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1:1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according
to the faith of God's elect, and the
acknowledging of the truth which
is after godliness; 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began; 1:3 But hath in due times
manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me
according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 1:4 To Titus, mine
own son after the
common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the
Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ our Saviour.
1:5 For this cause left I thee in
Crete, that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as
I had appointed thee: 1:6 If any be
blameless, the husband of one
wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
1:7 For a
bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given
to filthy lucre; 1:8 But a lover of
hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate; 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he
hath been taught, that he may be able by sound
doctrine both to exhort
and to
convince the gainsayers.
1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
specially they of the
circumcision: 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped,
who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for
filthy
lucre's sake.
1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The
Cretians are alway
liars,
evil beasts,
slow bellies.
1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore
rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the
faith; 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and
commandments of men, that turn from the
truth.
1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled
and
unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and
conscience is
defiled.
1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him,
being
abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Titus
Book: Titus
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The
Apostle salutes
Titus.
(1-4) The qualifications of a
Faithful pastor.
(5-9) The evil temper and practices of false
teachers.
(10-16)
1-4 All are the servants of
God who are not slaves of
Sin and
Satan. All
Gospel Truth is according to
Godliness, teaching the
fear of
God. The intent of the
Gospel is to raise up
Hope as
Well as
Faith; to take off the mind and
Heart from the world,
and to raise them to
Heaven and the things above. How excellent
then is the
Gospel, which was the matter of Divine promise
So
early, and what thanks are due for our privileges!
Faith comes
By hearing, and hearing
By the
Word of God; and whoso is
appointed and called, must preach the
Word.
Grace is the free
favour of
God, and acceptance with him.
Mercy, the fruits of the
favour, in the
Pardon of
Sin, and
Freedom from all miseries both
here and hereafter. And peace is the effect and
Fruit of
Mercy.
Peace with
God through
Christ who is our Peace, and with the
creatures and ourselves.
Grace is the
Fountain of all blessings.
Mercy, and peace, and all good,
Spring out of this.
5-9 The character and qualification of pastors, here called
elders and bishops, agree with what the
Apostle wrote to
Timothy. Being such bishops and overseers of the flock, to be
examples to them, and
God's stewards to take care of the affairs
of his household, there is great reason that they should be
blameless. What they are not to be, is plainly shown, as
Well as
what they are to be, as servants of
Christ, and able ministers
of the
Letter and practice of the
Gospel. And here are described
the
Spirit and practice becoming such as should be examples of
good
Works.
10-16 False teachers are described.
Faithful ministers must
oppose such in good time, that their folly being made manifest,
they may go
No further They had a base
End in what they did;
serving a worldly interest under pretence of religion: for the
Love of
Money is the root of all evil. Such should be resisted,
and
Put to shame,
By sound doctrine from the Scriptures.
Shameful actions, the reproach of heathens, should be far from
Christians; falsehood and lying, envious craft and cruelty,
brutal and sensual practices, and idleness and sloth, are sins
condemned even
By the
Light of nature. But
Christian Meekness is
as far from cowardly passing over
Sin and error, as from
Anger
and impatience. And though there may be national differences of
character, yet the
Heart of
Man in every
Age and place is
deceitful and desperately wicked. But the sharpest reproofs must
aim at the good of the reproved; and soundness in the
Faith is
most desirable and necessary. To those who are defiled and
unbelieving, nothing is pure; they abuse, and turn things lawful
and good into
Sin. Many profess to know
God, yet in their lives
deny and reject him. See the miserable state of hypocrites, such
as have a form of
Godliness, but are without the power; yet let
us not be
So ready to fix this charge
On others, as careful that
it does not apply to ourselves.