Titus
ANNOTATIONS ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO TITUS
THE ARGUMENT AND ANALYSIS
In the Island of Creet (now Candie) the foundations of a Christian Church were laid, and the walls reared up: But the roof was wanting. Some abuses were reformed, but not all: In some cities there were godly pastors, but not so through the whole island. For which cause S. Paul left Titus there to supply what was lacking, and appoint Elders in every city; and to the end he might the better perform this task, he furnishes him in this Epistle with wise and godly directions, whereof
Some
Concern all Christians in general; as namely, To be subject to Principalities and Powers, to be zealous of good works, to study necessary and wholesome points of Doctrine, and avoid curious and unprofitable questions, Chap. 3.
Others concern certain men in particular, and these either Teachers,
Good, Chapter 1. from Verse 6. to the 10.
Bad, From Verse 10. to the end.
Or hearers whom he ranks according to their sex, into
Men.
Women.
Their age.
Young.
Old.
Their condition.
Masters.
Servants, Chap. 2.
CHAPTER 1
Vers. 1. {According to the faith} Either the doctrine of faith which the Elect of God have ever believed from the beginning; or according to the faith which was wrought in the Elect, and whereby they are led to the acknowledgment of the saving truth of Christian Religion.
V. 2. {in hope} Or, for hope.
{before the world began} Or, secular, or, everlasting times. See 2 Tim. 1.9. 1 Pet. 1.20.
V. 4. {own son} See 1 Tim. 1.2.
{common faith} That which before he called the faith of the Elect, he here calls the common faith: as Jude vers. 3. the common salvation, that is, the ordinary means of salvation, or the faith communicated to all the Elect through the whole world; or the faith common to me and you, for there is but one way of salvation, common both to the Pastor and the flock, to the father in Christ, as the Apostle was, and the son begotten by him in the Gospel, as Titus was.
V. 5. {left thee in Crete} Crete is an Island in the Mediterranean or Midland Sea, now called Candie; of which see Acts 2.11. & 27.7,12.
{set in order} Either to correct and amend what was done amiss, or farther to supply and perfect whatsoever was lacking of things behooveful to the Church.
{wanting} Or, left undone.
{ordain elders} Gr. appoint. That is, Pastors, one or more in all places, where there is a convenient number of the faithful.
{had appointed} Gr. gave order to.
V. 6. {If any be blameless} See 1 Tim. 3.2, &c.
V. 7. {a bishop} See Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.2.
{good men} Or, good things.
V. 9. {as he hath been taught} Or, in teaching.
{exhort} Gr. Tec. comfort those that are in affliction.
V. 11. {Whose mouths must be stopped} Either by solid confuting their errors, or by suspension and Ecclesiastical censures.
V. 12. {a Prophet of their own} Some will have this allegation to be taken out of Callimachus his hymn in praise of Jupiter; where the first part of this verse is found, but Callimachus was no Prophet of the Cretians: the Apostle therefore certainly means Epimenides, who himself was a Cretian, whose Poem is called a book of Oracles or Prophecies; among whom this whole Verse is found, viz. the Cretians are always lyers, that is, crafty companions, false in their words and deeds, as the Latin Proverb, Cretizare cum Cretensibus, declares: Evil beasts, that is, fierce, intractable, and dangerous to deal withal; and slow bellies, that is, given to sloth, and idleness, and luxurious gluttons. Which censure of the Cretians, the Apostle here confirms, not to discredit those Islanders, or blast their reputation, but to discover the maladies of that people to him, whom he there left as a Physician, to cure them by sound and wholesome doctrine.
V. 13. {sharply} Gr. cuttingly, touching them to the quick.
V. 14. {Not giving} See 1 Tim. 1.4.
{commandments of men} The Apostle forbids not simply to give heed to the commandments of men: for elsewhere he requires us to obey the lawful commands of our superiors in Church and Commonwealth: but to the traditions of those of the circumcision, whom he taxes, vers. 10. and generally of such men as walk not with a right foot to the Gospel; for it is not here said simply the commandments of men, but of such men as turn from the truth, and therefore we must turn from them.
