Bibelkommentare

CHAPTER 2

Titus 2:3. ἐν καταστήματι] For this F G, without reason, have κατασχήματι.

Some MSS. (C H** al.) have the reading ἱεροπρεπεῖ; Vulg.: in habitu sancto, which gives a good enough meaning, but must, however, be regarded as a mere correction; see Reiche on the passage.

μὴ οἴνῳ] A C א 73, al., have the reading μηδέ for μή.

Titus 2:4. For the Rec. σωφρονίζωσιν, supported by C D E K L, σωφρονίζουσιν is read by A F G H א, al. (Lachm. Tisch.). The conjunctive seems to be a correction, because the indicative contradicts the force of the ἵνα; but also in 1 Corinthians 4:6, Galatians 4:17, it stands after ἵνα. In these passages, however, Meyer explains ἵνα as equivalent to ubi; comp. Winer, pp. 272 f. [E. T. p. 363], and Buttm. p. 202. As in later post-apostolic times, the construction with the indic. was not unusual; σωφρονίζουσιν is possibly to be ascribed to a later copyist.

Titus 2:5. Instead of the word οἰκουρούς (Rec. supported by D*** H J K, the cursives, Fathers, and versions), which occurs frequently in classic Greek, A C D* E F G א have the word οἰκουργούς (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch.), which is not used elsewhere. Matthies declares this to be a lectio vitiosa et inepta; so Reiche. De Wette thinks it an error in copying, as the word does not occur elsewhere. This certainly is possible, and yet it is strange that it should have such weighty testimony. Matthaei thinks that the scribae istorum sex codicum were so very barbari that the word οἰκουρός was unknown to them; but that is hardly conceivable.

Titus 2:7. The Rec. ἀδιαφθορίαν (D*** E* L, al., Chrys.) is to be exchanged for the reading ἀφθορίαν (A C D* E* K א, al., Lachm. Buttm. Tisch.), though Reiche seeks to prove from the meaning of two substantives not used elsewhere that the Rec. should be preferred. As the adj. ἀδιάφθορος frequently occurs, and ἄφθορος but seldom, we may readily suppose that the Rec. was a correction in keeping with the more usual adjective.

After σεμνότητα, D** E, gr. 23, 44, and many other cursives, etc., have the word ἀφθαρσίαν; but the weightest authorities are against its genuineness, A C D* (E apud Mill) F G 47, al., Syr. Erp. Copt. Aeth. Vulg. It. etc.

Titus 2:8. περὶ ἡμῶν] so Griesb. Scholz, Tisch., supported by C D E F G K L P א 17, 23, al., many versions and Fathers. Lachm. retained the common reading.

Both readings give a good sense, but the testimony assigns the preference to ἡμῶν. Matthies wrongly says that A C D E F G have the reading ὑμῶν.

Titus 2:9. Instead of ἰδίοις δεσπόταις (Tisch. 8, on the authority of C F G K L א), Lachm. (so, too, Tisch. 7) reads δεσπόταις ἰδίοις, on the authority of A D E 27, al., Vulg. It. Jerome, Ambrosiast. al.

Titus 2:10. For μή, the correction μηδέ is found in D F G, al., 17.

πᾶσαν πίστιν] for πίστιν πᾶσαν (Tisch. 7). This is read by Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8, on the authority of A C D E א 31, 37, al., Vulg. Clar. Germ. Jerome, Ambrosiast.

After διδασκαλίαν Griesb. inserted τήν, with the support of the weightiest authorities, A C D E F G I א, al., Chrys. Theodor.

Titus 2:11. Instead of ἡ σωτήριος (Tisch. 7), σωτήριος, without the article, has been adopted by Lachm. Buttm. Tisch. 8, on the authority of A* C* D א, Syr. utr. The reading: τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, found in F G, Copt. Aeth. al., must have arisen from Titus 2:10; still א has σωτῆρος.

Titus 2:13. Tisch. 7 reads Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, with the support of most MSS. the other hand, Tisch. 8 reads Χριστοῦ Ιησοῦ.

Titus 2:1. Instructions to Timothy how he is to exhort the various members of families, down to Titus 2:10.

