Commentaries on the Epistle to Titus by Saint Jerome of Stridon, Priest

Latin Text from public domain Migne Editors, Patrologiae Cursus Completus.

Translated into English using ChatGPT.

Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1 1:1 1:2-4 1:5 1:6 1:7 1:8-9 1:10-11 1:12-14 1:15 1:16 Chapter 2 2:1 2:2 2:3-5 2:6-8 2:9-10 2:12-14 2:15 Chapter 3 3:1-2 3:3-7 3:8 3:9 3:10-11 3:12 3:13 3:14 3:15

Prologue

Although they are not worthy of faith, who annulled the first faith, I am speaking of Marcion and Basilides, and all heretics who tear apart the old Testament: we would still tolerate them to some extent, if at least they would contain their hands in the new Testament: and not dare to violate (as they boast) Christ, the Son of the good God, or the evangelist, or the apostles. Now, however, since they have scattered his gospel and the apostles’ epistles, and have not made themselves the apostles of Christ, but their own, I wonder how they dare to claim the name of Christians for themselves. For, to pass over the other Epistles, from which they have erased whatever seems to conflict with their own doctrine, they believed that certain undivided ones should be rejected: namely, both to Timothy, to the Hebrews, and to Titus, which we are now trying to explain. And if they were to return the reasons why the apostles did not consider them, we would try to respond to something and perhaps satisfy the reader. Now truly when they pronounce with heretic authority and say: This is Paul's epistle, this is not; let them understand that they are refuted by the authority that they themselves do not blush to pretend false. Tatianus, patriarch of the Encratites, who himself rejected some of Paul's epistles, believed that this one, especially Titus, should be pronounced by the Apostle; despising Marcion and others who agree with him on this point. Therefore, the Apostle writes, O Paula and Eustochium, concerning Nicopolis, which is situated on the Actian shore, that now the largest part of it belongs to your possession. And he writes to his disciple Titus, and his son in Christ whom he left in Crete to instruct the churches, and commanded him, that when Artemas or Tychicus arrives in Crete, he should come to Nicopolis himself. Indeed it was just, that he who had said, my concern is for all the Churches: and who, when departing from Jerusalem had founded the Gospel of Christ as far as Illyricum, should not allow the Cretans to be deserted by both him and Titus; among whom the seeds of idolatry first grew: but that he would send Artemas or Tychicus to them instead of himself and Titus, by whose doctrine and consolation they would be nurtured.

1:1

"Paul the servant of God: an apostle however of Jesus Christ." In the Epistle to the Romans he begins thus: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,” but in this one he calls himself “a servant of God,” while he is “an apostle of Jesus Christ.” For if the Father and the Son are one, and he who believes in the Son, believes also in the Father, that servitude of the Apostle Paul is to be referred, indiscriminately, either to the Father or to the Son. But, however, this servitude is not that of which the Apostle says himself: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15), but it is a noble servitude, of which David speaks to God: “Behold, oh Lord, I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid” (Psalms 116:16), and of which the blessed Mary speaks to the angel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). Moses had this bondage, of whom the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, 'Moses, my servant, is dead' (Joshua 1:2). And in another place, 'Moses, the servant of the Lord, died on the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord' (Deuteronomy 34:5). It is to be far from thinking that Moses and Mary had the spirit of servitude in fear and not in love for God. It is not surprising that although called holy men, they were nobly called servants of God, as the Father speaks to the Son through the prophet Isaiah: 'It is great for you to be called my servant, my child' (Isaiah 49:6), which is said in Greek: μέγα σοὶ ἐστι τοῦ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου. But we sought after 'my child' in Hebrew and found it not written, but 'my servant,' that is, Abdi. Hence, Obadiah the prophet, whose name means 'the servant of the Lord,' received his name from serving God. If anyone is moved when he hears that the Lord and Savior, who created the universe, is called a servant of God, he will not be moved if he listens to the apostles speaking to themselves, 'Whoever wills among you shall be the greatest, let him be the servant of all,' and 'The Son of Man came not that he should be served, but that he should serve' (Matthew 20:27-28). He did not only seem to teach this with words, but also demonstrated it through example. For once, he took a towel, girded himself, and filled a basin with water and washed the disciples' feet (John 13). It is not therefore impious to believe that he who assumed the form of a servant did those things which were the duty of a servant, so that he should be said to have served his Father's will by serving his own servants. But this servitude is of charity, by which we are commanded to serve one another. And the Apostle himself, though free from all, made himself the servant of all (1 Cor. 9). And in another place: "Your servant for Christ's sake." He is the servant of God who is not the servant of sin. For everyone who commits sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34). Therefore, the Apostle, who was not the servant of sin, is rightly called the servant of God the Father and of Christ. Furthermore, when he says, "The Apostle of Jesus Christ," it seems to me to mean the same as if he had said, "The appointed prefect of the emperor Augustus, the commander-in-chief of the army of Tiberius Caesar." For just as judges of this world, in order to appear more noble, take their titles from the kings they serve and from the dignity with which they are inflated, so the Apostle, claiming for himself a great dignity among Christians, designated himself by the title of Apostle of Christ, so that he might inspire terror in those who read his name itself, indicating that all who believed in Christ should be subject to him. Moreover, what we have just written in Romans: "The servant of Jesus Christ" does not differ from his saying, "The servant of wisdom, the servant of righteousness, the servant of sanctification, the servant of redemption, for Christ became for us from God the Father, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

1:2-4

"According to the faith of the elect of God and the knowledge of the truth, which is in accordance with piety towards eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before eternal times and has manifested in due time His word in preaching, believed in accordance with the command of our Savior God by me, Titus, his dear son according to the common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father, and Jesus Christ our Savior." If anyone knows the art of grammar, or dialectic, in order to have the correct reasoning of speech, and to judge between false and true. Also, geometry and arithmetic and music have truth in their science; but that is not the science of piety. The science of piety is to know the Law, understand the prophets, believe in the Gospel, and not ignore the apostles. Conversely, there are many who have a true knowledge of piety: but not immediately the truth of the other arts of which we have just mentioned above. Therefore, this truth, whose knowledge is in line with piety, is placed in the hope of eternal life: because he who knows himself immediately bestows on him the reward of immortality. Without piety, knowledge of the truth is pleasing at present: but it does not have the eternity of rewards, which the truthful God promised before eternal times: and he manifested it in his time in Christ Jesus. To whom did he promise it before and afterwards made it clear except to His wisdom, which was always with the Father, when He rejoiced over the perfect world and rejoiced over the sons of men, and promised them who would believe in Him, that they would have eternal life? Before the foundation of the world was laid, before the seas were spread, the mountains established, the sky hung, and the earth with a solid mass lowered, God promised this, in whom there is no falsehood. Not because He can lie, and does not want to break out into words of falsehood: but because He is the father of truth and has no lie in Him, according to the saying: But let God be true: and every man a liar (Rom. 3:4). Therefore, God is called not a liar: indeed, when He promises certain things to the prophets with an oath, in order that we may be more secure, we hope that what is foretold will come to pass, and believing with our whole heart, we may be prepared to attain what is to come.

It seems not irrelevant briefly to discuss why God alone is true, and every man a liar, as it is said by the voice of the Apostles. And if I am not mistaken, how is he alone said to have immortality, when he has made angels and many rational creatures to whom he has given immortality: so too he is said to be true alone, not because the others, who are not immortal, are not lovers of truth, but because he alone is naturally, and immortal, and true. The others, indeed, attain immortality and truth by his gift, and it is one thing to be true, but another to have something in and of oneself: it is another thing to have what the giver has in his power to give. But I also think that this should not be passed over in silence, that God is not a liar, having promised eternal life before the eternal ages: from which, according to the history of Genesis, the world was made, and through the succession of nights and days, months and years, times were established. In this cycle and wheel of the world, times slip away and come, and either the future or the past is. Hence some philosophers do not believe that there is a present time: but either the past or the future; because everything that we speak, do, or think, either passes if it has happened, or if it has not yet happened, we expect it to come. Therefore, before the times of this world, it must be believed that there was a certain eternity of centuries, in which the Father always was with the Son and the Holy Spirit: and, so to speak, the time of God is one, that is, all eternity: in fact, there are innumerable times, since he who exceeds all times was there before all time. But not even a thousand years of our world are yet completed: and how many previous eternities, how many times, how many origins of ages must be considered, in which the angels, thrones, dominations, and other powers served God: and without the vicissitudes and measures of times, they stood by God's command! Before all these times, therefore, which neither speech can utter nor mind can grasp, nor silent thought dare touch, God the Father promised his Word and Wisdom, and his very Wisdom and the life of those who were to believe, should come into the world. Pay close attention to the text and order of the reading: for eternal life, which the not false God promised before eternal ages, is none other than the Word of God. For he has manifested his word in due time, saying: Therefore the word itself, which was in the beginning with the Father, must be that life eternal which he had promised; and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1) But that the Word of God, which is Christ himself, is life, he testifies in another place, saying: I am the life (John 14:6). Now life is not short, not bounded by certain periods; but eternal, which was manifested in the last ages, in the preaching which was believed in by the teacher of the gentiles, Paul, and revealed to the world, and made known to men, according to the command of the Savior God, who wished us to be saved, and fulfilled what he had promised. And the Apostle writes to his beloved son Titus, which is called in Greek, γνησίῳ τέκνῳ: and cannot be explained in Latin: for γνήσιος means this rather, when someone is called faithful and proper, and (so to speak) legitimate or genuine without comparison to another. From which we understand that there was much difference even among the sons of Paul, that he had some γνησίους, that is, most genuine, closely connected to himself, and born of true marriage and free procreation; but others almost from a handmaid and from Hagar, who cannot receive inheritance with the free son, Isaac. For the speech and wisdom and doctrine by which Titus instructed the Churches of Christ, made him a true son of the Apostle, and separate from all the companionship of others. Let us see after this what follows: According to the common faith, whether he said that it was common to all who believed in Christ, or common to him and Titus alone. Indeed, to me it seems that the common faith of the Apostle Paul and Titus was better than that of all believers; among whom, due to the variety of opinions, faith could not be common but diverse. Finally, the preface of the Epistle and the greeting of the Apostle's preface to Titus are completed with such an ending: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Whether both grace and peace are given to both the Father and Christ Jesus, and both can be understood from each other, or whether grace refers to the Father and peace to the Son, must not be passed over without doubt. The Apostle had cursed some, that grace and peace would multiply to them: now, to Titus, peace and grace are placed without multiplication. Noah the righteous man, and the only one saved in a storm-tossed world, is said to have found not many graces, but one grace before God. And Moses said to the Lord, "If I have found grace with you" (Exodus 33:13). And wherever grace is placed in the person of the saints, seek and you shall find it, not that they have found graces but grace. That merchant of the Gospel who had many pearls, at last found one precious one, which he bought alone from many pearls (Matthew 13). For the perfect, indeed, it is to buy one pearl and one treasure for all pearls and all their substance by their business: but for those who are just beginning and are still on the way, not only one and alone but many pearls must be had.

