Titus chapter 2.......moral order by the grace of God
“But speak thou...” The second chapter opens with a contrast as to how true believers are to conduct themselves in thinking and behaviour. All groups in the church are addressed, beginning with Titus himself. Before he will teach others, he must have his own life in order. Instructions to Titus are in verse 1, his matter is to be sound; verses 7/8, his morality must be exemplary; verse15, his manner must be uncompromising. Paul had said something similar to Timothy(“Take heed to thyself and to the doctrine”). Ministers of the word have to be the living embodiment of their ministry. James put the brake on the tendency to clamour for the perceived glamour of public ministry, when he cautioned “My brethren, become not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment” James 3v1. With great spiritual work comes great accountability. He follows with examples of sound teaching as applied to older men/women; younger women/men; and slaves. Whatever the stage of growth/maturity, whatever the social status, God’s people are responsible to adjust their lives in line with the great salvation that is now theirs.
Verses 2-10
Aged men We do not outgrow the need for spiritual teaching, it is to be constant all throughout life. It is also true that younger men can teach those who are older; age is not necessarily a measure of maturity. Note the close link between sound doctrine and sound practice from verses 1-2. In the older men sound doctrine should produce character in line with the teaching as follows:
“Sober...” Greek “nephalious”....sober, vigilant, clear headed.
“Grave...” Greek “semnous”....dignified, worthy of respect, serious when necessary. Gravity should not be confused with gloominess.
“Temperate...” Greek “sophronos”....sensible self-controlled, not guilty of excesses.
“Sound in faith in love, in patience...” The word sound, when applied to the body means healthy, so applied spiritually means well in relation to God; we could translate it as “godly” and this in doctrine, and in love to others, and in perseverance in the face of problems.
Aged women Likewise they are to reflect godly features:
“Reverent...” In behaviour that which becomes what is sacred.
“Not false accusers....” Greek “diabolos”, malicious gossip with the intent of defaming someone is the trait of the devil. In the culture with women, especially older women, having more free time may have greater opportunity to indulge.
“Not given to much wine...” literally not enslaved to it; again may have been part of the culture. Godly women are to be moderate in this respect.
“Teachers of good things....” Rather than indulging in self gratification and indulgence, they are to be positively useful, using their longevity to advise the younger women of the better ways in life. A modern society has bought into the thinking that older people are a burden to society, and have past their usefulness. The bible knows nothing of this attitude and promotes the usefulness of older people by virtue of the superior life experience, and therefore wisdom they possess. The older women can be positively engaged in giving wisdom to the younger women. Denied a place of public teaching in the universal order of creation, women have a vital role to play in the training of the younger.
Younger women There are seven qualities listed for younger women. Their role, as we shall see, is pivotal in the church, as also in society.
“Sober...” self controlled, of sound mind. This word is repeated three times in the verses. Proverbs 16 v32 proclaims the virtue of self control in this way “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” It is to be the hallmark of every Christian.
“...to love their husbands” This is to be a permanent attribute (to be lovers of their husbands). This is against the culture in that day of arranged marriages, when the husband was the choice of the father and in some cases the wives had to learn to love their spouses. This is altogether different to our modern society when personal love decides the life partner. Western culture has a different perspective to Eastern culture in which the bible was written. The injunction is, however, relevant in western society where “free love” has become the order of the day.
“...to love their children” When the reality of children growing up in disobedience to parents becomes trying, love is ever to be the dominant factor.
“...discreet” similar word to sober in v4, but now more general in application. Previously discretion was to be seen in the family setting, now it is in all situations, and has in view testimony for God.
“...chaste” Pure, without wandering eyes, faithful to one man.
“...keepers at home” The main sphere of service is the home. The modern world opposes this as being down on women, but the contrary practice has done nothing to strengthen family ties, or society as a whole. The idea is not so much the drudgery of the home, but the noble occupation of homemaking to create a healthy environment for family life.
“...good” According to Vine’s dictionary, this word agathos describes that which is intrinsically good, and has a beneficial effect on others. Since only God is good, it is the sharing with others of His goodness, and therefore could be translated godly.
“...obedient to their own husbands.” The idea of subjection does not infer inferiority, rather reflects the different roles by men and women in the ordered arrangement of things called the Cosmos (the universe). Christ subjected Himself to God, although equal with God in every sense. He subjected Himself, (and will yet do) in the Divine order as Saviour of humanity. It is a matter of role, not rank; in the beginning the woman was formed from the man and for the man, but came not from his head or his feet, but his heart.