σὺ δέ] see 2 Timothy 3:10; 2 Timothy 4:5. A contrast with the heretics, not, however, as Chrysostom puts it: αὐτοί εἰσιν ἀκάθαρτοι· ἀλλὰ μὴ τούτων ἕνεκεν σιγήσῃς. It is with regard to their unseemly doctrine that Paul says: σὺ δὲ λάλει ἃ πρέπει τῇ ὑγιαιν. διδασκαλίᾳ. In contrast with their μῦθοι and ἐντολαὶ ἀνθρώπων, Titus is to speak things in harmony with sound doctrine, by which are meant not so much the doctrines of the gospel themselves, as the commands founded on them, Titus 2:3 ff. (Wiesinger). On τῇ ὑγ. διδ., see Titus 1:9.

Titus 2:2. The members of the family are distinguished according to age and sex. First, we have πρεσβύτας, which is not equivalent to πρεσβυτέρους, the official name, but denotes age simply: senes aetate; Philemon 1:9; Luke 1:18.

νηφαλίους εἶναι] The accusative does not depend on a word understood such as παρακάλει, but is an object accusative to the verb preceding λάλει ἃ πρέπει: “viz. that the old men be νηφάλιοι.”

νηφαλίους] see 1 Timothy 3:2.

σεμνούς] see 1 Timothy 2:2.

σώφρονας] Titus 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:2.

ὑγιαίνοντας τῇ πίστει, τῇ ἀγάπῃ, τῇ ὑπομονῇ] On the use of the dative here, for which in Titus 1:13 there stands the preposition ἐν, see Winer, p. 204 [E. T. p. 272]; it is to be explained as equivalent to “in respect of, in regard to.”

To πίστις and ἀγάπη, the cardinal virtues of the Christian life, ὑπομονή (quasi utriusque condimentum, Calvin) is added, the stedfastness which no sufferings can shake. All three conceptions are found together also in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ἡ ὑπομονὴ τῆς ἐλπίδος); ὑπομ. and πίστις in 2 Thessalonians 1:4; ἀγ. καὶ ὑπομ., 2 Thessalonians 3:5; comp. also 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 3:10.

Titus 2:3. ΙΙρεσβύτιδας (“the aged women” = πρεσβύτεραι in 1 Timothy 5:2) ὡσαύτως (see 1 Timothy 2:9) ἐν καταστήματι ἱεροπρεπεῖς] κατάστημα is taken in too narrow a sense, only of the clothing (Oecumenius: τὰ περιβόλαια). It denotes the entire external deportment; Jerome: ut ipse earum incessus et motus, vultus, sermo, silentium, quandam decoris sacri praeferant dignitatem. Heydenreich, on the other hand, makes the conception too wide, when he includes under it the temper of mind.

ἱεροπρεπεῖς] (ἅπ. λεγ.) is equivalent to καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, Ephesians 5:3; comp. also 1 Timothy 2:10. Luther rightly: “that they behave themselves as becometh saints.”

μὴ διαβόλους] see 1 Timothy 3:11.

μὴ οἴνῳ πολλῷ δεδουλωμένας is equivalent to μὴ οἴν. π. προσέχοντας in 1 Timothy 3:8.

καλοδιδασκάλους] (ἅπ. λεγ.) Beza: “honestatis magistrae; agitur hic de domestica disciplina;” but not so much by example as by exhortation and teaching, as appears from what follows.

Titus 2:4-5. Ἵνα σωφρονίζωσι τὰς νέας κ.τ.λ.] Since σωφρονίζειν must necessarily have an object, τὰς νέας κ.τ.λ. should not, like πρεσβύτας υηφαλίους εἶναι, Titus 2:2, and πρεσβύτιδας, Titus 2:3, be joined with λάλει, Titus 2:1 (Hofmann), but with σωφρονίζουσιν, so that the exhortations given to the young women are to proceed from the older women.

σωφρονίζειν] (ἅπ. λεγ.) is properly “bring some one to σωφροσύνη,” then “amend,” viz. by punishment; it also occurs in the sense of “punish, chastise;” it is synonymous with νουθετεῖν. According to Beza, it expresses opposition to the juvenilis lascivia et alia ejus aetatis ac sexus vitia.

