CHAPTER III Ver. 1. Passing from the more direct and spiritual obligations of the gospel, the apostle proceeds now to indicate the proper bearing of Christians toward the constituted authorities. It is not improbable, though it cannot be held certain, that he may have been led to give such prominenc... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 2. A quiet, inoffensive demeanour in the more private relations of life is now inculcated: _to revile no man, to be not contentious, forbearing, showing all meekness unto all men._ The first verb, βλασφημεῖν, imports more than to speak evil in the ordinary sense; it is to act the part of a revi... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 3. As a reason for the manifestation of this mild and benignant spirit toward others, even degraded and ignorant heathen, the apostle refers to their own similar state in the past, and the marvellously kind and compassionate treatment they had, notwithstanding, experienced from their heavenly F... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 4. _But when the kindness and the love toward man of our Saviour God was manifested:_ it might almost be put _kindness_ _and philanthropy_, for our _philanthropy_ is but the English form of the original, and bears much the same sense. The Vulg. has _humanitas_. In New Testament Scripture it occ... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 5. Here the apostle carefully guards the divine benignity and loving-kindness with respect to the freeness of its actings: _not of works works in righteousness which we did,_ (There is a diversity of reading here: the received text has ὧν ἐποιη ́ σαμεν the ὧν by attraction for ἁ ́, as ver... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 6. Having named the Holy Spirit as the efficient author of the renovation accomplished in believers, the apostle goes on to indicate, in further proof of the lovingkindness and mercy of God in the matter of our salvation, the copiousness of the gift; it is bestowed, not with a grudging, but wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 7. In this verse we have the important practical design of the salvation-work described in the three preceding verses: _in order that, being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life._ The expression _by His grace_ (τῇ χάριτι ἐκείνου) must be connected... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 8. _Faithful is this saying_ (that, namely, contained in the immediately preceding verses respecting God's method of procedure in respect to salvation; for the form of expression, see at 1 Timothy 1:5); _and concerning these things I would have thee strenuously affirm_ (διαβεβαιοῦσθαι, make ass... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 9. In contrast to such sound teaching, he again warns against that frivolous and disputative sort of teaching which he had previously characterized (Titus 1:10-14): _but foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and contentions about the law, avoid_ περιΐστασο, keep out of the way of,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 10. _A heretical man, after one and a second admonition, shun._ The word αἱρετικὸν only in part corresponds to our term _heretical_; perhaps _schismatical_ or _factious_ would more nearly approach to it. It denoted one who set himself to make a αι ̔́ ρεσις or party, separate from the community... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 11. _Knowing that such an one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned._ The language throughout is very strong: first he is _perverted_ the rendering of Tyndale, Cranmer, and Gen., and upon the whole better than the Authorized Version, _subverted_: the compound verb ἐκτρέπω) signifyin... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 12. _When I shall send Artemas to thee, or Tychicus, make haste to come to me at Nicopolis._ Artemas is nowhere else mentioned; but Tychicus is described at Colossians 4:7 as “a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord; “and very nearly the same expressions are em... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 13. _Zealously forward on their journey Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, that nothing may be wanting to them._ The σπουδαίως πρόπεμψον evidently means that Titus should hasten the departure of the brethren mentioned, and do it, as the context shows, by furnishing them with things needful for thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 15. The conclusion is brief and simple; _All that are with me_ (that is, probably, such as were labouring with him in the ministry of the gospel) _salute thee; salute those that love us in the faith; the grace_ (namely, of God) _be with you all._ No other epistle of the apostle's ends quite sim... [ Continue Reading ]