1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4 to Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Stewards of God
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14 not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Tit 1:1-4. Salutation, in which the place of the Gospel in eternity and in time is largely expressed.
Tit 1:2. ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι κ.τ.λ.: This is best taken in connexion with the preceding clause, κατὰ πίστιν … κηρύγματι. The faith and the knowledge there spoken of have as their basis of action, or energy, the hope of eternal life. Cf. 1Ti 1:16. Compare the use of ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι in Act 26:6; Rom 4:18; Rom 8:20; 1Co 9:10. On the other hand, we must not exclude a remoter connexion with ἀπόστολος. A comparison of the parallel passage in 2Ti 1:1 suggests that the succession of clauses here, κατὰ πίστιν … κηρύγματι, is a full and detailed expansion of κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν … ἐν Χρ. Ἰησ.
ἀψευδής: qui non mentitur. See note on 2Ti 2:13.
ἐπηγγείλατο: See Rom 1:1; Rom 4:21; Gal 3:19.
ἐπηγγείλατο … πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, ἐφανέρωσεν δέ: The same antithesis is expressed in 2Ti 1:9-10 (q.v.); Rom 16:25; Col 1:26. From different points of view, one may say that eternal life was promised, and given, to man in Christ before times eternal; though the revelation of this purpose and grace could not be made until man was prepared to receive it, καιροῖς, at seasons, occasions, epochs of time as relative to man’s comprehension.
Tit 1:3. ἐφανέρωσεν τόν λόγον: For φανερόω see note on 1Ti 3:16. We must observe that no N.T. writer speaks of a manifestation of the gift of eternal life (1Jn 1:2 refers to the personal Incarnate Life). God’s message concerning it, which is the revelation of a divine secret purpose, is manifested. See Col 4:4 in addition to the last reff. given on ἐπηγγείλατο. περὶ ἧς may be supplied bef. ἐφανέρωσεν (von Soden).
καιροῖς ἰδίοις. See on 1Ti 2:6; 1Ti 6:15. The rendering his own seasons suits the context here.
τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐν κηρύγματι: Note the distinction here indicated between the substance of the revelation (λόγος) given by God, and the form of it as expressible (κήρυγμα) by the human preacher. It is parallel to the use of λόγος and λαλία in Joh 8:43.
ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ has τὸ εὐαγγέλιον κ.τ.λ. as its antecedent in 1Ti 1:11, where see note.
κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ: See note on 1Ti 1:1. There the order is θεοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Here θεοῦ is epexegetical of σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, as Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ is in chap. Tit 2:13. κατʼ ἐπιταγὴν is to be taken with ὃ ἐπιστεύθην ἐγώ, which is another way of expressing the notion of ἀπόστολος. On σωτήρ as a title of God, see notes on 1Ti 1:1; 1Ti 2:4.
Tit 1:4. γνησίῳ τέκνῳ: See note on 1Ti 1:2.
κατὰ κοινὴν πίστιν, like ἐν πίστει in 1Ti 1:2, qualifies τέκνῳ, but is less ambiguous than ἐν πίστει. It must not be restricted to a faith shared only by St. Paul and Titus; but, like the κοινὴ σωτηρία (Jud 1:3), it is common to all Christians who “have obtained a like precious faith with us” (2Pe 1:1).
χάρις κ.τ.λ.: See on 1Ti 1:2.
σωτῆρος: for the more usual κυρίου, 1Ti 1:2, 2Ti 1:2. The Father and the Son are here co-ordinated as Saviours.
Tit 1:5-9. As I left you in Crete to carry out completely the arrangements for the organisation of the Church there, which I set before you in detail, let me remind you of the necessary qualifications of presbyters [since the presbyter is the basal element in the Church Society].
Tit 1:6. ἀνέγκλητος: See notes on 1Ti 3:2; 1Ti 3:10.
μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἀνήρ: See on 1Ti 3:2.
τέκνα πιστά: It must be supposed that a Christian father who has unbelieving children is himself a recent convert, or a very careless Christian. The fact that St. Paul did not think it necessary to warn Timothy that such men were not eligible for the presbyterate is a proof that Christianity was at this time more firmly established in Ephesus than in Crete.
