Titus 2 Commentary

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:”

Sound doctrine. It is not sufficient to teach sound doctrine, says St. Jerome, if it be not at the same time taught in a manner worthy of itself; that is, if he who teaches it by his words belies it in his actions. (St. Jerome)

“That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. sober: or, vigilant”

Be sober.The Greek Fathers, Theodoret, and Theophylactus, translate the word, sober, attentive, or vigilant. But Latin interpreters understand it of sobriety, in the literal meaning of the word. Old men oftentimes under pretense of weakness, drink wine to excess. The ancients called wine the milk of old men; hence aquilœ senectus has passed into a proverb, to designate an old man who drinks much and eats little. (Calmet)

“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; holiness: or, holy women false: or, one who foments strife”

In holy attire.[1] See 1 Timothy ii. 9. The Greek word is sometimes used to signify the whole constitution, or state of a man’s health in all the parts of his body: here it is taken for a woman’s whole exterior carriage, her gait, gesture, looks, discourse, dress, that nothing appear but what is edifying. (Witham)

“That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, sober: or, wise”

Love their husbands. This is the first lesson he wishes to be given to young women; that they should always manifest a love, an attachment, respect and obedience to their husbands. But it must be a chaste love. Vult eas amare viros suos castè; vult inter virum et mulierem esse pudicam dilectionem. (St. Jerome)

“To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

Discreet, chaste, sober. In the Greek is nothing for sober. The Latin interpreter seems to have added it, as another signification of one of the Greek words. See 1 Timothy iii. 2. (Witham)

“In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,”

In gravity: to which is added in the Protestant translation sincerity,[2] from some Greek copies; but it is left out by Dr. Wells, as being not in the best Greek manuscripts nor is it in the Amsterdam edition, (1711.) (Witham)

“Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; answering: or, gainsaying”

Servants to be obedient. Servants owe respect and submission to their masters in every thing not contrary to the law, or the will of God. Hence they are strictly forbidden to murmur at their commands, to show any repugnance to obey them, or to censure their conduct. To avoid these evils, they ought to consider their masters as Jesus Christ himself, and their commands as those of God himself: which St. Paul often inculcates in other places in his epistles. (Ephesians vi. 5, 6.; Colossians iii. 23.) (St. Jerome)

“Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”

Not defrauding.[3] St. Jerome puts, not stealing. The Greek signifies private thefts. Dr. Wells, not by filching. — That they may adorn (or give honour to) the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things; by whom we may understand God, i.e. Christ, God and Man, or God as common to the three divine persons. (Witham) — Thus ought they to shew forth in their whole conduct that strict love of justice and sanctity which the Catholic faith inspires into those who profess it, and live up to the admirable rules it prescribes; thus alone can they be said to do honour to their religion, when they practically perform what they speculatively believe.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, hath: or, to all men, hath appeared”

For the grace of God, our Saviour, hath appeared to all men. In the Greek: For the saving grace of God, &c. (Witham)

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

We should live soberly,[4] and justly, and piously. St. Jerome puts (as in other places for the same Greek word) chastely, justly, and piously. The words comprehend man’s duty to himself, to his neighbour, and towards God. (Witham)

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; glorious: Gr. the appearance of the glory of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ”

Waiting for the blessed hope; for the happiness of the blessed in heaven, promised and hoped for. — And coming of the glory of the great God,[5] and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The title of great God, says Dr. Wells, is here referred to our Saviour Jesus Christ, by Clement of Alexandria in protreptico, chap. vi. He might have added, and by the general consent of the Greek and Latin Fathers. St. Chrysostom cries out: “where are now they who say that the Son is less than the Father?” St. Jerome in like manner: “where is the serpent Arius? where is the snake Eunomius?” And that this title of great God is here given to Jesus Christ, may be shewn from the text itself, especially in the Greek; for the glorious coming, and appearance, in other places of St. Paul, is always used to signify Christ’s coming to judge the world. Secondly, inasmuch as one and the same Greek article falls upon the great God, and our Saviour Christ; so that even M. Simon, in a note on these words, says the construction is, and the coming of Jesus Christ, the great God, our Saviour, and blames Erasmus and Grotius for pretending that this place is not a confutation of the Arians. (Witham)

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

A people, particularly acceptable.[6] St. Jerome translates an egregious or eminent people. He says in the Septuagint it corresponds to segula, which signifies a man’s proper possessions, which he has purchased or chosen for himself. Budeus says it signifies what is rare and uncommon; and it is well translated by the Protestants, a particular people. (Witham)