Titus 1

Titus 1:1-99

ΠΡΟΣΤΙΤΟΝ

Chap. 1:1-4. Address and greeting.

1. The occurrence of δοῦλοςθεοῦ , not elsewhere found in the superscriptions of St. Paul’ s Epistles, is a mark of genuineness: a forger would have been sure to suit every expression of this kind to the well-known habits of the Apostle.

ἀπ . δέ ] δέ further defines— a servant of God,— this is general:— but a more particular designation also belongs to the present matter. κατὰπίστιν has been variously rendered: (1) ‘ according to the faith of,’ &c., so E. V., Luth., Matthies, al.: (2) similarly Calv., Beza, Aret., ‘ mutuus est inter meum apostolatum et fidem electorum Dei consensus:’ (3) ‘ so as to bring about faith in,’ &c.,— as De W., justifying it by κατὰτὴνληΐηνἐκπλώσαντες , Herod. ii. 152, κατὰθέανἥκειν , Thuc. vi. 31,— so also Thdrt. (ὥστεπιστεῦσαιτῆςἐκλογῆςἀξίους , Œ c. 2, Thl. 1, Jer., Grot., al., but see below). We may at once say that (1) and (2) are inadmissible, as setting up a standard which the Apostle would not have acknowledged for his Apostleship, and as not suiting ἐπίγνωσιν below, which also belongs to the κατά . Nor do the instances given to justify (3) apply here: for as Huther has observed, in them it is the acquisition of the noun which is spoken of: so that here it would be to get, not to produce faith. The best sense seems to be that which he gives,— that of reference, ‘ with regard to,’ i.e. to bring about, cherish, and perfect: nearly in the same sense as εἰςὑπακοὴνπίστεως , Romans 1:5. See also 2 Timothy 1:1.

I would render then ‘ for:’ Paul, a servant of God, but an Apostle of Jesus Christ, for (on this sense of κατά , destination, see Ellic.’ s note) the faith of the elect of God (those whom God has chosen of the world— reff.: and their faith is the only true faith— the only faith which the apostolic office would sub-serve) and the thorough knowledge (reff. and notes: subjective, and κατά as before— to promote the knowledge. Thl. gives as an alternative,— διότιἐπέγνεντὴνἀλήθειαν , διὰτοῦτοἐπιστεύθηνκ .τ .λ .) of the truth— which is according to (belongs to,— is conversant in and coincident with: for as Chrys., ἐστὶνἀλήθειαπραγμάτωνἀλλ ʼ οὐκατ ʼ εὐσέβειαν , οἷοντὸεἰδέναιτὰγεωργικά , τὸεἰδέναιτέχνας , ἀληθῶςἐστὶνεἰδέναι · ἀλλ ʼ αὕτηκατ ʼ εὐσέβειανἡἀλήθεια . κατά cannot, as De W., import the aim, ‘ which leads to εὐσ .:’ it does not lead to it, but rather runs parallel with) piety,

2. in hope (on condition of, in a state of, see note on ἐφ ʼ ᾧ , Romans 5:12) of life eternal (to what are the words ἐπ ʼ ἐλπίδιζ . αἰ . to be referred? Not back to ἀπόστολος , regarding them as a co-ordinate clause with κατὰπίστινκ .τ .λ . (not for the reason assigned by Huther, that thus καί would be required, cf. the similar sentence, Romans 16:25, Romans 16:26,— but because such a personal reference would not agree with ver. 3 below, where his preaching, not his prospects, is in question):— not to κατὰπίστινκαὶἐπίγ . τ . ἀλ . as subordinate to it— nor to εὐσέβειαν , nor to any one portion of the preceding sentence: for by such reference we develope an inferior member of the former sentence into what evidently is an expansion of the main current of thought, and thus give rise to a disproportion:— but to the whole, from κατὰπίστιν to εὐσέβ ., as subordinate to that whole, and further conditioning or defining it: q. d., that the elect of God may believe and thoroughly know the truth which is according to piety, in hope of eternal life), which God who cannot lie (so μαντήϊονἀψευδές , Herod. i. 49: Eur. Orest. 364, ἀψευδὴςθεός , ὅςμοιτάδ ʼ εἶπενἐμφανῶςπαρασταθείς : see Wetst. and cf. Hebrews 6:18) promised from eternal ages ,