μὴ ἐν κατηγορίᾳ ἀσωτίας ἤ ἀνυπότακτα: It is significant that the moral requirements of the pastor’s children are more mildly expressed in 1Ti 3:4-5; 1Ti 3:12. There it is the father’s power to keep order in his own house that is emphasised; here the submission of the children to discipline and restraint.
Tit 1:7. τὸν ἐυίσκοπον: On the use of the singular as a generic term See on 1Ti 3:2. Here, where the thought is of the various official functions of the minister, the official title is appropriate.
ἀνέγκλητον: See notes on 1Ti 3:2; 1Ti 3:10.
θεοῦ οἰκονόμον: a steward appointed by God (Luk 12:42; 1Co 9:17), in the house of God (1Ti 3:15), to dispense His mysteries and manifold grace (1Co 4:1; 1Pe 4:10). θεοῦ is emphatic, suggesting that the steward of such a Lord should conform to the highest ideal of moral and spiritual qualifications.
αὐθάδη: self-assertive, arrogant. Vulg. has here superbum, but more accurately in 2Pe 2:10, sibi placentes.
ὀργίλον: passionate, iracundum (Vulg.). The ὀργίλος is one who has not his passion of anger under control.
πάροινον, πλήκτην: See on 1Ti 3:3.
μὴ αἰσχροκερδῆ: This negative quality is required in deacons, 1Ti 3:8. Persons who are concerned in the administration of small sums must be such as are above the commission of petty thefts. There are no regulations here laid down for deacons; so we are entitled to conclude that in Crete, at this time, presbyters performed the duties of every Church office. Hence they should have the appropriate diaconal virtue. See note on 1Ti 3:8. On the other hand, it may be objected against this inference that in 1Pe 5:2 μὴ αἰσχροκερδῶς is used of the spirit of the ideal presbyter.
Tit 1:8. φιλόξενον: See on 1Ti 3:2.
φιλάγαθον: In Wis 7:22, the πνεῦμα which is in σοφία is φιλάγαθον, loving what is good. The epithets which immediately precede and follow φιλάγαθον in Wisd. have no reference to persons, with the exception of φιλάνθρωπον. It seems best, with the R.V., to give the words as wide a reference as possible; see on ἀφιλάγαθοι, 2Ti 3:3.
σώφρονα: See notes on 1Ti 2:9; 1Ti 3:2.
ἐγκρατῆ: The noun ἐγκράτεια occurs Act 24:25; Gal 5:23; 2Pe 1:6, where to the rendering temperance the R.V.m. gives the alternative self-control. The verb ἐγκρατεύομαι in 1Co 7:9 is to have continency, but in 1Co 9:25 to be temperate generally. The word differs from σώφρων as having a reference to bodily appetites, while σώφρων has reference also to the desires of the mind. ἐγκράτ. concerns action, σωφρ. thought.
Tit 1:9. ἀντεχόμενον: holding firmly to. ἀντέχομαι is stronger than ἔχειν, as used in a similar connexion, 1Ti 1:19, etc., etc. The R.V. holding to correctly suggests the notion of withstanding opposition, which is not so clearly felt in the A.V. holding fast. “Having care of it, making it his business” (Chrys.).
δυνατός: See note on 2Ti 2:2.
τοῦ κατὰ τὴν διδαχὴν πιστοῦ λόγου: the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching. It is indicative of the weakening of the phrase πιστὸς λόγος that St. Paul strengthens and defines it here by κατὰ τὴν διδαχὴν. It was noted on 1Ti 1:15 that πιστὸς λόγος here means the totality of the revelation given in Christ; and ἡ διδαχή is to be taken passively, as equivalent to ἡ διδασκαλία, as employed in these epistles. It is tautological to take it actively, the word which is faithful as regards the teaching of others; for that is expressed in what follows.
παρακαλεῖν-ἐλέγχειν: Cf. 2Ti 4:2 for this combination. The shepherd must be able to tend the sheep, and to drive away wolves.
