The Letters · New Testament
Titus 2
Titus 2: what to say to each group, and the reason given for it
General context
Titus is told to speak the things which become sound doctrine, and the chapter then works through the congregation group by group. Aged men are to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. Aged women likewise are to behave as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, and to be teachers of good things, so that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, and obedient to their own husbands, with the stated reason that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men are exhorted to be sober minded. Titus himself is to show a pattern of good works, with uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say. Servants are told to be obedient unto their own masters, to please them in all things, not answering again, not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, so that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. A single long sentence then gives the ground for all of it: the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, people should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem them from all iniquity and purify a peculiar people, zealous of good works. The chapter ends with three commands to Titus and a line about his standing.
Cited passages: Titus 2:1, Titus 2:2, Titus 2:3, Titus 2:4, Titus 2:5, Titus 2:6, Titus 2:7, Titus 2:8, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, Titus 2:11, Titus 2:12, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:14, Titus 2:15
Titus 2 (KJV)
1But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
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Historical context
The chapter shows a congregation sorted by age, by sex and by status, and it includes enslaved people, addressed as servants who have their own masters. What the letter says about them is instruction and a reason, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, and it says nothing about their conditions, their work or any change to their situation. The reasons given elsewhere in the chapter are similar, that the word of God be not blasphemed and that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, so the stated concern is how the group is spoken of by outsiders. No individual is named in the chapter, no city is mentioned, and no time is given for the appearing the readers are told to look for. Titus is addressed as one with standing to speak, exhort and rebuke, though the letter does not describe any office for him.
Cited passages: Titus 2:5, Titus 2:8, Titus 2:9, Titus 2:10, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:15
Literary context
The chapter is a set of short lists, one per group, stitched together by one word, likewise, first for the aged women and again for the young men. Almost every list ends in a purpose clause rather than a threat, that the word of God be not blasphemed, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. Teaching runs downward through the groups, since the aged women are told to teach the young women, so the instruction is given to people to pass on rather than to Titus alone. After the lists the argument changes register into one long sentence that moves between two appearings, the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. It closes with three verbs and a personal line, Let no man despise thee.
Cited passages: Titus 2:3, Titus 2:4, Titus 2:5, Titus 2:6, Titus 2:8, Titus 2:10, Titus 2:11, Titus 2:13, Titus 2:15
Key moments
- Speak sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). Titus is told what kind of speech to give.
- Aged women as teachers (Titus 2:3). Older women are told to teach good things.
- So the word is not blasphemed (Titus 2:5). The reason given for the instruction to young women.
- A pattern of good works (Titus 2:7). Titus himself is told to be the example.
- Servants and masters (Titus 2:9). Servants are instructed about their own masters.
- Grace has appeared (Titus 2:11). The ground for the whole chapter is stated.
- Speak with authority (Titus 2:15). The chapter ends with three commands to Titus.
For reflection
Nearly every instruction here is backed by how outsiders will speak of the group. What changes when conduct is argued from reputation rather than from conscience?