1:5

"For this reason, I left you in Crete, so that you would correct what was lacking." It is the dignity of the apostolic Church to lay the foundation, which no one can lay except the architect. And the foundation is none other than Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). Those who are lesser artisans can build houses upon the foundation. Therefore, as a wise architect, Paul exerted himself in every labor, not to glory in what had already been prepared, but after he had softened the hard hearts of the Cretans to faith in Christ, and had subdued them by both word and signs, and had taught them to believe in God the Father and in Christ, not in their native Jupiter, he left Titus as his disciple in Crete, to confirm the rudiments of the nascent Church and to correct anything that might appear lacking, while he himself went to other nations, in order to lay again the foundation of Christ in them. But when he says, "so that you would correct what was lacking," it shows that they had not yet attained to the full knowledge of the truth, and even though they had been corrected by the Apostle, they still needed further correction. However, everything that is corrected is imperfect. Moreover, in Greek, the addition of the preposition in the word ἐπιδιορθώσῃ, which means "correct," does not mean exactly the same thing as διορθώσῃ, that is, "to correct," but rather, to over-correct, so that the things that I have corrected, and which have not yet been brought to the full line of truth, may be corrected by you, and receive the rule of equality.

And (as) you should appoint presbyters through cities, just as I arranged for you. Bishops who have the power to appoint presbyters in individual cities should listen, under which law the order of Ecclesiastical constitution is maintained: nor should they think that the words of the apostles are their own, but Christ's, who said to the disciples: He who despises you, despises me; but he who despises me, despises him who sent me (Luke 10:16). So whoever hears you, hears me; and whoever rejects me, rejects him who sent me. From this it is clear that those who wish to confer the Ecclesiastical grade on anyone without merit, but through grace, contrary to the law of the apostles, do so against Christ himself, who through his apostle carried out the appointment of presbyter in the Church. Moses, the friend of God, to whom God spoke face to face (Deut. 5 and 31), could certainly have made his sons his successors in the principality and bequeathed his dignity to his descendants; but Jesus, a stranger from another tribe, was elected so that we would know that the principality must not be conferred on bloodline, but on life. But now we see many doing this as a favor, so that they do not seek to elevate pillars in the Church who can benefit the Church more, but those whom they themselves love, or with whose services they are entangled: or for whom someone of their ancestors begged, and, to not speak of worse things, who obtained the office by gifts. Let us carefully attend to the words of the apostles, saying: That you appoint presbyters in cities, just as I arranged for you. The person speaking about who ought to be ordained as a presbyter says this: "If anyone is without blame, a one-woman man, etc., for it is necessary for the bishop to be blameless, as a dispenser of God." Therefore, the presbyter is the same as the bishop, and before, by the instigation of the devil, competitions arose in religion and it was said among the people, "I am of Paul," "I am of Apollo," "I am of Cephas" (1 Cor. 1:12), the governance of the church was conducted by the joint counsel of the presbyterate. But when each person began to consider those whom he had baptised as his own rather than Christ's, it was decided throughout the world that one chosen from among the presbyters should be placed in charge of the others and have care of the general well-being of the church, so that the seeds of schism might be rooted out. Someone may think that this is not the teaching of the scriptures but our own opinion, that a bishop and a presbyter are the same, that the difference lies only in the age of the office. That person should pay attention to the words of the Apostle to the Philippians, where he addresses his epistle to "Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons; grace to you and peace" (Phil. 1:1–2), and so on. Now, although the city of Philippi is one in Macedonia, it is impossible for there to be several bishops in one city. But because they used to call the same persons bishops then, whom they did "presbyters" also, for this reason he spoke without distinction of bishops and presbyters. Finally, lest this statement by confirmed only by one witness, let it be confirmed by another. In the Acts of the Apostles it is written, that when the Apostle came to Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called the presbyters of the same Church, to whom afterwards among other things he spoke: 'Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood' (Acts 20:28). And here observe carefully how, calling the Ephesian presbyters to him, he afterwards called the same men bishops. If anyone desires to receive the Epistle which is written to the Hebrews under the name of Paul, and in which the care of the Churches is equally divided, it is read among many. For he writes to the people: 'Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. For this is not expedient for you' (Hebrews 13:17). And Peter, who for the strengthening of the faith received the name of Firm, speaks in his epistle to the elders, saying: 'The ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech, who am myself also an ancient and a witness of the sufferings of Christ: as also a partaker of that glory which is to be revealed in time to come: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it not by constraint, but willingly according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake, but voluntarily' (1 Peter 5:1-2). This we have shown in order to demonstrate that in former times those same people were presbyters whom later on were called bishops; and gradually it was so arranged that the various obligations were entrusted to one person. Therefore just as the presbyters know that by the custom of the Church they are subject to him who has been placed over them as their head, so also let the bishops know that according to the custom of the Church they are greater than the presbyters and ought to regulate the whole church by common council, imitating Moses, who, when he alone had power over the people of Israel, chose seventy others with whom he might judge the people (Numbers 11). Let us see therefore what sort of man ought to be ordained presbyter or bishop.

1:6

"If anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of reckless living, or disobedient." Therefore he must be blameless, which I believe is also referred to in Timothy as irreprehensible (1 Tim. III): not that during the time he is ordained he has no crime, and has washed away past stains with a new life, but from the time he is reborn in Christ, he is not tormented by any consciousness of sin. For how can the leader of the Church remove evil from those who are in similar transgression? Or with what freedom can he rebuke the sinner, when the sinner answers silently that he himself has committed the same thing he is rebuking? Therefore, whoever desires a bishopric, desires good work. He says work, not privilege, not glory. But he must also have a good testimony from those outside, so that he does not fall into shame, and into the trap of the devil. And what he says, the husband of one wife, must be understood thus: so that we do not think that every monogamist is better than a widower; but so that he can exhort to monogamy and continence, who offers his example in teaching. For suppose a young man lost his wife and was overcome by the necessity of the flesh, and took a second wife, whom he also immediately lost and then lived continently; another, however, married until old age, and, as most believe, never gave up the work of the flesh: which of the two do you think is better, more chaste, more continent? Certainly he who was unfortunate even in a second marriage and afterwards conducted himself modestly and piously, is preferable to him who has been separated neither by the embrace of his wife nor by advanced age. Therefore, whoever is chosen as a quasi-monogamist should not applaud himself because he is better than every man who is twice married, since the greater happiness rather than his will has been chosen. Some people think this about this place: it was the custom of the Jews either to have two or more wives: which we read in the Old Law of Abraham and Jacob: and now they want it to be a precept, that he who is to be elected bishop should not have two wives at the same time. Even those who have been with the Gentiles, and after losing one wife, have taken another after the baptism of Christ, think more superstitiously than truly, that they should not be read in the priesthood: for certainly, if this is to be observed. those who, before taking one regenerated wife, indulged in wandering through prostitutes, should be more strongly barred from the episcopate: and it is much more detestable to fornicate with several than to find one who is twice married; because in the former, there is a kind of unhappiness in marriage, while in the latter there is a tendency to voluptuousness towards sin. Montanus and those who follow the Novatian schism, took the name of cleanliness to themselves: and they think that second marriages should be prohibited from the communion of the Church: whereas the Apostle, imposing this on bishops and presbyters, relaxed it in other respects. Not that he encourages second marriages; but that he indulges the necessity of the flesh. And Tertullian wrote a heretical book about Monogamy, which no one who has read the Apostle will be ignorant of opposing. And indeed, it is in our power to have a bishop or a presbyter without blame, and to have one wife. But that which follows, to have faithful children, not accused of lewdness, and not subject, is beyond our power. For to be sure, if parents have well instructed their children and always taught them the precepts of the Lord from a young age, if later they give themselves to lewdness, and putting aside the reins of vice, will the fault then rebound to the parents, and the sins of the father will stain the holiness of the son? If anyone has well instructed his children, I believe that includes Isaac, who is to be held as having well instructed his son Esau. But Esau, a fornicator and profane, sold his firstborn for one meal (Gen. 25:29-34). Samuel too, who was such that he called upon the Lord, and the Lord answered him, and in the time of harvest obtained the rain of the winter season, had sons who turned aside after bribes, and became such wicked judges that the people, not bearing it, demanded a king for themselves like the other nations (1 Samuel 8:4-5). Therefore, if the election of the priests were to take place, and Isaac on account of Esau and Samuel on account of his sons were deemed unworthy of the priesthood. And since the sins of parents are not attributed to their children, will the faults of the children prejudge the parents? (Ezekiel 18:2) First of all, it must be said that the name of the priesthood is so sacred that even external things are considered for us, not because we are not bishops because of our faults: but because we are barred from this position because of the incontinence of our sons. For with what freedom can we correct other people's children and teach what is right: when immediately he who has been corrected can say to us: First teach your sons? Or with what confidence do 1 Cor.ect a stranger who commits fornication when my own conscience responds to me: Therefore disinherit the fornicating son: reject your sons serving vices? But when a wicked son comes together with you under the same roof, do you dare to remove the speck from someone else's eye, not seeing the beam in your own eye (Matthew VII and Luke VI)? Therefore, the righteous is not polluted by the vices of his children: but freedom is reserved by the Apostle for the prince of the Church: so that he may become such that he may not be afraid to rebuke outsiders because of the vices of his children. Then also it must be inferred against those who are swollen with pride about the episcopate and think that they have achieved not the dispensation of Christ, but authority: because they are not immediately better than all those who have not been ordained bishops: and from the fact that they have been elected they themselves think that they are more confirmed: but understand that some are removed from the priesthood because their children's vices have hindered them. But if the sins of the children prohibit the righteous from the episcopate: how much more should each one consider himself and know that the powerful suffer torment powerfully (Wisdom VI), so he will withdraw from this not as much honor as burden: and he will not seek to take the place of others who are more worthy! Finally, it must be said that in the Scriptures by sons are meant reasonings, that is, thoughts; but by daughters, deeds, that is, works, and now he who will become a bishop must be commanded to have both thoughts and works in his power, and he truly believes in Christ, and is not stained by any creeping vice.