ὑγιαινούσῃ: See on 1Ti 1:10. διδασκαλία here, as frequently, is a body of doctrine. So R.V., in the sound doctrine. The A.V., by sound doctrine, would refer to the faith as applied in its various parts to particular needs.
τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας: It is only a coincidence that where this word occurs in Acts it is in reference to Jewish opponents of the Gospel.
Tit 1:10-16. I have just mentioned rebuke as a necessary element in a presbyter’s teaching. This is especially needful in dealing with Cretan heretics, in whom the Jewish strain is disagreeably prominent. Alike in their new-fangled philosophy of purity, and in their pretensions to orthodoxy, they ring false. Purity of life can only spring from a pure mind; and knowledge is alleged in vain, if it is contradicted by practice.
Tit 1:11. οὓς δεῖ ἐπιστομίζειν: quos oportet redargui, whose mouths must be stopped by the unanswerable arguments of the orthodox controversialist. This is the result hoped for from the “conviction,” of Tit 1:9.
ὅλους οἴκους ἀνατρέπουσιν: pervert whole families (Alf.); Moulton and Milligan give an apt illustration from a papyrus of second cent. B.C., τῆς πατρικῆς οἰκίας … ἔτι ἔνπροσθεν ἄρδην [ἀ]νατετραμμένης διʼ ἀσ[ω]τίας (Expositor, vii., 1:269). This suggests the rendering upset. The whole family would be upset by the perversion of one member of it.
ἃ μὴ δεῖ: Normally, οὐ is used in relative sentences with the indicative. Other exceptions will be found in 2Pe 1:9, 1Jn 4:3 (T.R.). It is possible that the force of μή here is given by translating, which (we think) they ought not. If the teaching had been absolutely indefensible by any one, he would have said, ἃ οὐ δεῖ. See Blass, Grammar, p. 254.
αἰσχροῦ κέρδους χάριν: The three reff. on αἰσχροῦ, the only other occurrences in N.T. of this adj., are instances of the phrase αἰσχρόν ἐστι. The reference is to the claim to support made by itinerating or vagrant prophets and apostles such as are referred to in the Didache, cc. 11, 12, and alluded to in 2Co 11:9-13. All such abuses would exist in an aggravated form in Crete, the natives of which had an evil reputation for αἰσχροκέρδεια, according to Polybius, ὥστε παρὰ μόνοις Κρηταιεῦσι τῶν ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων μηδέν αἰσχρὸν νομίζεσθαι κέρδος. (Hist. vi. 46. 3, cited by Ell.). They get a bad character also from Livy (xliv. 45), and Plutarch (Paul. Aemil. 23). The Cretans, Cappadocians, and Cilicians were τρία κάππα κάκιστα.
Tit 1:12. προφήτης: It is possible that St. Paul applies this title to the author of the following hexameter line because the Cretan false teachers were self-styled prophets. There was a Cretan prophet once who told plain truths to his countrymen. The whole line occurs, according to Jerome, in the περὶ χρησμῶν of Epimenides, a native of Cnossus in Crete. The first three words are also found in the Hymn to Zeus by Callimachus, who is the prophet meant according to Theodoret; and the rest has a parallel in Hesiod, Theogon. 26, ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι, κάκʼ ἐλέγχεα, γαστέρες οἶον. It is generally agreed that St. Paul was referring to Epimenides. This is the view of Chrys. and Epiph., as well as of Jerome. It was Epimenides at whose suggestion the Athenians are said to have erected the “anonymous altars,” i.e., Ἀγνώστῳ Θεῷ (Act 17:23), in the course of the purification of their city from the pollution caused by Cylon, 596 B.C. He is reckoned a prophet, or predictor of the future, by Cicero, de Divin. i. 18, and Apuleius, Florid. ii. 15, 4. Plato calls him θεῖος ἀνήρ (Legg. i. p. 642 D).
ψεῦσται: The particular lie which provoked the poet’s ire was the claim made by the Cretans that the tomb of Zeus was on their island. Here, the term has reference to ματαιολόγοι, etc.
γαστέρες ἀργαί: The R.V., idle gluttons, is more intelligible English than the A.V., slow bellies, but does not so adequately represent the poet’s meaning. He has in his mind the belly, as it obtrudes itself on the beholder and is a burden to the possessor, not as a receptacle for food. Alf. quotes aptly Juvenal, Sat. iv. 107, “Montani quoque venter adest, abdomine tardus”.