3. but (contrast to the eternal and hidden purpose, and to the promise, just mentioned) manifested in its own seasons (not, ‘ His own seasons’ (Ellic. al.), cf. ref. Gal.:— the times belonging to it, τουτέστι , τοῖςἁρμόζουσι , τοῖςὠφελημένοις , Thl.,— fixed by Him for the manifestation) His word (we naturally expect the same object as before, viz. ζωὴναἰώνιον : but we have instead, τὸνλόγοναὐτοῦ ,— not to be taken in apposition with ἥν , as Heinrichs:— i.e. the Gospel, see Romans 16:25) in (as the element or vehicle of its manifestation) the proclamation (see 2 Timothy 4:17) with which (on the construction, see reff.) I was entrusted according to (in pursuance of, reff.) the command of our Saviour God:

4. to Titus (see Prolegg. § i.) my true (genuine, see on 1 Timothy 1:2) child according to (in respect of, or agreeably to, in conformity with the appointed spread and spiritually generative power of that faith) the common faith (common to us both and to all the people of God: hardly as Grot., ‘ Judæ is, qualis Paulus, et Græ cis qualis Titus:’ for there is no hint of such a distinction being brought out in this Epistle): grace and peace from God the Father (see on 1 Timothy 1:2), and Christ Jesus our Saviour (reff.).

5-9. Reason stated for Titus being left in Crete— to appoint elders in its cities. Directions what sort of persons to choose for this office.

5. For this reason I left thee behind (reff.: ἀπέλ . gives the mere fact of leaving behind when Paul left the island;— κατέλ . would convey the idea of more permanence: cf. Acts 18:19; Acts 24:27. This difference may have occasioned the alteration of the reading from ecclesiastical motives, to represent Titus as permanent bishop of Crete) in Crete (on the island, and the whole matter, see Prolegg.) that thou mightest carry forward the correction of those things which are defective (‘ quæ ego per temporis brevitatem non potui expedire,’ Beng.: ὁγὰρτῆςεὐσεβείαςλόγοςπαρεδίδοτοπᾶσιπαρ ʼ αὐτοῦ , ἐλείπετοδὲοἰκονομῆσαιτὰκατὰτοὺςπεπιστευκότας , καὶεἰςἁρμονίαναὐτοὺςκαταστῆσαιταῖςἐκκλησιαστικαῖςδιατυπώσεσι . Theodr-Mops. in Huther), and (καί brings out, among the matters to be attended to in the ἐπιδιόρθωσις , especially that which follows) mightest appoint city by city (reff.) elders , as I prescribed (reff.) to thee (“ διεταξάμην refers as well to the fact of appointing elders, as to the manner of their appointment,— which last particular is now expanded in directions respecting the characters of those to be chosen.” De W.):

6. if any man is blameless (see 1 Timothy 3:10. No intimation is conveyed by the εἴτις , as Heinr. and Heydenr. suppose, that such persons would be rare in Crete: see besides reff. Matthew 18:28; 2 Corinthians 11:20), husband of one wife (see note on 1 Timothy 3:2), having believing children , who are not under (involved in) accusation of profligacy (see Ephesians 5:18, note) or insubordinate (respecting the reason of these conditions affecting his household, see 1 Timothy 3:4. I have treated in the Prolegg. ch. vii. § 1., the argument which Baur and De W. have drawn from these descriptions for dating our Epistles in the second century).

