The ministers of Christ should discharge their duties with faithfulness, being careful to teach only such truths as are emphasized by God’s Word, and dividing to each person, according to their age, and condition in life, those special portions of the truth designed for their particular spiritual needs. Let all considerations of the Gospel be ever linked to those foundation truths, the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ, the sanctified life through Him and the blessed hope of His return.
Titus 2
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Titus 2 Intro – J. Vernon McGee
Titus 2:1-5 – J. Vernon McGee
Titus 2:6-10 – J. Vernon McGee
Titus 2:11-15 – J. Vernon McGee
Titus 2:1-8 – A Pattern for Old and Young.
The supreme test of all Christian teaching and Christian work depends on whether they produce healthy characters, which are not contaminated by the noisome and germ-laden atmosphere around. Our teaching must be healthy and also healthy-creating. There must be plenty of ozone in it.
The Apostle’s strophes are few but fine. In the briefest sentences he seizes the salient features of Christian character. The aged man – strong, calm, patient, full of faith and love. The aged woman – holy, reverent, beloved, honored, and obeyed by the younger women of the same household or church. So also with the young men and women. What a life is sketched here against which the tongue of slander is dumb!
But, after all, these results cannot be realized apart from the personal holiness of their minister and leader. He must furnish a pattern of good works. His attitude to things which are questionable and doubtful must be decided not by his own predilections or fancies, but by the consideration of the effect which his action is likely to have on the keen eyes that are carefully watching him. (Meyer)
Titus 2:9-15 – How We May “Adorn the Doctrine.”
The servants addressed in this tender and priceless paragraph were household slaves, employed in the most menial drudgery, but they were taught that even they might adorn the Gospel as jewels adorn the brow of beauty. Their holy lives might display and set forth its loveliness. To please one’s superiors, in all things so far as our loyalty to Christ permits, is to commend Christ to our households, and win his approval. The grace of God has ever offered salvation, but in Jesus it was brought to our doors. In its first appearance, it came to teach; in its second appearance, it will bring us glory. Have we sat sufficiently long in the school of grace, that our gentle Teacher may instruct us how to live? It must be soberly in regard to ourselves, righteously toward others, and godly toward God. And we cannot realize any one of these unless we resolutely deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. This was the aim and purpose of Jesus in coming to die for us. He wanted to redeem us from all iniquity, purify us as his own, and use us in all manner of good works. It is a solemn question whether that supreme purpose has been realized in our own experience. If not, why not? (Meyer)
Titus 2:14—Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.
After all that we have professed and learnt, how hard it is to believe that God intends just what He says! When the Holy Spirit says all, He clearly means all. And we are, therefore, taught that the death of Jesus was intended, not for our forgiveness and justification merely, but for our sanctification, and our deliverance from the power of all our besetting sins. The text does not promise freedom from temptation; but from all yielding to habits, dispositions, and tempers of soul which have ruthlessly tyrannised over us as Egypt over Israel.
Jesus died for thee, O child of God, that having been set free from the bondage of all iniquity thou mightest live soberly as regards the use of the world, righteously towards thy fellows, and godly towards the Almighty, and “looking for that blessed hope” (v. 13). The grace of God has appeared; his glory will appear. There has been an Epiphany of the one; there shall be as certainly an Epiphany of the other. Many awaited the first; more shall await the second. The one was in humiliation; the other shall be in glory: the one was as a Babe; the other shall be in the glory of the Divine Man. But till then we are called to wait with garments unspotted from the world, and hearts delivered from the love and power of human sin.
Let us teach the world that God has something tangible and practicable to give — not for the next life only, but for this. We are taught by that gentle school-mistress, the Grace of God, to live — soberly, as regards our personal life; righteously, in relation to others; godly, in our attitude towards God. Wesley says, “Until you press believers to accept full salvation now, you must not look for any revival.” (Meyer)
Titus 2:14 – If we travel slowly, and loiter on the road, Jesus will go on before us, and sin will overtake us. If we are dilatory and lazy in the vineyard, the Master will not smile on us when He walks through His garden. Be active, and expect Christ to be with thee: be idle, and the thorns and briers will grow so thickly, that He will be shut out of thy door. (Spurgeon)