Chapter 1

Chapter One

Titus 1:1. Paul, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ,
He uses these expressions interchangeably, sometimes calling himself a servant of Christ, an apostle of God, and now the reverse. Thus he made no distinction between the Father and the Son.

Titus 1:1. By the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
This can be understood in different ways: either that I became an apostle so that the chosen ones would come to believe through me, or that I was chosen as an apostle not for my own merits, but because God was pleased to entrust His chosen ones to me. Therefore, everything is a matter of grace, and not because I was worthy, but for the sake of the chosen ones. Then, to show that we too must contribute something, he added: "and the knowledge of the truth," that is, since I came to know the truth of this teaching, therefore it was entrusted to me. But better: even the knowledge is not ours, but He is the source of this as well. For first we were known, and then we came to know. Or, that I believed, just as the other chosen ones did, and came to know the truth. He even said "truth" in contrast to Jewish rites. For they are not the truth, though neither are they falsehood, but a type and shadow; and in calling us chosen, he condemns the Jews. For even if they were once chosen, they are not now. Notice: first "faith," and then from it "knowledge," but not from rational inquiries. Having said "truth," he added "relating to godliness," because even in worldly affairs there is "knowledge of the truth." For example, someone may truly know the art of agriculture or the art of building. So it is not about that truth, but about "truth according to godliness."

Titus 1:2. In hope of eternal life,
Having said how much God has benefited us for the present life, he speaks also of what He will give in the future. Already the very knowledge of the truth is the greatest benefit for us who have been freed from error. But as a reward for this, He will give us also eternal life. Since we have come to know Him, "we hope," he says, "for eternal life." Do you see how he immediately, from the very beginning, points to the benefits of God, so as to make both the bishop himself and all the more his disciples more ready to please the Benefactor? With the words "in hope of eternal life" he overturns Jewish rites, for they had the present life as their reward.

Titus 1:2. "which God, who cannot lie, promised before the ages began,"
If He is unchangeable, then He will undoubtedly give even after death what He promised. From ancient times, he says, He predetermined this, and not as a result of repentance. It is not because the Jews did not turn to Him that He will give this to us, but because it was predetermined from ancient times — and He loved us from eternity. That He loved us from the beginning — this points to our nobility.

Titus 1:3. but in due time manifested His word through preaching,
Lest someone say: why did He delay in giving that which was determined from eternity? he says it was out of care for us and in order to do it at the fitting time. By "time" Scripture means the opportune time, as for example: "It is time for the Lord to act" (Ps. 119:126). So "in its own time," he says, that is, the suitable, proper time. And what did He manifest? "His Word," he says, that is, the Gospel. In what manner? "In preaching," that is, openly, with boldness. He who preaches neither adds nor takes away. So we too preach what has been commanded to us, assuredly, only in the hearing of all, just as Christ said: "Preach upon the housetops" (Matt. 10:27), signifying by the manner and place directness, impartiality, and freedom. Note: the sequence required him to say: "He manifested in its own time," that is, eternal life, but he did not put it that way, but rather "He manifested His Word." Rightly so. For the Gospel encompasses everything: both what has been given to us in the present time, such as godliness, faith, and truth, and what is promised in the age to come, that is, eternal life. Some, however, understood "His Word" to mean the Son.

Titus 1:3. "entrusted to me by the command of our Savior, God,"
This preaching, he says, has been entrusted to me. So then, if it has been entrusted, I must not think anything unworthy of the One who entrusted it to me, nor must I pretend or express displeasure at what has been entrusted to me. Moreover, it has been entrusted to me "by commandment," which is to say: I am compelled to do this against my will. Of the things that must be done, some are done "by commandment," and others by exhortation. For example: "be reconciled to your brother" (Matt. 5:24) — this is a commandment, and whoever does not fulfill it is punished; but: "sell your possessions" (Matt. 19:21), if you wish, and also: "he who is able to accept it, let him accept it" (Matt. 19:12) — these are exhortations, and the one who does not fulfill them is not punished. So then, he says, preaching has been entrusted to me by commandment, so that I must necessarily fulfill it. "Woe to me," he says, "if I do not preach the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:16), and this is not out of love of power, but out of necessity. Whose commandment is it? "Of God our Savior." Therefore, if God, who desires our salvation, has commanded this, how shall I not show my devotion to the work of salvation?

Titus 1:4. To Titus, a true son
A son can also be not true, as a fornicating Christian, or a covetous one: such a son, although regenerated through baptism, is not true, because he is unworthy of the father.

Titus 1:4. according to the common faith:
Having called Titus a son and having assumed for himself the title of father, the apostle again diminishes this honor, saying: in faith I have nothing more in comparison with you, for it is common, and by it both I and you were regenerated. Why then does the apostle call him his son? Either to show his love for him, or because he himself baptized Titus. Since both share one and the same faith, they are brothers to one another. But since Paul baptized Titus, he is a father to him. Thus, the expression "according to the common faith" signifies brotherhood.

