Titus 2

CHAPTER II

Concerning the Natural Groups in the Congregation

The Old Men

Titus 2:1

1 This verse is the preamble. Δέ is merely transitional. Now thou, do thou continue to utter the things that are becoming for healthy teaching.

As in 1:13, the present imperative supports and acknowledges what Titus has been doing and tells him to go on steadily in his course. The fact that Titus is ever teaching the healthy teaching of the pure gospel is taken for granted. On “healthy” see 1:9. All that Paul adds is that, whatever Titus may say to any of the members, is to be fit, proper, and becoming to this healthy teaching of his. There is a contrast with the deceivers mentioned in 1:10–16 in the pronoun “thou” but not in δέ. There is no contrast regarding the great difference in doctrine but only regarding the conduct to which Titus is to admonish the people: they are to grace the doctrine with a becoming life, and Titus is to keep on telling them what things are becoming.

Titus 2:2

2 Thus, to start with: that old men be temperate, sober-minded, healthy as regards the faith, the love, the patience.

These are not official elders but “old men” as such, who ought to be a good example to the rest of the members. The two adjectives are like those found in 1 Tim. 3:2: “temperate” (2 Tim. 4:5: “in all things”), not specifically regarding drink, but temperate in thought, word, and act; in particular, not rushed off their feet by any flighty teaching. The companion term “sober-minded” merely enhances this virtue: always sound and balanced. The old men ought to be the balance wheel of every congregation.

The third term (a participle) makes this still clearer: “healthy as regards the faith,” etc., (datives of relation); in 1:13 we have healthy “in the faith.” “Being healthy” is twice ascribed to “the teaching”; see especially 1:9, and note 2:1. Twice to the people themselves (here and in 1:13—see the latter). In both of these passages “the faith” is objective. In fact, unlike 1 Tim. 6:11, all three datives are articulated because they are objective: “the faith, the love, the patience” set before us in the Lord’s Word, to be achieved in a healthy way, by the healthy teaching of that Word in our hearts. These three cover the entire domain in which the old men should prove themselves leaders. On “love” and “patience” see the definitions in 1 Tim. 6:11.

The Old and the Young Women

Titus 2:3

3 The construction with εἶναι continues: that old women (be) likewise in demeanor as befits sacred persons, not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of excellence in order that they may make sober-minded the young women to be devoted to husbands, devoted to children, sober-minded, chaste, housekeepers, good, subjecting themselves to their own husbands in order that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

Paul’s arrangement is chiastic: the old men and the young men first and last; the old and the young women between, these two being also closely combined. “Likewise” is general: as Paul points out some things for the old men, so he likewise points out some for the old women.

The first item is comprehensive: “in demeanor as befits sacred persons.” This word is not compounded with ἅγιος but with ἱερός, which does not emphasize the idea of “holiness” and “holy women” (A. V. and margin) but rather leads us to think of conduct and bearing such as becomes a ἱερεύς in the ἱερόν, a priest in the sacred place, hence: “reverent in demeanor” (R. V.).

The two negatives concur with this: “not slanderous,” garrulously gossiping and exchanging the latest scandals—Christian old women have something more priestly to do; “not having been (and thus still being) enslaved by much wine”—no priest was allowed to function when he drank and thus disgrace his office. The comment that this shows the disreputable Cretan character is unwarranted. Whoever has traveled in Oriental countries knows not only that wine is the common drink but that, since the condition of the water is as it is, wine is almost a necessity. This explains the references to the drinking of wine in 1 Tim. 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7; and here in the case of old women. Moreover, these churches were new; the old converts had lived a long pagan life. When these things are remembered, we shall understand.

Titus 2:4

4 The fourth item is again positive so that here, too, we have a chiastic arrangement of the four, the two positives excluding what the two negatives mention. For “teachers of what is noble or excellent” or “teaching in a noble way” is the occupation of reverent old women and not of slanderous or bibulous tongues.

Titus 2:5

5 Whom they are to teach and what follows in a purpose clause: “in order that they may make sober-minded the young women (feminine adjective) to be devoted to husbands,” etc. This verb repeats the adjective “sober-minded” which occurred in v. 2 as well as the one that follows here in v. 5 and means “with sober-mindedness to make others sober-minded.” We see how great a stress Paul lays on sober-mindedness; in fact, the young men are also “to be sober-minded.” Christianity lends balance of mind to all its members, old and young, men and women, and fortifies them against all flighty deceivers who would unsettle them.

