Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: TITUS #2 - 2:1-3:11)
C. 2:1-3:11 HIGH BUT PRACTICAL STANDARDS OF THE GOSPEL
1. 2:1-10 STANDARD OF PRACTICE FOR VARIOUS GROUPS
a. 2:1-8 PATTERN FOR EVERY AGE AND SEX
Su de LAlei ha PREpei [4241] te hu-gi-aiNOUse[5198]di-da-skaLIa [1319]:
But you speak the thingswhich befit the sound teaching:
presBUtas [4246] ne-phaLIous [3524]EInai, semNOUS [4586],
2that aged menbe temperate, grave,
SOphronas [4998], hu-giAInon-tas [5198]te PIstei, teaGApe, tehu-po-moNE [5281]:
soberminded, sound in :faith, :love, :patience:
presBUti-das [4247] hoSAUtos en ka-taSTEma-ti [2688] hi-e-ro-prePEIS [2412],
3that aged womenlikewise be reverent in demeanor,
me di-aBOlous [1223] meDE OIno [3631] polLO de-dou-loMEnas [1402], ka-lo-di-daSKAlous [2567];
not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is good;
HIna so-phroNIzo-si [4994] tas NEas [3501] phiLANdrous [5362] EInai, phi-loTEKnous [5388],
4that they may train the young to be husband-lovers, child-lovers,
SOphro-nas [4998],hagNAS [53], oi-kourGOUS [3926], a-gaTHAS,
5sober-minded, chaste, home-workers, good,
hu-po-tas-soMEnas [5293] tois iDIois anDRAsin [435], HIna me ho LOgos tou TheOU blas-pheMEtai [987]:
subject to their own husbands, that the word of :God be not blasphemed:
tous ne-oTErous [3501] hoSAUtos pa-raKAlei [3870] so-phroNEIN [4993]:
6the younger menlikewise exhort to be sober-minded:
peRI PANta se-auTON pa-reCHOme-nos [3930] TUpon [5179] kaLON ERgon;
7in all thingsshowing yourself an example of good works;
en te di-da-skaLIa [1319] aph-thoRIan [90], semNOte-ta [4587], LOgon hu-giE [5199], a-kaTAGno-ston [176];
in the teaching showinguncorruptness, gravity,8 sound speech, that cannot be condemned;
HIna ho ex e-nanTIas [1727] en-traPE [1788], meDEN Echon LEgein peRI heMON PHAUlon [5337].
that he that is of the contrary part be ashamed, having no evil to say of us.
b. 2:9-10 SERVANTS
DOUlous [1401] iDIois deSPOtais [1203] hu-poTASses-thai [5293]
Bondmen to be subject to their own masters
en PAsin eu-aREstous [2102] EInai, me an-tiLEgon-tas [483],
in all things to be well-pleasing, not gainsaying,
me nos-phi-zoMEnous [3557], alLA PAsan piSTIN en-deik-nuMEnous [1731] a-gaTHEN;
10not purloining, but showing all good faithfulness;
HIna ten di-da-skaLIan [1319] ten tou soTEros [4990] heMON TheOU kosMOsin [2885] en PAsin.
that they may adorn the teaching of :God our Savior in all things.
2. 2:11-14 TEACHING OF DIVINE GRACE
E-pePHAne [2014] gar he CHAris tou TheOU soTEri-os [4992] PAsin anTHROpois,
For the grace of :God has appeared to all men bringing salvation,
paiDEUou-sa [3811] heMAS, HIna, ar-neSAme-noi [720] ten aSEbei-an [763]
12instructing us, that, denying :ungodliness
kai tas kos-miKAS [2886] e-pi-thuMIas [1939], soPHROnos [4996]
and worldly :lusts, we should live soberly
kai diKAIos [1346] kai eu-seBOS [2153] ZEso-men [2198] en to nun aiOni [165];
and righteously and godly in this present age;
pros-deCHOme-noi [4325] ten ma-kaRIan [3107] elPIda [1680] kai e-piPHAnei-an [2015] tes DOxes
13awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory
tou meGAlou TheOU kai soTEros [4990] heMON IeSOU ChrisTOU;
of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
hos Edo-ken he-auTON huPER heMON, HIna luTROse-tai [3084] heMAS aPO PAses a-noMIas [458],
14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
kai ka-thaRIse [2511] he-auTO laON pe-riOUsi-on [4041], ze-loTEN [2207] kaLON ERgon.
and purify to himself a people for hispossession, zealous of good works.