7 ff.] For it behoves an (τόν , as so often (reff.), generic, the, i.e. every: our English idiom requires the indefinite article) overseer to be blameless, as God’ s steward (see 1 Timothy 3:15, to which image, that of a responsible servant and dispensator (1 Peter 4:10) in the house of God, the allusion perhaps is, rather than to that of 1 Corinthians 4:1. There is clearly no allusion to the ἐπίσκ .’ s own household, as Heydenr. supposes. Mack well remarks, meaning perhaps however more than the words convey, “ God’ s steward;— consequently spiritual superiors are not merely servants and commissioned agents of the Church. According to the Apostle’ s teaching, church government does not grow up out of the ground” ), not self-willed : Suicer, i. p. 572: and Ellic.’ s note here), not soon provoked (οἱμὲνοὖνὀργίλοιταχέωςμὲνὀργίζονται , καὶοἷςοὐδεῖ , καὶἐφ ʼ οἷςοὐδεῖ , καὶμᾶλλονἢδεῖ · παύονταιδὲταχέωςὃκαὶβέλτιστονἔχουσι , Aristot.

Eth. Nic. iv. 5: this meaning, and not Thdrt.’ s, ὀργίλονδέ , τὸνμνησίκακον ,— must be taken), not a brawler, not a striker (for both these, see 1 Timothy 3:3, notes), not greedy of gain (1 Timothy 3:8, note), but hospitable (1 Timothy 3:2, note, and 3 John 1:5), a lover of good , self-restrained (see 1 Timothy 2:9, note. I am not satisfied with this rendering, but adopt it for want of a better: “ discreet is perhaps preferable.” See Ellic. on 1 Tim. as above), just, holy (see on these, and their distinction, in notes on Ephesians 4:24: 1 Thessalonians 2:10), continent (τὸνπάθουςκρατοῦντα , τὸνκαὶγλώττηςκαὶχειρὸςκαὶὀφθαλμῶνἀκολάστων · τοῦτογὰρἐστὶνἐγκράτεια , τὸμηδενὶὑποσύρεσθαιπάθει , Chrys., and id.

Epist. ii. ad Olympiad., vol. iii. p. 560 (Migne), ἐγκρατεύεσθαιἐκεῖνόνφαμεν … τὸνὑπότινοςἐπιθυμίαςἐνοχλούμενον , καὶκρατοῦνταταύτης . See Suicer i. p. 998 ff., for a full explanation of the subsequent technical usages of the word. Here, the sense need not be limited to sexual continence, but may be spread over the whole range of the indulgences), holding fast (see reff.: constantly keeping to, and not letting go,— φροντίζοντα , ἔργοντοῦτοποιούμενον , Chrys.

Then how are we to take the following words? Is τοῦκατὰτὴνδιδαχὴνπιστοῦλόγου equivalent to (1) τοῦλόγουτοῦκατὰτὴνδιδαχὴνπιστοῦ , or (2) τοῦπιστοῦλόγουτοῦκατὰτὴνδιδαχήν (1) is taken by Wiesinger and Conyb. (the words which are faithful to (?) our teaching): (2) by Chrys., Thl., and almost all Commentators, and I believe rightly. For it is hard to believe that even in these Epistles, such a sentence could occur as ἀντεχόμενονλόγου : had this been intended, it would certainly have stood τοῦλ . τοῦκατὰτὴνδιδ . πιστοῦ : the epithet πιστός , absolute, is so commonly attached to λόγος in these Epistles (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9: 2 Timothy 2:11: ch. 3:8) as to incline us, especially with the above reason, to take it absolutely here also. I therefore render accordingly) the faithful (true, trustworthy, see note on 1 Timothy 1:15) word (which is) according to (measured by, or in accordance with) the instruction (which he has received) διδαχή may be active, as Calv., ‘ qui in ecclesiæ æ dificationem sit utilis:’ Luth., ‘ dass lehren kann.’ But thus we should have a tautological sentence, in which the practice, and the result of the practice (ἵνακ .τ .λ .) would have the same power to instruct predicated of them: besides that ἀντεχόμενον would require some forcing to make it apply in this sense of ‘ constantly using.’ The passive acceptation of διδαχή is therefore preferable: and the meaning will be much the same as in 2 Timothy 3:14, μένεἐνοἷςἔμαθες ,— cf. 1 Timothy 4:6, οἱλόγοιτῆςπίστεωςκαὶτῆςκαλῆςδιδασκαλίαςᾗπαρηκολούθηκας . So Ellic. also), that he may be able both to exhort (believers) in healthy teaching (the teaching which is healthy), and to reprove (see ver. 13 below) the gainsayers.

