聖書注解書

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

The faith of God’s elect — Not the election of God’s faithful ones, as the Arminians make it.

And the knowledge of the truth — It is usual with St Paul in the beginning of his Epistles, to utter much in few, and to set down the sum of the whole gospel, as here he doth justification, sanctification, and the hope of salvation, and all by the acknowledging of the truth. This Epistle is called the abridgment of all St Paul’s Epistles; but especially of those two to Timothy, whom he more largely instructeth in point of Church government, because a younger man than Titus, and not so well exercised in ecclesiastical affairs. (Estius.)

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In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

God that cannot lie — The word of promise binds God; therefore it seems, saith one, that it is stronger than God; for he can as soon deny himself as his promise.

Promised — That is, purposed, as2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 1:9 , or decreed to promise, or promised to Christ, or promised to our first parents from the beginning of ages, ante multa saecula, so some sense it.

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But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Manifested his word — As when he said plainly, "He that believeth in the Son hath eternal life."

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To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Common faith — Common to the communion of saints, Titus 1:1 , and to them proper and peculiar; for all men have not faith, 2 Thessalonians 3:2 . Or common, that is, Symbolo Apostolico comprehensum, saith one, contained in the Apostle’s Creed.

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For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Set in order — Gr. επιδιορθωση , conficias, set straight, or make up the things that I left unfinished. Straighten the things that grow crooked in the Church,

In every city — Crete had a hundred cities, and was therefore called εκατομπολις ; as Thebes had a hundred gates, and was therefore called εκατομπυλος

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If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

The husband of one wife — Here the apostle canonizeth, saith Scultetus, the marriage of ministers.

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For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

A bishop must be blameless — As was Moses, Samuel, Paul, Bradford, Bucer, …, who led convincing lives; so that their foes could not in anything stain them, nor their friends sufficiently commend them. It is better, saith one, to live so as thine enemies may be amazed at thy virtues than that thy friends should have cause to excuse thy vices.

Not soon angry — οργιλος , biliosus et bellicosus, testy and tetchy, easily blown up into rage, that will not be laid down without revenge.

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But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Temperate — εγκρατης . No slave to his fleshly appetite, but one that can master himself and give laws to his lusts. See my Commonplace of Abstinence.

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