Titus 1:4. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
And by this he indicates brotherhood, when he says "from God the Father," he stirs up Titus so that he might remember whose son he is, namely God's. See how what he wishes for ordinary people, the same he wishes for the bishop and teacher. For he himself more than others needs the gracious power of God, as one bearing exceedingly heavy burdens; he needs mercy, as one for whom it is difficult to avoid being guilty before God in many things; he needs peace, as one placed in the necessity of being in conflicts and waging unceasing struggle. For even faithful discharge of the episcopate alone leads one up to heaven, and negligence alone casts one down to hell.

Titus 1:5. For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking.
Just as in a household among those appointed for service one does one thing and another does another, so too they divided the whole world among themselves by regions, and all labored. This is precisely what is indicated here by the words "I left you in Crete," because he himself evidently departed for another place to labor there. See how he is not embarrassed to write to his disciple to finish what he himself had left incomplete. He was concerned with the common benefit, not with his own honor. Notice also that he corrected all these things himself; but what pertained to honor or praise, this he entrusted to his disciple — I mean the ordination of bishops and everything else that required greater organization.

Titus 1:5. And appointed elders in every city, as I had commanded thee:
So he calls bishops here, and in the Epistle to Timothy. "In every city," he says. He did not wish the entire island to be entrusted to one person, but that each city should have its own pastor. In this way both the labor will be lighter, and the oversight more diligent.

Titus 1:6. If anyone is blameless,
If he leads a life free from reproach, if no one reproaches him for his way of life. For if the light, He says, is darkness, then the darkness how much more?

Titus 1:6. A husband of one wife,
To shut the mouths of heretics who condemned marriage, he accepts a married man into the episcopacy. For marriage is so honorable that with it one can even ascend to the sacred throne. But to restrain the incontinent, he says: "the husband of one wife." For he who preserved no affection for his deceased wife, how will he be a good leader in the Church? A bishop must be blameless. But a man twice married is not blameless, even though this is permitted by civil laws.

Titus 1:6. Faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
Who has not raised his own children, how will he manage others? It is clear that if he had first raised his children well and with care, they would not have turned out disobedient. For sins are not such by their nature that they could be stronger than such diligence. The Apostle did not say simply: not profligate children, but even entirely free from reproach of profligacy and free from evil suspicion.

Titus 1:7. For the bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God,
How can he be blameless if he has unbelieving and undisciplined children? God has placed him over His house, he occupies God's place; therefore in all respects he must be a precise fulfiller of His will.

Titus 1:7. Not self-willed,
Civil authorities rule over their subordinates by the force of law, and therefore can display boldness and self-assertion. But a bishop governs those who are voluntarily subject to him, and he must not reach such a degree of boldness as to act autocratically, arbitrarily, and without asking the opinion of his subordinates; for this would be coercive.

Titus 1:7. Not quick-tempered,
Self-love is necessarily followed by irascibility, from which also, of course, consequently, the bishop must abstain. For how will he teach others to bridle this passion if he has not taught this to himself?

Titus 1:7. Not given to wine,
That is, an insulter. What need is there to insult? The disobedient should be brought to fear by gehenna, not insulted.

Titus 1:7. Not violent,
Not striking with the hands, nor with bitter and harsh words. For he is a physician. And a physician rather heals wounds, but does not inflict them himself.

Titus 1:7. Not greedy for money,
That is, showing great contempt for wealth. In a bishop, all covetousness, even righteous covetousness, is shameful.

Titus 1:8. But hospitable,
Not only not to receive profit, but also to give everything away to strangers.

Titus 1:8. A lover of good,
The apostle thus calls the gentle, moderate, and unenvious person.

Titus 1:8. Sober-minded,
That is, pure.

Titus 1:8. Just,
Impartial in regard to people.

Titus 1:8. Devout,
That is, reverent toward everything divine, neglecting nothing in relation to God.

Titus 1:8. Self-controlled,
The temperate person [must be temperate] not only in food, but also in tongue, hands, and shameful glances; for in this consists true temperance.

Titus 1:9. holding fast the true word, which is in accordance with the teaching,
Instead of: caring, taking concern for this matter. "Faithful," that is, handed down through faith, and not through reasoning. Therefore he also said: "according to the teaching," showing that he could teach even without external wisdom. It is not grandeur of expression that is needed, but experience in the Scriptures and power in thought. For only such teaching will be successful, as was the teaching of Paul himself.

Titus 1:9. that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to convict those who contradict.
That is, so that he might both guard and strengthen his own, and repel enemies. For whoever is not "mighty" either to fight against enemies "and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5), or to comfort, admonish, and establish his own, is a false bishop. Other virtues can be found even in subordinates, such as hospitality, sound-mindedness, and the rest; but what most characterizes a bishop is the ability to teach.

Titus 1:10. For there are many who are also insubordinate, idle talkers and deceivers,
He pointed to the root of all evils — insubordination. Since the insubordinate person does not want to be under authority, but pushes forward to have authority over others, he has obviously learned nothing sound or right, because he did not want to endure being taught. One who deceives himself and others is an idle talker and a mind-deceiver.

Titus 1:10. "especially those of the circumcision,"
The Lord also reproached them for their love of preeminence, because they had not abandoned this malady even after they came to believe.