1:7

"For it is necessary that a bishop be without blame, as the steward of God: not arrogant, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not a striker, not greedy for filthy lucre." Therefore, it is required among stewards that a faithful person be found: and not eating and drinking with drunkards, striking slaves and maidservants; but uncertain of the return of God, and giving food to his servants in due season. But between the stewards and the servile, this is the only difference: that a servant is appointed over his servants. Therefore, a bishop and a priest must know that the people are their servants, not slaves. The rest that follows is up to us: Not arrogant, that is not swelling and pleasing himself because he is a bishop, but like a good steward, seeking what will benefit many. Not prone to anger. He is angry who is always angry and is moved like a leaf by a light breeze of provocation and sin. And indeed, there is nothing more shameful than an angry teacher, who ought to be gentle (and according to what is written: But the servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, masterful, patient, instructing in meekness those who oppose him), he, on the other hand, with an angry face, trembling lips, wrinkled front, unrestrained invective, a face varying between paleness and redness, shouting uproariously, does not lead astray so much towards good, as hurries towards evil by his cruelty; hence Solomon says: Anger destroys even the wise (Prov. 21); And: The anger of a just man does not work the justice of God (James I, 20). Nor is he who is sometimes angry, actually irascible: but he is called irascible, who is frequently overcome by this passion. The bishop is also prohibited from being given to wine, about which it is written to Timothy: Not given to much wine. (1 Tim. 3:8). But what kind of bishop is it to see intoxicated, with his mind occupied, or to raise laughter against the gravity of his position, and to cackle with loose lips: or if, when he has remembered some little thing sad, he bursts into sobs and tears among his cups. It is a long journey to go through all the follies that drunkenness suggests. You may see some hurling drinking cups across the room, or throwing them in the countenance of their fellow guests; some tearing their clothing and wounding themselves on the bodies of others; some shouting; some nodding off; while he who drinks most is regarded as the strongest: it is even an accusation against him, that he has not drunk frequently enough when the king has called upon him to testify. They vomit in order to drink, and drink to be able to vomit. The stomach and the throat are engaged in but one business. Let it suffice to have said thus much, that according to St. Paul, intemperance lies in wine. And wherever there is gluttony or drunkenness, there debauchery reigns. Look at the belly and the genitals, and according to the character of the vices so is the order of the members. I will never consider a drunkard to be chaste, for even if he has fallen asleep in his cups, he could still have sinned through the wine. But we are filled with wonder that the Apostle should condemn intoxication in bishops or priests, when in the old law it was commanded that the priests, when they entered into the temple, should not drink wine at all; and when a lawful Nazarite is bidden to nourish his holy locks, to avoid all defilement, to abstain from wine, or anything that is made of grapes, from the husks that remain after wine has been pressed, and from every sort of strong drink which perverts a sound mind. Let every one say what he likes: I speak my own thoughts: I know what abstinence has done for me, and what harm has come of its intermission or its excess. After drunkenness, however, he warns that a person should not be a striker; as in simplicity of understanding it builds up the listener so they do not easily reach out to strike, so that the insane person does not burst out to strike another in the face. However, it is better not to say that one is a striker who is gentle and patient, who knows in time what should be spoken and what should be kept silent, and who does not hit the conscience of the weak with useless talk. For when the Apostle was forming the leader of the church, he did not forbid him from being a boxer and pancratiast (that is, an athlete) (which is also reprehensible in any plebeian or pagan), but as I said: so that the abusive and garrulous one does not lose him, who could be corrected by modesty and gentleness. The desire for shameful gain from someone who is to become a bishop should also be alien. For there are many who teach things that are not proper, for the sake of shameful gain: who destroy entire households, and think that piety is a business. But it is better, according to Solomon, to have a little with righteousness, than to have much gain with iniquity (Prov. 16:8): and a good name is to be preferred in poverty than in wealth. A bishop who desires to be an imitator of the Apostle should be content with food and clothing alone (1 Tim. 6). Those who serve at the altar should live by it (1 Cor. 9). They live, he says, but do not become rich. Hence also, money is shaken off our belt; and we have only one tunic (Matt. 10 and Mark 6): nor do we think about tomorrow. The desire for shameful gain is to think more about the future than the present. What a bishop or presbyter should not have has been taught by the Apostle's word; but now, on the contrary, what he should have is explained.

1:8-9

"But [he should be] hospitable, a lover of good, chaste, just, holy, continent or abstinent, one who holds to the correct doctrine, faithful in speech, so that [he] is able to comfort [others] in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it." Above all, hospitality is required of a future bishop. For if everyone wishes to hear it from the Gospel: "I was a stranger and you took me in" (Matt. 25:35): how much more should a bishop, whose house should be a common inn for everyone! For a layman receiving one or two, or a few, fulfills the duty of hospitality. If a bishop does not receive all, he is inhuman. But I fear that just as the Queen of the South came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon (Matt. 12), judging the men of her own time, and the men of Nineveh, who repented at the preaching of Jonah will condemn those who disdained to hear a greater Savior than Jonah: so most people judge bishops, withdrawing themselves from the ecclesiastical rank and exercising things that do not befit a bishop; of whom I think John writes to Gaius: "Dear friend, you are faithful in whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out receiving no help from the pagans" (3 John 5ff.). And truly, with the Holy Spirit speaking through him, [John] foretells what will happen in the churches, even then condemning those who desire to have the first place, Diotrephes, who does not receive us. Therefore, when I come, I will call attention to the works he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Truly, it is now evident that what was predicted [has come true]: in many cities, bishops or priests, if they see laypeople being hospitable, lovers of good, [they] envy, become angry, excommunicate, and expel them from the Church, as if it were not lawful to do what the bishop does not do: and that such laypeople should be damned by the priests. Therefore, [the priests] hold them [i.e. the laypeople] in heavy burdens, and, as if imposed on their own necks, they turn them away from good work and disturb them with various persecutions. But let the bishop be chaste, whom the Greeks call σώφρονα; and the Latin interpreter, being deceived by the ambiguity of the word, translated it as "prudent" instead of "chaste". But if it is ordered for lay people to abstain from sexual intercourse during prayer, what should be thought of a bishop who will offer God the unstained victims daily for his own and the people's sins? Let us turn to the books of the Kings and find priest Abimelech who did not want to give bread to David and his men until he questioned whether they were pure from women. And unless he had heard that they had been pure from work with their wives yesterday and the day before, he would not have allowed the loaves that he had previously denied. There is as much difference between the loaves of the offering and the body of Christ as there is between shadow and body, image and truth, exemplars of the future and the very things that were foreshadowed by the exemplars. Therefore, just as meekness, patience, sobriety, moderation, renunciation of gain, hospitality, and kindness must be especially present in the bishop and outstanding among all laymen, so must personal chastity and (if I may say so) priestly modesty be present, so that the mind, which will make Christ's body, is free not only from unclean works but also from the error of the eye and thought. And the bishop also should be just and holy so that he may exercise justice among the peoples whom he presides over and give to each what he deserves, not showing partiality in judgment. The difference between laypersons and bishops in justice consists in this: a layperson can appear just in a few things, while a bishop can exercise justice in as many people as he has subjects. But sanctus, which in Greek is called ὅσιος, signifies this more: when sanctity itself is mixed with piety and refers to God. For whom we call sanctum, the Greeks call ἅγιον; but whom they call ὅσιον, we can call pious towards God. Let the bishop also be abstinent: not only (as some think) from lust and embracing his wife, but from all disturbances of the soul, so that he not be roused to anger, not be cast down by sadness, not be agitated by fear nor lifted up by excessive joy. Abstinence, moreover, has been counted among the fruits of the spirit by the Apostle. And if it is required of all, how much more from a bishop, who must bear the sins of sinners with patience and gentleness: console the fearful: sustain the weak: render no evil for evil, but overcome evil with good. Finally, let him hold fast to the faithful word which is according to doctrine, so that just as the word of God is faithful and worthy of every acceptance, so he may present himself in such a way that everything he says is considered worthy of faith, and his words are a rule of truth. Let him also be able to console those who are agitated by the turmoil of this age and to destroy weak precepts through sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is said, in distinction to weak and frail doctrine. Let him also be such that he can refute contradicting heretics or Jews and the wise of this age. And indeed, the virtues that he has placed in the bishop pertain to life. But what he says here, that he may be able to console in sound doctrine and to refute the contradicting, refers to knowledge. For if a bishop's only holy life, it can benefit him to live so. Moreover, if he is learned in doctrine and speech, he can instruct himself and others, and not only instruct and teach his own but also strike back at adversaries, who unless they are refuted and convicted, can easily pervert the hearts of the simple. This passage is against those who think it is a sin to read scriptures and who despise those who meditate day and night on the Law of the Lord, as though they were useless talkers, not realizing that the Apostle, after the catalogue of the bishop's conversation, likewise commanded doctrine.

1:10-11

For there are many who are not subject, vain talkers, and deceivers of minds: especially those who are of the circumcision, who must be indicated as silent: who overturn whole houses, teaching what they ought not, for the sake of base gain. Let him who is to be a prince of the Church have eloquence associated with integrity of life, lest his works be taciturn without speech, and let his words blush when his deeds fail: especially when they are not a few, but many: neither subject, but insolent, who do not care to say what the Psalmist says: Is not my soul subject to God (Ps. 61:1)? But let them overthrow the good seed of minds, which naturally have knowledge of God, with empty persuasion. For this, it seems to me that Paul meant when he said "deceivers", not as the Latin interpreter simply translated "deceivers", but "deceivers of the mind". And indeed, without the authority of the Scriptures, their talk would not have faith, unless their perverse doctrine appeared to be confirmed by divine testimonies. These are of the circumcision of the Jews, who at that time were striving to subvert the nascent Church of Christ and to introduce legal precepts, on which Paul explains more fully both to the Romans and to the Galatians. And just a few months ago, we presented three volumes on the explanation of the Letter to the Galatians. Men of such a kind, as the Doctor of the Church, to whom the souls of the people are entrusted, ought to surpass with reason the Scriptures, and to impose silence upon them in evidence: they overthrow not merely one or few houses, but all homes with owners and families, teaching [them] about differences of foods, about the long-ago abolition of the Sabbath, about the harm of circumcision: and if they did this very thing by zeal for the faith, it might be pardoned to some extent, with the Apostle saying: I bear witness that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Romans 10:2). But because God is their belly, they willingly seek to make their own disciples for shameful gain, so that they may be fed by their followers as masters. But we can interpret this, which has been said for the sake of shameful gain, in another way: that we may think the Apostle used a common word, by which all heretics with their perverse teachings usually assert that they are gainers of men. When in fact it is not gain, but destruction, deceiving the souls of the deluded. On the contrary, he who has corrected his erring brother according to the Gospel, if he was converted, has gained him. For what greater gain can there be or what is more precious than if one gains a human soul? Therefore, every teacher of the Church who persuades rightly by the reason of faith in Christ is an honest gainer. And every heretic who deceives and is deceived by certain tricks of men, speaks what ought not to be spoken, for the sake of shameful gain.