The aim of the ΣΩΦΡΟΝΊΖΕΙΝ is given in the next words: ΦΙΛΆΝΔΡΟΥς (ἍΠ. ΛΕΓ.) ΕἾΝΑΙ, ΦΙΛΟΤΈΚΝΟΥς (ἍΠ. ΛΕΓ.) These two ideas are suitably placed first, as pointing to the first and most obvious circumstances of the ΝΈΑΙ.

Titus 2:5. ΣΏΦΡΟΝΑς ἉΓΝΆς] The latter is to be taken here not in the general sense of “blameless,” but in the more special sense of “chaste” (Wiesinger).

ΟἸΚΟΥΡΟΎς (Rec.); Wahl rightly: “ex οἶκος et ΟὖΡΟς custos: custos domus, de feminis, quae domi se continent neque ΠΕΡΙΈΡΧΟΝΤΑΙ, 1 Timothy 5:13.” Vulgate: domus curam habentes; Luther: “domestic.” The word ΟἸΚΟΥΡΓΟΎς (read by Tischendorf, see critical remarks) does not occur elsewhere; if it be genuine, it must mean “working in the house” (Alford: “workers at home”), which, indeed, does not agree with the formation of the word. The word οἰκουργεῖν occurring in later Greek means: “make a house;” see Pape, s.v.

Chrysostom: Ἡ ΟἸΚΟΥῸς ΓΥΝῊ ΚΑῚ ΣΏΦΡΩΝ ἜΣΤΑΙ· Ἡ ΟἸΚΟΥΡῸς ΚΑῚ ΟἸΚΟΝΟΜΙΚΉ· ΟὔΤΕ ΠΕΡῚ ΤΡΥΦῊΝ, ΟὔΤΕ ΠΕΡῚ ἘΞΌΔΟΥς ἈΚΑΊΡΟΥς, ΟὔΤΕ ΠΕΡῚ ἌΛΛΩΝ ΤῶΝ ΤΟΙΟΎΤΩΝ ἈΣΧΟΛΗΘΉΣΕΤΑΙ.

ἈΓΑΘΆς] is rightly taken by almost all as an independent epithet: “kindly.” Some expositors, however, connect it with ΟἸΚΟΥΡΟΎς (so Theophylact, Oecumenius); but this is wrong, since ΟἸΚΟΥΡΟΎς is itself an adjective. Hofmann joins it with ΟἸΚΟΥΡΓΟΎς, and translates it “good housewives” (so Buttmann, in his edition of the N., T., has no comma between the two words); but where are the grounds for explaining ΟἸΚΟΥΡΓΟΎς to mean “housewives”?

ὑποτασσομένας τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν] On ΤΟῖς ἸΔΊΟΙς ἈΝΔΡ., comp. 1 Corinthians 7:2. The thought that wives are to be subject to their husbands is often expressed in the N. T. in the same words, comp. Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1. It is to be noted that the apostle adds this ὙΠΟΤΑΣΣΟΜΈΝΑς after using ΦΙΛΆΝΔΡΟΥς. The one thing does not put an end to the other; on the contrary, neither quality is of the right kind unless it includes the other. How much weight was laid by the apostle on the ὙΠΟΤΆΣΣΕΣΘΑΙ may be seen from the words: ἽΝΑ ΜῊ Ὁ ΛΌΓΟς ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ ΒΛΑΣΦΗΜῆΤΑΙ, which are closely connected with ὙΠΟΤΑΣΣΟΜΈΝΑς Κ.Τ.Λ.; comp. Titus 2:10, where the same thought is expressed positively, and 1 Timothy 6:1. The apostolic preaching of freedom and equality in Christ might easily be applied in a fleshly sense for removing all natural subordination, and thus disgrace be brought on the word of God; hence the express warning. The remark of Chrysostom: ΕἸ ΣΥΜΒΑΊῌ ΓΥΝΑῖΚΑ ΠΙΣΤῊΝ ἈΠΊΣΤῼ ΣΥΝΟΙΚΟῦΣΑΝ, ΜῊ ΕἾΝΑΙ ἘΝΆΡΕΤΟΝ, Ἡ ΒΛΑΣΦΗΜΊΑ ἘΠῚ ΤῸΝ ΘΕῸΝ ΔΙΑΒΑΊΝΕΙΝ ΕἼΩΘΕΝ, is unsatisfactory, because the apostle’s words are thereby arbitrarily restricted to a relation which is quite special.