V. 15. {Unto the pure all things} See Rom. 14.20. That is, all meats and other creatures of God. For the ceremonial Law of Moses which made a distinction of clean and unclean meats, being abrogated by the Gospel, the use of all those things is pure and holy to the faithful, being themselves pure, that is, cleansed by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by his Spirit; whereas on the contrary, the spiritual uncleanness of unbelievers makes, that the very things otherwise permitted by Moses, become unclean to them, Hag. 2.13.
{their mind and conscience is defiled} Impurity and uncleanness does not consist in the outward abstinence from any meats, or the eating of them, but it lies within the soul of man, and the faculties of the same, which are all of them unclean and defiled with sin in the unbelievers. Those two parts of man which may seem most pure and free from sin; viz. the mind, which retains yet some light of knowledge, and the conscience, that applies this light, to testify, discern, and judge of men’s actions good or evil; now by that inward and inbred corruption of ignorance and perverseness, is become impure to man, the former hindering the knowledge of the latter conformity to the will of God; by the former he tempts God, and by the other he offends and resists him so long as he continues in his unregenerate estate.
V. 16. {reprobate} Or, void of judgement.
CHAPTER 2
Vers. 1. {Speak thou} The doctrine of faithful Pastors must not only be generally pure and sound, but particularly and discreetly applied to all ages, and sexes, and callings, according to the diversity of circumstances.
V. 2. {sober} Or, vigilant.
V. 3. {holiness} Or, holy women.
{false accusers} Or, make-bates.
{given} Gr. subject; or, enslaved.
{to much wine} δεδουλωμένας signifies more than given to much wine, it implies as much as overcome or enslaved: whereby it appears, that as the men of Crete were given to their belly and luxurious feeding, chap. 1.12. so the women also were given to their palate and more liberal drinking of wine, even to distemper: an odious vice in men, but much more in women.
V. 4. {sober} Or, wise.
V. 5. {obedient} See Ephes. 5.23.
V. 6. {sober minded} Or, discreet.
V. 7. {A pattern of good works} A faithful Minister must preach the Gospel, as well in his life as in his Sermons: so S. Peter (Ep. 1. ch. 5. ver. 3.) requires the Elders to carry themselves, not as Lords over God’s inheritance, but as ensamples to the flock.
V. 9. {servants} See Ephes. 6.5. Coloss. 3.22. 1 Pet. 2.18.
{answering} Or, gain-saying.
V. 10. {adorn the doctrine of God} As the evil lives of professors is a great obloquy and blemish, so on the contrary, their godly conversation is a great honor and ornament to the Doctrine of the Gospel.
V. 11. {grace of God} The exceeding mercy and goodness of God: or the Doctrine of the grace of God, exhibited to us by Christ, and comprehended in the Gospel.
{that bringeth salvation, &c.} Or, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared.
{hath appeared} ἐπεφάνη illuxit, has clearly manifested itself; or shined forth as a light in the darkness of the shadows of the Old Testament, and of the ignorance of heathenism, Esa. 42.7.16,18. Acts 26.18. Rom. 13.12. Ephes. 5.8. 1 Pet. 2.9. 1 John 2.8.
{to all men} Without distinction of Nations, sex, age, or condition, 1 Tim. 2.4.
V. 12. {Denying ungodliness} That is, renouncing and forsaking them. Under the name of ungodliness he comprises all breaches of the first Table; under worldly lusts, all inordinate desires against the second: which are called worldly, both in respect of the object, because they are conversant about such things as belong to the present estate of this life and world, and in regard of the subject, viz. such lusts as are found and reign in worldly and unregenerate men, which are described, Ephes. 2.2,3. & 4.17,18,19. 1 Pet. 4.3. 1 Joh. 2.16.
{we should live soberly} As in the former words were comprised all the negative, so under these three adverbs all the affirmative precepts of the Law, which have a threefold reference: the first to ourselves, the second to our neighbor, the third to God. Soberly, in respect of ourselves; righteously, in respect of our neighbors, and holily or godly, in respect of God. Hæc tria perpetuò meditare adverbia Pauli,
Hæc tria sint vitæ regula sancta tuæ.
V. 13. {Looking} See 1 Cor. 1.7. Phil. 3.20.
{blessed hope} The blessed recompense of reward which we steadfastly hope for, everlasting life and glory, which we shall be fully possessed of at the second coming of Christ, which shall be with great majesty and glory, Col. 1.5.