3. 2:15a-3:11 STANDARDS FOR RULERS, GOOD WORKS, HERETICS
a. 2:15:a These thingsspeak and exhort and reprove with all authority.
TAUta LAlei kai pa-raKAlei [3870] kai Eleg-che [1651] meTA PAses e-pi-taGES [2003].
b. 2:15b Let no one despise you. meDEIS sou pe-ri-phroNEIto [4065].
c. 3:1-2 SUBJECTION
Hu-poMIMne-ske [5279] auTOUS arCHAIS [746], e-xouSIais [1849], hu-poTASses-thai [5293],
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities,
pei-tharCHEIN [3980], pros pan ERgon a-gaTHON heTOImous [2092] EInai,
to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work,
meDEna blas-pheMEIN [987], aMAchous [269] EInai,
2to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious,
e-pi-eiKEIS [1933], PAsan en-deik-nuMEnous [1731] praUte-ta [4236] pros PANtas anTHROpous.
to begentle, showing all meekness toward all men.
d. 3:3 MARKS OF THE UNSUBMITTED
HEmen GAR po-te kai heMEIS aNOe-toi [453], a-peiTHEIS [545],
For we also once were foolish, disbedient,
plaNOme-noi [4105], douLEUon-tes [1398] e-pi-thuMIais [1939] kai he-doNAIS [2237] poiKIlais [4164],
deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures,
en kaKIa kai PHTHOno [5355] diAgon-tes [1236], stu-geTOI [4767], miSOUNtes [3404] alLElous.
living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
e. 3:4-7 GOD'S SALVATION
HOte de he chreSTOtes [5544] kai he phi-lan-throPIa [5363] e-pePHAne [2014] tou soTEros heMON TheOU,
But when the kindness of :God our Savior, and his:love to man, appeared,
ouk ex ERgon ton en di-kai-oSUne ha e-poiEsa-men [4160] heMEIS,
5not by :works which WE did in righteousness,
alLA kaTA to auTOU Ele-os [1656] Eso-sen [4982] heMAS, diA louTROU [3067]
but according to his :mercy he saved us, through a washing
pa-lin-ge-neSIas [3824] kai a-na-kaiNOse-os [342] PNEUma-tos HaGIou, hou eXEche-en eph' heMAS plouSIos,
of regeneration and renewing of theHoly Spirit,6whom he poured out upon us richly,
diA IeSOU ChrisTOU tou soTEros heMON; HIna, di-kai-oTHENtes [1344] te eKEInou CHAri-ti [5485],
through Jesus Christ our :Savior; 7that, being justified by his :grace,
kle-roNOmoi [2818] ge-neTHOmen [1096] kat' elPIda [1680] zo-ES [2222] ai-oNIou [166].
we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
f. 3:8a GOOD WORKS
piSTOS [4103] ho LOgos, kai peRI TOUton BOUloMAI [1014] se di-a-be-baiOUSthai [1226],
Faithful the saying, and concerning these I desire that you affirm confidently,
HIna phronTIzo-sin [5431] kaLON ERgon proIstas-thai [4291] hoi pe-pi-steuKOtes [4100] TheO.
so that they who have believed God be careful to maintain good works.
g. 3:8b-9 FOOLISH QUESTIONS
TAU-TA es-tin kaLA kai oPHEli-ma tois anTHROpois: moRAS [3474] de zeTEseis [2214], kai ge-ne-a-loGIas,
These thingsare good and profitable for :men:9but shun foolish questionings, and genealogies,
kai Erin [2054], kai MAchas [3163] no-miKAS [3544] pe-riIsta-so [4026]; eiSIN gar a-no-pheLEIS [512] kai MAtai-oi.
