Bible Commentaries
Titus 2

Verse 1

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Wholesome — Restoring and preserving spiritual health.

Verse 2

That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Vigilant — As veteran soldiers, not easily to be surprised.

Patience — A virtue particularly needful for and becoming them.

Serious — Not drolling or diverting on the brink of eternity.

Verse 3

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

In behaviour — The particulars whereof follow.

As becometh holiness — Literally, observing an holy decorum. Not slanderers - Or evil-speakers.

Not given to much wine — If they use a little for their often infirmities.

Teachers — Age and experience call them so to be. Let them teach good only.

Verse 4

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

That they instruct the young women — These Timothy was to instruct himself; Titus, by the elder women.

To love their husbands, their children — With a tender, temperate, holy, wise affection. O how hard a lesson.

Verse 5

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Discreet — Particularly in the love of their children.

Chaste — Particularly in the love of their husbands.

Keepers at home — Whenever they are not called out by works of necessity, piety, and mercy.

Good — Well tempered, sweet, soft, obliging.

Obedient to their husbands — Whose will, in all things lawful, is a rule to the wife.

That the word of God be not blasphemed — Or evil spoken of; particularly by unbelieving husbands, who lay all the blame on the religion of their wives.

Verse 6

Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

To be discreet — A virtue rarely found in youth.

Verse 7

In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Showing thyself a pattern — Titus himself was then young. In the doctrine which thou teachest in public: as to matter, uncorruptness; as to the manner of delivering it, seriousness - Weightiness, solemnity.

Verse 8

Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Wholesome speech — In private conversation.

Verse 9

Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

Please them in all things — Wherein it can be done without sin.

Not answering again — Though blamed unjustly. This honest servants are most apt to do.

Not stealing — Not taking or giving any thing without their master’s leave: this fair-spoken servants are apt to do.

Verse 10

Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Showing all good fidelity — Soft, obliging faithfulness That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour - More than St. Paul says of kings. How he raises the lowness of his subject! So may they, the lowness of their condition.

Verse 11

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

The saving grace of God — So it is in its nature, tendency, and design.

Hath appeared to all men — High and low.

Verse 12

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Instructing us — All who do not reject it.

That, having renounced ungodliness — Whatever is contrary to the fear and love of God.

And worldly desires — Which are opposite to sobriety and righteousness.

We should live soberly — In all purity and holiness. Sobriety, in the scripture sense, is rather the whole temper of a man, than a single virtue in him. It comprehends all that is opposite to the drowsiness of sin, the folly of ignorance, the unholiness of disorderly passions. Sobriety is no less than all the powers of the soul being consistently and constantly awake, duly governed by heavenly prudence, and entirely conformable to holy affections.

And righteously — Doing to all as we would they should do to us.

And godly — As those who are consecrated to God both in heart and life.

Verse 13

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Looking — With eager desire. For that glorious appearing - Which we hope for.

Of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ — So that, if there be (according to the Arian scheme) a great God and a little God, Christ is not the little God, but the great one.

Verse 14

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Who gave himself for us — To die in our stead.

That he might redeem us — Miserable bondslaves, as well from the power and the very being, as from the guilt, of all our sins.

Verse 15

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Let no man despise thee — That is, let none have any just cause to despise thee. Yet they surely will. Men who know not God will despise a true minister of his word.