Tito 2

Theophylact of Ohrid

Tito 2:1

You should do your work even if they are unbelieving and dishonorable people: do not be silent, even if they do not accept the teaching. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:2

Since the deficiency of old age is laziness, slowness, and difficulty of movement, he therefore says that they should "be vigilant," that is, be watchful and ready for every duty. By temperate he here means those who are prudent, possessing a sound state of mind. For even among the elderly there are people who are frenzied, raging, and senseless — some from wine, others from faintheartedness. Patience is especially fitting for the elderly, on account of their irritability and short temper. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:3

The passage speaks of elderly women who should appear dignified both in their outward appearance and in their clothing. Some, however, think that the reference here is to deaconesses, from whom the apostle requires that even in their very attire they should appear befitting, that is, in keeping with their sacred ministry. Since in old age a person grows cold, an inclination toward wine appears, and then, being unable to restrain himself, as one who is weak, he is overcome not by moderate but by excessive use of wine, and from this arises a tendency toward slander. How then does he say in another place: "but I suffer not a woman to teach" (1 Tim. 2:12)? There he speaks of public teaching in the church, which is not permitted to women, but here of teaching at home, and moreover only of younger women. That this is what the apostle says, listen to what follows. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:4

Not only their own daughters, but all who are young in age. Let each older woman "instruct" the younger, and above all in the most important domestic good — "to love their husbands." When this is present, everything else will follow: order in the home and abundance in possessions; but when this is absent, even if everything else were present, it will all slip away. He who loves the root, that is, the father, will all the more love the fruits as well, that is, the "children." — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:5

A wife who loves her husband will be both chaste and blameless, that is, pure in both body and mind, free from mingling with outsiders and from lustful desire; and she will also be a good manager of the home, that is, a housewife. Loving her husband, she also takes care "of the house," not being occupied with adornments, nor luxury, nor untimely expenditures. And whom else would she seek to please, having already pleased her beloved? See how Paul, who previously drew people away from worldly cares, now devotes great diligence to domestic affairs, because when these matters are in good order, spiritual matters will be in good order as well. Do you see that he is primarily concerned with preaching, and not with worldly affairs? If a believing wife, living with an unbelieving husband, is not virtuous, then the blame is transferred to the faith. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:6

He appointed the elders as teachers for the younger, women for women; for the "young men" – Titus himself, a man for men: everywhere he observes propriety. In what, then, should they be instructed and admonished? "To be self-controlled," for in youth the fire of shameful pleasures causes the most harm, which must be extinguished, and one must strive "to be self-controlled." — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:7

Let the older women teach the younger women, and you yourself teach the young men. However, let the common school and model of virtue be your radiant life, set before all like a master image displayed in the sight of everyone who wishes to learn something good from it. This expression depends on the general phrase: show. So that what you teach, he says, may not be corrupt and false, but sound and having the correct meaning. So that the teaching may have nothing youthful or disturbing to the foolish, but that everything may be reverent and worthy of God. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:8

That is, orthodox, containing nothing blameworthy. The adversary he calls either the devil, or anyone who serves him. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:9

Therefore, he is worthy of condemnation who separates wives and husbands under the pretext of continence, and who separates servants from masters under the pretext of piety. For he gives much occasion for reproach to all and opens the mouths of all against the faith. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:10

Do you see what he requires of slaves? That which most of all puts masters at ease, namely, that they "not talk back, not steal, but be faithful." For worldly people this is most of all desirable. If slaves are such, they serve to the glory of Christianity. For when a pagan sees his slave, so educated by Christianity, will he not marvel at the teaching which had such power that it improved even such a soul? And how insolent and stubborn this slavish race always is, but this is because, being neglected by their masters, they are poorly raised and not guided by the instructions and company of honorable people. Therefore Paul rightly said in another place: "doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men" (Eph. 6:7). Although you serve your master, the honor pertains to God, because the disposition toward the master also has its beginning in that fear. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:11

Since the apostle demanded much that was great from slaves – I mean precisely that they should adorn the teaching of the Lord by their virtuous life – he now shows why he justly demands such high qualities from them. For grace appeared for them also, even though they are slaves. "For all," he says, "men." To them also the Lord granted the cleansing of many sins, and they ought to live the rest of their time to the glory of their Benefactor. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:12

And here he puts them to shame. Having God as your teacher, he says, should you not live worthily of Him? This grace, he says, extends not only to the forgiveness of former sins, but also secures us for the future. It teaches us to live the rest of our time in sobriety, since we have utterly renounced ungodliness and worldly lusts. By the expression "having denied" he signifies a complete turning away, proceeding from the disposition of the entire soul. By "ungodliness" he means idolatry and perverted doctrines. By "worldly lusts" — covetousness, luxury, and the other vices that do not lead to heaven but are useful in this world and cease together with it. Therefore Christ came so that we would renounce ungodly teachings and a sinful life, hating both with equal force. "Chastely" means not only abstinence from fornication, but also from the other passions. And if you are covetous, then you are also "not chaste"; on the contrary, you are even more incontinent, since this passion is not natural. In general, one who is overcome by all the passions is not chaste. This "age" represents the struggle, and the future one represents the recompense. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:13

Here is the reward: the Second Coming, truly blessed. He well said: "glory." He speaks of two appearances. The first, as was said above, had grace and forgiveness, which was accomplished with mercy and simplicity. The second is retribution, which is to be revealed with glory, as it is also said in the Gospel: "when the Son of Man shall come in His glory" (Matt. 25:31). Where are those who demean the Son and do not wish to call Him God? Let them hear that He is both God and great. Great, it is said, as God—not in comparison with something else that is small, but absolutely, since He is great in Himself, by nature. If He saved us when we were enemies, what will He not give then, when He finds us pleasing to Him? — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:14

And this is a sign of His power, that He gave Himself—and not so as to deliver from one iniquity but not from another, but "from all iniquity." Let us then honor our redemption. To cleanse by the font of divine baptism and by the fulfillment of His divine and purifying commandments. "Peculiar" (περιούσιος), that is, His own — this expression is metaphorically taken from servants who revolve around the property and possessions of their master, just as one calls a person chosen, set apart, having nothing in common with the rest of mankind. That is, a people zealously striving for virtue and showing "zeal for all good works" and fervent emulation. Redemption is His work alone, but being zealous in works is also ours. — Commentary on Titus

Tito 2:15

First "speak and exhort," that is, teach with gentler speech; and then "rebuke," and not simply, but "with all authority," that is, insistently and authoritatively. Since they were rough, he brings forth severity against them. There are vices that do not need severity, but only exhortation and persuasion, such as completely despising money. But there are also those that need severity, such as adultery, theft, robbery, and sorcery. That is: let no one despise you for rebuking opportunely and strictly; for whoever rebukes strictly but not opportunely is all the more despised. — Commentary on Titus