1:12-14

"A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of people who turn away from the truth." As for the text of the discourse and the context of the passage, what he says: "A certain one of them, their own prophet," seems to be referring to those he spoke of earlier, especially those who are of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting entire households by teaching things they should not for the sake of shameful gain. And he continues, "A certain one of them, their own prophet." However, since this hexameter verse is not found in any of the prophets who prophesied in Judah, it seems to me that it should be read in two ways: either that what he says, "A certain one of them, their own prophet," is connected with what came before, in order to correct the things that were lacking in Crete, or that it refers specifically to the Cretans. But because there are many things in between, and this seems absurd and perhaps no one will accept it, therefore, with regard to the things that are closer, it must be read differently from what came before, as follows: "For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group; they must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach, and that for the sake of dishonest gain." A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: so that what is said, "their own prophet," does not refer specifically to the Jews, and especially to those of the circumcision, but rather to many who are rebellious, full of meaningless talk and deception, who must be silenced along with those of the circumcision group, who are disrupting whole households by teaching things they should not, and who, since they were in Crete, should be believed to be Cretans. However, this couplet is said to be found in the oracles of the Cretan poet Epimenides; he called him a prophet, jokingly or allusively, meaning that Christians of such kind deserve to have prophets, just as prophets belonged to Baal and to the confusion of the Jews and to other offenses, and the scriptures mention any wicked prophets, genuinely because he wrote about oracles and responses that also foretold the future and predicted things that were to come long before. Finally, the book itself is titled Oracles, and because it seemed to promise something divine, I think the Apostle looked into it to see what the pagan divination promised, and in due time he used the couplet when he wrote to Titus, who was on Crete, in order to convict the false teachers of Crete with their own teacher. However, Paul is found to have done this not only in this place, but also in others. In the Acts of the Apostles, when he preached to the people, and in the Areopagus, which is the court of the Athenians, he argued, he says among other things: For we are his offspring, as some of your own poets have said (Acts 17), which hemistich is read in the Phaenomena Arati; which Cicero translated into Latin; and Germanicus Caesar, and recently Avienus, and many others, whom to enumerate is too long. To the Corinthians also (1 Cor. 15:33), who were themselves polished by Attic eloquence; and because of the proximity of the places, they were seasoned with the taste of Athenians, he took an iambic verse from Menander's comedy: Evil company corrupts good habits. Nor is it surprising if, for the opportunity of the time, he abuses the verses of pagan poets: for even altering some inscription of an altar, he spoke to the Athenians: "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. But the inscription on the altar was not as Paul asserted, to an unknown God, but as follows: To the Gods of Asia, Europe, and Africa; to unknown and foreign gods. But because Paul did not need many unknown gods, but only one unknown God, he used a unique expression; so that he would teach that he was their God whom the Athenians had marked with the title of the altar; and, knowing it correctly, they ought to worship him whom they were ignorant of and could not ignore. But Paul did this seldom, and as the circumstances of the place more than suitability demanded it, in the manner of bees, which are accustomed to compose honey from various flowers and to adapt the cells of their favors. Some consider this verse taken from Callimachus the Cyrenian poet, and are not entirely wrong. In his praise of Jupiter against the Cretans, who boasted about showing his tomb, he says, "The Cretans are always liars, who also built his tomb with a sacrilegious mind." But, as we said above, the whole verse was taken by the Apostle from Epimenides the poet, and Callimachus used his exordium in his poem. Or perhaps he turned the common proverb by which the Cretans were called deceitful into a meter without stealing the labor of others. Some believe that the Apostle should be blamed for having imprudently fallen; and when he rebuked false teachers, he proved that verse by saying that the Cretans were called deceitful because they had built the empty tomb of Jupiter. For they say that Epimenides or Callimachus accused the Cretans of being deceitful and dangerous beasts and lazy gluttons, because they do not feel the divine; and (even though) they create Jupiter, who reigns in heaven, buried on their own island; and this that they said is confirmed by the view of the Apostles: thus it follows that Jupiter is not dead, but alive. Therefore, it was unskillful of Paul, the destroyer of idolatry, while fighting against perverse teachers, to assert that the gods which he was attacking did exist. To this we must briefly respond that, in the case where he said "Evil company corrupts good morals," he did not immediately approve Menander's entire comedy or Aratus' book, but rather he used an opportunity provided by a verse. Similarly, in the present case, he did not confirm the entire work of Callimachus or Epimenides, whose one praises Jupiter and the other writes about oracles through one verse; rather, he only rebuked the Cretans as liars, blaming them for the vice of their people, not due to their opinion, which is praised by poets, but due to their innate ease of lying. But those who think that the whole book ought to be followed by the one who has made use of a part of the book, seem to me to admit the Apocryphal Book of Enoch, ((or of the Enochs)), concerning which Judas the Apostle gave testimony in his Epistle, among the sacred Scriptures of the Church; and many other things which the Apostle Paul spoke of in a hidden way. For we can say this by way of argument: that since he said that he worshipped the unknown God among the Athenians, whom they had written on an altar, Paul ought to follow and do those things also which were written on the altar, and those things which the Athenians were doing, since he had come to an agreement with them in part regarding the worship of an unknown God. Far be it from me to draw argument and scholastic elegance into calumny. There is no one so wicked, so much of a criminal, so much of a poisoner, who has not done something good at some time. Therefore, if I approve of one good thing of his, when I see it, and it is necessary for me to support the rest, which were bad, what is that to be blamed? If he is accused by an enemy against us and cries out, will he not speak some truth among the words of conflicts? And this too, is not always blamed by us against whom he speaks. So Callimachus and Epimenides, did not say that Jupiter is a god, and the rest that is contained in their poems, because the Cretans are deceitful; but they only spoke the truth, because they were expressing the inborn vice of the Cretans in terms of lies: because they are deceitful, they did not always speak the truth. For Jupiter would not cease to be a god even if the Cretans spoke the truth; but nevertheless, while they were silent, he who was dead would not have the name of a god. Finally, let us know that the Apostle spoke against the Cretans not by chance, and not incidentally (as they think), but carefully and watchfully, and defending himself in every way against the Cretans: This is a true testimony, he says; not the whole poem from which the testimony is taken, not the whole work: but only this testimony, this verse in which they are called liars. And certainly he who agreed only in one part of the poem, is to be believed to have refuted the rest. However, we have discussed in the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians how either the Cretans are deceitful and foolish, or the Galatians are hard-necked, or each province is represented by its own vice. And since there is nothing else we can add here, we are content with that. Therefore rebuke them sharply, he says, they are liars and evil beasts, and lazy gluttons, who deceive with falsehoods and thirst for the blood of the deceived like wild animals, and not working in silence, eat their own bread, whose god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame, and rebuke them so that they may be sound in the faith. Speak of the health of faith and what follows: that old men be sober, honorable, chaste, sound in the faith and love and patience, to whose faith the health of teachings is also called. For a time will come, he says, when they will not listen to sound doctrine. There are also speeches of health, of which he speaks in the first letter to Timothy: if anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the teaching that is according to piety (1 Tim. 6:3). And in the second: Holding the example of sound words that you have heard from me (2 Tim. 1:13). Those who have this health of faith and doctrine and sound words, do not heed Jewish fables and the commands of men who turn away from the truth. Let us acquiesce for a short time to the Jews, and listen patiently to their foolishness, and then we will understand what the Jewish tales are which have no authority from Scripture, nor any rational basis, but are the product of the fables and imaginations of certain people about animals and legends, of whom Isaiah prophesied, saying: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Isaiah 29:13). This is confirmed by the testimony of the Savior in the Gospel, who accuses them of giving preference to the commandments of men over the Law of God. For God said, "Honor your father and mother." They, on the other hand, say, "Whatever gift you might have received from me is Corban, that is, an offering to God" (Mark 7:11-12). Anyone who falls short of circumcision after the coming of Christ is a slave to Jewish myths and the commandments of men, who turn away from truth. For it is not the one who appears to be a Jew outwardly who is, but the one who is in secret; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. Whoever keeps the Passover, but not in the sincerity and truth of unleavened bread, so that he may purge out of his soul all the old leaven of wickedness and malice: this person attends to fables, and follows shadows, neglecting the truth. Whoever does not rise with Christ, nor seek the things that are above, but those that are below, saying, "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," which all perish with use, according to the commandments and doctrines of men: this person follows not good justices and not good precepts. But where is truth, and where is the spiritual law, where there are good justification, and the best of precepts is observed, and whoever does them shall live in them.

1:15

"All things are clean to the clean, but to the unclean and unbelieving nothing is clean; instead, both their mind and their conscience are corrupted." For he had said earlier: "For there are many rebellious people who deceive others with their empty talk and false teaching. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money." So he is telling Titus to sharply rebuke them, so that their faith will be healthy and they will not waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. This kind of talk only leads to meaningless speculations, which don't help people live a life of faith in God. The Bible clearly states that all things are clean to those who believe in Jesus Christ and know that everything God created is good. But to those who are defiled by sin and unbelief, nothing is clean; in fact, both their mind and their conscience are corrupted. Therefore, even things that are clean by nature become unclean to them. This is not because there is anything inherently unclean or clean, but because of the kind of people who eat them. So, the clean remain clean for the clean, and the unclean become defiled for those who are defiled. Otherwise, even the unbelievers and defiled do not benefit from the bread of blessing and the Lord's cup; for whoever eats of that bread and drinks from the cup unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon themselves (1 Cor. 11). Everything has been cleansed by the coming of Christ. We cannot partake of what He has purified. But let us consider that in handling this, we do not give occasion to that heresy which, according to the Apocalypse (Chapter 2) and even the Apostle Paul himself writing to the Corinthians, thinks that it is right to eat of things offered to idols because all things are clean to the clean (1 Cor. 8). For the Apostle did not intend to discuss those things which are sacrificed to demons, but rather those who, according to the discipline of the abolished Law, regarded some things as clean and others as unclean. For we cannot partake of the Lord's table and the table of demons: nor can we drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons at the same time (1 Cor. 10:20-21). Therefore, it is up to us to eat clean or unclean. For if we are clean, then the creature is clean for us. But if we are unclean and faithless, then all things become common to us, whether through the heresy that dwells in our hearts or through the consciousness of sins. Moreover, if our conscience does not condemn us, and we have confidence in God's mercy, then we will pray with our spirit and with our mind, we will sing praises with our spirit and with our mind (1 Corinthians 14), and we will be far from those of whom it is now written: "Their mind and conscience are defiled."

1:16

"They confess to know God, but deny Him with their deeds: abominable and disobedient, and disqualified for every good deed." Those whose mind and conscience are defiled confess to know God, but deny Him with their deeds, according to what is said in Isaiah: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me (Isaiah 29:13). Therefore, just as someone who honors with their lips but moves far away in heart, so anyone confessing God with their words but denying Him with his deeds is. But he who denies God with his deeds, and with a deceitful confession is rightly accursed and profane, and having no reasonable conviction of truth, he is called disobedient and incredulous. So it happens that he is disqualified for every good work: namely, that even those things which he may have done well, having been overcome by his own natural goodness, are not good, while they are corrupt by his distorted state of mind. Some think that only if someone, when captured by Gentiles during persecution, denies themselves as Christians that they would be denying God. But behold the Apostle asserts that God is denied by all perverse deeds. Christ is wisdom, justice, truth, holiness, and strength. Wisdom is denied through foolishness, justice through iniquity, truth through lies, holiness through depravity, and strength through weakness of the soul. And as often as we are overcome by vices and sins, we deny God. Conversely, as often as we do good, we confess God. And it is not to be judged that only those who denied Christ in martyrdom will be denied by the Son of God on the day of judgment, but in all works, words, and thoughts, Christ, either denied, denies or confessed, confesses. Regarding this confession, He commanded His disciples, saying, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8), so that in all good works and words the mind dedicated to Christ may confess Him. There is also a commendable denial, of which the Apostle himself says: "As we deny impiety and worldly desires, we should live chastely, justly, and piously in the present age, while awaiting the blessed hope and coming of our God and Savior" (Titus 2:12). Whoever denies this denial and wants to follow the Savior speaking these words, "Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself" (Luke 9:23), stripped of his old self with its works, and putting on the new, shall follow his God. But how one is to deny oneself must be considered. The chaste denies the fornicator he once was; the wise, the foolish; the just, the unjust; the brave, the weak. In general, we deny ourselves as often as we, trampling on our former vices, cease to be what we were and begin to be what we were not before.

2:1

But you speak what befits sound doctrine. The speaking of sound doctrine is one thing, the teaching of those things that are fitting for sound doctrine is another; in the one there is only the simplicity of instruction, while in the other there is also the correction of life in those who teach. For whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19). When the Lord commanded His disciples to labour not only in the meditation of the Scriptures, that they might repeat and lay them up in the treasure-house of their memory, but also that they should first do what was commanded, whoever shall do and teach shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For unless your justice surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5) Those who sit in the chair of Moses preach but do not practice. They burden the backs of others with loads that are heavy and difficult to carry, but they themselves will not lift a finger to lighten the load. Therefore, the Apostle now teaches his disciple Titus, a son in Christ, to speak the things that are in accord with sound doctrine, for then there will be spiritual health when the teaching of the doctor and his life agree.

