_FOR WHAT END TITUS WAS LEFT IN CRETE. HOW THEY THAT ARE TO BE CHOSEN MINISTERS, OUGHT TO BE QUALIFIED. THE MOUTHS OF EVIL TEACHERS ARE TO BE STOPPED: AND WHAT MANNER OF MEN THEY ARE._ [Date uncertain.] IN the inscription of this epistle, St. Paul asserted his apostleship, not with a view to raise... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL, A SERVANT OF GOD,— This is the only epistle of St. Paul, wherein he begins with calling himself a _servant,_ or _slave,_ devoted for ever to the service of God. _According to the flesh,_ would be rendered more properly, _for the faith;_ that is to say, for promoting the faith of Christians; wh... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN— Προ χρονων αιωνιων, _before the secular ages;_ or before the giving of the law of Moses. God had promised the gospel, in an obscure manner, to the patriarchs before Abraham; but to him it was promised more explicitly. Now that promise to Abraham, was _before the secular times... [ Continue Reading ]
IN DUE TIMES— _In his own proper times._ See 1 Timothy 2:6. Galatians 4:4.Ephesians 1:10; Ephesians 2:7. In this the apostle might probably allude to the prophesies, and particularly to the celebrated prophesy of Daniel concerning the seventy weeks; Daniel 9:24. Instead of _commandment,_ some read _... [ Continue Reading ]
_TITUS 1:5_.— Before he proceeds to the principal design of this epistle, the apostle briefly reminds Titus of his leaving him in Crete, to settle the churches which he had planted there, and to ordain elders in every city, to be bishops over the several churches. After this he describes the charact... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING FAITHFUL CHILDREN— _Having believing children._ This is mentioned with great propriety; for if a man were not careful to instruct his children in the principles of Christianity, there would be great reason to doubt whether he were heartyinthebeliefof it himself; and if a man had only unbeliev... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT SELF-WILLED— 'Αυθαδη : pleased with himself, and despising others; supercilious, haughty, insolent,surly. This vice, in our ordinary conversation, is directly opposed to affability or courtesy.... [ Continue Reading ]
SOBER— _Prudent,_ as the word may be rendered. The following word _temperate_ includes all sobriety.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE ARE MANY UNRULY, &C.— St. Paul had his eye from the beginning of the epistle all along, upon the persons whom he describes in this and the following verses. This close and excellent writer never loses sight of his subject; but he proceeds so gradually to speak plainly, that _we_ may lose s... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF THEMSELVES—A PROPHET OF THEIR OWN— Epimenides, whose words St. Paul here quotes, is said by Diogenes Laertius to have been a great favourite of the gods; but Aristotle says, he never foretold any future event: which is a plain argument, that the word _prophet_ is sometimes used in a very larg... [ Continue Reading ]
SHARPLY— 'Αποτομως ;—_with a cutting severity._ The word is an allusion to a surgeon's cutting away the dead flesh, and that even to the quick. We are to observe, that the apostle speaks here of reproving _vice,_ not error. Timothy is exhorted to _rebuke with all long-suffering;_ 2 Timothy 4:2 and w... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE— "I know these Judaizing teachers value themselves highly upon the distinctions of food, which they inculcate as of so great importance to purity: but they are much mistaken. Unto Christians who are pure and upright; all sorts of meat are clean and pure; but unto th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD,— This was their grand pretence for Christianity, and opposing St. Paul; namely, that they best understood the revelation of the mind and will of God in the gospel, as well as under the law; but at the same time pride, and covetousness, and other vices, animated and i... [ Continue Reading ]