Seven items are noted in the case of the young women; the first two are a pair: “devoted to husbands, devoted to children,” husband-lovers, children-lovers; these two are themselves a sermon for young women: truly affectionate wives and mothers, an ideal so sadly missing today. Now we again have “sober-minded,” and with “chaste” or “pure” in every way these two form a pair. The same applies also to the next two: οἰκουργούς (or οἰκουρούς), “caring, working for the home” (or “keeping at home,” domestic, the reading varies), their home is to be their kingdom. With this goes ἀγαθάς, “good” in the sense of doing what is good and beneficial to others (here husband and children). This is a picture of homebodies and housekeepers as they dispense all good things in this domain. Homes that have such wives and such mothers are good homes, especially when they are filled with the Christian spirit.

We have a seventh item: “subjecting themselves to their own husbands,” a matter that is constantly stressed by Paul lest anyone think that the gospel altered the relation between husband and wife. Paul’s fullest presentation is found in Eph. 5:22, 23, in the light of which all his other brief references should be read. These things the old women must teach the younger. The texts vary between the subjunctive σωφρονίζωσι and the indicative σωφρονίζουσι. The latter is not a “corruption” or a mistake in copying but the beginning of the use of the present indicative after ἵνα, which is common in the later Greek (R. 984, bottom).

Paul has more to say regarding the young women than regarding any other class of members. Why this is the case is indicated by the purpose clause which, however, extends back also to the old women because they are to be qualified for producing all this sober-mindedness in the young women. If the women fail in what Paul here asks, he fears “lest the Word of God be blasphemed,” lest the whole gospel be vilified. So much depends on the women, in great part on the young women, of the church. The world will to a great extent judge the churches by the character which the gospel produces in the women.

The Younger Men

Titus 2:6

6 The younger men likewise continue to admonish to be sober-minded. In the case of these everything is summarized in the one infinitive “to be sober-minded,” which, however, receives special force because of its repetition, for in 1:8 the adjective is used regarding an elder, in 2:2 regarding old men, in v. 4 the verb is used with reference to both old and young women, and the adjective is again used regarding the latter. Since it is thus repeated, when it is now asked of younger men the word is weighted with meaning.

“Younger men” (the masculine adjective) means all who are younger than the old men, say from 65 or 60 on down. We may note that in the case of the women Paul does not use a comparative adjective. This is due to the fact that “young women” are in his estimation those who may still bear children; those who are beyond that age are regarded as “old.” Some wish to add περὶπάντα: “to be sober-minded concerning everything.” This addition does not improve the sense, especially since such an addition does not appear with sober-minded in the previous verses. Moreover, if one is sober-minded, will he be so only in some things so that “concerning all things” must be added?

Titus 2:7

7 Since this verse begins with the phrase περὶπάντα, some think that more emphasis is given to σεαυτόν; but the reflexive pronoun with a verb that is already reflexive, this pronoun being even placed ahead of that verb for the sake of emphasis, needs no further help. If this phrase is made a part of v. 6, Titus is to be an example only for the younger men. That would be strange in view of 1 Tim. 4:12 where Timothy is to be the example for the believers generally. This is also true with regard to Titus: in regard to all things continuing to furnish thine own self as an example of excellent works, in the teaching uncorruptness, gravity, healthy statement, nothing to be found against it, so that he who is opposed may be shamed as having nothing ill to say in regard to us.

Although it is joined to the foregoing by only a participle, this clause applies to all that has been said regarding the men and the women. We see at once that there is a connection with v. 1, “the healthy teaching,” which v. 7 resumes with “in the teaching … healthy statement,” etc. Paul uses a participle on purpose because a participle makes all that he says about Titus being an example subordinate to the preceding, which is exactly what is to be conveyed.

First the inclusive statement that in regard to everything Titus is in his own person to provide an example of noble and excellent works. The present participle implies that he has been doing this, and that Paul expects him to continue to do so. The idea is not that Titus is in danger of forgetting although all church officers should welcome reminders such as this, but that all these people may know from Paul’s own written word that he first and foremost obligates Titus and also himself (note ἡμῶν) to what they both require of others. So it should always be: the people looking to their pastors as examples, and they and the pastors looking to their higher church officers as still better examples, and that περὶπάντα, “in regard to everything.”