2:2

Older men should be sober, honorable, chaste, sound in faith, love, and patience. Titus, before directing him what he should say to everyone, in what he says, "But you speak what befits sound doctrine," he explains in detail what is appropriate for each age group. First what is appropriate for older men, then what is appropriate for older women, thirdly what is appropriate for young people, both men and women: although in the commandment of older women he included instructions regarding young women, so that he did not teach young children, but explained what they should be taught by older women. Finally, he fittingly established rules for servants, and for each age and condition, so that his speech becomes a guide to life and morals. Therefore, older men should be sober, or watchful, since "νηφάλιοι" means both in Greek: honorable, so that the gravity of age decorates the gravity of morals: chaste, lest they luxuriate in someone else's youth, lest they be an example for young people to ruin in their lusts after their own blood has already cooled. Healthy in faith, about which faith's health we have spoken above. However, not only healthy in faith, but also in charity and in patience, so that when they have obtained the first health of faith, they may hear from the Savior: Your faith has saved you (Mark 10:52). And elsewhere: For I have not found such great faith even in Israel (Matthew 8:10). And by means of the same health of faith, let them become the children of Abraham, concerning whom it is written: Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:8). And Habakkuk, referring to this health of faith, says: The just lives by my faith (Habakkuk 2:3). Read the Epistle to the Hebrews of the Apostle Paul (or whichever other you think it to be, because it is already recognized among the ecclesiastical), enumerate that whole list of faith, in which it is written: By faith Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain's (Hebrews 11:4 ff.). And: Enoch was translated so that he would not see death; and Noah, believing in God, built an ark for the things he had not yet seen. And Abraham went out into a land he did not know. And so that Scripture might not seem to give no example of faith to women, it is written in the same Epistle that Sarah also received strength to conceive seed, even beyond the time of her life, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. There, the faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Rahab, and others who the reader of the Epistle can better know, are praised. So, how is faith the health of the soul? In the same way, this health is also found in charity. And who possesses the health of charity except the one who loves God first with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength? Then, hearing Christ's commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself (Matthew 5), he divides charity into two: because all the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments. Whoever possesses the health of charity does not envy, does not boast, does not act improperly, does not behave dishonorably, is not easily angered, does not think evil, does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth, endures all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and waits for all things (1 Corinthians 13). And because love never fails, whoever is in the health of love, he never fails. For neither tribulation, nor distress, nor hunger, nor persecution, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor sword can separate him from the health of love, which he has in Jesus Christ. What shall I say about the sword and other minor things that cannot divide him who possesses the love of health when neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate him who has the love of health in Jesus Christ? If we understand the health of love, let us take an example from the Scriptures of those who are in the weakness of love. The Savior says about the end times: Because iniquity hath abounded, the love of many shall wax cold (Matthew 24). For love is warm in those who are fervent in spirit, but cooling, freezing, and cold in those who have received the hardest blasts of the North Wind. "For from the north shall an evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land" (Jer. 1:14). Ammon too became hot in carnal desire for his sister Thamar because of this coldness of charity (2 Kings 13). Let us, then, fear lest we too are ever overcome by this infirmity of charity. Indeed, it sometimes happens that our first holy love is for a virgin or any other woman, and when our mind has been softened by affection, the healthy state of charity gradually fades away and begins to grow weak, and carries the loving soul to its last breath. Hence the Apostle rightly and prudently charges Timothy to encourage younger women to preserve their chastity in all things (1 Tim. 5). But all chastity is in flesh and spirit and soul, lest our eye be offended, lest we become enchained by the beauty of a woman's face, lest listening to sweet words delight us, lest our heart be first softened by counterfeit conversation. Therefore let them be careful, as we have said, both young and old, both girls and elderly women, and let them guard their hearts with all diligence: lest through the health of their love, the sickness of charity enters, and through holy love, unholiness becomes love, which draws them towards hell. Let him who is sound in faith, who is sound in charity, also be sound in patience: and patience, which is especially tested in temptations: because it is of no benefit to have the wealth and merchandise enumerated above, unless all the goods and merchandise with which the ship is laden are preserved in the storm, and, being blown hither and thither by winds, the things which have been well acquired are saved without shipwreck. For he who shall have persevered even to the end, he shall be saved (Matthew 24:13).

2:3-5

Similarly, with holy habits, not inciting, not serving much wine; teaching well, that they may instruct young women towards chastity, that they may love their husbands, that they may love their children: modest, chaste, having diligence of the house, kind, submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Although the apostle Peter has commanded that husbands should give honor to their wives as to a weaker vessel, nevertheless it is not to be judged that a wife, who has a weak vessel of the body, is at once weaker also in soul. Hence they are now commanded that also in them that of the Apostle may be fulfilled: Virtue is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9), and it is said that they may have all things, which are commonly commanded to old men, in that namely which he says: Similarly the aged women, that is, as elderly men, in all things honorable, sober, modest, healthy in faith, and charity, and patience, and for their gender this may have as their own, that they may be with holy habits, or as it is read better in Greek, ἐν καταστήματι ἱεροπρεπεῖς, that even their own conduct and movement, expression, speech, silence, they may prefer a certain sacred dignity of decorum. And because this type of woman is usually talkative, in accordance with that: "And at the same time they also learn to be idle and wander around from house to house. Not only are they idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn't" (1 Tim. 5:13): therefore He wishes that they not be provocative, that is, not accusers, not such that they please others, and speak ill of others. Or certainly because they have already crossed adolescence themselves, they argue about the ages of young girls, and say: "She is adorned thus, she combs her hair thus, she walks like this: she loves him, she is loved by him": and even if these things are true, they should not accuse others so openly, but rather correct themselves in secret with the love of Christ, and teach more to not do rather than publicly accuse them of what they did. These ages usually indulge in bodily lust (although there are many who are not shy about their gray hairs, and trembling young girls are composed before a flock of grandchildren), giving themselves up to wine for pleasure; and when they have appeared wise and eloquent to themselves between cups, they assume a kind of morality, speaking this which they see in themselves, and not remembering what they were. And let old women be prohibited from too much drinking of wine, because what in young women is desire, in old women it is drunkenness. And how can an old woman teach young girls chastity, when if she herself has imitated the drunkenness of an old woman, she cannot be chaste? And he expressed emphatically: Do not be enslaved to much wine. For it is a kind of slavery and a miserable condition for a person's senses to be occupied by wine, and not to be one's own, but that of the wine. Therefore, because he taught what kind of old women they should be at first, and after those things which are common with old men, he also exposed their own particularities, that they may be full of honest and holy decorum: neither accusers, nor detractors of others, nor having their senses occupied by wine. Now, following his doctrine, he allows them the reins, so that when they are such, they may have the freedom to teach the good things. For although he said elsewhere, "But I do not allow women to teach" (1 Tim. 2:12), it is to be understood that for them the doctrine should be removed. However, they should teach young girls as if they were their own daughters. First, chastity: because the enemy fights more fiercely against it in the flourishing age, and all its virtue is directed against women in the womb; then that they may love their husbands, care for their children. Which doctrine is to love their husbands; is it not established in the heart of the lover rather than in the speech of the teacher? She wants to love her husband chastely: she wants a chaste love between man and woman, so that, with modesty, and reverence, and as if compelled by the sex, she may rather give her due to her husband than demand it of him, and she believes that she must perform the work of her children before the eyes of God and the angels: thus she will not even be ashamed of her secret bedroom, and the darkness of the night, and her closed bedroom, when she has considered that all things are open to the eyes of God. But they love their children thus, if they educate them in God's discipline. Moreover, not wanting to sadden them by teaching what is good, and granting them the freedom to sin ((or of sinning)), is not loving one's children, but hating them. Young girls, too, are to be educated to have diligence in the house. And because it could happen that the diligence of the house is governed with severity, and thus by this precept of the Apostle, the matron becomes severe towards her servants: therefore, he coupled kindness: so that then she would believe that her husband was ruling the house well if he commanded the servants with kindness, not in fear. And also [women] subject to their own husbands: lest perhaps they remember not God's sentence, and by occasion of riches or nobility, despise the divine ordinance, whereby they are subject to their husbands. For he saith: 'Thy will be to thy husband, and he shall have dominion over thee' (Gen. 3:16). The prudence to be observed in the Holy Scriptures is that the Lord did not speak to the man, saying, "You shall rule over your wife," but to the woman herself, that she might leave to her obedience the reward, since it is in her power, if she desires to obey the precepts of God, to serve her husband and to be subject to him as to a husband, so that it might be in some way a free servitude, full of love, serving her husband while she fears offending him. For indeed, man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. And while the head of the woman is the man, the head of the man is Christ. Whatever wife does not submit herself to her husband, that is, to her head, is guilty of the same offense as the husband who does not submit himself to Christ, his head. But the word of the Lord is blasphemed, either when the first sentence of God is despised and considered of no account, or when the Gospel of Christ is defamed, while it desires, contrary to the law and faith of nature, that which is Christian and subject to the law of God, to command the husband. Even pagan women serve their husbands according to the common law of nature.

2:6-8

Similarly, exhort the youth to be pure in all things, setting yourself as an example of good works in teaching, integrity and chastity, in sound and irreproachable speech, so that the outsider may respect us, having nothing bad to say about us. Just as what he had said previously, "Similarly, with elderly women dressed in a sacred manner," we said the similitude of elderly women should be referred to as the elderly; and so now with what he introduced: Similarly, exhort the youth to be pure, we think this similitude applies to the youth in relation to the elderly, and through the elderly to the elderly, so that they may have the sobriety of the elderly, and be honorable and pure, and sound in faith, and charity, and patience. But with regard to the elderly, he places them in the sanctity of their attire so that they may not be accusers, not slavishly devoted to much wine, teaching well, and so forth. But this has particular bearing on young men, that they should be pure in all things, namely in mind as well as body, as much in action as in thought, so that there might be no suspicion of indecency in the young man. And although some among the Latins think that it should be read thus: "Likewise exhort young men to be of honourable character, and afterwards to bring forth, in all things showing thyself a pattern of good works", nevertheless, let us know that, in all things, reference must be made to the higher, that is, to exhort them to be of honourable character in all things. It must also be known that continence is not only necessary in physical works and in the desire of the soul, but in all things, so that we do not seek undue honors, we are not inflamed by avarice, and we are not overcome by any passion. "Showing thyself," he says, "a pattern of good works." It is of no use for someone to be practised in speaking and to have learned the language for speaking, if he has more instructed by his example than by his word. Finally, whoever is shameless, although he be eloquent, if he exhorts those who hear him to chastity, his speech is feeble, and he does not have authority to exhort. And, vice versa, although he may be rustic and slow in speaking, if he is chaste, he can impel men to a likeness of life by his example. That which it says, "in incorruption," must be accepted as meaning that incorruption properly signifies virginity. Finally, those who are virgins are commonly called incorrupt; and those who have ceased to be virgins are called corrupt; and we say, she who was once a virgin, is corrupted. Wherefore I think that Titus, before he was occupied with the work of the flesh, received baptism as a believer of the Gospel, and remained a virgin, and is now reminded by the Apostle to show the form of incorruption; but we do not see this incorruption in Timothy. For when he said to him, Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity (1 Timothy 4:12), he was silent about incorruption and only mentioned chastity. However, purity even in celibacy can be understood without virginity. Unless we take purity in the mind and incorruption in the body as it is written elsewhere in the definition of a virgin: That she may be holy both in body and in spirit (1 Corinthians 7). He himself then added: in doctrine, in incorruption, in chastity. We might even interpret chastity and incorruption in the integrity of doctrine, but what particularly follows, "with wholesome speech that cannot be condemned," should have its own precept regarding the instruction of doctrine. However, when he says "speech cannot be condemned," he does not mean that anyone is so eloquent and wise that no one ever criticizes him (for both apostles and evangelists are criticized by heretics and pagans), but that he does not say or do anything worthy of criticism, though his opponents are ready to condemn him. And since there are many who are disobedient, vain talkers and deceivers of minds, who hate the one admonishing at the gates, and abominate holy discourse, therefore in all things let us set an example of doctrine, in integrity, in chastity, in sound and irreprehensible speech: that the adversaries of our life and doctrine, terrified by our soundness, may not dare to accuse, that is, to fabricate anything likely in accusation. And indeed we see some such today in churches (although this is a rare thing), of such gravity and continence that even from adversaries they have testimony, and it is said, that is a great man, and of holy conversation, and of good and proper behavior, if he were not a heretic. For there is no one of such unrestrained impudence that he can accuse the bright rays of the sun of darkness, and cast the clear light of night into obscurity. Hence also the Apostle, aware of this, says: To take away occasion from them that desire occasion (2 Cor. 11:12). Yet he can be understood to mean he who is an adversary, and that is the devil, who is the accuser of our brethren, as John the Evangelist preaches: who when he has nothing evil to accuse us of, is put to shame, and the accuser cannot accuse. But in the Latin language, devil signifies accuser.