and strifes, and fightings about law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
h. 3:10-11 HERETICS
hai-re-tiKON [141] ANthro-pon meTA MIan kai deuTEran nou-theSIan [3559] pa-raiTOU [3868];
A factious man after one admonition and a second refuse;
eiDOS HOti eXEstrap-tai [1612] ho toiOUtos, kai ha-marTAnei [264], hon au-to-kaTAkri-tos [843].
11knowing that the such is perverted, and sins, being self-condemned.
NOTE: Our title is “Highbut Practical Standards of the Gospel.” And, according to Paul, it was the Lord Jesus who gave these words as a command through him to the church.
See the high standards God gave through Moses to Israel! We should then expect that He has special words and standards for the Church - and He does! Older women are to train the younger to be husband-lovers and child-lovers. Remember Queen Vashti in the book of Esther. When she disobeyed her husband, she was deposed as Queen, and Esther replaced her. The King's advisers felt the Word of God would be blasphemed if this situation was not handled. Paul felt the same way for Crete and all other City Churches (2:5). And of course what the Lord said through Paul in Ephesians 5 for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, must not be forgotten! And what of our Western Culture today? The secular part has so crept into the church, that there is now a shading between standards of the world and standards of the church.
Behind our Redemption through Christ lies the Grace of God. God initiated the work of Christ. Christ said, “Prepare me a body, and I then as son of man will come and reconcile the fallen human race back to us through my Atoning Work.”And He did! On the Cross He said - “It is finished.” What God sent Him to do - He accomplished, where the first Adam had failed! Satan has been defeated. In but a little while, that will be completely manifested. Because with God 1000 years is as a day - it is but 2 days since Redemption was completed. This thirdday will see the Millennial reign taking place, and then the devil for ever will be cast into the Lake of Fire! We nowawait the blessed hopeand appearing of gloryof the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ! (2:11) Titus 2:11-14 is a marvelous interlude between these two sections.
And now, 2:15a-3:11, the final standards: to speak evil of no one, and not to be contentious. What a great standard for leaders. Then Paul reminds leaders that all believers prior to our conversion, walked in 3:3. When we remember this, it encourages us to be patient with new converts during their time of transition from the old life to the new. The renewal of our mind (Romans 12:1-2), doestake a little time. One man was asked as soon as he was saved how he felt. He replied, “I feel damn good!” Several weeks later he was asked again. Now he replied, “I'm praising the Lord for His wonderful salvation, that by His grace He has given me!” I do believe God understood his first response, but I'm sure he appreciated the second one even better!
Titus 3:5 is one of the 108 verses of the Topical Memory System (TMS) of the Navigators. What a marvelous picture of God's salvation.
Then see 3:8a - “Faithful the saying, and concerning these I desire that you affirmconfidently.” - Good! In 3:9 the Spirit through Paul says, “Shun foolish questions and genealogies.” Some would waste the time of leaders and testimony time in churches with these. Kindly but firmly, we are to set these aside. D.L. Moody did so!
Finally - look at 3:10-11 - “A factious man after one admonition and a second - refuse!” It is not just quantity we are after, but quality! Some feel you are quenching the Spirit in such cases. Not at all. You are quenching the human unsurrendered spirit, but pleasing the Holy Spirit, who inspired Paul to write these words. So much of what is “politically correct” today is actually “politically expedient” to satisfy “the tyranny of the minority” and liberals, and few dare go against these new norms. In the church, the Word is our “norm” - not the above. Excessive deference to particular sensibilities such as Gays and Liberals - can't stand having the Bible brought forth as a Plumbline here. But - Ivan Panin's Bible Numerics give proof that has yet to be refuted - that the Bible is indeed God's Word as a Plumbline for all contained therein! - J.A.W.