With the phrase and the following accusatives supply παρεχόμενος; some think that the active participle is to be supplied, but the middle is perfectly in order: “continuing to furnish on thy part.” Now, however, Paul specifies the main thing that Titus is to continue to furnish for the people, namely “in the teaching uncorruptness” as far as substance is concerned; “gravity” as far as the manner of the teaching is concerned; “healthy statement” as far as all individual statement (λόγος) is concerned, every statement is to be so that “nothing can be legally found against it.” The whole of this forms a unit. “Uncorruptness” has nothing to do with a moral motive in Titus as some suppose. The word is used to match “health” and refers to the contents of the teaching; in no part is there to be the least taint or degeneration. As in substance sound to the core, so in the presentation the teaching is to be furnished with “gravity,” the dignity which accords with such teaching.

Titus 2:8

8 In fact, every statement made must be “healthy” (see 1:9), this healthiness being mentioned now for the fifth time, the word connecting directly with v. 1 and 2; so healthy that no judge shall be able to find a single indictment against it, ἀκατάγνωστον, nichts dagegen erkennen, a legal expression. Ἵνα expresses contemplated result: “so that the one opposed,” the opponent who may listen in order to get hold of something as the Pharisees watched every logos that came from Jesus’ lips, “may be shamed” for doing such a thing, “finding nothing ill to say in regard to us” (this pronoun includes Paul himself). This is to be the main thing among all the excellent works of Titus in which he is to provide an example. It is the main thing for two reasons. All this sound, healthy teaching is to be the spiritual food of the people; and at the same time it is to be the pattern, type, and illustration of how they are to teach, from their elders on downward.

The Slaves

Titus 2:9

9 Slaves to be in subjection to their own masters in all respects, to be well-pleasing, not answering back, not taking things for themselves, but showing all good fidelity in order that they may adorn the teaching about our Savior God in all respects.

The construction continues with another accusative after παρακάλει. R. 944 regards the infinitive as a legal (imperative) infinitive. We feel constrained to draw ἐνπᾶσιν forward in this verse just as we do in v. 10; moreover, this phrase is purely adverbial: in jeder Hinsicht (B.-P. 1012), “in all respects,” not “in all things.” The fact that slaves were to be in subjection to their masters need not be stated, they were that; but the fact that Christian slaves were to be subject voluntarily in all respects, that needed to be said. By having become Christians the slaves were not exempted from any part of their obligation as slaves. “To be well-pleasing” is coordinate, hence it is also an infinitive, which means that this clause is an explanatory apposition to the preceding one: in subjection in all respects = trying to please well. That is the kind of subjection Paul means, not one that is sullen and reluctant, but one that is eager and glad to please.

The two negative participles name two subordinate points. These are common faults of slaves and of subordinates in general, which Christian slaves will therefore note and shun with special care: “not answering or talking back” as though knowing better and thus able to contradict their masters; secondly, “not diverting anything for themselves,” anything not intended for them by their masters; the German entwenden.

Titus 2:10

10 No; instead of anything of that kind Christian slaves are to show forth “all good fidelity.” Πίστις is here not to be taken in the active sense as a confidence that the slaves place in their masters but in the passive sense as a confidence which their masters may have in the slaves, the German Treue; and it is to be one that is ἀγαθή, “good” or beneficial for their masters. In brief, Christian slaves are always to show themselves worthy of being fully trusted by their masters in anything that serves their masters’ interests.

In v. 5 ἵνα indicates the negative motive behind truly Christian conduct: “that the Word of God may not be blasphemed” as producing no good in its adherents; here the motive is positive: “so that the teaching about our Savior God may be adorned in all respects” by true Christian conduct in its adherents (ἐνπᾶσιν as in v. 9). Paul often uses negatives and positives in this way; but when the negative is used, this already implies the corresponding positive: not blasphemed = praised; thus the positive adorned = not disgraced. Doctrine and teaching are universally judged by their product in the lives of those who believe them. All Christian teaching welcomes this test. Judge a tree by its fruits. It is a bad thing, therefore, when Christians profess to believe the teaching they receive and yet deny it by their lives and their words (1:16).