Titus 2:6. Τοὺς νεωτέρους] “the younger men;” not, as Matthies supposes, the younger members of the church, without distinction of sex.

ὡσαύτως] here, as in Titus 2:3, on account of the similarity of the exhortation.

παρακάλει σωφρονεῖν] equivalent to σώφρονας εἶναι, opposed to omnibus immoderatis affectibus (Beza). Hofmann: “The whole purport of the apostle’s exhortations is included by the apostle in the one word σωφρονεῖν, which therefore contains everything in which the moral influence of Christianity may be displayed.”

Titus 2:7-8. The exhortation by word is to be accompanied by the exhortation of example.

περὶ πάντα does not belong to what precedes, but begins a new sentence, and is put first for emphasis. ΙΙάντα is not masculine: “towards every one,” but neuter: “in regard to all things, in all points.”

σεαυτὸν παρεχόμενος τύπον καλῶν ἔργων] On the use of the middle παρέχεσθαι with the pronoun ἑαυτόν, “show himself,” see Winer, p. 242 [E. T. p. 322] (comp. Xenophon, Cyrop. viii. 1.39: παράδειγμα … τοίονδε ἑαυτὸν παρείχετο).

τύπον, “type,” is in the N. T. only found here with the genitive of the thing.

καλὰ ἔργα] 1 Timothy 5:10; an expression often occurring in the Pastoral Epistles.

ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ἀφθορίαν] This and the following accusatives are dependent on παρεχόμενος; see Colossians 4:1. Luther inaccurately: “with unadulterated doctrine, with sobriety,” etc.; Jerome: in doctrina, in integritate et castitate.

ἀφθορία, only in later Greek, is from ἄφθορος (in Artemidorus, ver. 2:95: de virginibus puerisque intactis et illibatis legitur; Reiche; Esther 2:2 : κοράσια ἄφθορα καλὰ τῷ εἴδει), which is equivalent to “chaste,” and therefore means “unstained chastity.” Ἀδιαφθορία (Rec.) is of more general signification; it is also used of virgin chastity (Artac. 26, Diodorus Siculus, i. 59), but denotes in general soundness, also especially incorruptibility. Older as well as more recent expositors (Heydenreich, Mack, Wiesinger) refer the word here to the disposition: “purity of disposition;”[1] but it is more in accordance with the context to understand by it something immediately connected with the ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΊΑ, to which ΣΕΜΝΌΤΗΤΑ also refers. Matthies, de Wette, and others refer it (as does Luther also) to the subject-matter of the doctrine; de Wette: “incorruptness in doctrine, i.e. unadulterated doctrine.” But in that case it would mean the same thing as the following λόγον ὑγιῆ; there is no justification for Bengel’s interpreting ἘΝ ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΊᾼ to mean public addresses, and λόγον the talk of daily intercourse. According to its original meaning, ἈΦΘΟΡΊΑ is most suitably taken to mean chastity in doctrine, which avoids everything not in harmony with its true subject and aim, and it has a special reference to the form (comp. 1 Corinthians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 2:3). So, too, van Oosterzee: “the form of the doctrine which Titus preaches is to be pure, chaste, free from everything that conflicts with the nature of the gospel”

ΣΕΜΝΌΤΗΤΑ, on the other hand, denotes dignity in the style of delivery. Both these things, the ἈΦΘΟΡΊΑ and the ΣΕΜΝΌΤΗς, were injured by the heretics in their ΛΟΓΟΜΑΧΊΑΙς.[2]

λόγον ὑγιῆ ἀκατάγνωστου (ἄπ. λεγ.) refers to the subject-matter of the doctrine: “sound, unblameable word,” in opposition to the corruptions made by the heretics.

The purpose is thus given: ἵνα ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐντραπῇ] ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας (ἅπ. λεγ.), qui ex adverso est; according to Chrysostom: ὁ διάβολος καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἐκείνῳ διακονούμενος; but the next words are against this interpretation. According to Titus 2:5 and 1 Timothy 6:1, it means the non-Christian opponent of the gospel, and not the Christian heretic (Heydenreich, Wiesinger).

