Of duties which concern Christians more in common,
and the reasons of them,
1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. 3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Here is the fourth thing in the matter of
the epistle. The apostle had directed Titus in reference to the
particular and special duties of several sorts of persons; now he
bids him exhort to what concerned them more in common, namely, to
quietness and submission to rulers, and readiness to do good, and
to equitable and gentle behaviour towards all men—things comely
and ornamental of religion; he must therefore put them in mind of
such things. Ministers are people's remembrancers of their duty. As
they are remembrancers for the people to God in prayers (
I. The duties themselves, which they were
to be reminded of. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to
principalities and powers, to obey magistrates. Magistracy is
God's ordinance for the good of all, and therefore must be regarded
and submitted to by all; not for wrath and by force only, but
willingly and for conscience' sake. Principalities, and
powers, and magistrates, that is, all civil rulers,
whether supreme and chief or subordinate, in the government under
which they live, of whatever form it be; that they be subject to
them and obey them in things lawful and honest, and which it
belongs to their office to require. The Christian religion was
misrepresented by its adversaries as prejudicial to the rights of
princes and civil powers, and tending to faction and sedition, and
to rebellion against lawful authority; therefore to put to
silence the ignorance of foolish men, and stop the mouths of
malicious enemies, Christians must be reminded to show themselves
examples rather of all due subjection and obedience to the
government that is over them. Natural desire of liberty must be
guided and bounded by reason and scripture. Spiritual privileges do
not make void or weaken, but confirm and strengthen, their
obligations to civil duties: "Remind them therefore to be
subject to principalities and powers and to obey magistrates."
And, 2. To be ready to every good work. Some refer this to
such good works as are required by magistrates and within their
sphere: "Whatever tends to good order, and to promote and secure
public tranquility and peace, be not backward, but ready, to
promote such things." But, though this be included, if not first
intended, yet is it not to be hereto restrained. The precept
regards doing good in all kinds, and on every occasion that may
offer, whether resecting God, ourselves, or our neighbour—what may
bring credit to religion in the world. Whatsoever things are
true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report: if there be any
virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things
(
II. He adds the reasons, which are derived
1. From their own past condition.
Consideration of men's natural condition is a great means and
ground of equity and gentleness, and all meekness, towards those
who are yet in such a state. This has a tendency to abate pride and
work pity and hope in reference to those who are yet unconverted:
"We ourselves also were so and so, corrupt and sinful, therefore we
should not be impatient and bitter, hard and severe, towards those
who are but as ourselves once were. Should we then have been
willing to be contemned, and proudly and rigorously dealt with? No,
but treated with gentleness and humanity; and therefore we should
now so treat those who are unconverted, according to that rule of
equity: Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris—What you
would not have done to you that do not you to another." Their
past natural condition is set forth in divers particulars. We
ourselves also were sometimes, (1.) Foolish; without
true spiritual understanding and knowledge, ignorant of heavenly
things. Observe, Those should be most disposed to bear with others'
follies who may remember many of their own; those should be meek
and gentle, and patient towards others, who once needed and
doubtless then expected the same. We ourselves also were
sometimes foolish. And, (2.) Disobedient; heady and
unpersuadable, resisting the word, and rebellious even against the
natural laws of God, and those which human society requires. Well
are these set together, foolish and obedient. For
what folly like this, to disobey God and his laws, natural or
revealed? This is contrary to right reason, and men's true and
greatest interests; and what so foolish as to violate and go
counter to these? (3.) Deceived, or wandering; namely, out
of the ways of truth and holiness. Man in this his degenerate state
is of a straying nature, thence compared to a lost sheep; this must
be sought and brought back, and guided in the right way,
2. From their present state. "We are
delivered out of that our miserable condition by no merit nor
strength of our own; but only by the mercy and free grace of God,
and merit of Christ, and operation of his Spirit. Therefore we have
no ground, in respect of ourselves, to condemn those who are yet
unconverted, but rather to pity them, and cherish hope concerning
them, that they, though in themselves as unworthy and unmeet as we
were, yet may obtain mercy, as we have:" and so upon this occasion
the apostle again opens the causes of our salvation,
(1.) We have here the prime author of our
salvation—God the Father, therefore termed here God our
Saviour. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself
by Jesus Christ,
(2.) The spring and rise of it—the divine
philanthropy, or kindness and love of God to man. By
grace we are saved from First to last. This is the ground and
motive. God's pity and mercy to man in misery were the first wheel,
or rather the Spirit in the wheels, that sets and keeps them all in
motion. God is not, cannot be, moved by any thing out of himself.
