Chapter Two
Promote a Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching
Paul changes the audience of Titus’ instruction from choosing the right leadership of a church to all believers. He wants Titus to also teach the basics of Christian living to believers. His audience just got bigger! Yes, it still applies for us today.
The injunctions in verses 2–10 are strong, straightforward, and specific. Because they are so contrary to proud and self-willed human nature, they often have been unpopular and controversial, even in the church. At no time have they been more unpopular and controversial than in many churches today, where personal opinion and cultural standards take precedence over God’s truth and self-fulfillment is more important than holy living.[1]
2:1 But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.
After describing how the Judaizers and other false teachers were corrupt professing to know God and were useless to do anything good, Paul tells Titus, but for you, profess the truth and promote living that is consistent with the sound teaching. Paul offers the following guidelines for that teaching.
2:2 Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.
Paul does not offer an age bracket for this classification, but it would certainly apply to adult men of any age. They are to be self-controlled (Greek nēphalious, temperate, sober, restrained, this is a different word than what was translated as “self-controlled” in Titus 1:8); worthy of respect (Greek semnous, pertaining to appropriate befitting behavior, implying dignity); sensible (Greek sōphronas, to behave in a practical, reasonable, and demonstrate good judgment, Paul uses this word four times in this epistle); sound in faith (their beliefs being consistent with the gospel message); love (Greek agapē, the highest form of love, click here to read more about agapē, this is the only time Paul used this word in this epistle); and endurance (Greek hypomonē, the ability to bear up to difficult circumstances, having patience).
2:3 In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.
Similar to the older men, the older women are to be reverent in behavior (Greek “hieroprepeis en katastēmati,” behavior that reflects being devoted to God); not slanders (Greek diabolous, falsely accuses and divides people); and not addicted to drinking too much wine. They are to teach young women what is good (Greek kalodidaskalous, to teach what is morally right, word found only this one time in the Bible), which would encourage them to love their husbands and their children; to be self-controlled (same root word used in Titus 1:8, and in verse two translated as ’sensible’); pure (Greek katharois, free from defilements, chaste); workers at home (Greek oikourgous, one who looks after domestic affairs with prudence and care); kind (Greek agathas, to act good, of good character); and in submission (Greek hypotassomenas, to place under, implies obedience) to their husbands. So that God’s Word will not be slandered (Greek blasphēmētal, to speak against, to speak evil of).
2:6 In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled 7 in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.
Likewise encourage young men to be self-controlled (Greek sōphronein, to be sane, to use good sense, see Considerations below) in everything. Paul then turns to Titus and encourages him to be an example to the young men and demonstrate what it means to do good works with integrity and dignity. To teach this message accurate and true to God so that if anyone opposes the teaching will be ashamed as they will not be able to say anything bad about them.
2:9 Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back 10 or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.
When slaves become believers their social status does not change and remain the property of their owner. Paul addresses the behavior of a slave who has accepted Jesus’ salvation. The concept of slavery is contrary to God’s Word in several ways, but yet does not directly speak against it, this issue is hard for many to accept. The Greek word that Paul uses here is doulous (the plural form of doulos) which is most often translated as ’servant’ or ‘bond-servant’, click here to read more about how context is determined for this word and further discussion regarding slavery.
As a believing slave they are to obey their masters. That in everything they are instructed to do that they respond by doing their best to please them, without talking back to them or steal from them. Which would demonstrate their allegiance and trustworthiness to them. “Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.” (Titus 2:10b, NLT) Believers should be the best slaves, as they are obedient to Jesus and reflect Him in all that they do.
The concept Paul is conveying can also be applied to any employee to employer relationship, be it a servant, a hired hand, or an employee. Christians represent Jesus all the time (see 2 Corinthians 5:20), our love for Jesus should permeate into everything we do and that includes how we interact at our places of employment. It is often said that a Christian’s behavior may be the only exposure to Jesus and the Bible some people will ever get. Representing Jesus is not a part time job, we represent Him twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.
Some question Paul’s statement that says a slave is to submit “in everything.” Does Paul really mean in everything? That which is acceptable in God’s eyes, yes, but if contrary to God’s Word, no! This is true for all of the submissions that God’s Word identifies. For example: wives submitting to their husbands, children submitting to their parents, including people submitting to God, as He will never request anything that is contrary to His Word.
2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.
Paul then explains to Titus why believers should live in a manner that complies with what he just presented here. Because the grace of God had appeared and He, Jesus, made it possible for all people to obtain salvation (available to all who believe in Him). He instructed believers to deny godlessness and worldly lusts, to retain respect and reverence toward God, and to avoid worldly passions and lusts that distract them from Him (anything that takes your eye off Jesus should be considered evil). To live in a sensible/righteous (Greek sōphronōs, sober, moderate in behavior, to have the right thoughts, see Considerations below), and act in a godly (Greek eusebōs, devoted to religious beliefs, in context according to God’s Word) way in this present age. All while waiting for Jesus, the blessed hope, the glory of our God and our Savior to return. Who gave Himself in order to redeem us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us for Himself, a people for His own possession eager to do His work.
When Paul referred to the grace of God appearing, he was pointing to the finished work on the cross. By living a sinless life, suffered, died on a cross, and rose to life again, Jesus fulfilled the law as we are atoned by His blood (click here to read more about atonement). Using the literary device known as a prolepsis (click here to read about the literary devices found in the Bible), the gospels portrayed Jesus’ life before His resurrection, but promised, even before dying, salvation through faith. The grace of God is Jesus.
2:15 Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Paul instructs Titus to proclaim these things while encouraging and rebuking with authority. That he should not let anyone despise or disregard him. In this chapter Paul has demonstrated that Christian living is inseparable from sound Christian teaching. This concept can be seen in most of his epistles as he often presented Christian doctrine first followed by practical application of that doctrine in a Christian’s life.
Considerations
Sophrōn
Sophrōn is the root word for several other Greek words found in the New Testament (including sōphrona, sōphronas, sōphronein, and sōphronōs all used here in this epistle) It is the Greek word for self-control, its definition is difficult to capture in just one English word. Essentially, sophron means having a safe, sober, sane, sound, and reined-in mind that is self-restrained in all passions and desires. It describes who we are as followers of Jesus more than describing what we do.
Bringing Salvation for ALL people
Referring to Jesus, Paul notes in verse eleven that He brought salvation to all people. Did Jesus bring salvation to all people? This is an important point which often gets ‘stuck’ in the ongoing debate of predestination and limited atonement. Paul also wrote, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, ESV) Which aligns with 1 Peter 3:9, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” (CSB) Yes, Jesus came to save all people, the offer is available to everyone, it is just a matter of accepting the offer, it is not automatic. The sad truth is many will chose to reject Jesus and will not come to repentance.
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[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1996). Titus (pp. 71–72). Moody Press.