2:9-10

Slaves should be subject to their masters in all things: pleasing, not contradicting, not stealing; but showing all good faith, so as to adorn the doctrine of our Savior God in all things. For our Lord and Savior, who says in the Gospel: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you (Matt. 11:28), considers no condition, age, sex, or beatitude to be foreign. Therefore, now the apostle establishes precepts for the servants and members of the body of Christ as part of the Church. And just as he taught Titus how he should instruct the old men, old ladies, young girls, and young men above, he now establishes appropriate precepts for the servants. First, that they should be subject to their masters in all things. But in all these things which are not contrary to God: so that if the master commands something which is not adverse to the holy Scriptures, then the servant should be subject to the master. But if he commands something contrary, then the spirit should obey the master rather than the body. Pay careful attention to how he decrees precepts suitable for people. Servants, he says, should be subject to their masters in all things (Ephesians 6:5). In another place, discussing sons, he says: "Children obey your parents" (Colossians 3:20). For it is right for sons to obey their parents, just as servants are subject to their master. Nor should we consider it contradictory that in another letter he says, "Women, be subject to your husbands" (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18), and in this one he asserts that wives are subject to their husbands, as if he uses the same word for both servants and wives. For in a sense, a husband is the lord of his wife. "He will rule over you," he says (Genesis 3:16). The Savior himself was subject to his parents (Luke 2), but this was when he was still only twelve years old and not yet of an age to inherit his kingdom. And it is also written elsewhere of him: "When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28). And all things will be subject to him when he says, "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool '" (Psalm 110:1). In subordinate servants the Lord is subject. And just as it is said to be a curse for us when it is not a curse but a true blessing, so it is written for us, either subject or not subject: whether we are subject to God or not. Some read this passage as follows: Let servants be subject to their masters, and after they have distinguished this, they infer, please in all things: whereas in Greek there is a different order of reading, that is, let servants be subject to their masters in all things; so that it follows, to be pleasing: which, though not fully, can still be interpreted in part, as pleasing to themselves: so that the divine sentence does not seem unjust to them on their own terms. But how can a poor person be saved according to their own measure; and a woman in her sexual weakness is not excluded from the kingdom of God, and every condition can receive happiness according to its own order: Thus let slaves be pleased with themselves that they are slaves, and not think that they cannot serve God because they are subject to men; but they will please the will of God more, if they are also subject to their masters in all things, and are content with their condition; and what the Apostle commands to do thereafter, that they should not be contradicted, not stealing. Or the greatest vice of servants is to contradict their masters, and when they have ordered something, to whisper among themselves. Therefore, he admonishes Titus, so that through sound doctrine he may remove such passion from those who are Christian slaves. For if a master commands things, a servant must fulfill: why should he not do this willingly, with goodwill; but also offend the lord, and yet do what is ordered: especially when God is offended by contradiction? And in another place he speaks of grumbling people: Let their murmur cease from me, and they shall not die (Num. XIV). After the contradiction and other vice of the servants let the doctrine of Christ correct them, lest they be thieves. A thief, however, is judged not only in great things, but also in small things. For not only what is taken away by theft is considered, but also the intention of the thief. Likewise in fornication and adultery, fornication or adultery is not different if it is done with a beautiful or wealthy, ugly or poor, prostitute or adulteress: but whatever it is, it is one fornication or adultery. Thus, in theft, however much a servant takes away, he incurs the crime of theft. Therefore, in the law of Moses, thieves are sometimes forced to pay back sevenfold, sometimes fourfold, and sometimes they are put to death, or the thief himself is sold for theft, about which recently I remember having explained to you in Leviticus. But if this is forbidden in regard to a slave, how much more in regard to a free person, so that neither a judge should seize, nor a soldier who is not content with his wages should destroy what belongs to another? A certain very honorable man spoke excellently when the integrity of a certain judge was praised to him, and he who was praising him said, "He is not a thief." He responded, "He would make an excellent slave if he were not also a fugitive, for suspicion of theft should be far removed from every free person." Therefore, let slaves be subject to their masters in all things, let them be compliant with their condition, so that they do not bear their servitude bitterly, do not contradict their masters, do not act extravagantly, and after these things show good faith in all things, so that they might adorn the teaching of our God and Savior in all things. For if they have been faithful with earthly masters, they will begin to be entrusted with greater things by God. But the doctrine of the Lord adorns, who does those things which are fitting for his condition. And he confounds from the opposite, who is not subject in all, whose condition displeases him, who shows no good faith as a contradictor and defrauder in nothing. For how can one be faithful in the substance of God, who could not exhibit faith to an earthly master?

2:12-14

For the grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men, instructing us, that denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. After enumerating what he should teach to Titus - the old men, and old women, and young women and young men, and, lastly, servants, he now accurately declares. For the grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men. For there is no difference between free and slave, Greek and barbarian, circumcised and uncircumcised, woman and man: but we are all one in Christ, we are all called to the kingdom of God, we are all reconciled to our Father after the offense; not by our merits, but by the grace of the Savior: whether it be that the living and subsisting grace of God the Father himself is Christ or that this is the grace of Christ the God and Savior, and that we are saved not by our own merit, according to what is said in another place: You will save them for nothing (Ps. 55: 8). This grace has shone upon all men in order to instruct us to renounce impiety and worldly desires and to live chastely, justly, and piously in this world. However, to deny impiety and worldly desires, as we have explained above, they confess to knowing God, but deny it by their deeds. I believe that this can be understood through opposing arguments. Therefore, worldly desires are those that are suggested by the prince of this world, and since they belong to this world, they pass through it like a cloud. But we, living in Christ in a chaste and just manner, not only avoid sin with our body and mind, but also live piously in this world. This piety expects a blessed hope and the advent of the glory of the great God, and of our Savior Jesus Christ. Just as impiety fears the advent of the great God, so does piety confidently await it, secure in its works and faith. Where is the snake Arius? Where is the serpent Eunomius? The great God Jesus Christ, is called Savior, not the firstborn of every creature, not the Word of God and wisdom; but Jesus Christ: which words are of a human assumed. Nor indeed do we speak of one Jesus Christ and another Word, as a new heresy calumniates: but the same both before ages, and after ages, and before the world, and after Mary: nay, from Mary, we call Him Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse for Himself a people pleasing (for so it is held in Greek), and might make us zealous of good works. Often considering with myself what the word "pleasing" might mean, and asking of the wise of this world if they had perchance read it anywhere, I have never been able to find anyone who could tell me what it signified. Therefore, compelled, I have returned to the old testament, from which I thought that even the Apostle had taken what he had said; for, as a Hebrew among Hebrews, and as a Pharisee according to the law, he certainly placed in his letter what he knew he had read in the old testament. So in Deuteronomy I found this: "For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord your God chose you to be his own possession out of all the nations on the face of the earth." (Deut. 7:6) And in the 134th Psalm, where we have, "Praise his name, for it is pleasant, for the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself; he has chosen Israel as his own possession" (Ps. 134:3-4): the words "his own possession" are in the Greek text εἰς περιουσιασμὸν, which Aquila and the fifth edition translate as "his own possession," while the Septuagint and Theodotion translate ἐξουσίασμα as "possession," changing only the syllable, not the sense. Symmachus therefore, for what is in Greek περιούσιον, in Hebrew, Sgolla, expressed ἐξαίρετον, that is, excellent or outstanding: for which word in another Latin book, he interpreted it as 'peculiar'. Therefore Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, rightfully redeemed us with His Blood, so that He would make us a peculiar Christian people to Himself, which could then be peculiar if they were to exist as emulators of good works. Hence that which is written in the Latin Gospel, Give us this day our daily bread (Matt. 6:11), is better expressed in Greek asἐπιούσιον bread, that is, excellent, outstanding, and peculiar, which indeed descending from heaven, says, I am the bread which came down from heaven (John 6:41). For it is inappropriate that we who are forbidden to think about tomorrow, should be commanded to pray to the Lord about that bread which is to be slightly prepared and thrown away. There is little difference between "ἐπιούσιον" and "περιούσιον"; for only the preposition is changed, not the word. Indeed, some think that in the Lord's Prayer, "ἐπιούσιον" means bread that is above all substances, that is, above all material things. And if this meaning is adopted, it does not differ greatly from the sense we have explained. For whatever is outstanding and exceptional, is outside everything and above everything.

2:15

Speak these things, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. He has set out three things: speak, exhort, and rebuke. And indeed, in what he says, "speak," it seems to refer to teaching. But what he introduced, "exhort," that is, παρακάλει, means something else in Greek than in Latin: for παράκλησις sounds more like comfort than exhortation. This word was also spoken of earlier concerning young people: Likewise, comfort the young, be modest in everything. About this we have expressed it in its place as it is read in Latin, as if it was written to exhort. Therefore, he comforts the listener who says: "For Christ, we beseech you, be reconciled to God" (1 Cor. 5:20), and humbles and submits himself, in order to gain whom he comforts. But as for the third, rebuke, it seems to me contrary to consolation, so that whoever despises consolation is worthy of rebuke and deserves to hear, 'You have forgotten the consolation that speaks to you as sons.' To Timothy we also read of one consolation and another rebuke, as the Apostle says, 'Be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort' [2 Tim. 4:2]. And there rebuke is taken up beforehand, and afterward severity is tempered by consolation. Here, however, he wants to console his disciples beforehand, and if they do not profit by consoling, then to rebuke them, and to rebuke them with all authority. For I interpret this to mean, 'Rebuke with all authority,' so that it is referred specially to rebuke, and not to the two preceding points in general. For it is not fitting to say, 'Console with all authority,' or 'Speak with all authority,' but only 'rebuke with all authority.'

