The word of God properly and adequately taught in a local church should be testified to by the sisters' submission to their own husbands; otherwise, it may be ill spoken of.

Ill spoken of, reproached.

The apostle charged Titus to speak things fitting to the healthy teaching (v. 1). Now he charged him further to present himself as a pattern of good works. In his teaching, which had to be healthy, he needed to show three things:
1) incorruption, with nothing corrupted or corrupting but with everything pure, genuine, and sincere in content, presentation, and motive;
2) gravity, dignity worthy of reverence; and
3) healthy speech, discourse given with healthy words (1 Tim. 6:3) to minister healthy things, speech that is not censurable, not reprehensible (v. 8).

See note 1 Tim. 2:2^3c.

Censured, reprehended.

Lit., the one of the opposite, contrary, side; i.e., the heathen or Jewish opposer.

I.e., kind.

Lit., to be lovers of their husbands, lovers of their children.

The Greek word means to cause to be of sober mind, of sound mind; to restore one to one's senses. Hence, it is to train, to develop sound judgment and prudence.

Giving good instruction.

Compare with addicted in 1 Tim. 3:8. To be enslaved may be worse than to be addicted.

See note 1 Tim. 3:11².

The same in Greek as sacred things in 1 Cor. 9:13. See note 1 Cor. 9:13¹.

Or, deportment, including gesture and habit.

See note Titus 1:13^3c.

See note 1 Tim. 3:2⁵.

See note 1 Tim. 2:2^3c.

See note 1 Tim. 3:2^4d.

See note 1 Tim. 1:10^1b. The healthy teaching is always according to the truth (Titus 1:14) of the faith (Titus 1:13). It is the content of the apostles' teaching, the content of God's New Testament economy. It not only ministers the life supply to the believers and heals the spiritual diseases, but in so doing it also brings the church into a sound condition with a good order. Hence, it is very much stressed in these three books, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, books dealing with the disorder and decline of the church.

The healthy teaching with the healthy speech composed of healthy words is the most effective antidote to the opposer's slanderous speaking. Such light-shedding and life-imparting teaching of the word of the truth always stops the mouth of doctrinal opinion instigated by the old serpent.

Not servants but bondslaves bought in the market like oxen and horses. Certainly Paul did not agree with the system of slavery. However, as a teacher appointed by God and as one with spiritual sight, he did not touch the existing social system. To have done so would have given his readers the impression that he was a social reformer, not a teacher of God's economy, and would have obscured his teaching concerning the living out of Christ's divine life in our human living in the midst of any kind of social system.

Fidelity, trustworthiness.

Or, ornament. The same word is used in 1 Tim. 2:9. The faithfulness of a bondslave can be the ornament that adorns the teachings of God our Savior. The teachings of God could be adorned even through the conduct of bondslaves!

All the things in vv. 1-14.

See note Titus 1:13^1a and note Titus 1:9⁵.

Lit., command. With all authority modifies both exhort and convict. To exhort and convict with all authority is to advise and convict imperatively in every way with words of authority, as if one were giving commands.

Our Savior is not only Christ but the Triune God embodied in Christ, as indicated in v. 13. Our Savior God desires not only to save us but also to teach us the full knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4). Hence, it mentions here the teachings of our Savior God, which can be beautified, adorned, by the transformed character of the most vile persons saved by His grace.

Verses Titus 2:11-14 give us a remarkable summary of the economy of God's salvation. The apostle used this as a reason for his exhortations in vv. 1-10.

The grace of God is actually God Himself in Christ as everything to us for our enjoyment. See note John 1:17^1a. This grace plays the most important role in the economy of God's salvation.

The eternal grace of God, the saving grace, was destined in Christ to bring to us God's salvation, the complete salvation that comprises forgiveness, justification, reconciliation, redemption, regeneration, sanctification, transformation, and conformation; to redeem us back to God; to impart God's life to us; and to bring us into an organic union with God for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.

Grace came through Christ (John 1:17). It was given to us in eternity (2 Tim. 1:9), but in the Old Testament it was hidden. In the New Testament it appeared through the first appearing of Christ (2 Tim. 1:10), bringing salvation to all men, both Jews and Gentiles.

See note 2 Tim. 2:16^2d.

Lusts that find their gratification in this world. Ungodliness is the absence of the expression of God; worldly lusts are the expressions of our flesh. Both ungodliness and worldly lusts should be denied that we may live a God-expressing and flesh-restricting life.

Discreetly, self-restrictingly. Soberly is toward ourselves; righteously, toward others; and godly, toward God.

I.e., justly.

Awaiting expectantly what is accepted by faith.

The blessed hope is the appearing of Christ in His glory. The appearing of Christ will bring us into full sonship, i.e., the redemption of our body, that we may enjoy the freedom of the glory of the children of God, for which we were saved (Rom. 8:21-25). This is the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2), a hope of eternal blessing, a blessed hope in the eternal life of the Triune God, based on which Paul became an apostle.

The glory of the Father (Matt. 16:27), which has been given to the Son (John 17:24) and into which we, as the many sons of God, will be brought (Heb. 2:10). By His wisdom God ordained us before the ages unto this glory (1 Cor. 2:7), and the God of all grace called us and saved us into this eternal glory (1 Pet. 5:10; 2 Tim. 2:10). The weight of this glory is exceedingly surpassing and eternal (2 Cor. 4:17), and with this glory we will be glorified (Rom. 8:17, 30). The appearing of this glory of Christ, our great God and Savior, is the blessed hope that we are awaiting.

Through the centuries there have been two schools of interpretation regarding this remarkable, marvelous, and excellent sacred and divine title:
1) that two persons are indicated, God and Christ;
2) that there is but one person, Jesus Christ being our great God and Savior, the deity of Christ thus being asserted.
We prefer the second interpretation, with a comma after Savior. This corresponds with the two sacred titles revealed at the birth of Christ: Jesus — Jehovah the Savior — and Emmanuel — God with us (Matt. 1:21-23). Our Lord not only is our Savior but also is God, and not merely God but the great God, the God who is great in nature, in glory, in authority, in power, in deed, in love, in grace, and in every divine attribute. In 1 Tim. 2:5 our Lord is revealed as a man; here, as the great God. He is both man and God. His appearing in His divine glory will be not only for saving His people into His eternal kingdom, but also for bringing them into God's eternal glory (Heb. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:10). Hence, His appearing in His glory is our blessed hope.

An expression borrowed from the Old Testament (Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 26:18), denoting a people possessed by God as His unique, peculiar treasure (Exo. 19:5), His own possession (1 Pet. 2:9).

This exhortation, connected with the matter of authority in the preceding sentence, is the conclusion of all the charges given to Titus in this chapter. It concerns mainly his teaching (vv. 1, 7-8, 15). The healthy teaching with the healthy words according to godliness kept him in gravity, which invites respect and reverence.

On our behalf, not instead of us.

Buy with a price (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Tim. 2:6).