Commentary on Titus (complete)

Prologue. The apostle made Titus a bishop; and therefore he warns him to be careful in church ordination, that is, regarding certain people who by a kind of pretense show themselves worthy to hold the lofty order; and at the same time that the heretics of the circumcision are to be rebuked. Chapter 1.

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of his truth which is according to godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who is true, promised before the ages of time, and has manifested in his own times in the preaching of his word, which was entrusted to me according to the command of God our Savior; to Titus, true son according to the common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.” He declares that the gift decreed by God, which he had promised before the ages, was made manifest in the Savior’s time in the preaching of the apostles; for so he had promised. He says that it was also entrusted to him, to make known to the gentiles the predestined mercy of God; so that Titus too, his true son, that is, according to the gospel (for that is true which is eternal), receiving this will of God carefully, might preach the grace of God and peace, so that, having received the gift, they might become at peace with God the Father, because all things are from him, and with Christ Jesus our Savior, because he himself also freed us from death.

“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might correct what is lacking and appoint presbyters in every city, as I also directed you: if anyone is without crime, the husband of one woman, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or disobedient. For a bishop must be without crime, as God’s steward; not insolent, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy for shameful gain, but hospitable, kind, prudent, just, holy, continent, holding fast to the word that is faithful according to teaching, so that he may be able to exhort in sound teaching and to refute those who contradict. For there are many disobedient, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be refuted, who overturn whole houses, teaching what they should not for the sake of shameful gain.” What has been read is plain; for he wants a bishop to be ordained who is both holy in works and prudent in words, so that he can both exhort the brothers and convict those who contradict, especially those from among the Jews who taught people to judaize under the name of Christ (Gal 2:4), whom elsewhere he calls false brothers. For though reborn in Christ, they were not pure Christians; for they wanted to venerate partly the law and partly Christ. He means these, who were overturning houses with this wicked teaching. For they pursued shameful gain in two ways; for they did these things chiefly to please the Jews, from whom they hoped for support, so as to gain money and foreskins. These were their profits, as the Lord says to the Jews: “You travel sea and dry land to make one proselyte” (Matt 23:15). He calls these two things shameful gain; because one who teaches under God’s name not for devotion but for profit is a hunter of shameful gain; and likewise one who wants to win someone by circumcision. Hence he says elsewhere: “And their glory is in their shame” (Phil 3:19).

“One of them, their own prophet, said: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy bellies.’ This testimony is true.” A certain Cretan, improved by the Lord’s discipline, expressed what was to be thought of the untaught Cretans: that they were both evil and wanted to eat in idleness; for they wanted to be fed by malice, who, since they are of no use, long to do harm as well. So the evil is twofold. Such were the Cretans; hence he calls this man a prophet, but in the matter of the Cretans. For he asserts that he spoke of them as truly as a prophet; for it is impossible for a prophet to be deceived.

“For this reason rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.” He commands that he persist in rebuking them, so that they can be converted and follow what is just and worthy of God’s law, turning away from Jewish fables; for in the law no one is justified before God, how much less in commandments of men! For whatever is set against the truth is a human invention; for, not knowing the force of the Scriptures and the inner meaning of the words of the law, they follow the color, not the flavor. Therefore they are said to tell fables, not the truth; for they think that one must never depart from what Moses handed down, such as the rules about foods, or marriages, or new moons, or the blood of a weasel, or a house unclean for seven days; though they know that their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were justified without these and called friends of God; and the prophet Ezekiel testifies that, because they profaned God’s law and his ordinances, they received precepts and commandments that were not good, in which they could not be justified (Ezek 20:25). Hence the Lord too says to the Jews: “Moses wrote these things because of the hardness of your heart” (Mark 10:5). Hence it is that the apostle Peter also says: “Why do you put a yoke on the necks of the brothers, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10). For if they had been useful, they would have been given then, when the law was given on the tablets; but because after so many signs and wonders, and after the law had been published, they were found irreverent, distrustful, and stiff-necked, they received such and so great commandments that they could not breathe under them. Hence it came about that the good too labored with the evil, though they would receive their reward. These things were given, then, as a punishment, so that at the time when the promised gift of God came, the mercy of God would relax all that it had previously forbidden. The Jews, not understanding this, remain under the yoke and want to bind the liberty of some with these chains; and therefore he warns that these must be rebuked, so that they turn away from them.