Let no one despise you. Someone might think that this now written to Titus is the same as what was said to Timothy: Let no one despise your youth (1 Tim. IV, 14). But we, according to the differences of the Greek language, think that one thing signifies περιφρονείτω, which is written here, and another thing καταφρονείτω, which was said to Timothy, and the prepositions περὶ or κατὰ make a different meaning. And that it is not by chance or as he pleases that the Apostle Paul uses not only different names and words, but also different prepositions for the variety of causes, can be made clear from what he says: For the woman is of the man, and man by the woman (2 Cor. XI, 12). Elsewhere: For from him and through him and in him are all things (Rom. XI, 36). Also that, Paul an apostle not of men, neither by man (Galat. I, 1). Therefore, we consider καταφρόνησιν to properly pertain to contempt or when someone, stretched out between a horse and a rack, disregards pain and is not afraid of the judge's threat or the people's outcry, but for the confession of martyrdom, despises and disregards all punishments. On the other hand, there is a bad contempt which Habakkuk also testifies, speaking in the Holy Spirit: Look at the contemptuous, and behold, and wonder and perish (Hab. I, 5). According to what we have also written to Timothy: Let no man despise thy youth (1 Tim. IV, 12), that is, I do not want you to be seen such that you could be despised by anyone for merit. However, contempt as it is expressed, as the Stoics assert, who distinguish words subtly, wherein one who trusts himself, thinking himself better than another, despises someone whom he considers inferior and determines that he, that is, more knowledgeable, should be held in contempt. Such a thing, swelling with the vanity of pride and despising even the sky and sun, some Greeks have said in jest: Ἀεροβατῶ καὶ περιφρονῶ τὸν ἥλιον, which can be translated in Latin as, "I walk on air, and I am worth more than the sun." Therefore, contempt, which is now placed before Titus, has this meaning: No one among those who are in the churches should live this way while you are being idle, thinking that they are better. For what kind of disciple-building will exist if one considers oneself greater than the teacher? Hence, bishops, presbyters, and deacons should not only take great care that they should precede all the people to whom they preside in conduct and speech: indeed, lower ranks, exorcists, readers, doorkeepers, and all in general who serve the House of God. For the idea that the laypeople should be better than the clergy greatly destroys the Church of Christ.

3:1-2

Remind them to be subject to the rulers and authorities, to obey; to be prepared for every good work; not to blaspheme anyone, not to be quarrelsome; to be modest, showing all meekness to all people. Such a thing is also written to the Romans: Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but from God (Romans 13:1). And I think this precept was given here and there for this reason, because the doctrine of the Galilean Jews still prevailed at that time and had many followers, and it is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in reference to it: for before these days rose up Theodas, saying that he was somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves (Acts 5:36); and after him rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed (Acts 5:37). The heresy had grown so much that it troubled even the Pharisees and a large part of the people: so that this question was referred also to our Lord: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not (Mat. 22:17)? To which the Lord answered wisely and cautiously, saying: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's (Ibid., 21). To which response the Apostle Paul rightly teaches that believers should be subject to principalities and powers. For the beginnings which are read in Greek sound more like principalities than princes: and they indicate power itself, not the men who are in power. But since he had said, Admonish them to be subject to principalities and powers: the opportunity could be given to those who fear torment to deny it: according to the Apostle's saying, they would assert that they were subject to principalities and powers, and do what they commanded; therefore he added: To be obedient to every good work. If it is good, obey the will of the emperor and governor who orders. But if it is evil, and against God: answer him with that from the Acts of the Apostles: We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29). Let us understand this also about servants with their masters, and wives with their husbands, and children with their parents, that they should only be subject to masters, husbands, and parents for those things which do not go against God's commands. But what follows, "to be ready", is to be read in two ways, either as if it were implied, to be ready for every good work; or certainly, with the previous statement, obeying for every good work, and with that finished, as though another proper and specific commandment were given, "to be ready," according to what is written in Leviticus: "And the goat that beareth the curse of the people shall be brought before the Lord, ready to be offered." (Lev. 16:21) Therefore, if someone is prepared to take up an escort of dismissal and lead him ((Al.lead him away)) into the desert and scatter him there, and to the extent that he can, eliminate him by the act of a curse, on obeying he will also be ready for every good work. It can also be accepted in another way to be prepared: they should envision everything that could happen to them in their minds, and when they do happen, they should not endure them as if they are new, but instead everything must be prepared for them. Moreover, to blaspheme no one is not simply taken. For he does not say to blaspheme no man: but absolutely no one: not an angel, nor any creature of God. Because everything that was made by God is very good. For when Michael the Archangel disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a judgment of blasphemy, but said, "May God rebuke you” (Jud. 9). If Michael therefore did not have the audacity to bring judgement upon the devil, certainly deserving of a curse, for blasphemy: how much more should we be pure from every curse? The devil deserved a curse: but it should not have come out through the mouth of an archangel. Read the old books, and see what was in the minds of the three appointed on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, and what was in the minds of those on the other mountain to curse them. Reuben, who had defiled his parent's bed, and Zebulun, Leah's youngest son, and the children of the handmaidens, are placed on Mount Ebal ((alias Eliel)), to curse those who are worthy of a curse (Deut. 27). It would take too long to enumerate now how Jacob, who had called his sons for a blessing (Gen. 49:1), saying: "I will bless you," afterwards associates them in a curse, "Their fury is cursed, because it is fierce". And even the Lord speaks in Genesis: "Cursed be the earth in thy work" (Gen. 3:17). It is enough to have said this now, that it is not necessary to blaspheme the disciples of Christ, nor is it necessary to be contentious. For if we are the children of peace, and we wish to rest in peace, and we have approached the heavenly Jerusalem, which has received its name from peace, with those who hate peace, let us have peace: and as much as is within us, let us be at peace with all men: not only with the humble, but also with the quarrelsome; because there is no power in bearing the meek: and we permit the place of anger, displaying all meekness towards all men: not because we ought to show ourselves to be meek towards all men, by the desire of vainglory: but while we bear with all things, and do not repay injuries, these very works may become better known to all. For someone can simulate meekness and feign kindness for the sake of boasting, and for the sake of public favor before certain people. But where there is not true and genuine and solid meekness, I do not know whether he can persuade everyone that he is meek.

3:3-7

For we also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7) Someone might ask how Paul was foolish, unbelieving, wandering, and serving various desires and pleasures in wickedness and envy, hateful and hating, before the goodness and mercy of our Savior made him safe through the washing of regeneration: not by works of righteousness which he had done, but by his mercy, poured out abundantly and richly upon the apostles and believers through Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit: that, having obtained the inheritance of grace, they might possess the hope of eternal life. And indeed, we read that he was circumcised on the eighth day without objection according to the righteousness under the Law (Philippians 3:5): he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, according to the Pharisaic Law, of the tribe of Benjamin, educated at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed from childhood in the sacred writings (Acts 22). To which it is replied that the Jews who were versed in the Law before the coming, passion, and resurrection of the Savior, although not full, nevertheless had some righteousness: just as Simeon and the prophetess Anna were also found serving in the temple of God. But once the people cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him; we have no king but Caesar!" (John 19:15) and "His blood be on us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25), the kingdom of God was taken away from them and given to a nation producing its fruit. From that time on, anyone who did not believe in Christ was foolish, wandering, unbelieving, and serving various desires. Does it not seem to us [you] that Paul was foolish when he had zeal for God, but not according to knowledge; and was persecuting the Church: and was keeping the clothes of those stoning Stephen? When he had been so inflamed with hatred against the Savior that he received a letter from the priests, he went to Damascus to have those who believed in Christ bound? He could not have any virtues apart from the virtue of God, Christ Jesus, or put out the burning flame of desire, since he was not a temple of God? But what could be a greater evil and envy, than to take letters against those who are absent, and to destroy Christ's disciples everywhere; not wanting Him to be saved and envying those who were able to be saved; hating Christians and consequently earning hatred from everyone? What greater error both in obedience and in folly than to want to keep the Law that was abolished, and to say: Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, and to desire to be given milk like an infant when solid food is appearing and manly? Let us pay closer attention, and we will find in this present chapter the most obvious Trinity. For the kindness and mercy of our God and Savior, not of anyone else but of God the Father himself, justified us to eternal life through the regeneration of baptism and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. The salvation of believers is the mystery of the Trinity. Some understand this passage in such a way that they think it is not about Paul and the apostles, but rather, spoken by another under the apostles' authority, about others; this is so that just as under his own name, Apollo, and Cephas spoke about the dissension and schism he was pointing out in the Corinthians, so also in the present passage, he who names himself and the apostles shows what kind of people who had believed in Christ, no matter what they were like before the regeneration of spiritual baptism. At the same time, his humility is admirable, that he, who disregarded all humility and righteousness of the Law as if it were mere refuse and garbage, rightly remembered how he served without Christ and all his flaws.

3:8

Faithful is the saying, and I wish to confirm (or affirm) you about these things, that those who believe in the Lord should have care to preside over good works. These things are good and useful for men. This saying, faithful is, must be joined to the preceding part, in which he said that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs in the hope of eternal life. For the saying about the inheritance of God is worthy of faith, and about the hope of eternal life. Therefore, it is necessary concerning these matters, not only to believe and to confirm others who believe, without any doubt or fear, but also to confirm him who wants to believe in these things along with others. Therefore, it is said: "And I want to confirm you concerning these things." But those who truly believe in these things must take care of good works, through which the inheritance of God and the hope of eternal life are prepared. And to more firmly establish their faith, he did not say "those who believe in men," but "those who believe in God." For it is necessary that they take care of good works which, when fulfilled and carried out with every effort, are good and useful to believers.