The object of this godly behaviour in subjection and in godly occupation is so that the unbelieving world will not be hindered because of the ungodliness of the Christian. This is the first time godly living and godly order has been linked to outside testimony. The world will malign God’s word anyway, but it should not be from our bad example.
Younger men At first glance, very little is said to the younger men, but Titus being a younger man himself, the details in verses 7-8 apply to all younger men. Once again another group is exhorted to be sober minded, discreet, sensible. Recognising their relative role in life, and the nature of the truth of God, they are to be level lifestyle and the public handling of the doctrine(yet again, practice and doctrine closely linked, the necessity of works and words to be commensurate).
Works “showing thyself a pattern of good works.” It should never be said of them as was said of the Pharisees, the spiritual actors of Jesus’ day, “they say and do not”. Younger men are to be a “pattern of good works”. Pattern is “tupos” a type, a brand, a stamp, a statue; all of these are in the word....our lives are to be an example of what a Christian should be. Rather than being contrary or argumentative or slanderous we are to be spreading the goodness of God around in tangible graces called good works.
Words “In doctrine uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned.” The doctrine is the body of teaching passed down to the church, and in the propagation of it there must be integrity. There is to be purity as to the content of doctrine and dignity as to the presentation of it. The word sincerity, being similar to uncorruptness, is omitted in the R.V. The result will be teaching that cannot be gainsaid either from a factual or aesthetic point of view.
The reality of public perception is large in Paul’s thinking in these exhortations, as we will see in the next address to slaves.
Slaves According to the historians, almost half the employees in the vast Roman Empire were slaves, indeed in general there were more slaves than freemen; there were therefore many slaves who were believers. The gospel was freely preached among the slave communities. However, as with others they were to bear a good testimony in their situation to the beauty of the doctrine which had saved them.
Subjecting; “to be obedient to their own masters and to please them well in all things.” This might seem superfluous since all should be subject to the paymasters (as grandmother would say “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”); but the word is “absolute masters”, reminding us a slave had no time of his own, no possessions of his own, no will of his own, no hope for any betterment save at the whim of the master, no opinion of his own that would be considered. It was in this context a slave was being asked to demonstrate Christianity, and this is the most difficult of all, yet they were to be exemplary for the sake of the Lord.
Serving “not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity”. The temptation to answer back must have been strong, especially when unreasonable demands were being made; the temptation to steal in a wealthy environment, when payment was mean and provision scanty, was great, and demanded almost superhuman qualities. In a situation like that Christianity can prosper, and if in that, it can prosper anywhere. Living out the godly life in these conditions was to “Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” The word for adorn is “kosmeo”, a word akin to kosmos, the word for the material universe in it’s proper orderly arrangement. What a wonderful thought that to live a life of godliness in whatever circumstance I am in, puts me in harmony with the entire universe as originally created in Divine perfection! To adorn the doctrine is to put it in it’s proper order, to garnish it, to beautify it, even in a fallen world. This is high ground indeed and it is the privilege of all including the poor slave!
In the case of the younger women, younger men, and slaves, the motivation for godly living is because of the testimony to the unconverted world. This is made clear in each case; in verse 5 concerning the younger women “that the word of God be not blasphemed,” For the younger men in verse 8 it is to be “sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” In connection with the servants in verse 10 “ that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” God wants His people to represent Him before an unbelieving world in word and in deed. The apostle, writing to the Corinthians in the 2nd epistle chapter 3v2 said “ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” The sceptical world is looking on and by our words and works we are to commend the gospel.
Verses 11 – 15
He now outlines the reasons why we are to live exemplary lives, and he does so by referring to the character of the age in which we live. This he does by referring to two glorious appearings, one at the beginning of this age, of the grace of God, and the second at the end of the age, of the appearing of the glory of God. Both these appearings refer to our Lord Jesus Christ and the word he uses for “appearing” is “epiphaneian” which refers not only to the fact of His appearing but the glory of it, the fanfare, the brightness, the beauty of it. His first appearing was in stark contrast to the ugliness of human behaviour and it was the beautiful appearing of the grace of God in Jesus Christ on this earth. His second appearing will be even more glorious and no one will miss it. He will return to this world in a blaze of glory and every eye shall see Him. The age in which we live began with the beautiful appearing of God’s grace in Jesus Christ and will end in His awesome appearing from heaven. In that context Paul’s burden for the believers at Crete was that during the time in between the two appearings, Gods people will live lives commensurate with the truth for which they stand.