The occasion is in man, namely, his misery and wretchedness. Sin
bringing that misery, wrath might have issued out rather than
compassion; but God, knowing how to adjust all with his own honour
and perfections, would pity and save rather than destroy. He
delights in mercy. Where sin abounded, grace did much more
abound. We read of riches of goodness and mercy,
(3.) Here is the means, or instrumental cause—the shining out of this love and grace of God in the gospel, after it appeared, that is, in the word. The appearing of love and grace has, through the Spirit, great virtue to soften and change and turn to God, and so is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth. Thus having asserted God to be the author, his free grace the spring, and the manifestation of this in the gospel the means of salvation, that the honour of all still may be the better secured to him,
(4.) False grounds and motives are here
removed: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy, he saved us; not for foreseen works of
ours, but his own free grace and mercy alone. Works must be in the
saved (where there is room for it), but not among the causes of his
salvation; they are the way to the kingdom, not the meriting price
of it; all is upon the principle of undeserved favour and mercy
from first to last. Election is of grace: we are chosen to
be holy, not because it was antecedently seen that we should be
so,
(5.) Here is the formal cause of salvation, or that wherein it lies, the beginnings of it at least—in regeneration or spiritual renewing, as it is here called. Old things pass away, and all things become new, in a moral and spiritual, not in a physical and natural, sense. It is the same man, but with other dispositions and habits; evil ones are done away, as to the prevalency of them at present; and all remains of them in due time will be so, when the work shall be perfected in heaven. A new prevailing principle of grace and holiness is wrought, which inclines, and sways, and governs, and makes the man a new man, a new creature, having new thoughts, desires, and affections, a new and holy turn of life and actions; the life of God in man, not only from God in a special manner, but conformed and tending to him. Here is salvation begun, and which will be growing and increasing to perfection; therefore it is said, He saved us. What is so begun, as sure to be perfected in time, is expressed as if it already were so. Let us look to this therefore without delay; we must be initially saved now, by regeneration, if on good ground we would expect complete salvation in heaven. The change then will be but in degree, not in kind. Grace is glory begun, as glory is but grace in its perfection. How few mind this! Most act as if they were afraid to be happy before the time; they would have heaven, they pretend, at last, yet care not for holiness now; that is, they would have the end without the beginning; so absurd are sinners. But without regeneration, that is, the first resurrection, there is no attaining the second glorious one, the resurrection of the just. Here then is formal salvation, in the new divine life wrought by the gospel.
(6.) Here is the outward sign and seal
thereof in baptism, called therefore the washing of
regeneration. The work itself is inward and spiritual; but it
is outwardly signified and sealed in this ordinance. Water is of a
cleansing and purifying nature, does away the filth of the flesh,
and so was apt to signify the doing away of the guilt and
defilement of sin by the blood and Spirit of Christ, though that
aptness alone, without Christ's institution, would not have been
sufficient. This it is that makes it of this signification on God's
part, a seal of righteousness by faith, as circumcision was, in the
place of which it succeeds; and on ours an engagement to be the
Lord's. Thus baptism saves figuratively and sacramentally, where it
is rightly used. Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling upon the name of the Lord,
(7.) Here is the principal efficient,
namely, the Spirit of God; it is the renewing of the Holy
Ghost; not excluding the Father and the Son, who in all works
without themselves are concurring; nor the use of means, the word
and sacraments, by which the Spirit works; through his operation it
is that they have their saving effect. In the economy of our
salvation, the applying and effecting part is especially attributed
to the Holy Spirit. We are said to be born of the Spirit, to be
quickened and sanctified by the Spirit, to be led and guided,
strengthened and helped, by the Spirit. Through him we mortify sin,
perform duty, walk in God's ways; all the acts and operations of
the divine life in us, the works and fruits of righteousness
without us, all are through this blessed and Holy Spirit, who is
therefore called the Spirit of life, and of grace and holiness; all
grace is from him. Earnestly therefore is he to be sought, and
greatly to be heeded by us, that we quench not his holy motions,
nor resist and oppose him in his workings. Res delicatula est
Spiritus—The Spirit is a tender thing. As we act towards him,
