Titus 2

     2:1-10.  Sound doctrine without fitting behavior is like a wind chime, noise without meaning (1:16; cf. 1 Cor.13:1).  We can deny Christ by word or deed.  And what is required of us?  The striking thing here about how various sorts of people are to adorn the doctrine (10) is the ordinariness of it.  See what role you have been given, and be about it.  Be sensible, dignified, peaceful and dependable.

     2:3-5.  Women of mature faith, though having no part in male oversight of the church (1 Tim.2:11-12), have an essential role to teach and encourage the younger women.  Without strong well-managed homes and families, everything falls apart, and the word of God is dishonored.

     2:6-8.  If an excellent wife is hard to find (Prov.31:10), how rare is a sensible young man?  Titus can be an example to them of pure doctrine, dignity, and sound speech, so that the enemy has nothing bad to say about us.  But he cannot do so either safely or well with the young women.  Thus the importance of the role of mature women (above).

     2:11.  Has appeared; the first coming, the incarnation and atoning work of God’s grace in Christ has come bringing salvation to all men.  That is, not just Jews, but Gentiles, men of all nations, sorts, and kinds.  This is not universal salvation of all, but salvation irrespective of nation, age, sex, or class (cf. 2-10).  See notes at 1 Tim.2:1-7.

     2:12.  Live properly in the present age; this is obviously the age between Christ’s appearing in v.11, and his appearing in v.13.  However long this may be, the present age is the last (cf. Acts 2:17; Heb.1:2; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 Cor.10:11; 1 John 2:18), and shall end on the last Great Day (13; cf. John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 12:48; Acts 17:31; 2 Peter 3:7, 10).

     2:11,13.  “Christ’s second advent will be an appearing of God’s ‘glory’ as the first was of his ‘grace’ ” (A. M. Stibbs).

     The divinity of Jesus is here proclaimed in inescapable language.  He is our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

     2:14.  And this is what he did for us, and to what purpose.  As we have seen (2-10), the good deeds we are to be zealous for are not generally the heroic sort, but the everyday duties that adorn sound doctrine.

     2:15.  These are the very things Titus is to insist upon with all authority, allowing none to disregard him.