3:9

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. For there are many questions and divers contentions, wherefore Solomon said: "Those who seek God in the right way, find peace" (Proverbs 8:35). Therefore, those who do not seek God in the right way cannot find peace. There are many examples of those who seek God in the wrong way. The Jews seek God wrongly, hoping to find Him without Christ. Heretics, making a noise with vain words, seek that which they cannot find. Philosophers and barbarians, having different opinions about God, seek God. But because they do not seek in the right way, their questions are foolish, thinking that God may be comprehended by human senses. Therefore, Paul calls us away from these questions. Moreover, to the wise, and those things which are supported by the authority of the Scriptures, it is urged and provoked more, being knowledgeable of the precepts of the Savior, in which he says: Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you, ask and it shall be given to you. For everyone who seeks finds, and who asks receives, and who knocks, it shall be opened to him (Luke 11); provided our body is not subject to sins, and wisdom will enter us. Let our understanding be exercised, let our mind be nourished daily by divine reading: and our foolish questions will not be questions. But he who said: Avoid genealogies and contentions and quarrels, which come from the Law, properly rebukes the Jews, who boast in it and think they have knowledge of the Law, if they hold the names of each one: which because they are barbaric, and we do not know their etymology, they are often uttered incorrectly by us. And if by chance we err in accentuation, in the length or brevity of a syllable, whether lengthening the short or shortening the long, our ignorance is wont to be ridiculed, especially in the case of aspirations and certain letters pronounced with throaty constriction. Now this happens because the Seventy Interpreters by whom the Divine Utterance was translated into the Greek language, have rendered the Heth and Ain and other similar letters, because they could not transfer them into the Greek language with the double aspiration, by adding other letters. For example they said 'Rahel' for Rachel, and 'Jeriho' for Jericho, and 'Hebron' for Chebron, and 'Seor' for Segor; but in other instances this method failed them. For we and the Greeks have only one letter s, but they three, Samech, Sade, and Sin, which have different sounds. Isaac and Sion are spelled with Sade, Israel with Sin, and do not sound as they are written. Seon, king of the Amorites, is spelled and pronounced with the letter Samech. Therefore, if we have not expressed these names and idioms of language, namely barbarian, in the way Hebrews express them, they are accustomed to laugh and swear that they completely do not understand what we are saying. Hence, it was our concern to correct all the books of the Old Law, arranged in six columns by the learned man Adamantius, written in the Caesarean library, from the authentic ones, in which the Hebrew itself is written in its own characters, and are expressed in the Greek letters on the margin. Aquila and Symmachus, as well as the Septuagint and Theodotion, follow their order. But some books and especially those written in verses among the Hebrews have three other variations added, which they call the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh translations, having gained authority without the names of interpreters. This immortal talent has given us, through his own efforts, the ability not to greatly fear the arrogance of the Jews; those who are happy with loose lips, a twisted tongue, a hissing spittle, and a hoarse throat. And there is another source of their pride, because just as we who are Latins, having Latin names and origins from our language, [that we learn] with greater ease from memory; so they, from a young age, have deeply absorbed the words of their own language [with] the most exact senses [possible]. From the beginning with Adam to the end with Zerubbabel, they run through all the generations from memory so quickly that you might think it is their own name that they are relating. We who have either learned other languages or have only later believed in Christ or even if we are infants made over to the Church, rely more on the sense of the Scriptures than their wording. If perhaps we do not know [the Latin] text so well, they believe themselves better [than us] in reciting names, in computing years, in [knowledge of] their children’s children to the third and fourth generation, of their ancestors, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers. I heard from certain Hebrews in Rome who pretended to have believed in Christ, on the genealogies of our Lord Jesus Christ, which are written in Matthew and Luke; specifically that they do not agree with each other in number or in the equality of words, from Solomon to Joseph. This person disturbed the hearts of simple people as if he was bringing forth responses from some sacred inner-sanctums and oracles, despite the fact that he should have been seeking justice, mercy, and love of God instead, and after this, if it happened to arise, disputing names and numbers. We have perhaps said enough about the haughtiness of the Hebrews, more than was necessary, but we were given an opportunity to speak of the genealogies and the contentions and disputes that arise from the Law. The dialecticians, of whom Aristotle is the foremost, are accustomed to weaving nets of argumentation, and to attaching the loose freedom of rhetoric to the threads of syllogisms. Those who spend all their days and nights in questioning, answering, giving and accepting propositions and confirming and concluding them are thus called contentious, who argue not based on reason, but through their gut. If they do this, whose proper art is contention, then what should a Christian do other than completely shun contention? Even legal disputes should be completely discarded and the foolishness of the Jews abandoned. For they are useless and vain, which have only the appearance of knowledge: besides, they are not of advantage either to those who speak them, or to those who hear them. For what is it to me to know how many years Methuselah lived, or in what year of his age Solomon obtained a wife, lest perhaps it should be believed that Rehoboam was born in his eleventh year? and many things of this kind, which either are difficult to find on account of the variety of books, and (while they are gradually written faultily) unwonted errors: or even if we find them with great study and labour, we have known that they are of no value. It frequently happens that we have disputes about the Law, not for the sake of the desire of truth; but for the sake of the love of glory, while we wish to be respected as learned among those who hear us: or certainly we pursue base profits from this little rumour: For what profit is it to babble with foaming lips, and to bark like dogs: since a simple and moderate answer either can appease you, if it is true, or if it is false, can be corrected gently and quietly?

3:10-11

Avoid a heretical man after one and a second admonition, knowing that such a one is subverted, and sins, being condemned by himself. The name of heresy is stated in the Epistle to the Corinthians: For there must be also heresies: that they also, which are approved, may be made manifest among you (1 Cor. 11:19). And among the works of the flesh, it is listed in the Epistle to the Galatians: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21). It should be carefully observed in these things, that just as the other vices, which are counted among the works of the flesh, exclude us ((Al. are excluded)) from the kingdom of God: so too heresies take away the kingdom of God from us; and it does not matter how someone is excluded from the kingdom. But what is even more remarkable seems to be that thing in the Acts of the Apostles, our faith in Christ, and Ecclesiastical discipline, already being labeled as heresy by perverse men at that time. For the Jews say to the Apostle Paul, "Neither have we received letters from you from Judea ((Al. from you... from Judea)), nor has anyone coming from the brethren reported or spoken any evil of you. But we ask to hear from you what your views are; for it is well known to us about this heresy, because everywhere it is contradicted (Acts 28:21,22)." And though the name of the heresy of Miletus is not mentioned, yet they are designated by the labours of Paul, in his address to the presbyters of the Church, 'I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them' (Acts 20:29-30). These remarks are made in passing, as it were, where elsewhere also heresy is spoken of. The name itself must now be fully examined. In Greek, heresy means an election, that is, everyone chooses for himself that which he thinks best. The philosophers, too, Stoics, Peripatetics, Academics, Epicureans, are called followers of this or that sect. It is needless to go through each one separately, and to enumerate the various dogmas of Marcion, Valentinus, Apelles, Ebion, Montanus, and Manichæus, seeing it is very easy for everyone to know what are the particular errors advocated by each individual. Arius and Eunomius, and the author of the new heresy, would that they were not so well known, perhaps they would have deceived fewer! Therefore, avoid a heretic after the first admonition, or as is better expressed in Greek, νουθεσία, which signifies warning or teaching rather than reproach; which is approved in Latin copies sometimes cited with approval by Pope Athanasius, to the effect that people who are wronged are not sufficient to be informed or warned once or twice, but that the second time they should be given instruction, and that every word should stay in the mouth of two or three witnesses. But why he should be avoided after the first and second admonitions, he gives the reasons, namely, that he is perverted and sins, being condemned by himself. For he who, having been corrected once or twice, does not wish to be corrected after hearing his mistake, is considered to be in error by the corrector: and on the contrary, when preparing for arguments and disputes with words, he wishes to make profit from the one from whom he learnt. Therefore, it is said to be condemned by oneself: because fornication, adultery, murder, and other vices are repelled by priests of the Church. But heretics bring judgment upon themselves, departing from the Church by their own choice: which departure seems to be a condemnation of their own conscience. They think that heresy differs from schism in that heresy has perverse doctrine, while schism separates from the Church due to episcopal dissension, which can be understood to some extent at the beginning. However, no schism does not invent some heresy for itself, so that it may appear to have departed from the Church correctly.

3:12

When you come, please hurry to me in Nicopolis, Artemas or Tychicus. I have decided to spend the winter there. In the beginning of this letter we read, "The reason I left you in Crete was to straighten out what was left unfinished and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you." So that after Paul's departure, the Cretans, who had recently believed and were not left as orphans, but had an apostolic man who would correct what appeared to be lacking. Therefore, because after the foundation of other churches it was necessary for Titus, who would build up the building, he writes to him, that he would send Arteman or Tychicus to Crete, one of the two who were with him, to fulfill his position: he himself would come to Nicopolis, testifying that he would winter there. We approve Paul's paternal affections towards the Cretans from this. Titus has a necessary ministry in the Gospel: however, he does not want him to come to him before Artemas or Tychicus, his successor, arrives in his place. Nicopolis itself is so named because of Augustus' victory, which he won there against Antony and Cleopatra.

3:13

Send Zenam, the learned in the law, and hasten to send Apollo, so that nothing may be lacking to them. This is the Apollo of whom mention is made in the epistle to the Corinthians: Every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I am of Cephas (1 Cor. I, 12). He was an Alexandrian man, a Jew, very eloquent, and skilful in the scriptures; he was the bishop of the Corinthians; and he is supposed to have gone to the island of Crete with Zenas, the doctor of the law, and to have returned thence to Corinth, after having there regulated the Christian church by his preaching; as Paul too had done by his epistle. But we cannot say who the old testament lawyer was from another passage of scripture, except only this, that he himself, as an apostolic man, had the same work which Apollo exercised: to establish the churches of Christ. Therefore, Titus commands that since they were about to sail from Crete to Greece, he should not allow them to be in need of the bare necessities, but should have what is necessary for a journey.

3:14

But also let our people learn to lead in good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful. He had said above: Send Zenas, the teacher of the law, and Apollo and care for them that nothing be wanting to them. Since therefore a hidden answer might arise, so that anyone who reads this Epistle, not Titus only, might ask whence he should supply those who had no provision for their journey, he solved this difficulty and removed every obstacle by saying: But also let our people learn to lead in good works for necessary uses, that they may not be unfruitful. He calls our own those who had believed in Christ, who, because they were Christ's, deserved rightly to be called both Paul's and Titus's. You have, he says, the power over the disciples; teach them not to be unfruitful, but to serve as evangelists and apostolic men, who serve with good works, and to serve not in any causes, but in necessary uses, for having food and clothing ((or clothing)), let us be content with these (1 Timothy 6:8); and those who serve the altar should live by the altar; and those who have become participants in our spiritual things should share their carnal goods with us. And lest they easily despise either the letter of Paul or the instruction of Titus, he calls those who do not minister to the evangelists unfruitful. And Solomon himself says in Proverbs: But the fruit of charity (Prov. 3:12). And Paul himself first calls charity the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5). But charity is especially proven in communication and in ministry. That they may not be unfruitful. For every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Mat. 5:10) . But I say this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. To not give necessary support to apostolic men and evangelizers of Christ is to condemn oneself to sterility.

3:15

Those who are with me greet you. And he had accustomed himself to say hello to Titus from everyone who was with him or at least properly to Titus, because he was such that he deserved the love of all who were with Paul. Truly great praise was attributed to Titus by everyone through Paul.

Salute those who love us in faith. If everyone who loves, loved in faith, and there were no others who loved without faith, Paul would never have added love to faith, saying, "Salute those who love us in faith." For truly mothers love their children, so prepared as they are to die for them; but they do not love in faith, and wives, their husbands, with whom they very frequently die; but that love is not of faith. The love of only the saints loves with faith to such an extent that even if the one who is loved is unbelieving, yet the saint loves him in faith according to this: "Let all your things be done in faith" (1 Cor. 16:14). And elsewhere: "Love your enemies" (Luke 6:35). The saint loves his enemies and therefore loves them in faith because he believes in him who promised to reward him for the fulfillment of his commandment.

The grace of our Lord be with all of you. It should be known that in the Greek codices it is written thus: "Grace be with all of you," so that neither "our Lord" nor "ourselves" is carried in the authentic books. Therefore, he (Paul) invokes grace upon the saints and believers in general, upon Titus and the others who were with him. And just as Isaac the Patriarch blessed his son Jacob (Gen. 27) and the twelve Patriarchs themselves (ibid., 29), so the Apostles, entering a house, would say: "Peace to this house" (Mat. 10:12). And if the house was worthy, their peace rested upon it; but if it showed itself unworthy, their peace returned to those who had invoked it. So even now, at the end of his Epistle, the Apostle invokes grace upon the believers, which, when it had taken effect according to his wish, was in the power of the believers to present as blessed to himself, just as he wished to give it.