Titus, verse-by-verse

Session 5 | Titus 2:15-3:7

Titus 2:15-3:2 | Instructions to the Body of Christ Concerning Interpersonal Behavior

• Verse 2:15 -- Blue
  • Any time the words these things come up in Paul's epistles, the reader must make an interpretation. Are they the things previous or the things coming? In this instance, I think Paul is beginning a new discussion, giving Titus things to speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
  • Because Titus comes under the authority of the Apostle, he is to let no man despise thee. In a general sense, though these words are specific to Titus, this can be taken by any who are teaching these things. It could not be taken by someone teaching other things. The word despiseπεριφρονέω [periphroneo]. The etymological meaning of the word is *“coming around thinking," *and thus the root of the word would involve a misunderstanding. Therefore, the reader should see this as somewhat on Titus' shoulders: *make yourself clear so that you are not misunderstood and thus despised. *
• Verse 3:1 -- Blue
  • The recipients (them) are not strongly defined. From chapter 2, they are presumably members of the body of Christ under Titus' care.
  • Concerning being under authority, Paul teaches that the Christian is to be under subjection and obedience to certain authorities. Let's begin by considering the authorities themselves:
    • principalities - from ἀρχή [arche]. The word is sometimes used in connection with specific authorities, like archangel“ultimate powers" is the context, the King James translates as principalities.
    • powers - from ἐξουσία [exousia], often translated authority. This is a more narrow word than arche and is used when a specific jurisdiction is involved. Outside the jurisdiction there is no authority.
    • magistratesπειθαρχέω [peitharcheo] is translated obey magistrates. This is a compound using arche (as above) and peitho, which is most often translated persuade. The peitharcheo is a lower-level archeion of Julius æsar (1761--1762) said, “The king was too eminent a magistrate to be trusted with discretionary power."

In summary it appears that Paul teaches a hierarchy (which uses the word arche along with hieros, which refers to holy duties) of authority. The overarching power is the principality, followed by those in jurisdictional powers, followed by magistrates, those that have persuasive power. It is in this light that Peter says, We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) and Paul says to the captains of the ship (who had either persuasive power or jurisdictional power) ye should have hearkened unto me (Acts 27:21). Before a believer simply submits to an authority, he or she should consider higher authority. - The believer is also instructed to be ready to every good work. Readiness involves preparation for duty, and that preparation may be in education, logistics, finances, or any other realm. Verse 3:2 -- Blue - To speak evil is literally to blaspheme. The Christian should always *speak truth *or, at times, keep your mouth shut. There is a time and place for harmful truth and the believer should take care to be prudent. Blasphemy is not simply untrue. The Greek βλάσφημος [blasphemos] is from blapto (hurtful) and pheme (fame, report). Thus a hurtful report* is blasphemy in the Greek sense. Hurtful speech for the sake of being hurtful is unnecessary. - The Christian should be no brawlers, but gentle and *showing all **meekness. The word brawlers is ἄμαχος [amachos], thus in English it is without being macho. However, in Greek mache is fighting. The verse shouldn't be taken as an argument against some kind of so-called“toxic masculinity," The word gentleἐπιεικής [epieikes], or upon the image. It implies being appropriate for the one your are dealing with“non-jocular" fashion.

Titus 3:3-7 | The Pattern of our Testimony

• Verse 3 -- Blue
  • Paul had first used the first-person plural we/us in Titus 2:12, where it was a general reference to all men (Tit. 2:11). Now he uses the emphasized we ourselves“laundry list of possible sins" in which non-believers once engaged. Words like sometimes and diverse make me conclude that this verse is not describing specific persons, but a general list describing formerly lost people.
• Verse 4 -- Blue
  • In the King James Bible, the words after that“next," but in 1611 often meant “when." In these cases, verbally de-emphasize the word that“But AFTER, that the kindness...appeared,...."
    • Pauline examples of after that meaning when: 1 Corinthians 1:21, Galatians 3:5, 4:9, Ephesians 1:13 (twice), 1 Thessalonians 2:2, Titus 3:4.
    • Pauline examples of **after that **meaning next: 1 Corinthians 7:7, 12:28, 15:6, 7.

The kindness and love of God appearing toward man is a summary statement inclusive of the entire work and ministry of Jesus.

• Verse 5 - Blue
  • After the completed work of Christ, as summarized in verse 4, then he saved us, but He did it not by works of righteousness which we have done. In the dispensation of the Law, the **works of righteousness **were both codified in the Torah and expected for any future salvation. However, in the dispensation of the grace of God (Eph. 3:2) it is according to his mercy and by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that we are saved. The Greek word translated regenerationπαλιγγενεσία [palingenesia], or to come into being again. The Greek word translated renewing is ἀνακαίνωσις [anakainosis“again new." This washing and renewing is the salvation which God offers as a gift.
• Verse 6 - Blue
  • The word which is translated from the singular masculine, and thus the only reference can be his mercy. Thus God shed His mercy*** ***on us abundantly through Jesus Christ (and indeed He did).
  • Note that here the Textus Receptus upon which the King James is built is in the masculine, but the Majority Text is in the neuter (as well as the Critical Text). This would require that the renewing was shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ. Such an interpretation could lead to a position of universalism (though it would not have to). As always, I stick with the Textus Receptus.
• Verse 7 - Blue
  • Justification is literally a formal judgment. We are justified by his grace. Through this we become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Our inheritance is based on a different hope than that of the Jewish nation, which is based on lineage.