Note well that the highest interest of Christians is always to be, not that of self, but that of “the Word of God” (v. 5), which is the same as “the teaching of our Savior God”—the genitive is probably objective: “about our Savior God”; “our Savior” is inserted attributively as it was in 1:3; in 1:4 it is added appositionally. When it is regarded as being objective, this genitive would indicate the contents of “the teaching” or of “the Word of God,” namely that God as “our Savior” saves us. Thus the whole salvation of God in Christ Jesus would be introduced in a direct way. When it is regarded as a possessive genitive or as a genitive of source, this saving idea of “the teaching” would be indicated less directly. Would that all of us, whatever our age, sex, or station in life, even if the latter be the lowest and humblest in the social scale, might make the gospel of salvation our supreme interest and motive in life!

Titus 2:11

11 The fact that Paul is thinking of the contents of the teaching appears from v. 11–14 where he presents a beautiful summary, γάρ meaning: “for this is what I mean by teaching of our Savior God.” For there has appeared (second aorist passive, the aorist stating only the past fact, to express which we use the English perfect) the grace of God, saving for all men, educating us, that, after denying (once for all) the ungodliness and the worldly lusts, we (definitely) live sober-mindedly and righteously and godly in this present eon, (ever) expecting the blessed hope and epiphany of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, he who gave himself for us so as to ransom us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people select, zealous for excellent works.

This summary of “the teaching” presents the salvation purchased and won for all men, but as one that changes their whole lives from ungodliness to good works. Paul reserves this summary until the last because it is not pertinent only to “slaves” (v. 9), for he admonishes all the different classes of Christians to do good works. He speaks of slaves only as being one of these classes; nor can this gospel summary be restricted to slaves. “For” reaches back through the whole chapter.

We get the correspondence of terms when we translate “there was made an epiphany” (aorist passive ἐπεφάνη) of the grace, etc.—expecting “the epiphany” (v. 13). There are two epiphanies: one in the past, another yet to come. When did the action of this, aorist occur? The church has answered this question by using v. 11–14 as its epistle lection for Christmas Day in accord with Luke 2:10: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” also Luke 2:14. The thought is not that this first epiphany stops with the incarnation and the birth; as an epiphany it includes the ransoming that followed. Scarcely a better epistle text could have been selected for Christmas Day.

“The grace of God” is the favor Dei of his infinite, incomprehensible love for our fallen race. Χάρις always denotes unmerited favor when it is predicated of God in regard to men; it is in the highest degree unmerited. The great connotation is the guilt of fallen, sinful men who deserve justice and eternal punishment as the guilty, convicted criminal deserves death at the hands of a just judge. “Grace” brings the opposite; how it does this is shown in Rom. 3:24, etc., where God’s grace is shown as being in perfect harmony with his righteousness, for God’s grace, as here in v. 14, includes Christ’s ransoming, the propitiation by means of his sacrificial blood.

Σωτήριοςπᾶσινἀνθρώποις is predicative to ἡχάρις: “the grace … saving for all men.” Here is the universality of this saving grace, which is in direct contradiction to Calvin’s limited grace, who writes in his Commentary, published in Geneva in 1600, p. 542: Interea non intelligit singulos homines, sed ordines potius notat, aut diversa vitae genera, “Yet, he (Paul) does not understand individual men but rather notes orders or diverse genera of life,” i.e., “classes in life,” and he does this because slaves have just been mentioned as being one such class. To Calvin “all men” = some slaves, some young men, some young women, some old women, some old men. He has a similar exegesis of other passages, for instance, John 3:16: “God so loved the world,” regarding which he says that “the world” is mentioned only because there was nothing in the whole world to call forth God’s love.

Titus 2:12

12 This wondrous grace which is “saving for all men” is now operative in us (in Paul, Titus, the Cretan Christians), “educating (or training us as a παῖς or boy is educated, this verb is found also in 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 2:25) us, that, having denied the ungodliness … we live sober-mindedly,” etc. Ἵνα introduces the object clause and is equal to an infinitive: our constant education by saving grace effects this, that, after saying “no” to all ungodliness, we live in true godliness. Paul stresses the moral effect of God’s saving grace because of the moral admonitions that he is sending to Titus for the Cretans. See this again at the end of v. 14. But this entire effect on Christian life is the fruit of the faith which embraces “the Word of God” (v. 5), “the teaching of the Savior God” (v. 11), “the ransoming” effected by Christ (v. 14), the fruit of the regeneration in baptism (3:5). The present durative participle states that this education is a process, in fact, one that continues throughout our present life.

What this educating process produces is expressed by effective aorists, for these things are actual, definite. The negative effect is expressed by a participle because it is subsidiary to the positive effect. “Having denied (this verb is used also in 1:16: said “no” to) the ungodliness and the worldly lusts,” means that by a divine act we broke with them, disowned and ousted them as being abominable. The double object is emphatic; doubling is one form of emphasizing. It is Pauline to place side by side a comprehensive singular, “the ungodliness,” and an unfolding plural, “the worldly desires” (ἐπιθυμίαι is commonly used in the evil sense so that we write “lusts”).

When it is viewed in detail, “the ungodliness” consists of worldly lusts, at least manifests itself in them. Both are specific and well known, hence the articles are used. “Worldly” means that the desires are connected only with life in this cosmos and seek their satisfaction in nothing higher. The two terms sum up the whole inwardness of man in his sinful state. The break made in this denial is due wholly to God’s saving grace, its saving power saves us from the grip of this ungodliness and these lusts and their fearful ultimate effects.

The positive side is that “we live (effective aorist) sober-mindedly and righteously and godly in the present eon.” Regenerated by grace, we live a new and totally different life which is here characterized by three adverbs over against the two preceding nouns. The arrangement seems to be chiastic: “the ungodliness … godly” at the extremes, the other terms between. “Sober-mindedly” runs through the preceding (1:8; 2:2, 4, 5, 6): the mind has become balanced by grace and is free of the former senseless follies. This is apparent to men. “Righteously” means so that God’s judgment approves the life we live, which takes us into his sight. Finally, the highest feature of all: “godly,” i.e., truly pious in worship and in communion with God, the opposite of “the ungodliness.” The worldly lusts even men regard as vicious; sober-mindedness is the opposite of these, for lusts carry away while soberness makes steady. The worldly lusts bear their mark of condemnation; righteous living is again the opposite, for it has God’s approval.

This is what God’s saving grace does for us, it educates and trains us in the new life. No greater Christmas gift could be given to bless us.

Titus 2:13

13 All of this work of grace is connected also with the second epiphany of Jesus. We have come to live in this way “(ever) expecting the blessed hope and epiphany of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Our expectation of Christ’s second epiphany moves us to live as we do. Instead of stating it in so bare a way: “expecting the epiphany of Jesus Christ”—which is the heart of what he says—Paul expands both the object (“the epiphany”) and the genitive (“of Jesus Christ”). It helps to clarify when this is noted. We have an expansion of just two points: epiphany and Jesus Christ. When Paul thinks of what we expect, the wonderfulness of it makes him expand in loftiest description.

This is what we expect: “the blessed hope and epiphany of the glory.” Here “hope” is objective and = the thing for which we hope. Καί is epexegetic: our blessed hope is “the epiphany of the glory” of Jesus. To show this relation the two nouns “hope” and “epiphany” are placed under one article. As for the genitive τῆςδόξης with ἑπιφάνειαν, this cannot be adjectival as the A. V. has it: “the glorious appearance,” for “of the glory” (articulated) is definite. Blessed, indeed, is what we hope for, namely the epiphany, the visible appearance at the last day of the δόξα of Jesus, of the sum of all his divine attributes shining forth on his judgment throne in his human nature.

Moulton, Einleitung, 134, etc., and R. 785, etc., state that we should divide the genitives: τοῦΘεοῦκαὶσωτῆροςἡμῶν is one concept, “our God and Savior,” and ἸησοῦΧριστοῦ, “Jesus Christ,” is its apposition. In other words, Jesus Christ is here called our God and Savior. One person is referred to and not two.

There has been much discussion in regard to this grand genitive. Winer and others state that we have an ambiguity and that we cannot be certain as to whether one person is referred to or two. Winer decides that there are two. Some introduce dogmatical reasons; Meyer subordinationism. As far as we are concerned, it makes no difference whether Jesus is here once more called God or not; deity is ascribed to Jesus in so many Scripture passages that the addition or the subtraction of this passage is immaterial. The grammar and the language decide.

Here these are decisive and are supported by the context: it is the epiphany of the deity in Jesus Christ that constitutes our blessed hope. The analogy of Scripture corroborates this view, Luke 9:26: “When he (the Son of man who is man and more than man) shall come in the glory of himself and of the Father,” in this glory which is one and belongs equally to both persons. White (Expositor’s Greek New Testament) thinks that Luke 9:26 decides that two persons are mentioned in our passage. Yet the Scriptures know about only the one epiphany, this of Jesus, which constitutes our hope.