Titus 1:11. whose mouths must be stopped:
They must be rebuked sharply, so that their "mouths" are stopped. But what is the benefit, when they are of those who do not submit to the truth? For them there is none, but it is beneficial for those whom they might corrupt if the bishop remains silent; for their corruption the bishop himself will give an account. Therefore the mouths of such people must be "stopped": if you cannot do this, do not be a bishop.

Titus 1:11. They corrupt whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of shameful gain.
You see what disobedience combined with love of money and "shameful gain" means, how "they subvert whole houses"! They are levers in the hands of the devil, by means of which he destroys the "houses" of God.

Titus 1:12. One of themselves, a poet of their own, said: "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies."

Titus 1:13. This testimony is true.
The question is asked, why did he adduce a "testimony" from Greek writers and approve it, even though it is unjust? And who said this? In truth, it was said by Epimenides, who more than all the Greek sages was occupied with prophecies and the propitiation of the gods, and was renowned for the beneficent gift of divination. He, indeed, when he saw that the Cretans had erected a tomb for Zeus and began to honor him as some mere man, as though zealous for the glory of their national god, composed the following address to Zeus: being such and such, the Cretans erected a tomb for you; but you have not died, you live forever. To this saying Paul now gives a "testimony" of truth. But how does he do this? For if it was spoken truly, then Zeus is immortal. No, it was not to this that the apostle directed attention when he said the "testimony" is true, but to the fact that Epimenides called the "Cretans liars" and the rest. And what is the benefit of a pagan testimony? Through this he best influenced them, presenting to them as proof of their arrogance their own writers. Paul customarily does this; in a similar manner he also reasoned with the Athenians on the basis of Aratus: what that poet ascribes to the falsely-named god Zeus, he applies to the true God, since on the basis of their own testimonies they can be better convinced. In a similar manner, with the Jews he speaks on the basis of the prophets, and not on the basis of the Gospels. So also does God act, drawing each person to Himself by the path that is familiar and trustworthy to that person. Thus, the "Magi" — by means of a "star" (Matt. 2:1–2), Saul through the sorceress (1 Sam. 28:3–25), since he believed her, and the diviners — through animals (cows) that carried the ark; and this does not mean that the pagan diviners speak the truth — on the contrary, He convicts them by their own mouths. And God allowed Balaam to bless and prophesy (Num. 23–24). For He customarily always shows condescension for our benefit. Why then did Christ and Paul forbid the demons to speak and testify? Because the signs were sufficient for believing; and Christ Himself preached about Himself, and this was sufficient. Moreover, the demons were not worshipped, and the idol did not speak of itself. Therefore the demons were forbidden to speak.

Titus 1:13. Rebuke them sharply for this reason.
Since they are, he says, liars, which is explained by their craftiness, and gluttons, a strong and reproachful word is needed for them, for gentleness is useless with them. Just as one who rebukes a gentle person destroys him, so too one who flatters a shameless person ruins him, not allowing him to know himself. Here, the apostle says, it is not strangers who must be rebuked, but one's own people.

Titus 1:13. "that they may be sound in the faith,"

Titus 1:14. Not giving heed to Jewish fables
So then, soundness consists in not introducing anything false, anything foreign to the faith; just as submitting oneself to the law does not mean boldly relying on faith that it is sufficient for salvation. This is no small error. Jewish customs are doubly fables: both because they are untimely and utterly useless, and because attending to them is harmful. So then, just as one must not believe fables, neither should one believe these. Of course, the holy books of the Old Testament, rightly understood, are not fables. And how could they be, when from them we learn the evangelical truth? But wrong interpretations and additions — that is what the fables are. Listen to what follows next.

Titus 1:14. And the ordinances of men who turn away from the truth.
You see that what he calls fables? The commandments of men, as it is written in Isaiah (Isa. 29) and in the Gospel (Matt. 15), and the rest, obviously, also the observances concerning foods, as is evident from what follows.

Titus 1:15. For the pure all things are pure; but for the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled.
So then, foods are not clean or unclean by their own nature, but by the disposition of those who partake of them. The latter, being clean and pious, know that all things are clean, as the creation of God, and that only sin is unclean. For even if the law considered certain things unclean, this was not without purpose, but for the restraint of intemperance, knowing that the Jews would not have obeyed it without compulsion, being gluttons. Of course, if those who partake are clean and pious, then for such people all things will be clean. In what way? For if one reasons thus, then fish that devour men, and birds considered clean but feeding on worms, ought to seem unclean. Therefore an unclean mind, directed toward the bad side, by itself defiles what is not such by nature. In the same way, one suffering from a stomach ailment thinks that foods are unpleasant, even though they may be pleasant; and to one suffering from dizziness, the firmly standing earth seems to be moving. Such suspicion depends on his illness. This applies both to the Manichaeans and to the Marcionites and to the heretics newly sprung from them, called by most people Galatae.

Titus 1:16. They say that they know God, but by their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.
Do you see what makes them unclean and abominable? It is that their deeds are wicked and unclean. For truly "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17). And a dead thing inspires disgust and is good for nothing.