4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children;

5 To be discreet, chaste,

keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of

God be not blasphemed.

4 ἵνα σωφρονίζωσι τας νεας, φιλανδρους ειναι, φιλο

τεκνους,

5 σώφρονας, ἁγνας, οικουρους, αγαθας, ὑποτασσομένας τοις ιδίοις ανδρασιν, ἵνα μη ὁ λόγος του Θεου βλασφη

μηται.

6 Young men likewise 6 Τους νεωτέρους ώσαυτως exhort to be sober-minded. παρακαλει σωφρονειν.

7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

7 Περι παντα σεαυτον παρεχόμενος τυπον καλών εργων, εν τη διδασκαλια αδιαφθοραν, σεμνότητα, αφ θαρσίαν,

were to teach the young under their care, are mentioned ver. 4, 5. See 1 Tim. iii. 11. note 1.

2. In deportment. The word καταστήματι denotes, not only the dress, but the carriage of the body: So is fitly translated, deportment.

3. As becometh sacred persons. The aged women employed by the church to teach the young, are fitly called sacred persons, because the office they were employed to discharge, was a sacred office; as was shewed, 1 Tim. v. 16. note 1.

4. Not slanderers. This was required in the same order of female teachers, 1 Tim. iii. 11.

5. Not enslaved to much wine. This is a qualification required in the deacons, 1 Tim. iii. 8:

Ver. 4.1. That they may persuade. So σωφρονίζωσι may be translated.

See 2 Tim. i. 7. note 2.

Ver. 5.1. Careful of their families. The word Οικέρες, signifies, both those who keep at home, and those who take proper care of their families. In this latter sense I understood it here, with Elsner and the Vulgate.

2. That the word of God may not be evil spoken of. The exhortation to be good wives and mothers, which aged women were ordered, in this passage, to give to the young under their care, is not to be considered merely as a rule by which those are to govern themselves, who are intrusted with the office of teaching others; but young women are more especially to consider it as a rule for directing their own conduct; that by their conjugal

4 That they may persuade1 the young women to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children.

5 To be calm, chaste, careful of their families, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of 2

6 The young men, in like manner, exhort (wogovely) to govern their passions.

7 (g) In all things make thyself a pattern of good works, (didacnadig, see 2 Tim. iii. 16.) in teaching SHEW incorruptness,' gravity, sincerity,

4 That they may persuade the young women under their care, to be lovers of their husbands, performing the duties of marriage from affection, and lovers of their children by bringing them up religiously.

5 To be of a calm disposition, chaste, attentive to the affairs of their families, good to their domestics, obedient to their own husbands, that the gospel may not be evil spoken of, as encouraging wives to neglect their husbands and children, on pretence of their attending on the offices of religion.

6 The young men in like manner exhort to govern their passions, (ver. 12. note 3.) that they may behave soberly in the giddy season of youth.

7 To give weight to thy exhortations, In all things make thyself a pattern of those good works which thou enjoinest to others. In teaching shew incorruptness of doctrine, gravity of speech, and sincerity with respect to the motives by which thou art influenced.

affection, their care in educating their children, their chastity, their prudent œconomy, their sweetness of disposition, and subjection to their husbands, all founded on the principles of religion, they may do honour to the gospel, which they profess to believe and obey.

Ver. 7.-1. Shew, adıapDopiav, incorruptness, gravity, aqFagrav, sincerity. Some ancient MSS. and versions want the word which I have translated sincerity. But it is found in the Alex. MS. in the Arabic version, and in some of the Greek commentators. Mill thinks it was first placed on the margin as an explication of adıq‡opiar, incorruptness, and afterwards was inserted in the text. But though both words come from the same original, being differently compounded they may be distinguished in the following manner. Incorruptness (adıqDopav) may signify that Titus's doctrine was to be free from all corrupt mixtures, taken whether from Judaism or from heathenism. Whereas aqFagotav, sincerity, may signify that his motives in teaching were to be incorrupt. He was not to teach from the love of money, or fame, or power.

VOL. IV.

47

8 Sound speech that

8 λογον ύγιη ακαταγνωcannot be condemned; ; ἵνα ὁ εξ εναντίας εντρα

that he that is of the con

trary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing

to say of you.

9 Exhort servants to be

obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

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

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all

men,

50v,

πη, μηδεν εχων περι ὑμων λεγειν φαυλον.

Ver. 8. 1. Wholesome speech. υγιη. Speech strong but temperate, that is free from all bitterness. For, as the commentators observe, Titus who was a converted Gentile, having seen so much of the obstinate, uncharitable, bigotted spirit of the Judaizers, might have been in danger of using harsh language in reproving them, if he had not been thus cautioned by the apostle2. He who is on the opposite side. Εξ εναντίας, supply χαρας. He means infidels, whether Jews or Gentiles.

