Titus 2

Teach Sound Doctrine

1 But as for you, teach what accords with ¹sound^[a] doctrine.

2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, ²sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

3 ³Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, ⁴not slanderers ⁵or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,

5 to be self-controlled, ⁶pure, ⁷working at home, kind, and ⁸submissive to their own husbands, ⁹that the word of God may not be reviled.

6 Likewise, urge ¹⁰the younger men to be self-controlled.

7 Show yourself in all respects to be ¹¹a model of good works, and in your teaching ¹²show integrity, ¹³dignity,

8 and ¹⁴sound speech that cannot be condemned, ¹⁵so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

9 ¹⁶Slaves^[b] are to be submissive to their own masters ¹⁷in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

10 not pilfering, ¹⁸but showing all good faith, ¹⁹so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

11 For ²⁰the grace of God ²¹has appeared, bringing salvation ²²for all people,

12 training us to renounce ungodliness and ²³worldly passions, and ²⁴to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in ²⁵the present age,

13 ²⁶waiting for our blessed ²⁷hope, the ²⁸appearing of the glory of our great ²⁹God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14 ³⁰who gave himself for us to ³¹redeem us from all lawlessness and ³²to purify for himself ³³a people for his own possession who are ³⁴zealous for good works.

15 Declare these things; exhort and ³⁵rebuke with all authority. ³⁶Let no one disregard you.

Titus 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The duties which become sound doctrine. (1-8) Believing servants must be obedient. (9,10) All is enforced from the holy design of the gospel, which concerns all believers. (11-15)

Verses 1-8 Old disciples of Christ must behave in every thing agreeably to the Christian doctrine. That the aged men be sober; not thinking that the decays of nature will justify any excess; but seeking comfort from nearer communion with God, not from any undue indulgence. Faith works by, and must be seen in love, of God for himself, and of men for God's sake. Aged persons are apt to be peevish and fretful; therefore need to be on their guard. Though there is not express Scripture for every word, or look, yet there are general rules, according to which all must be ordered. Young women must be sober and discreet; for many expose themselves to fatal temptations by what at first might be only want of discretion. The reason is added, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Failures in duties greatly reproach Christianity. Young men are apt to be eager and thoughtless, therefore must be earnestly called upon to be sober-minded: there are more young people ruined by pride than by any other sin. Every godly man's endeavour must be to stop the mouths of adversaries. Let thine own conscience answer for thine uprightness. What a glory is it for a Christian, when that mouth which would fain open itself against him, cannot find any evil in him to speak of!

Verses 9-10 Servants must know and do their duty to their earthly masters, with a reference to their heavenly one. In serving an earthly master according to Christ's will, He is served; such shall be rewarded by him. Not giving disrespectful or provoking language; but to take a check or reproof with silence, not making confident or bold replies. When conscious of a fault, to excuse or justify it, doubles it. Never putting to their own use that which is their master's, nor wasting the goods they are trusted with. Showing all good fidelity to improve a master's goods, and promote his thriving. If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? ( Luke 16:12 ) . True religion is an honour to the professors of it; and they should adorn it in all things.

Verses 11-15 The doctrine of grace and salvation by the gospel, is for all ranks and conditions of men. It teaches to forsake sin; to have no more to do with it. An earthly, sensual conversation suits not a heavenly calling. It teaches to make conscience of that which is good. We must look to God in Christ, as the object of our hope and worship. A gospel conversation must be a godly conversation. See our duty in a very few words; denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, living soberly, righteously, and godly, notwithstanding all snares, temptations, corrupt examples, ill usage, and what remains of sin in the believer's heart, with all their hinderances. It teaches to look for the glories of another world. At, and in, the glorious appearing of Christ, the blessed hope of Christians will be complete: To bring us to holiness and happiness was the end of Christ's death. Jesus Christ, that great God and our Saviour, who saves not only as God, much less as Man alone; but as God-man, two natures in one person. He loved us, and gave himself for us; and what can we do less than love and give up ourselves to him! Redemption from sin and sanctification of the nature go together, and make a peculiar people unto God, free from guilt and condemnation, and purified by the Holy Spirit. All Scripture is profitable. Here is what will furnish for all parts of duty, and the right discharge of them. Let us inquire whether our whole dependence is placed upon that grace which saves the lost, pardons the guilty, and sanctifies the unclean. And the further we are removed from boasting of fancied good works, or trusting in them, so that we glory in Christ alone, the more zealous shall we be to abound in real good works.

Cross References

• 1. See 1 Timothy 1:10
• 2. [See ver. 1 above]
• 3. [1 Timothy 2:9]
• 4. 1 Timothy 3:11
• 5. [1 Timothy 3:8; 1 Timothy 5:23]
• 6. 1 Peter 3:2
• 7. [1 Timothy 5:14]
• 8. See Genesis 3:16
• 9. See 1 Timothy 6:1
• 10. 1 Timothy 5:1
• 11. 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 5:3
• 12. [2 Corinthians 11:3]
• 13. 1 Timothy 2:2
• 14. [1 Timothy 6:3]
• 15. Nehemiah 5:9; 1 Timothy 5:14; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 3:16
• 16. See 1 Peter 2:18
• 17. [Colossians 3:22]
• 18. [1 Timothy 3:11]
• 19. Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15
• 20. Titus 3:7; See Acts 11:23
• 21. Titus 3:4
• 22. [Psalms 67:2]; See 1 Timothy 2:4
• 23. 1 Peter 4:2; 1 John 2:16
• 24. 2 Timothy 3:12; [Acts 24:25]
• 25. 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy 4:10
• 26. See 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Peter 3:12
• 27. See Titus 1:2
• 28. See 2 Thessalonians 2:8
• 29. 2 Peter 1:1
• 30. See Matthew 20:28
• 31. Psalms 130:8; See 1 Peter 1:18
• 32. Ezekiel 37:23; See Exodus 19:5
• 33. Ezekiel 37:23; See Exodus 19:5
• 34. Titus 3:8; Ephesians 2:10
• 35. Titus 1:13; 1 Timothy 5:20
• 36. See 1 Timothy 4:12

Footnotes

• [a]. Or healthy; also verses 2, 8
• [b]. Or servants; Greek bondservants

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS 2

In this chapter the apostle exhorts Timothy to the discharge of his office with respect to all sorts of persons, of every age, sex; and condition, he was concerned with, giving reasons for it, taken from the nature of the Gospel of Christ: he exhorts him in general to insist in his public ministry on those things, which were agreeable to sound doctrine, Tit 2:1 and particularly what became aged men and aged women, and young men and young women, Tit 2:2-6 in all which, both with respect to doctrine and practice, he desires him to be a pattern to them, that so even his very adversaries may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of him, Tit 2:7,8. And next he charges him to exhort servants, to obey their masters, and seek to please them, and not contradict them, and to be faithful to them; that so the doctrine of God their Saviour, professed by them, might be adorned in all things, Tit 2:9,10. And the reasons why the apostle would have duty urged on persons of every age, sex, and state, are taken from the nature of the Gospel being a doctrine of grace and salvation, which was preached to all sorts of persons, Tit 2:11, and from the efficacy of it, in teaching men to deny sin, and live a holy life and conversation, Tit 2:12 and from an expectation of eternal glory and happiness at the appearance of Christ, which the Gospel encourages to, Tit 2:13; and from the end of Christ's giving himself for his people, and redeeming them from sin, the sum and substance of the Gospel, which was, that they might be purified, and be zealous of good works, Tit 2:14 and these exhortations were to be delivered by Titus with authority, and in such a manner, that he might not be despised, Tit 2:15.