{the great God} To the confutation and confusion of all that deny the Deity of Christ, the Apostle here calls him not only God, but the great God, that is, immense, and of infinite power: for as life when it is attributed to God, signifies immortality, and wealth all-sufficiency, and age eternity, and strength omnipotency, so greatness immensity.
V. 14. {redeem us from all iniquity} From the guilt, punishment and power of all sin.
{purify unto himself} Purify by faith in our justification, by charity and other graces of the Spirit in our sanctification: or, purify, that is, sanctify or consecrate to himself.
{a peculiar people} A people exempt and separate from the rest of the world, a people whom he receives into his special favor and protection, whom he esteems as his chief treasure and precious jewels. Mal. 3.17. 1 Pet. 2.9.
{zealous of good works} Not only careful to show forth good works, but bearing a fervent affection to them, and earnestly striving that none may outstrip or excel you in them.
CHAPTER 3
Vers. 1. {To be subject} Rom. 13.1. 1 Pet. 2.13.
{principalities and powers} Some conceive that there were divers in Crete and other parts who were infected with the doctrine of Judas Galileus, of whom Gamaliel speaks, Acts 5.37. who denied that any ought to be called Lords save God; and that the people of God ought to pay tribute to none: and for this cause the Apostle both here and elsewhere presses the doctrine of obedience to all civil Magistrates under the name of principalities and powers.
V. 2. {brawlers} Gr. fighters.
{all meekness} Though all sinners are not alike to be handled, but on some we are to have compassion, others to save with fear; pulling them out of the fire, Jude 23. yet the Ministers of God must do nothing in rage or passion, but with the spirit of meekness, showing all meekness to all men, Gentiles as well as Jews, enemies as well as friends, and that especially out of this consideration, that the best of Christians before their conversion were as bad as the worst of them whose carriage is most offensive to the Church, vers. 3.
V. 3. {we ourselves} 1 Cor. 6.11.
V. 4. {kindness and love} Or, pitie. See Chap. 2.11.
V. 5. {Not by, &c.} 2 Tim. 1.9.
{works of righteousness} That is, such as are done according to the Law of God, which is the rule of all righteousness: so that here all works are excluded from being meritorious causes of our salvation, not only the works of the Ceremonial Law, but also Moral; not only done before our conversion; but after; for here the mercy of God is set against all works done by us, and to it alone is our salvation ascribed.
{washing of regeneration} By the regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which is like unto a bath of water, whereby the filth of our sins is washed away and cleansed, Ezek. 36.25,26,27. whereof the font of Baptism is a sign and seal. See the like manner of speech, Rom. 4.11. 1 Pet. 3.21.
{and renewing of the Holy Ghost} The renewing, which the virtue of the Holy Ghost works, who applies the blood of Christ to the soul of the faithful, as the expiation for sins, whereupon a man is made a new creature, regenerated according to the image of God in righteousness and holiness.
V. 6. {abundantly} Gr. richly.
V. 8. {maintain good works} Gr. go before others, or, excel in good.
V. 9. {avoid foolish questions} 1 Tim. 1.4. 2 Tim. 2.23.
V. 10. {A man that is an heretick} An obstinate defender and spreader of erroneous doctrine, repugnant to the foundation of faith, and tending to the disturbing and distracting of the Church.
{after the first and second admonition} This word comprehends not only warning given by the Church, but instructions resolving of his doubts, clear refutations of his errors, friendly exhortations both in private and public.
{reject} Do not trouble yourself to dispute any more with him, for that were to cast holy things before dogs, Matt. 7.6. give no more ear to his replies, cavils, and objections, but according to your office excommunicate him, hold him for a profane person, and as a member cut off from the body of the Church, Rom. 16.17. 1 Cor. 5.13. Gal. 1.8,9. & 5.12. 2 Thess. 3.14.
V. 11. {is subverted} Quite desperate, perverted both in mind and will in things concerning the faith, like to a building that is broken down to the very foundation.
V. 11. {condemned of himself} Sins willfully and in a high degree, being convinced in his own conscience, that he shuts his eyes against the light, and resists and opposes the known truth.
V. 12. {to Nicopolis} A city in Macedonia, which had that name, as some affirm, given it from νίκη, and πόλις, because at that city, as S. Jerome writes, Augustus got a famous victory against Antony and Cleopatra.
V. 14. {maintain good works} Or, profess honest trades.