus 2:7; Titus 2:14, Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14. The emphatic repetition in Titus 3:8 further shews that we are right in interpreting the compound here ‘teachers of good works.’ Compare the passages quoted above on ‘reverent.’ The contrast in these last four phrases of high calling and low falling is precisely parallel to that in 1 Timothy 3:2, and strictly in accord with the early Church history of grand saintliness and gross sin. It strengthens the argument for the literal meaning there of ‘husband of one wife.’

4, 5. The standard of holy living for young women

4. that they may teach the young women to be sober] A.V. ‘teach to be sober’ (i.e. pure) gives the full meaning of the verb, but not its grammatical force train in purity to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children. The verb has in Philo and other authors come to have hardly more than the force ‘school,’ ‘train,’ but surely St Paul is here restoring and raising it. The verb is only here, and the subst. only in 2 Timothy 1:7, where see note.

5. to be discreet, chaste] The ‘expulsive power of the new affection’ for husband and for child would lead them on best to be wholly pure (note above on Titus 2:2 and on 1 Timothy 3:2) in mind and spirit, and chaste in look, and word, and act.

keepers at home] Rather, we should read with R.V. workers at home, following ms. authority though with no support from the older versions. Vulg. ‘domus curam habentes.’ The word, which appears not to be found elsewhere, is formed similarly to the word for ‘malefactor,’ which in N.T. occurs only 2 Timothy 2:9, and Luke 23:32-33; Luke 23:39 : and to that used of the younger widows, 1 Timothy 5:13, ‘prying round into other people’s work.’ The verb occurs with the same variation of reading, Clem. Rom. ad Cor. 1. 1, the Alexandrine ms. reading ‘workers’ as here; ‘And ye taught them to be grave workers at home, keeping to the due limits of subjection, wholly pure minded;’ an evident reminiscence of this passage.

good, obedient to their own husbands] Vulg. excellently, ‘benignas,’ kindly, ‘amiable,’ ‘good,’ as we say ‘a good man is good to his beast’; so it is used evidently of masters towards slaves in union with ‘gentle,’ i.e. ‘considerate,’ 1 Peter 2:18, ‘in subjection to your masters, not only to the kindly and considerate, but also to the churlish.’ Render the next clause, which is identical in 1 Peter 3:1; 1 Peter 3:5, in subjection to their own husbands. This participial phrase is almost proverbial apparently at this time. The word and thought ‘subjection’ occurs prominently in Titus and St Peter; Titus 2:5; Titus 2:9; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:3; 1 Peter 2:18; 1 Peter 3:1; 1 Peter 3:5; 1 Peter 5:5.

that the word of God be not blasphemed] Better, be not evil spoken of; the word of God is here ‘the Gospel’ in the sense of ‘the Christian religion;’ in 1 Timothy 6:1 called ‘the name of God,’ and ‘the doctrine.’ For ‘the word of God’ cf. Revelation 1:2; Revelation 1:9; Revelation 6:9. St Paul’s earlier usage connects itself more with the preaching of the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 14:36; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Colossians 1:25. The clause belongs to the whole instruction. ‘If Christians profess to be influenced by a supernaturally strong and sacred motive, and then fail to do what lower and ordinary motives often succeed in effecting, the world charges the failure on the lofty motive itself, and Christ bears once again the sins of His people.’ Dr Reynolds.

6–8. The standard of holy living for young men

6. The younger women in Crete were to be placed under the guidance of elder women, though in Ephesus Timothy was himself to instruct them. The young men are to have the special care of Titus.

Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded] Rather, the younger men … pure minded. The verb occurs in Mark 5:15, Luke 8:35, of the ‘possessed of devils’ being restored to sound reason; and in Romans 12:3, 2 Corinthians 5:13, of sober, reasonable judgment; but here, from the context, and from the use of the cognate verb Titus 2:4 and its context, and of the corresponding adjectives, 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8; Titus 2:2; Titus 2:5, it seems limited to ‘purity of mind and spirit.’ In the somewhat similar exhortation to Timothy, 1 Timothy 5:22, the word is different, ‘keep thyself chaste,’ as above in Titus 2:5 ‘chaste’ is joined with ‘pure’. ‘Chaste’ is suitable there because sins, actual sins, are the contrast rather than an impure spirit and state of mind.

7. shewing thyself] The middle participle and the reflex pron. for emphasis; Winer, iii. 38, 6.

a pattern of good works] The simple word—our ‘type’—here with the thing, as in 1 Timothy 4:12 with the person. So the compound with the thing, 2 Timothy 1:13, with the person, 1 Timothy 1:16. The latter is the first rough model of the sculptor; the former, the model when worked over afterwards with care. So in the sister art, the compound (1 Peter 2:21) and the simple word (whence our ‘graphic’) are the ‘pencil drawing’ and the ‘painting.’ See Bp Lightfoot on Clem. Rom. ad Cor. 1. 5, ‘the greatest example of patience.’

The phrase ‘good works’ is perhaps the most striking of the characteristic phrases of the Epistle. See note on Titus 2:3 and on 1 Timothy 6:18. Its exact force in St Paul’s mind seems to be an echo of Matthew 5:16, ‘let your light shine … that they may see your good works (kalos) and glorify your Father.’ The word kalos is ‘good to view as well as good within,’ agathos, ‘good in itself.’ Hence the two are joined to describe ‘a gentleman.’ The Christian religion was felt to be by this time on its trial before the world, and its works must be ‘fair and white’ in the fierce light of ill-wishing scrutiny, which ‘blackens every blot.’

in doctrine shewing uncorruptness] ‘Shewing’ is to be supplied from ‘shewing thyself’ as a second clause; again, the doctrine, as 1 Timothy 1:10, &c.

‘Uncorruptness’ joined with ‘gravity’ points to the absence of corruption ‘from the intrusion of a lower motive’ in the teacher; ‘with no doubtful motive and no doubtful manner.’ For this sense of ‘uncorruptness’ compare 1 Timothy 6:5, ‘men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, whose motive in religion is gain.’ For ‘gravity’ as before compare 1 Timothy 2:2. The word rendered ‘sincerity’ in A.V. should be omitted from lack of ms. authority.