10-16. By occasion of the last clause, the Apostle goes on to describe the nature of the adversaries to whom he alludes, especially with reference to Crete.

10. For (explains τοὺςἀντιλέγοντας of ver. 9) there are many [and] insubordinate (ver. 6 above. The joining πολύς with another adjective by καί is a common idiom. So Herod. viii. 61, πολλάτεκαὶκακὰἔλεγε : Aristoph. Lys. 1159, πολλῶνκἀγαθῶν : Plato, Rep. x. p. 325, πολλάτεκαὶἀνόσιαεἰργασμένος : Xen. Mem. ii. 9. 6, συνειδὼςαὑτῷπολλὰκαὶπονηρά . Matthiæ , § 444) vain talkers (see 1 Timothy 1:6, and ch. 3:9) and deceivers (see Galatians 6:3 deceivers of men’ s minds), chiefly (not only— there were some such of the Gentile converts) they of the circumcision (i.e. not Jews, but Jewish Christians: for he is speaking of seducers within the Church: cf. ver. 11. On the Jews in Crete, see Jos.

Antt. xvii. 12. 1: B. J. ii. 7. 1: Philo, Leg. ad Cai. § 36, vol. ii. p. 587), whose mouths (ἐλέγχεινσφοδρῶς , ὥστεἀποκλείειναὐτοῖςτὰστόματα , Thl.) it is necessary to stop (we hardly need introduce here the figure of a bit and bridle, seeing that ἐπιστομίζειν is so often used literally of ‘ stopping the mouth,’ without any allusion to that figure: e.g. Aristoph., Eq. 841, ἐμοὶγάρἐστ ʼ εἰργασμένοντοιοῦτονἔργονὥστε | ἁπαξάπανταςτοὺςὲμοὺςὲχθροὺςἐπιστομίζειν : Plato, Gorg., p. 329 d,— αὐτὸςὑπὸσοῦἐμποδισθεὶςἐντοῖςλόγοιςἐπεστομίσθηαἰσχυνθεὶςἃἐννοεῖεἰπεῖν : and see other examples in Wetst. And Plut., Alcib. 2, speaks of τὸναὐλὸνἐπιστομίζεινκαὶἀποφράττειν . Cf. Palm and Rost’ s Lex.): such men as (“ inasmuch as they,” Ellic.: which perhaps is logically better) overturn (ref. 1 Tim.: so, literally, Plato, Rep. v. p. 471 b, οὔτετὴνγῆνἐθελήσουσικείρειναὐτῶν , … οὔτεοἰκίαςἀνατρέπειν : and fig., Demosth. 778. 22, ἀνατρέψεινοἴειτὰκοινὰδίκαια , and so often) whole houses , teaching things which are not fitting (on the use of ἃοὐδεῖ (things which are definitely improper or forbidden), and ἃμὴδεῖ (things which are so either in the mind of the describer, or which, as here, derive a seeming contingency from the mode in which the subject is presented), see Ellic.’ s note here and his references to Herm. on Viger, 267, and Krü ger, Sprachlehre, § 67. 4. 3) for the sake of base gain (cf. 1 Timothy 6:5).

