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; Ver. 1. _The faith of God's elect_] Not the election of God's faithful ones, as the Arminians make it. _ And the knowledge of the truth_] It i... [ Continue Reading ]
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Ver. 2. _God that cannot lie_] The word of promise binds God; therefore it seems, saith one, that it is stronger than God; for he can as soon deny himself as his promise. _ Promised_] That is, purposed, as2 Timot... [ Continue Reading ]
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; Ver. 3. _Manifested his word_] As when he said plainly, "He that believeth in the Son hath eternal life.... [ Continue Reading ]
To Titus, _mine_ own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, _and_ peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. Ver. 4. _Common faith_] Common to the communion of saints, Titus 1:1, and to them proper and peculiar; for all men have not faith, 2 Thessalonians 3:2. Or common, t... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 5. _Set in order_] Gr. επιδιορθωση, _conficias, _ set straight, or make up the things that I left unfinished. Straighten the things that... [ Continue Reading ]
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. Ver. 6. _The husband of one wife_] Here the apostle canonizeth, saith Scultetus, the marriage of ministers.... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 7. _A bishop must be blameless_] As was Moses, Samuel, Paul, Bradford, Bucer, &c., who led convincing lives; so that their foes could not in anything... [ Continue Reading ]
But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Ver. 8. _Temperate_] εγκρατης. No slave to his fleshly appetite, but one that can master himself and give laws to his lusts. See my Commonplace of Abstinence.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _Holding fast, &c._] αντεχομενον. As with tooth and nail, against those gainsayers that would snatch it from us.... [ Continue Reading ]
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Ver. 10. _For there are many unruly_] Lawless, yokeless, masterless men, untractable, untameable, that refuse to be reformed, hate to be healed. God will hamper these Belialists, 2 Samuel 23:6 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Ver. 11. _Whose mouths must be stopped_] Gr. επιστομιζειν, muzzled, as bandogs are. Frogs, they say, will leave croaking if but a light be hanged over the lake wherein they are. Le... [ Continue Reading ]
One of themselves, _even_ a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians _are_ alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. Ver. 12. _Even a prophet of their own_] Epimenides, the poet, who by his countrymen the Cretians was counted a prophet, and had divine honours done to him after his death. This uncircu... [ Continue Reading ]
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Ver. 13. _Rebuke them sharply_] Gr. αποτομως, cuttingly, precisely, rigidly, severely, and to the quick. A metaphor from surgeons, who must not be melch-hearted, saith Celsus, _a_ but pare away the dead flesh,... [ Continue Reading ]
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Ver. 14. _Not giving heed to Jewish fables_] Wherewith their Talmud is full farced, which while they hug overly hard, as Cleopatra did the snakes that sucked her blood, they perish. _ Of men that turn from the tru... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 15. _Unto the pure all things, &c._] This Piscator _in _ Mar 14:3 holds a sufficient warrant for us to use, _Ne forte, _ and other heathen expre... [ Continue Reading ]
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny _him_, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Ver. 16. _They profess that they know_] _Aliud in titulo, aliud in pyxide._ Outside Christians who perform, as Ephraim, dough baked duties, are almost persuaded, as... [ Continue Reading ]