The Pulpit Commentary — Titus — Section 40

EXP08ITION. llileelmeu (-rpllM.,,.,.11); analher Pauline word OHAPTER nL (1 Cor. iv. 21; 2 Cor. I. l; Ge.L v. 23, etc.; Ver. 1.-In ,ubjectioo for mbject, A.V.; 1 Tim. vi. 11 ; 2 Tim. ii. 25). The precept ru!en for prineipalities, A. V.; to autluwitie, is given its widest extension by the double for and power,, A. V. and 'l'.B. ; to be obedient addition of "e.11" and "to all men." The for to obey magi,tratea, A. V.; unto for to, A.V. roughneas, or want of courtesy, of others is Put them in mind ( b1roµ.{µ.v11u,c•); e.s 2 Tim. ii. no excnse for the want of meekness in those 14. To rulers, to authorities. Many UI1ciale, who are the disciples of him who was meek w,hioh tl.te R.T. follows, omit the "41, but it and lowly in bee.rt (Matt. Ii. 29). All men, Heems necessary to the sense. The change whatever their station, the highest or the from "principalities and powers" to" rulers" lowest, are t.o receive meek and gentle and "authorities" does not seem desirable. treatment from the Christian. 'Apxd, and il!ouula, is e. favourite juxta- Ver. 3.-We for tae ourlelvea, A. V. ; afore- position of St. Paul's (1 Oor. xv. 24; Eph. ti= for ,ometimea, A. V. ; hating for and i. 21 ; iii. 10; vi. 12 ; Col. i. 16; ii. 10, 15). hating, A.V. Jl'oolish (&v&11-ro,); e. Pauline It occurs also in 1 Pet. iii. 22. In all the word (Gal iii 1, 3), folllld also in Luke ni v. above examples the words, it is true, apply 25 (see 1 Tim. vi. 9); of frequent use in to the angelic hosts, but the words are else- classical Greek. Disobedient ( mmB,,s) ; a.a where applied sepe.mtely to human govern• eh. i. 16. In Lake i. 17 it stands, e.s here, ment, and in Luke II. 20, they are applied absolutely, meaning disobedient to God and together to the authority of the Roman his Law. Deoeived (,rll.avd.µ.,vo,); led astray, governor. To be obedient (1r<,Bapx•i"); only me.de to wander from the path of truth and here and in Acts v. 29, 32 ; nvii. 21. It right, either by false systems of religion, or follows here its classical use, " to obey e. by our own evil affections and appetites superior,'' well expressed in the Authorized (see 2 Tim. ii. 13; 1 Pet. ii. 25; 2 Pet. ii. Version "to obey magistrates." The simple 15, eto.). Serving; slaves to (8oull.,6ov-res); " to be obedient " of the Revised Version 2 Pet. ii 19 (see above, eh. ii 2). Lusts does not express the sense. To be ready ( bri8uµ.(ais); not e.l ways in e. bad sense, as unto every good work. St. Paul is still here, though usually so (see Luke x.x.i.i. speaking with especial reference to magis- 15; Phil. i. 23; 1 Tl!ess. iL 17; Rev. xviii. trates and the civil power. Christians were 14). Pleasures (~6ovais); always in a bad to show themselves good citizens, always sense in the New Testament (Luke viii. 14; ready for any duty to which they were Jo.a. iv. 1, 3; 2 Pet. ii. 13). Living (8,d- co.lied. Christianity we.a not to be e.n -yov-ru); see 1 Tim. ii. 2, where it is followed excuse for shirking duties, or refusing by {Jfov, wbioh is here under•tood. ~"''Y'" obedience where it was due. The only -rbv fJlov, cuiiiva. xp&vov, ud.fJfJa-rov, etc., are limit is expressed by the word "good.'' common phrases both in the LXX. and in They were to give tribute to whom tribute classice.l Greek for paasing or spending one·s was due, custom to whom cnstom; fear to life, time, age, etc. But it is only found whom fear; honour to whom honour; but, in the New Testament here aud h 1 Tim. if ordered to do evil, then they must resist, ii. 2. llilalioe (1<12,cl~). This word is some- and obey God rather than man (Acts iv. 19). times used of 10ickedness generally, as Acts (See the similar limi le.lion in eh. ii 10, note, viii. 22; Jae. L 21 ; 1 Cor. v. 8; and pro- and compare, for the whole verse, the very bably Rom. i. 29; and even of hadnee• in similar passage, Rom. xiii. 1-7.) things, as Matt. vi. 34:. But it frequently Ver. 2.-Not to be contentiou, for to ~e no in the New Testament denotes malice, the brawlers, A.V.; to h. for but, A.V.; toward desire to do harm to others, e.s Eph. iv. 31 ; for unto, A. V. To speak evil of no man Col. iii. 8, etc. Envy (,p8&vq,); almost (µ.718ev12 fJ>,,au,p71µ.,iv). Probably especi11lly always found in St. Paul's enumeration of pointed in the first plllce at a natlll'lt,l ten- sins (Rom. i. 29; Gal. v. 21 ; 1 Tim. vi. 4, dency of oppressed Christian■ to speak evil eto.). Hateful (u-rory11-ra{); only here in the of their rulers (2 Pet. ii. 10; Jude 10), but New Teetament, not found in the LXX. extended into a general precept which might (though the verb u-ru-yeo, occurs once or be especially needful for the rough and twice in the Maccabees), but used in good turbulent Crete.us. Not to be oontentions classical Greek. The above is a sad but ( audxous .tva,); as 1 Tim. iii. 3, note. To too true picture of hume.u life without the be gentle (i1r,,.K,is); coupled, as here, with aweetening intluences of God's Holy Spirit. dµ.dxous in 1 Tim. iii. 3. Showing ( '1v8<1- Ver. 4.- When for after that, A. V.; the """P.••••s); a word of frequent occurreuce in kindnes, of God our Sauiour, and hia love St. Paul's vocabulary (Hom. ii. 15; ix. 17, 22; toward 111a1t for the kindriess and love of God Epb. ii. 7, eto.; see above, oh. ii. 10, note). our Saviour toward man, A. V. Kindne-11  THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. [oB, m. 1-16.