“To the pure all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and without faith nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.” He indicates that those are pure who know both why things were forbidden and why they were allowed afterward. For if we read in Genesis that all things God made are good (Gen 1:31), there is no doubt that they are also pure; but those who do not understand are impure, for they are accusers of Scripture. For if things are read to have been made good, why are they forbidden as if accursed? If they are not accursed, because they are good, they are known to have been forbidden because of hardness of heart, because they were held unworthy to use the whole of God’s creation. For those who seem to have been prohibited from the better things have a defiled mind and conscience, because they accuse God’s creation in order to excuse themselves. (Verse 16.) “They profess that they know God, but in deeds they deny him, since they are abominable, disobedient, and reprobate for every good work.” Although the saying applies to all heretics, yet he is understood to have spoken this about the Jews, who say that they alone know the God of Abraham, but deny him by their works, as the Lord says: “If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). How then can they know the God of Abraham who are ignorant of his mystery and faith, following not the works of the gospel but those of the law of works in new moons, circumcision, and the rest, troublemakers, impious and irreverent? These are the works that do not know God.

“But you, speak what befits sound teaching.” That which is called sound teaching knows God; for God’s teaching is saving.

“That older men be sober, grave, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.” He shows what those are like who are of sound teaching, so as to indicate that the less sober, the less grave, the unfaithful, those without love, the impatient, are disciples of unsound teaching. For by these works God is not known, nor his righteousness.

“Older women likewise in a condition worthy of religion, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be prudent, modest, chaste, keeping house, subject to their own husbands, lest the word of God be blasphemed.” He commands older women to be such that they are an example of good conduct to the younger; so that, if they have unbelieving husbands, these may rejoice with them rather than blaspheme the name of God, when they see that out of the fear of God they obey their husbands more readily.

“Likewise exhort the younger men to be self-controlled, showing yourself in all things an example of good works, in teaching, in integrity, in gravity, sound speech that cannot be blamed, so that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing worthy of blame to say about us.” Since youth is wont to exceed the measure, indeed to be more prone to fall, he therefore commands that it be held in with wholesome reins, so that, bridled, it may be governed by divine laws. And so that this may not be arduous or difficult to accomplish, he commands that the teacher be a pattern, so as to show how the things he teaches are done; so that those who are profane and enemies of the faith may be ashamed, seeing that what he teaches in words he proves true by deeds.

“That slaves be subject to their masters in all things, very good, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in all things.” He says that the Lord’s teaching is adorned by good works and faithfulness; for then the teaching is pleasing, if the one who professes it does not make it hateful by denying it in deeds, but lovable and true; for what is true cannot be unseemly. When, then, words are fulfilled by deeds that follow, they are shown to be true and therefore seemly. Then masters can not only not prevent their slaves from the faith but even rejoice, because they see that their faith profits themselves as well. For no one who keeps faith with God can be faithless to men.

“For the grace of God our Savior has shone forth to all people, teaching us that, denying impiety and worldly desires, we should live soberly, justly, and godly in this age.” He says that the gift of God has shone on people through Christ, that is, the truth of the one God made manifest in Christ, so that with a godly profession we may proclaim the Creator in the unity of the Trinity; which before lay hidden from the human race but now has shone forth by the mercy of God; so that, avoiding the darkness of error, that is, fleeing the ignorance and impiety of the worldly, we may be found godly toward God the parent of all, confessing him in the truth which the gospel of his Son hands down; and so that we may have the reward of this, let us do good works. For just as there is no hope for one who proclaims the Father alone if he does not confess the Son too in the same truth, so also the hope of one who has only the profession of faith without good works is in vain. (Verses 13–15.) “Awaiting the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of the blessed God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity and to cleanse for himself a people abundant, zealous for good works.” He says this is the blessed hope of believers, that they await the coming of the glory of the great God, which is to be revealed with Christ as judge, in whom the power and glory of God the Father will be seen, so that they may obtain the reward of their faith. For Christ redeemed us for this, that, pursuing a pure life, filled with good works, we may be heirs of the kingdom of God. “Speak these things and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