Tit 1:13. διʼ ἥν αἰτίαν: See on 2Ti 1:6.
ἀποτόμως: severely. The noun ἀποτομία, severitas, occurs Rom 11:22. See Moulton and Milligan, Expositor, vii., vi. 192.
ἵνα ὑγιαίνωσιν: See note on 1Ti 1:10. The intention of the reproof was not merely the securing of a controversial triumph, but “to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived”. ἵνα expresses the object aimed at in the reproof, not the substance of it.
Tit 1:14. προσέχοντες: See on 1Ti 1:4. The word implies the giving one’s consent, as well as one’s attention.
Ἰουδαϊκοῖς: This determines the nature of the μῦθοι referred to in these epistles. See on 1Ti 1:4.
ἐντολαῖς ἀνθρώπων ἀποστρεφομένων: We are naturally reminded of Mar 7:7-8, with its antithesis between the ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων and ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, and Col 2:22, where the same passage of Isaiah (Isa 29:13) is echoed. But here the antithesis is not so strongly marked. The commandments are depreciated, not because their authors are men, but because they are men who turn away from the truth, impure men (In 1Ti 4:3 “they that believe and know the truth” are men whose thoughts are pure). The truth here, as elsewhere in the Pastorals, is almost a Christian technical term. It can hardly be doubted that the ἐντολαί referred to were of the same nature as those noted in Col 2:22, arbitrary ascetic prohibitions.
Tit 1:15. πάντα καθαρὰ κ.τ.λ.: This is best understood as a maxim of the Judaic Gnostics, based on a perversion of the Saying πάντα καθαρὰ ὑμῖν ἐστιν (Luk 11:41. Cf. Rom 14:20; Mar 7:18.). St. Paul accepts it as a truth, but not in the intention of the speaker; and answers, τοῖς δὲ μεμιαμμένοις κ.τ.λ. The passage is thus, as regards its form, parallel to 1Co 6:12 sqq., where St. Paul cites, and shows the irrelevancy of, two pleas for licence: “All things are lawful for me,” and “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats”. τοῖς καθαροῖς is of course the dat. commodi, for the use of the pure, in their case, as in the parallels, Luk 11:41, 1Ti 4:3; not in the judgment of the pure, as in Rom 14:14.
τοῖς δὲ μεμιαμμένοις, κ.τ.λ.: The order of the words is to be noted: their moral obliquity is more characteristic of them than their intellectual perversion. The satisfaction of natural bodily desires (for it is these that are in question) is, when lawful, a pure thing, not merely innocent, in the case of the pure; it is an impure thing, even when lawful, in the case of “them that are defiled”. And for this reason: their intellectual apprehension (νοῦς) of these things is perverted by defiling associations; “the light that is in them is darkness;” and their conscience has, from a similar cause, lost its sense of discrimination between what is innocent and criminal. That any action with which they themselves are familiar could be pure is inconceivable to them. “When the soul is unclean, it thinks all things unclean” (Chrys.). The statement that the conscience can be defiled is significant. While conscientious scruples are to be respected, yet, if the conscience be defiled, its dictates and instincts are unreliable, false as are the song-efforts of one who has no ear for music.
Tit 1:16. θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι: “We know God”; that was their profession of faith. They “gloried in God,” Rom 2:17. This is an allusion to the Jewish pride of religious privilege. Weiss points out that this phrase alone is sufficient to prove that the heretics in question are not the Gnostics of the second century (Hort, Judaistic Christianity, p. 133). See the use of the phrase in Gal 4:8, 1Th 4:5. Compare 2Ti 3:5, “Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof”; also 1Jn 2:4. There is here the constant antithesis between words and deeds.
τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται: Their lives give the lie to their professions; “They acted as if this Supreme Being was a mere metaphysical abstraction, out of all moral relation to human life, as if He were neither Saviour nor Judge” (J. H. Bernard comm. in loc.).
Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press. Cambridge Univ. Press & BFBS