The grace of God has brought salvation to the very doorstep of all men. There is not one living person who cannot be the recipient of God’s grace, that involves salvation past, present and future and ultimately will mean them living as God originally intended. The grace that has appeared to all men also teaches us His people. The word for “teaching” “teaching by discipline”; that is teaching us not merely in word but in the experience of life, and by the circumstances of life. It is not always considered so, but the grace of God is a mighty power that can change human lives. It is the only power that is greater than the power of sin. This is made clear in Romans chapter 5 where it says in verses 20-21 “But where sin abounded grace did much more abound; that as grace hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” The grace of God is not merely a doctrine, or a nice idea that is pleasing to the ears, it is a mighty power that has the ability to change us. It does so by bringing us through circumstances, a process which again is revealed in Romans 5 (v3-4). The grace of God denies us a certain life style, that is, one of ungodliness and worldly lusts but gives us the ability (which nothing else can) to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in the present world. Soberly........ self controlled within ourselves; righteously.......... just and fair dealings with our fellow man; godly.......lives lived in the sight of God. This present order of things will be disturbed by the return of Christ in power and great glory to establish forever a new order. This is called “the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
This glorious Saviour who will return to earth with great fanfare, is the same One who “gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” There are many aspects of His sacrifice for us, and what is being emphasised here is His redeeming us from all lawlessness, all rebellion, and purify us (cleanse us from all filthiness) in order that we might be a special people for Himself who seek to spread good all around. The particular reference to “iniquity” (lawlessness) is in contrast to the national characteristic of the Cretians who were said to be unruly (ch1v10). In ch1v6 it appears that even their children could be guilty of riotous behaviour. We all have to overcome the natural tendencies of the environment in which we were raised and it is this aspect of redemption that is being underlined here.
Titus is commanded to speak and exhort and rebuke concerning all these things with all authority He is to allow no man to despise him in his teaching.
“But speak thou...” The second chapter opens with a contrast as to how true believers are to conduct themselves in thinking and behaviour. All groups in the church are addressed, beginning with Titus himself. Before he will teach others, he must have his own life in order. Instructions to Titus are in verse 1, his matter is to be sound; verses 7/8, his morality must be exemplary; verse15, his manner must be uncompromising. Paul had said something similar to Timothy(“Take heed to thyself and to the doctrine”). Ministers of the word have to be the living embodiment of their ministry. James put the brake on the tendency to clamour for the perceived glamour of public ministry, when he cautioned “My brethren, become not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment” James 3v1. With great spiritual work comes great accountability. He follows with examples of sound teaching as applied to older men/women; younger women/men; and slaves. Whatever the stage of growth/maturity, whatever the social status, God’s people are responsible to adjust their lives in line with the great salvation that is now theirs.
Verses 2-10
Aged men We do not outgrow the need for spiritual teaching, it is to be constant all throughout life. It is also true that younger men can teach those who are older; age is not necessarily a measure of maturity. Note the close link between sound doctrine and sound practice from verses 1-2. In the older men sound doctrine should produce character in line with the teaching as follows:
“Sober...” Greek “nephalious”....sober, vigilant, clear headed.
“Grave...” Greek “semnous”....dignified, worthy of respect, serious when necessary. Gravity should not be confused with gloominess.
“Temperate...” Greek “sophronos”....sensible self-controlled, not guilty of excesses.
“Sound in faith in love, in patience...” The word sound, when applied to the body means healthy, so applied spiritually means well in relation to God; we could translate it as “godly” and this in doctrine, and in love to others, and in perseverance in the face of problems.
Aged women Likewise they are to reflect godly features:
“Reverent...” In behaviour that which becomes what is sacred.
“Not false accusers....” Greek “diabolos”, malicious gossip with the intent of defaming someone is the trait of the devil. In the culture with women, especially older women, having more free time may have greater opportunity to indulge.
“Not given to much wine...” literally not enslaved to it; again may have been part of the culture. Godly women are to be moderate in this respect.