“Remind them to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey commands, to be ready for every good work.” He reminds them what the salvation of believers is, so that he may make clear, when they are rebuked, what good they are being fitted for; so that they may not take it harshly, being sure that they are rebuked for their salvation; and so that they may be slow to evil and ready for good, not ignorant of what must be rendered to each. (Verse 2.) “To blaspheme no one, not to be quarrelsome, but modest, showing all gentleness toward all people.” He wants Christians to be seen as humble toward all people; for so the faithless can be called to the future hope.

“For we too were once foolish, disobedient, going astray, serving various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” He recalls that these good things, which unbelief does not have, have been given to Christians, so that, shining in all righteousness, they may be made known as worshipers of God. For when those once foolish are now seen to be of sound counsel in all things, God is praised in them.

“But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior shone forth, not from works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” This good which is seen flourishing in Christians springs from the root of divine kindness; for God in his mercy saved us through Christ, reborn by whose grace we have received the Holy Spirit abundantly, so that we may lean on good works, with him helping us in all things, so that through these we may attain the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore we ought to obey him with all devotion and keep his precepts; for whatever is beautiful in us, he paints with spiritual lines.

“A faithful saying; and concerning these things I want you to affirm, so that those who have believed God may be careful to bring about good works. These things are good and useful to people.” Nothing is so plain as that mercy and kindness are good for the present and useful for the future; for one has praise here and a crown on the day of judgment. For everyone who believes God ought to devote himself to mercy, by which he lives. So the ruler of the people is admonished to be careful about these things.

“But avoid foolish questions and enumerations of origins and contentions and battles about the law; for they are useless and vain.” He calls those questions foolish which have no effect for salvation and give no skill of knowledge to any profit. By these words he marks out the doctrines of many heretics. Although everything that is not true is to be called foolish, yet it is one thing to bring in fabulous matters and another, with crafty evasion, to put forward a thing full of poison, as Arius and Photinus do. But it is not the law that is fabulous but the heresy, as regards that time of the Jews, when some of them claimed for themselves the prerogative of descent from the patriarchs, which arose from marriages, though there is no merit before God in this. Others claimed the baptism of jugs and other vessels, and that the blood of a weasel must be expiated with great care (Lev 11:29); and that Moses’ burial place was hidden so that he might not be raised by magicians, which if it were true, the burial of the other saints too would have had to be hidden; and that Solomon built the temple with the help of demons, a work in which a huge multitude labored. What is so fabulous?

“Avoid a heretical man after the first correction, knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being condemned by himself.” These are heretics who attack the law through the words of the law; for they build their own sense onto the words of the law, so as to commend the perversity of their mind by the authority of the law. For impiety, knowing that the authority of the law has great force, composes its deceit under its name, so that, since a bad thing cannot be acceptable by itself, it may be commended by the goodness of the name. Therefore he says that such men ought to be rebuked once, so that they are without excuse; for when rebuked more often they become more practiced in evil. One who rebukes them often seems to force them to become more zealous for the ruin of many; therefore they are to be let go, so that, made more careless, they may perhaps perish alone.

“When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make haste to come to me at Nicopolis; for I have decided to winter there.” After sending the letter he wants to see him too, out of affection, and to strengthen him more fully in church discipline.

“Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way diligently, so that nothing may be lacking to them; and let our people also learn to lead in good works for necessary uses, so that they may not be unfruitful.” Each is a noble man in wisdom and works; and therefore he commands that the necessary provisions be given them by those who had believed, to refresh them; because it was right that those who handed on spiritual things should not lack fleshly things. And although he calls Zenas a lawyer, yet Apollos was accomplished in the Scriptures; but because Zenas had been of this profession in the synagogue, he calls him so.

“All who are with me greet you.” He indicates that, for brevity, all greet him together. “Greet those who love us in the faith.” He wants those to be thought worthy of his greeting who love him faithfully with the affection of Christ our Lord. “The grace of God be with you all.” Now he greets in general all the brothers and the household of Titus.