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3:1 Put them in mind to be
subject to
principalities and powers, to
obey
magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 3:2 To speak evil of
no man, to be no
brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all
men.
3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving divers
lusts and
pleasures, living in malice and
envy, hateful, and hating one another.
3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man
appeared, 3:5 Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 3:7 That being justified by his
grace, we should be made
heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be
careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men.
3:9 But avoid
foolish questions, and
genealogies, and
contentions, and
strivings about the
law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition
reject; 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is
subverted, and sinneth,
being
condemned of himself.
3:12 When I shall send
Artemas unto thee, or
Tychicus, be diligent to
come unto me to
Nicopolis: for I have determined there to
winter.
3:13 Bring
Zenas the lawyer and
Apollos on their journey diligently,
that nothing be wanting unto them.
3:14 And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary
uses, that they be not
unfruitful.
3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the
faith. Grace be with you all.
Amen.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Titus
Book: Titus
Chapter: 3
Overview:
Obedience to magistrates, and becoming behaviour towards all,
are enforced from what believers were before
Conversion, and
what they are made, through
Christ.
(1-7) Good
Works to be done,
and useless disputes avoided.
(8-11) Directions and
exhortations.
(12-15)
1-7 Spiritual privileges do not make void or weaken, but
confirm civil duties. Mere good words and good meanings are not
enough without good
Works. They were not to be quarrelsome, but
to show
Meekness On all occasions, not toward friends only, but
to all men, though with
Wisdom, Jas 3:13. And let this text
teach us how wrong it is for a
Christian to be churlish to the
worst, weakest, and most abject. The servants of
Sin have many
masters, their lusts hurry them different ways; pride commands
one thing,
Covetousness another. Thus they are hateful,
deserving to be hated. It is the misery of sinners, that they
hate one another; and it is the duty and happiness of saints to
Love one another. And we are delivered out of our miserable
condition, only
By the
Mercy and free
Grace of
God, the merit
and sufferings of
Christ, and the working of his
Spirit.
God the
Father is
God our
Saviour. He is the
Fountain from which the
Holy
Spirit flows, to teach, regenerate, and save his fallen
creatures; and this blessing comes to mankind through
Christ.
The
Spring and rise of it, is the kindness and
Love of
God to
Man.
Love and
Grace have, through the
Spirit, great power to
change and turn the
Heart to
God.
Works must be in the saved,
but are not among the causes of their
Salvation. A new principle
of
Grace and
Holiness is wrought, which sways, and governs, and
makes the
Man a new
Creature. Most pretend they would have
Heaven at last, yet they care not for
Holiness now; they would
have the
End without the beginning. Here is the outward sign and
Seal thereof in
Baptism, called therefore the
Washing of
Regeneration. The work is inward and spiritual; this is
outwardly signified and sealed in this ordinance. Slight not
this outward sign and
Seal; yet
Rest not in the outward
Washing,
but look to the answer of a good
Conscience, without which the
outward
Washing will avail nothing. The worker therein is the
Spirit of
God; it is the renewing of the
Holy Ghost. Through him
we mortify
Sin, perform duty, walk in
God's ways; all the
working of the Divine
Life in us, and the fruits of
Righteousness without, are through this blessed and holy
Spirit.
The
Spirit and his saving
Gifts and graces, come through
Christ,
as a
Saviour, whose undertaking and work are to bring to
Grace
and
Glory.
Justification, in the
Gospel sense, is the free
forgiveness of a sinner; accepting him as righteous through the
Righteousness of
Christ received
By Faith.
God, in justifying a
sinner in the way of the
Gospel, is gracious to him, yet just to
himself and his
Law. As forgiveness is through a perfect
Righteousness, and satisfaction is made to
Justice By Christ, it
cannot be merited
By the sinner himself. Eternal
Life is set
before us in the promise; the
Spirit Works Faith in us, and
Hope
of that
Life;
Faith and
Hope bring it near, and fill with joy in
expectation of it.
8-11 When the
Grace of
God towards mankind has been declared,
the necessity of good
Works is pressed. Those who believe in
God, must make it their care to maintain good
Works, to seek
opportunities for doing them, being influenced
By Love and
gratitude. Trifling, foolish questions must be avoided, and
subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor should people be
eager after novelties, but
Love sound doctrine which tends most
to edifying. Though we may now think some sins
Light and little,
if the
Lord awaken the
Conscience, we shall feel even the
smallest
Sin heavy upon our souls.
12-15 Christianity is not a fruitless profession; and its
professors must be filled with the fruits of
Righteousness,
which are
By Jesus Christ, to the
Glory and praise of
God. They
must be doing good, as
Well as keeping away from evil. Let
"ours" follow some honest labour and employment, to provide for
themselves and their families. Christianity obliges all to seek
some honest work and
Calling, and therein to abide with
God. The
Apostle concludes with expressions of kind regard and fervent
Prayer.
Grace be with you all; the
Love and favour of
God, with
the fruits and effects thereof, according to need; and the
increase and feeling of them more and more in your souls. This
is the
Apostle's wish and
Prayer, showing his
Affection to them,
and desire for their good, and would be a means of obtaining for
them, and bringing down
On them, the thing requested.
Grace is
the chief thing to be wished and prayed for, with respect to
ourselves or others; it is "all good."