3. Having nothing bad to say concerning you. Περι ύμων. Some MSS. and versions have here, σερι ήμων concerning us. Either reading shews, as Benson observes, how anxious the apostle was, that the gospel might not be evil spoken of, on account of the misbehaviour either of its teachers, or of its professors, see ver. 10. and 1 Pet. ii. 12.

Ver. 10.1. Not secretly stealing. The word νοσφιζομενες signifies the stealing a part of a thing; the thief not daring to take the whole, for fear of being discovered. It is applied to the fraud of Ananias and Saphira, Acts v. 3. who abstracted a part of the price of their land.

Ver.11.—1. For the grace of God. Here, and Gal. v. 4. the gospel is called the grace of God, either because it is the greatest favour which God hath bestowed on men, or because it teaches the doctrine of God's great grace or favour to men.

2. Hath shone forth to all men. The word shining of the sun, or of the stars, Acts xxvii. 20. hath shone forth to all men, and giveth light to all.

we properly signifies the The gospel like the sun

Hence Christ, the au

8 In conversation, and in reproving offenders, use clear and strong but temperate speech, which cannot be found fault with, even by the offenders themselves; that he who is not a Christian, may be ashamed of his opposition to thee and to the elders thy assistants, having nothing bad to say concerning you as teachers.

9 Slaves exhort to continue subject to their own masters, and in all things lawful to be careful to please; especially by performing their service cheerfully; not insolently answering again, even though they may be reproved unjustly, or with too much severity. See 1 Pet. ii. 18.

10 Not secretly stealing any part of their master's goods, but shewing the greatest fidelity and honesty in every thing committed to them; that by the whole of their behaviour in their low station, they may render the doctrine of the gospel amiable, even in the eyes of their heathen lords.

11 These things I command, Because the gospel of God which bringeth, both the knowledge and the means of salvation, hath shone forth to all men, to Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, masters and slaves, without distinction.

thor of the gospel, is called Luke i. 78. Avaroλn é1⁄2 úfus; The day-spring from on high; and Malach. iv. 2. The sun of righteousness. Hence also Christ called himself, John viii. 12. The light of the world. The shining forth of the gospel to all men, is an high recommendation of it, and shews it to be entirely different from the heathen mysteries, which if they contained any thing valuable for reforming mankind, being confined to the initiated, the vulgar were left in ignorance, idolatry, and vice.-The gospel likewise differs from the law of Moses as taught of the Judaizers, who by inculcating the rites and ceremonies of that law as the whole of religion, encouraged

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

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

12 παιδευουσα ἡμας, ἵνα αρνησαμενοι την ασεβειαν και τας κοσμικας επιθυμιας, σωφρόνως και δικαιως και ευσεβως ζησωμεν εν τῷ vvv

αιώνι,

13 προσδεχομενοι την μα καριαν ελπίδα, και επιφα νειαν της δοξης του μεγάλου Θεου και σωτηρος ήμων Ιησου Χριςου

their disciples to neglect the duties of piety and morality altogether. Whereas the gospel teaches us, That denying ungodliness, &c.

Ver. 12.-1. Ungodliness consists, not only in denying the existence of God, but in denying his perfections, his government of the world, and the retributions of a future state. Also, it consists in neglecting to worship God; in worshipping him by images; in blasphemy or speaking direspectfully of his providence; in perjury; in profaning the name of God by cursing and swearing; and in disregarding the manifestation which he hath made of his will in the gospel revelation.

2. Worldly lusts: Namely gluttony, drunkenness, lasciviousness, anger, malice, revenge, together with the immoderate love of riches, power, fame, and the rest. These lusts being productive of nothing but misery to those who indulge them, the gospel, God's gracious gift, was bestowed on men to rescue them from the dominion of worldly lusts, by teaching them to live soberly, &c.

3. Should live soberly. Zappover. Sobriety is a habit of self-government, whereby one is able to restrain his appetites, his passions, and his affections, as often as the gratification of his appetites, and the yielding to the impulses of his passions and affections, are in any respect sinful. See 2 Tim. i. 7, note 2.

4. Righteously. Righteousness consists in abstaining from injuring others in their person, reputation or fortune; in discharging all the duties belonging to the relations in which one stands to those with whom he is connected, and to the station in which he is placed; in carrying on one's trade and commerce fairly; in performing covenants and promises faithfully; and in short in rendering to every one his due.-The Hebrews held it to be a part of righteousness also, to do works of charity to the poor. Psal. cxii. 9. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever. 5. And godly. Godliness being the opposite to ungodliness, described ver. 12. note 1. needs no explanation.

6. In this present world. Here the apostle insinuates, that the present world in which we live, is a state of probation for the future world: as is plain likewise from ver. 13.