ἐντραπῇ, “be ashamed, take shame to oneself;” 1 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:14. The reason for the shame is contained in the words: μηδὲν ἔχων περὶ ἡμῶν (or ὑμῶν) λέγειν φαῦλον] “having nothing wicked to say of us.”

If περὶ ἡμῶν be the correct reading, it is not to be limited to Titus and Paul, but should be taken more generally. With the reading ὑμῶν, on the other hand, the apostle’s words refer to Titus and the churches that follow his example.

[1] Reiche, who prefers the reading ἀδιαφθορίαν, agrees with the exposition of Erasmus: integritas animi nullis cupiditatibus corrupti, non ira non ambitione non avaritia.

[2] Hofmann wishes to refer both words to the subject-matter and form alike, and so, also, with λόγον ὑγιῆ; but we cannot see why in that case Paul does not specially name the latter.

Titus 2:9-10. Exhortation in regard to slaves.

δούλους ἰδίοις δεσποταῖς (or δεσποταῖς ἰδίοις) ὑποτάσσεσθαι] The construction shows that Paul is continuing the instructions which he gives to Timothy in regard to the various members of families, so that Titus 2:7-8 are parenthetical; παρακάλει is to be supplied from Titus 2:6. Heydenreich and Matthies wrongly make this verse dependent on Titus 2:1. The harder the lot of the slaves, and the more unendurable this might appear to the Christian slave conscious of his Christian dignity, the more necessary was it to impress upon him the ὑποτάσσεσθαι. Even this is not sufficient, and so Paul further adds: ἐν πᾶσιν εὐαρέστους εἶναι. Ἐν πᾶσιν, equivalent to “in all points” (Titus 2:7 : περὶ πάντα; Colossians 3:20; Colossians 3:22 : κατὰ πάντα), is usually joined with εὐαρέστους εἶναι; Hofmann, on the contrary, wishes to connect it with ὑποτάσσεσθαι. Both constructions are possible; still the usual one is to be preferred, because the very position of the slaves made it a matter of course that the ὑποτάσσεσθαι should be evinced in its full extent, whereas the same could not be said of εὐαρέστοι εἶναι, since that goes beyond the duty of ὑποτάσσεσθαι. The word εὔαρεστος occurs frequently in the Pauline Epistles, but only in speaking of the relation to God. The two first exhortations refer to general conduct; to these the apostle adds two special points: μὴ ἀντιλέγοντας and μὴ νοσφιζομένους. Hofmann is wrong in saying that μὴ ἀντιλέγοντας is the antithesis of εὐαρέστους. The conduct of slaves, which is well-pleasing to masters, includes more than refraining from contradiction. Van Oosterzee says not incorrectly: “It is not contradiction in particular instances, but the habitus that is here indicated.” Luther: “not contradicting.” The verb νοσφίζεσθαι is found only here and in Acts 5:2-3 : “not pilfering, defrauding.”

The next words: ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν πίστιν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀγαθήν (Luther: “but showing all good fidelity”), is in the first place opposed to μὴ νοσφιζομένους, but includes more than merely to abstain from defrauding (in opposition to Hofmann). As in Titus 2:5, so, too, here, where the maintenance of the natural duties of subordinates is under discussion, the apostle adds ἵνα τὴν διδασκαλίαν κ.τ.λ., except that the expression is now positive, whereas before it was negative; the thought is substantially the same.

ἡ διδασκαλία is equivalent to ὁ λόγος, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον.

τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμ. Θεοῦ] see 1 Timothy 1:1; not, as some expositors (Calvin, Wolf) think, Christ, but God.

κοσμῶσιν] “do honour to.”

ἐν πᾶσιν] Titus 2:9, “in all points,” not “with all, in the eyes of all” (Hofmann).

Chrysostom: οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ δόγματος δόγματα, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ πραγμάτων καὶ βίου τὰ δόγματα κρίνουσιν οἱ Ἕλληνες· ἒστωσανν ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ γυναῖκες καὶ δοῦλοι διδάσκαλοι διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἀναστροφῆς.