Titus Chapter 1

From The Open Bible Project

Paul's Letter to Titus

1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

  • (1) He vouches his apostleship (not for Titus, but for the Cretian’s sake) both by the testimony of his outward calling, and by his consent in which he agrees with all the elect from the beginning of the world.
  • (a) A minister, as Christ himself, in his office of minister and head of the Prophets, is called a servant; (Isaiah 43:10).
  • (b) Of those whom God has chosen.
  • (2) The faith in which all the elect agree, is the true and sincere knowledge of God for this purpose, that worshipping God correctly, they may at length obtain everlasting life according to the promise of God, who is true, which promise was exhibited in Christ in due time according to his eternal purpose.

1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who can't lie, promised before time began;

  • (c) Hope is the end of faith.
  • (d) Freely and only from his generosity.
  • (e) See 2 Timothy 1:9

1:3 but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;

  • (3) This truth is not to be sought anywhere else, but in the preaching of the apostles.
  • (f) This word "Saviour" does not only signify a preserver of life, but also a giver of life.

1:4 to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

  • (4) The apostle exhorts the Cretians to hear Titus, by setting forth his consent and agreement with them in the faith, and in addition shows by what special note we may distinguish true ministers from false.
  • (5) There is but one way of salvation, common both to the pastor and the flock.

1:5 I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you;

  • (6) The first admonition: to ordain elders in every church.

1:6 if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.

  • (g) This word is used of horses and oxen, who will not tolerate the yoke.

1:7 For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;

  • (7) The second admonition: what faults pastors (whom he referred to before under the word elders) ought to be void of, and what virtues they ought to have.
  • (h) Whom the Lord has appointed steward of his gifts.
  • (i) Not stubborn and hard to please.

1:8 but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled;

  • (k) Cautious, and of a sound judgment, and of a singular example of moderation.

1:9 holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

  • (8) The third admonition: the pastor must hold fast that doctrine which the apostles delivered, and pertains to salvation, leaving behind all curious and vain matters.
  • (9) The fourth admonition: to apply the knowledge of true doctrine to use, which consists in two things, that is, in governing those who show themselves able to learn, and confuting the obstinate.

1:10 For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

  • (10) An applying of the general proposition to a particular: the Cretians above all others need sharp reprehensions: both because their minds are naturally given to lies and slothfulness, and because of certain covetous Jews, who under a pretence of godliness, partly combined certain vain traditions, and partly old ceremonies with the Gospel.
  • (l) Of the Jews, or rather of those Jews who went about to join Christ and the Law.

1:11 whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain's sake.

1:12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons."

  • (m) Epimenides, who was considered a prophet amongst them. See Laertius, and Cicero in his first book of divination.

1:13 This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

  • (n) Clearly and plainly, and do not go about the bush with them.

1:14 not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

  • (11) He shows in few words, that purity consists not in any external worship, and that which is according to the old Law (as indifference of meats, and washings, and other such things which are abolished) but in the mind and conscience. And whoever teaches otherwise, does not know what true religion really is, and also is not to be heeded.
  • (o) If our minds and consciences are unclean, what cleanness is there in us before regeneration?

1:16 They profess that they know God, but by their works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

Retrieved from "http://openbibleproject.org/Titus_Chapter_1"