Titus 2

Text

Textual witnesses

• Papyrus 32
• Codex Sinaiticus
• Codex Alexandrinus
• Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
• Codex Freerianus
• Codex Claromontanus
• Codex Coislinianus

  Membership of the Community (2:1–10)

Doctrinal statements (2:11–15)

Verse 11

• "The grace of God that brings salvation": This "grace of God" does not mean God's free love, for though that it is the source of salvation, is not made manifest to all men, but only to the Lord's own people. Neither does it mean the grace of God within the hearts of believers, for though salvation is strictly connected with it, and it powerfully influences the lives of the partakers of it, yet it has not appeared to all men. This grace of God is intended the doctrine of grace, the Gospel, because it is a declaration of the grace of God, and of salvation by it: and in the hand of the Spirit, it is the means of conveying grace and implanting into the heart, because the Gospel was now preached to every creature under heaven, or to the whole creation and had reached the hearts of all people, including those who sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death; namely, to the Gentiles, pursuant to the commission in.

  Verse 15

1. "speak/teach" about "these things", referring to the matters in the preceding paragraphs
2. "exhort/encourage"
3. "rebuke/reproof"

• "Let no one despise you": is an indirect command in the third person to strengthen Titus, which is similar in form and content to for Timothy. Towner offers a paraphrase: "Titus, even if someone disrespects your authority, do not be dissuaded from your task."