7 For it is necessary for a Bishop to be a man of virtue, as God's servant; not pushing himself forward, not quickly moved to wrath or blows, not desiring profit for himself;
But specially those who go after the unclean desires of the flesh, and make sport of authority. Ready to take chances, uncontrolled, they have no fear of saying evil of those in high places:
Keep watch over the flock of God which is in your care, using your authority, not as forced to do so, but gladly; and not for unclean profit but with a ready mind;
Making distribution among one another of whatever has been given to you, like true servants of the unmeasured grace of God;
And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit;
And further, these are uncertain through wine, and have gone out of the right way through strong drink: the priest and the prophet are uncertain through strong drink, they are overcome by wine, they have gone out of the way through strong drink; their vision is false, they go wrong in their decisions.
Take no wine, or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of meeting, that it may not be the cause of death to you; this is an order for ever through all your generations.
This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work. The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher; Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money; Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behaviour; (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?) Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One. And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One. Deacons, in the same way, are to be serious in their behaviour, not false in word, not given to taking much wine or greatly desiring the wealth of this world; Keeping the secret of the faith in a heart free from sin. And let these first be put to the test; then let them become Deacons if there is nothing against them. Women are to be serious in behaviour, saying no evil of others, controlling themselves, true in all things. Let Deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their houses well. For those who have done good work as Deacons get for themselves a good position and become free from fear in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
That old women are to be self-respecting in behaviour, not saying evil of others, not given to taking much wine, teachers of that which is good,
I did not take you with me when I went away from Crete, so that you might do what was necessary to put things in order there, placing men in authority over the churches in every town, as I said to you;
For it is not right for the Lord's servant to make trouble, but he is to be gentle to all, ready in teaching, putting up with wrong, Gently guiding those who go against the teaching; if by chance God may give them a change of heart and true knowledge,
Take no part in their secrets, O my soul; keep far away, O my heart, from their meetings; for in their wrath they put men to death, and for their pleasure even oxen were wounded.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons of the church:
Who is the true and wise servant, whom his lord has put over those in his house, to give them their food at the right time?
The priests are not to take wine when they go into the inner square.
His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dogs without tongues, unable to make a sound; stretched out dreaming, loving sleep. Yes, the dogs are for ever looking for food; while these, the keepers of the sheep, are without wisdom: they have all gone after their pleasure, every one looking for profit; they are all the same. Come, they say, I will get wine, and we will take strong drink in full measure; and tomorrow will be like today, full of pleasure.
Be not quick to let your spirit be angry; because wrath is in the heart of the foolish.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink? For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Titus 1
Commentary on Titus 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 1
In this chapter we have,
Tts 1:1-4
Here is the preface to the epistle, showing,
Thus far is the preface to the epistle; then follows the entrance into the matter, by signifying the end of Titus's being left in Crete.
Tts 1:5
Here is the end expressed,
Tts 1:6-16
The apostle here gives Titus directions about ordination, showing whom he should ordain, and whom not.
Objection. But are not these judaizers (as you call them) men who profess religion, and speak well of God, and Christ, and righteousness of life, and should they be so severely taxed? Answer, They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, v. 16. There are many who in word and tongue profess to know God, and yet in their lives and conversations deny and reject him; their practice is a contradiction to their profession. They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness, Eze. 33:31. Being abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. The apostle, instructing Titus to rebuke sharply, does himself rebuke sharply; he gives them very hard words, yet doubtless no harder than their case warranted and their need required. Being abominable-bdelyktoi, deserving that God and good men should turn away their eyes from them as nauseous and offensive. And disobedient-apeitheis, unpersuadable and unbelieving. They might do divers things; but it was not the obedience of faith, nor what was commanded, or short of the command. To every good work reprobate, without skill or judgment to do any thing aright. See the miserable condition of hypocrites, such as have a form of godliness, but without the power; yet let us not be so ready to fix this charge on others as careful that it agree not to ourselves, that there be not in us an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; but that we be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God, Phil. 1:10, 11.