12. One of them (not, of the πολλοί spoken of above,— nor, of the οἱἐκπεριτομῆς : but of the inhabitants of Crete, to which both belonged), their own prophet (see below) said, “ The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” (Thl. says: ὁμὲνοὖνεἰρηκώς , Ἐπιμενίδηςἐστίν , ἐντοῖςμάλιστατῶνπαρ ʼ Ἕλλησισοφῶνθειασμοῖςκαὶἀποτροπιασμοῖςπροσέχων , καὶμαντικὴνδοκῶνκατορθοῦν . And so also Chrys., Epiph., and Jer. But Thdrt. ascribes the verse to Callimachus, in whose Hymn to Zeus, ver. 8, the words Κρῆτεςἀεὶψεῦσται are found. To this however Jer. (as also Epiph.) answers, “ integer versus de Epimenide poeta ab Apostolo sumptus est, et ejus Callimachus in suo poemate usus est exordio.”

Epimenides was a native of Phæ stus in Crete , and lived about 600 b.c. He was sent for to Athens to undertake the purification of the city from the pollution occasioned by Cylon (see artt. ‘ Epimenides’ and ‘ Cylon,’ in the Dict. of Biogr. and Mythol.), and is said to have lived to an extreme old age, and to have been buried at Lacedæ mon (Diog. Laert. i. 115). The appellation ‘ prophet’ seems to have belonged to him in its literal sense: see Cicero, de Divin. i. 18,— “ qui concitatione quadam animi, aut soluto liberoque motu futura præ sentiunt, ut Baris Bœ otius, ut Epimenides Cres:” so also Apuleius, Florid. ii. 15. 4,— “ necnon et Cretensem Epimenidem, inclytum fatiloquum et poetam:” see also id. Apol. 449. Diog.

Laert. also gives instances of his prophetic power, and says, λέγουσιδέτινεςὅτιΚρῆτεςαὐτῷθύουσινὡςθεῷ . On the character here given of the Cretans, see Prolegg. to this Epistle, § ii. 9 ff. As to the words,— κακὰθηρία is abundantly illustrated out of various writers by Wetst., Kypke, and Raphel: γαστέρεςἀργαί is said of those who by indulging their bodily appetites have become corpulent and indolent: so Juv. Sat. iv. 107, “ Montani quoque venter adest abdomine tardus” ).

13. This testimony is true. Wherefore (ἐπειδὴἦθοςαὐτοῖςἐστινἰταμὸνκαὶδολερὸνκαὶἀκόλαστον , Chrys.) reprove them sharply , that (in order that: De W. takes ἵνακ .τ .λ ., for the substance of the rebuke, as in παραγγέλλεινἵνα and the like (?): but there appears to be no sufficient reason for this) they may be healthy in the faith (not, ‘ in faith,’ as Conyb.: even were no article expressed after ἐν , it might be ‘ in the faith:’ when that article is expressed, the definite reference can never be overlooked. The Κρῆτες indicated here, who are to be thus rebuked in order to their soundness in the faith, are manifestly not the false teachers, but the ordinary believers: cf. ver. 14),

14. not giving attention to (ref.) Jewish fables (on the probable nature of these, see 1 Timothy 1:4 note: and on the whole subject, the Prolegg. to these Epistles, § i. 12 ff. They were probably the seeds of the gnostic mythologies, already scattered about and taking root) and commandments (cf. 1 Timothy 4:3: Colossians 2:16, Colossians 2:22: and our next verse, by which it appears that these commandments were on the subject of abstinence from meats and other things appointed by God for man’ s use) of men turning away (or the pres. part. may express habitual character— whose description it is that they turn away— in idiomatic English, the participial clause being merely epithetal, not ratiocinative (agst Ellicott), “ who turn away” ) from (ref.) the truth.

15. The Apostle’ s own answer to those who would enforce these commandments. All things (absolutely— all things with which man can be concerned) are pure to the pure (οὐδὲνὁθεὸςἀκάθαρτονἐποίησεν · οὐδὲνγὰρἀκάθαρτον , εἰμὴἡἁμαρτίαμόνη . ψυχῆςγὰρἅπτεταικαὶταύτηνῥυποῖ , Chrys. ‘ Omnia externa iis qui intus sunt mundi, munda sunt,’ Bengel. Cf. Matthew 23:26: Luke 11:41. There is no ground whatever for supposing this to be a maxim of the false teachers, quoted by the Apostle, any more than the πάνταμοιἔξεστιν of 1 Corinthians 6:12, where see note. The maxim here is a truly Christian one of the noblest order.