“Teachers of good things....” Rather than indulging in self gratification and indulgence, they are to be positively useful, using their longevity to advise the younger women of the better ways in life. A modern society has bought into the thinking that older people are a burden to society, and have past their usefulness. The bible knows nothing of this attitude and promotes the usefulness of older people by virtue of the superior life experience, and therefore wisdom they possess. The older women can be positively engaged in giving wisdom to the younger women. Denied a place of public teaching in the universal order of creation, women have a vital role to play in the training of the younger.
Younger women There are seven qualities listed for younger women. Their role, as we shall see, is pivotal in the church, as also in society.
“Sober...” self controlled, of sound mind. This word is repeated three times in the verses. Proverbs 16 v32 proclaims the virtue of self control in this way “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” It is to be the hallmark of every Christian.
“...to love their husbands” This is to be a permanent attribute (to be lovers of their husbands). This is against the culture in that day of arranged marriages, when the husband was the choice of the father and in some cases the wives had to learn to love their spouses. This is altogether different to our modern society when personal love decides the life partner. Western culture has a different perspective to Eastern culture in which the bible was written. The injunction is, however, relevant in western society where “free love” has become the order of the day.
“...to love their children” When the reality of children growing up in disobedience to parents becomes trying, love is ever to be the dominant factor.
“...discreet” similar word to sober in v4, but now more general in application. Previously discretion was to be seen in the family setting, now it is in all situations, and has in view testimony for God.
“...chaste” Pure, without wandering eyes, faithful to one man.
“...keepers at home” The main sphere of service is the home. The modern world opposes this as being down on women, but the contrary practice has done nothing to strengthen family ties, or society as a whole. The idea is not so much the drudgery of the home, but the noble occupation of homemaking to create a healthy environment for family life.
“...good” According to Vine’s dictionary, this word agathos describes that which is intrinsically good, and has a beneficial effect on others. Since only God is good, it is the sharing with others of His goodness, and therefore could be translated godly.
“...obedient to their own husbands.” The idea of subjection does not infer inferiority, rather reflects the different roles by men and women in the ordered arrangement of things called the Cosmos (the universe). Christ subjected Himself to God, although equal with God in every sense. He subjected Himself, (and will yet do) in the Divine order as Saviour of humanity. It is a matter of role, not rank; in the beginning the woman was formed from the man and for the man, but came not from his head or his feet, but his heart.
The object of this godly behaviour in subjection and in godly occupation is so that the unbelieving world will not be hindered because of the ungodliness of the Christian. This is the first time godly living and godly order has been linked to outside testimony. The world will malign God’s word anyway, but it should not be from our bad example.
Younger men At first glance, very little is said to the younger men, but Titus being a younger man himself, the details in verses 7-8 apply to all younger men. Once again another group is exhorted to be sober minded, discreet, sensible. Recognising their relative role in life, and the nature of the truth of God, they are to be level lifestyle and the public handling of the doctrine(yet again, practice and doctrine closely linked, the necessity of works and words to be commensurate).
Works “showing thyself a pattern of good works.” It should never be said of them as was said of the Pharisees, the spiritual actors of Jesus’ day, “they say and do not”. Younger men are to be a “pattern of good works”. Pattern is “tupos” a type, a brand, a stamp, a statue; all of these are in the word....our lives are to be an example of what a Christian should be. Rather than being contrary or argumentative or slanderous we are to be spreading the goodness of God around in tangible graces called good works.
Words “In doctrine uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned.” The doctrine is the body of teaching passed down to the church, and in the propagation of it there must be integrity. There is to be purity as to the content of doctrine and dignity as to the presentation of it. The word sincerity, being similar to uncorruptness, is omitted in the R.V. The result will be teaching that cannot be gainsaid either from a factual or aesthetic point of view.
The reality of public perception is large in Paul’s thinking in these exhortations, as we will see in the next address to slaves.
Slaves According to the historians, almost half the employees in the vast Roman Empire were slaves, indeed in general there were more slaves than freemen; there were therefore many slaves who were believers. The gospel was freely preached among the slave communities. However, as with others they were to bear a good testimony in their situation to the beauty of the doctrine which had saved them.
Subjecting; “to be obedient to their own masters and to please them well in all things.” This might seem superfluous since all should be subject to the paymasters (as grandmother would say “don’t bite the hand that feeds you”); but the word is “absolute masters”, reminding us a slave had no time of his own, no possessions of his own, no will of his own, no hope for any betterment save at the whim of the master, no opinion of his own that would be considered. It was in this context a slave was being asked to demonstrate Christianity, and this is the most difficult of all, yet they were to be exemplary for the sake of the Lord.