The adjective “great” is not decisive as though it could be applied only to Jesus as God and not to the Father as God. The article τοῦ simply unites Θεοῦκαὶσωτῆροςἡμῶν and makes this one designation with “Jesus Christ” as the apposition. In the same way the article τὴν combines ἐλπίδακαὶἐπιφάνειαν. A division cannot be made at καί so that we should have 1) “the great God,” one person, 2) “and our Savior Jesus Christ,” a second person. Winer, Meyer, and others call Θεός and Σωτήρ “attributes” and then assert that in the analogy of Scripture the attribute “God” is never applied to Jesus but only the attribute “Savior.” But the person himself is here called “our God and Savior.” In 2 Pet. 1:1 he is again called: τοῦΘεοῦἡμῶνκαὶσωτῆρος, the apposition Ἰησοῦχριστοῦ following in the same way. Elsewhere he is called “God” and “the Son of God.” “Jesus Christ” is only his earthly and his official name and thus only an obvious apposition which states to whom Paul refers.

The R. V. is without question right, its margin and the A. V. are unacceptable.

After all this discussion we should not fail to absorb Paul’s full meaning: We Christians live the lives we do because our Savior-God’s boundless grace has saved us and keeps educating us to live such lives, and because we ourselves “in this present eon” look forward to another eon when our great hope, the appearing or epiphany of the glory of Jesus Christ, shall at last arrive. Then he who in his own person is “our God and Savior” (ἡμῶν modifies both terms) will come in all his glory, in his second epiphany, which shall transcend all that we are able to imagine.

Titus 2:14

14 With what we may call a demonstrative relative Paul now expounds “our Savior”: “he who gave himself in our stead in order to ransom us from all lawlessness,” etc. That is Christ’s work as the Savior. Turn to 1 Tim. 2:6 so that we may not need to repeat; add Eph. 5:2 and Gal. 1:4. This is our Savior’s voluntary, expiatory, substitutionary sacrifice, his “ransoming” and ransom. All are expounded under the passages cited. He is the One whose epiphany of glory we are expecting. Now we revel in grace, then we shall share all his glory.

Yet Paul here fortifies his admonition to holy living. That is why he says that Jesus “ransomed us from all lawlessness,” i.e., paid the price to buy us free and take us away from all lawless living (ungodliness and worldly lusts, v. 12) “and cleanse us for himself as a people select, zealous for all excellent works.” As the second verb has the reflexive pronoun, so the first verb is itself reflexive: “ransom us for himself,” pay the ransom so that we may belong entirely to him. Λαός is often used as a designation for the chosen people Israel. The added adjective περιούσιος makes this strongly emphatic: auserlesen, erlesen, auserwaehlt, B.-P. 1038; see 1 Pet. 2:9; John 10:14–16 for Paul’s whole thought in other words. Shall we not be such a “select people”? Shall we ever think of again running with the world in the old excess (1 Pet. 4:4)?

Titus 2:15

15 Paul closes this part of his letter: These things continue to utter and to admonish and to impress with conviction, with all imperativeness! The present imperatives imply that Titus is busy doing this very thing and ask him to keep on. The three form a climax. Titus is ever to say these things; more than this, he is to urge them in admonition; even more than this, he is to drive them in so as to produce conviction. Even more than this: he is to use with it all every form of ἐπιταγή, command, authoritative orders which brook no disobedience. Some sinners will listen when he speaks to them; some require admonition; some even sharp conviction (1:9, 13), yea, direct orders.

Let no one disregard thee! Paul will not permit any man to disregard his representative. The verb used, literally, “to think around,” is not καταφρονεῖν, “to think down on” or despise, but the German sich hinwegsetzen ueber, “to disregard,” with his thinking go around and so evade thee, to keep on in any kind of sinful conduct in spite of all thy orders. We still have to watch that kind of men.

R A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. 4th edition..

B.-P Griechisch-Deutsches Woerterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments, etc., von D. Walter Bauer, zweite, voellig neugearbeitete Auflage zu Erwin Preuschens Vollstaendigem Griechisch-Deutschen Handwoerterbuch, etc.