τοῖςκαθαροῖς is the dat. commodi,— ‘ for the pure to use,’ not, as often taken, ‘ in the judgment of the pure.’ This is plainly shewn by the use of the same dative in Romans 14:14, where to render it ‘ in the judgment of’ would introduce an unmeaning tautology: τῷλογιζομένῳτικοινὸνεἶναι , ἐκείνῳκοινόν — ‘ to him (for his use) it is really κοινόν .’ As usual in these Epistles (see Prolegg. § i. 38), purity is inseparably connected with soundness in the faith, cf. Acts 15:9,— and 1 Timothy 4:3, where our τοῖςκαθαροῖς is expanded into τοῖςπιστοῖςκαὶἐπεγνωκόσιντὴνἀλήθειαν ), but to the polluted and unbelieving (cf. the preceding remarks) nothing is pure, but both (or ‘ even,’ as E. V.:— but the other seems preferable, on account of the close correspondence of καὶὁνοῦς with καὶἡσυνείδ .) their mind (their rational part, Ephesians 4:17, which presides over and leads all the determinate acts and thoughts of the man) and their conscience is polluted (ef. Dion. Hal. de Thucyd. 8,— κράτιστονδὲπάντωντὸμηδὲνἑκουσίωςψεύδεσθαι , μηδὲμιαίνειντὴναὑτοῦσυνείδησιν .

And therefore, uncleanness tainting their rational acts and their reflective self-recognitions, nothing can be pure to them: every occasion becomes to them an occasion of sin, every creature of God an instrument of sin; as Mack well observes, “ the relation, in which the sinful subject stands to the objects of its possession or of its inclination, is a sinful one.” Philo de legg. spec. ad 6 Est_7 dec. cap. § 337, vol. ii. p. 333 f., has a sentence which might be a comment on our verse:— ἀκάθαρτοςγὰρκυρίωςὁἄδικοςκαὶἀσεβὴς … πάνταφύρωνκαὶσυγχέωνδιάτετὰςἀμετρίαςτῶνπαθῶνκαὶτὰςτῶνκακῶνὑπερβολάς · ὥστεὧνἂνἐφάψηταιπραγμάτωνπάνταἐστὶνἐπίληπτατῇτοῦδρῶντοςσυμμεταβάλλονταμοχθηρίᾳ . καὶγὰρκατὰτὸἐναντίοναἱπράξειςτῶνἀγαθῶνἐπαινεταί , βελτιούμεναιταῖςτῶνἐνεργούντωνἀρεταῖς , ἐπειδὴπέφυκέπωςτὰγινόμενατοῖςδρῶσινἐξομοιοῦσθαι . Here again, the reference of the saying has been variously mistaken— ἡῥυπαρὰδιάνοιακακῶςπερὶτούτωνλογιζομένηἑαυτῇσυμμιαίνειταῦτα , Œ c.: and similarly Chrys., Thl., al.: ‘ non placent Deo quæ agunt etiam circa res medias, quia actiones tales ex animo Deus æ stimat,’ Grot.: ‘ iis nihil prodest externa ablutio et ciborum dierumque observatio,’ Baldwin, Croc. in De W.).

16. Expansion of the last clause, shewing (cf. Dion. Hal. above) their ἑκουσίωςψεύδεσθαι . They make confession (openly, in sight of men: but not so only— their confession is a true one so far, that they have the knowledge, and belie it: not ‘ they profess,’ as E. V.: ὁμολογοῦσιν necessarily contains an implication of the subjective truth of the thing given out) that they know God, but in (or, by) their works they deny (Him) (not ‘ it:’ see 2 Timothy 2:12), being abominable and disobedient, and for (towards the accomplishing of) every good work worthless (ref.).