Serving “not answering again, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity”. The temptation to answer back must have been strong, especially when unreasonable demands were being made; the temptation to steal in a wealthy environment, when payment was mean and provision scanty, was great, and demanded almost superhuman qualities. In a situation like that Christianity can prosper, and if in that, it can prosper anywhere. Living out the godly life in these conditions was to “Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” The word for adorn is “kosmeo”, a word akin to kosmos, the word for the material universe in it’s proper orderly arrangement. What a wonderful thought that to live a life of godliness in whatever circumstance I am in, puts me in harmony with the entire universe as originally created in Divine perfection! To adorn the doctrine is to put it in it’s proper order, to garnish it, to beautify it, even in a fallen world. This is high ground indeed and it is the privilege of all including the poor slave!
In the case of the younger women, younger men, and slaves, the motivation for godly living is because of the testimony to the unconverted world. This is made clear in each case; in verse 5 concerning the younger women “that the word of God be not blasphemed,” For the younger men in verse 8 it is to be “sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” In connection with the servants in verse 10 “ that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.” God wants His people to represent Him before an unbelieving world in word and in deed. The apostle, writing to the Corinthians in the 2nd epistle chapter 3v2 said “ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men.” The sceptical world is looking on and by our words and works we are to commend the gospel.
Verses 11 – 15
He now outlines the reasons why we are to live exemplary lives, and he does so by referring to the character of the age in which we live. This he does by referring to two glorious appearings, one at the beginning of this age, of the grace of God, and the second at the end of the age, of the appearing of the glory of God. Both these appearings refer to our Lord Jesus Christ and the word he uses for “appearing” is “epiphaneian” which refers not only to the fact of His appearing but the glory of it, the fanfare, the brightness, the beauty of it. His first appearing was in stark contrast to the ugliness of human behaviour and it was the beautiful appearing of the grace of God in Jesus Christ on this earth. His second appearing will be even more glorious and no one will miss it. He will return to this world in a blaze of glory and every eye shall see Him. The age in which we live began with the beautiful appearing of God’s grace in Jesus Christ and will end in His awesome appearing from heaven. In that context Paul’s burden for the believers at Crete was that during the time in between the two appearings, Gods people will live lives commensurate with the truth for which they stand.
The grace of God has brought salvation to the very doorstep of all men. There is not one living person who cannot be the recipient of God’s grace, that involves salvation past, present and future and ultimately will mean them living as God originally intended. The grace that has appeared to all men also teaches us His people. The word for “teaching” “teaching by discipline”; that is teaching us not merely in word but in the experience of life, and by the circumstances of life. It is not always considered so, but the grace of God is a mighty power that can change human lives. It is the only power that is greater than the power of sin. This is made clear in Romans chapter 5 where it says in verses 20-21 “But where sin abounded grace did much more abound; that as grace hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” The grace of God is not merely a doctrine, or a nice idea that is pleasing to the ears, it is a mighty power that has the ability to change us. It does so by bringing us through circumstances, a process which again is revealed in Romans 5 (v3-4). The grace of God denies us a certain life style, that is, one of ungodliness and worldly lusts but gives us the ability (which nothing else can) to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in the present world. Soberly........ self controlled within ourselves; righteously.......... just and fair dealings with our fellow man; godly.......lives lived in the sight of God. This present order of things will be disturbed by the return of Christ in power and great glory to establish forever a new order. This is called “the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
This glorious Saviour who will return to earth with great fanfare, is the same One who “gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” There are many aspects of His sacrifice for us, and what is being emphasised here is His redeeming us from all lawlessness, all rebellion, and purify us (cleanse us from all filthiness) in order that we might be a special people for Himself who seek to spread good all around. The particular reference to “iniquity” (lawlessness) is in contrast to the national characteristic of the Cretians who were said to be unruly (ch1v10). In ch1v6 it appears that even their children could be guilty of riotous behaviour. We all have to overcome the natural tendencies of the environment in which we were raised and it is this aspect of redemption that is being underlined here.
Titus is commanded to speak and exhort and rebuke concerning all these things with all authority He is to allow no man to despise him in his teaching.
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