_TITUS IS YET FURTHER DIRECTED BY PAUL, BOTH CONCERNING THE THINGS HE SHOULD TEACH, AND NOT TEACH: HE IS WILLED ALSO TO REJECT OBSTINATE HERETICS: WHICH DONE, HE APPOINTETH HIM BOTH TIME AND PLACE, WHEREIN HE SHOULD COME UNTO HIM; AND SO CONCLUDETH._ BECAUSE the Judaizers affirmed, that no obedienc... [ Continue Reading ]
_TITUS 3:1_.— The _Jews_ were of a very seditious, rebellious spiritabout the time when this epistle was written; and it was with great reluctance that they obeyed any civil governors, but those of their own nation. The _Judaizing Christians_ were too apt to imitate them, and to retain this factious... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SPEAK EVIL, &C.— _Calumniate no man;_ not even your Pagan or Jewish neighbour, says good Dr. Barrow, however enormous in their lives, or cruel in their behaviour to you.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE OURSELVES ALSO— That St. Paul, like many other authors, frequently speaks of himself in the first person plural, is well known to all who have attended to his phraseology, and to the course of these annotations. Nor is there any reason in the world, why St. Paul should exclude himself from th... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD OUR SAVIOUR— It is observable, that God _the Father_ is here called _our Saviour;_ to intimate that it was his paternal love to us, which engaged him to appoint his Son to redeem us, and to perform for us all those important offices, by which he accomplishes the salvation of the faithful.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, &C.— "For it was not by any works of righteousness which we ourselves had done; for any acts of obedience, whether to ceremonial or moral precepts, by which we had made ourselves worthy of his favourable regard; but according to his own mercy, that he saved us from con... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HE SHED ON US ABUNDANTLY, &C.— "Even by that Spirit which he poured out upon us richly and abundantly, in his various gifts and graces, by Jesus Christ our Saviour, by virtue of whose intercession it has been imparted to the children of men; that being justified by his grace, we might become h... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, &C.— "But though believers are put into a state of justification, merely by grace, or through the divine favour, this is a matter of certain truth and great importance; and, concerning these things, I order that you strenuously insist upon it, that they who have believed i... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN THAT IS AN HERETIC, &C.— The word Αιρεσις, from the verb αιρεω, to _choose,_ signifies a _form_ or _mode_ of religious worship, discipline or opinion, which any one chooses, follows, and professes; or, the _persons_ who follow such form or mode. See Acts 5:17; Acts 15:5; Acts 24:5; Acts 26:5;... [ Continue Reading ]
_TITUS 3:12_.— The apostle proceeds to order Titus to come to him, when the person should arrive, whom he would send to release him; and in the mean time to send _Zenas_ and _Apollos_ to him; but, as full of the grand subject of the epistle, he bids Titus put the Gentile Christians in Crete upon pro... [ Continue Reading ]
BRING ZENAS, &C.— St. Paul, most likely, knew that _Zenas_ and _Apollos_ were to pass through, or touch upon the island; and therefore he ordered Titus, σπουδαιως προπεμψαι, to _conduct them along with all care;_ or to furnish them with provisions, to help them to proceed comfortably in their journe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LET OUR'S ALSO LEARN, &C.— _"Let our brethren learn_ (as I said Titus 3:8.) _to be foremost in the practice of good works upon needful occasions;_ particularly to assist such Christian brethren as travel about to preach the pure gospel of Christ; _that they may not be unfruitful,_ and act as if... [ Continue Reading ]
GRACE BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN.— This salutation shews, that though the epistle was directed and sent to Titus, it was intended for the benefit of _all_ the true Christians in Crete. _INFERENCES.—_The remembrance of the _irregularities_ with which we ourselves were once chargeable, and of that sinful a... [ Continue Reading ]