so may we expect he will to us; if we slight, and resist, and
oppose his workings, he will slacken them; if we continue to vex
him, he will retire. Grieve not therefore the Holy Spirit of
God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption,
(8.) Here is the manner of God's
communicating this Spirit in the gifts and graces of it; not with a
scanty and niggardly hand, but most freely and plentifully:
Which he shed on us abundantly. More of the Spirit in its
gifts and graces is poured out under the gospel than was under the
law, whence it is eminently styled the ministration of the
Spirit,
(9.) Here is the procuring cause of all, namely, Christ: Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. He it is who purchased the Spirit and his saving gifts and graces. All come through him, and through him as a Saviour, whose undertaking and work it is to bring to grace and glory; he is our righteousness and peace, and our head, from whom we have all spiritual life and influences. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Let us praise God for him above all; let us go to the Father by him, and improve him to all sanctifying and saving purposes. Have we grace? Let us thank him with the Father and Spirit for it: account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of him, and grow and increase therein more and more.
(10.) Here are the ends why we are brought
into this new spiritual condition, namely, justification, and
heirship, and hope of eternal life: That, being justified by his
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life. Justification in the gospel sense is the free remission
of a sinner, and accepting him as righteous through the
righteousness of Christ received by faith. In it there is the
removing of guilt that bound to punishment, and the accepting and
dealing with the person as one that now is righteous in God's
sight. This God does freely as to us, yet through the intervention
of Christ's sacrifice and righteousness, laid hold on by faith
(
III. The apostle, having opened the duties
of Christians in common, with the reasons respecting themselves,
adds another from their goodness and usefulness to men. Observe,
When he has opened the grace of God towards us, he immediately
presses the necessity of good works; for we must not expect the
benefit of God's mercy, unless we make conscience of our duty
(
9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10 A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter. 13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. 14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful. 15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
Here is the fifth and last thing in the matter of the epistle: what Titus should avoid in teaching; how he should deal with a heretic; with some other directions. Observe,
I. That the apostle's meaning might be more
clear and full, and especially fitted to the time and state of
things in Crete, and the many judaizers among them, he tells Titus
what, in teaching, he should shun,
II. But because, after all, there will be
heresies and heretics in the church, the apostle next
directs Titus what to do in such a case, and how to deal with such,
III. The apostle subjoins some further
directions,
1. That Titus should hold himself ready to come to Paul at Nicopolis (a city of Thrace, as is reckoned, on the borders of Macedonia), as soon as Artemas or Tychicus should be sent to Crete, to supply his place, and take care of the churches there when he should leave them. The apostle would not have them in their young and weak state be without one or other of chief sufficiency, to guide and help them. Titus, it seems, was not their ordinary fixed bishop or pastor, but an evangelist, otherwise Paul would not have called him so much from his charge. Of Artemas we read little, but Tychicus is mentioned on many occasions with respect. Paul calls him a beloved brother, and faithful minister, and fellow-servant in the Lord: one fit therefore for the service intimated. When Paul says to Titus, Be diligent to come to me to Nicopolis, for I have determined there to winter, it is plain that the epistle was not written from Nicopolis, as the postscript would have it, for then he would have said, I determined here, not there, to winter.
2. The other personal charge to Titus is
that he would bring two of his friends on their journey diligently,
and see them furnished, so that nothing should be wanting to them.
This was to be done, not as a piece of common civility only, but of
Christian piety, out of respect both to them and the work they were
sent about, which probably was to preach the gospel, or to be in
some way serviceable to the churches. Zenas is styled the
lawyer, whether in reference to the Roman or the Mosaic law, as
having some time been his profession, is doubtful. Apollos
was an eminent and faithful minister. Accompanying such persons
part of their way, and accommodating them for their work and
journeys, was a pious and needful service; and to further this, and
lay in for it, what the apostle had before exhorted Titus to teach
(
IV. The apostle concludes with salutations
and benedictions,