Bible Study Class 105 - Titus Chapter 2: Teach Sound Doctrine; Maintain Good Deeds

Posted : 4 May, 2011 06:50 AM

Bible Study Class 105 - Titus Chapter 2: Teach Sound Doctrine; Maintain Good Deeds by David Guzik

A. How Titus must teach different groups of people in the church.

1. (Verse 1) The command to teach.

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:

a. But as for you: This sets Titus apart from the people described at the end of Titus 1. They may teach legalism and fables, but Titus was to teach the things which are proper for sound doctrine.

b. Things which are proper for sound doctrine: The idea behind this phrase has to do with right living, not just right thinking. The Living Bible translates this "Speak up for the right living that goes along with true Christianity." The New Living Translation has "Promote the kind of living that reflects right teaching."

i. We can't escape it. The Bible is a book that tells us how to live. It is the height of hypocrisy to say that we believe its truth if we ignore how it tells us to live our lives. We don't always like it, but we always need to hear how God expects us to live.

ii. Paul simply wants Titus to fulfill the command of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20: Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

2. (Verse 2) What to teach the older men.

That the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

a. The older men: Titus had some older men among the Christians in Crete. They had to be approached with love and wisdom, or they might easily be offended when taught by a younger man like Titus.

b. Older men must live with the maturity and wisdom that their years should give them. This means sober, reverent, and temperate lives. The command to teach these things means that they do not come automatically with age.

c. Older men must also have stability, being stable in the right things: sound in faith, in love, in patience. As we get older, we tend to "harden" in our ways. This is a good thing if we "harden" in the ways of faith, love, and patience.

i. Patience is the great ancient Greek word hupomone. It means a steadfast and active endurance, not a passive waiting. Older men are not to just patiently wait around until they pass on to the next world. They are to actively endure the challenges of life; even the challenges of old age.

4. (Verses 3-4a) How to teach the older women.

The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they admonish the young women

a. The older women likewise: Just as Titus had to give special consideration to the older men, also must he keep in mind how to approach the older women. They have their own set of temptations and opportunities.

b. Titus must teach them to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers. The word for slanderers is the same word used for "devils." When the older women - or anyone else, for that matter - slander and gossip are devils' work!

i. "It is a curious trait of human nature that most people would rather repeat and hear a malicious story than one to somebody's credit." (Barclay)

c. Not given to much wine: This was a common failing of older women in Roman and Greek culture. Paul recognizes that this special challenge needs special instruction.

d. Teachers of good things: If the older women have special challenges, they also have special opportunities. God can use their wisdom and experience as they admonish the young women. This gives the older women something positive to live towards, instead of the negative things of slander and alcohol abuse.

4. (Verses 4b-5) How to teach the younger women.

The young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

a. The young women: According to Paul's instruction, Titus was not to make it his ministry to teach the young women directly. Instead, he was to equip and encourage the older women to teach the young women.

i. Of course, this doesn't mean that the young women were barred from listening to Titus teach. It simply means that it was wrong - and dangerous - for Titus to make the young women a focus of his ministry. If there was a young women Bible Study group, Titus shouldn't teach it. The older women should.

b. To love their husbands, to love their children: Instruction for the young women begins with home matters. God has given them a strategic position of influence and assistance to their husbands and their children, and they must let love dominate their influence and assistance.

i. Paul says that love for husbands and children must be taught. Certainly, aspects of this love are inborn. But other aspects - especially aspects that reflect the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus - must be taught.

c. To be discreet, chaste, homemakers: The young women must be taught these attitudes (discreet, chaste) and skills (homemakers).

d. Good, obedient to their own husbands: Goodness isn't always easy in a world that blurs the line between good and evil, so the older women need to teach the younger to be good. Obedient to their own husbands is another way of expressing the wife's duty of submission in the marriage relationship (Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18).

e. That the word of God may not be blasphemed: This shows how important it is for the older women to teach these things, and for the younger women to learn them. When Christians don't live in a Biblical, godly manner it means that the word of God may be blasphemed among the ungodly.

5. (Verses 6) How to teach the younger men.

Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded,

a. Likewise: This is a linking word. It shows that what the young men need to learn isn't all that different from what the younger women, the older women, and the older men need to learn. We may need a slightly different emphasis depending on our station in life, but the essential message of godly living is the same.

b. To be sober-minded: The Living Bible translates the thought well: Urge the young men to behave carefully, taking life seriously. This is the only command Titus is told to emphasize to young men, but sometimes a difficult one.

6. (Verses 7-8) Titus and his practical example to the young men.

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

a. In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works: Titus had to be more than a teacher, he also had to be an example. His guidance to others could not be taken seriously if he himself was not walking after the Lord.

b. In doctrine showing integrity: Titus had to be an example in doctrinal stability and integrity. If he wasn't comfortably settled in his understanding of the Scriptures, he wasn't ready to lead.

c. That one who is an opponent may be ashamed: So that your accusers will be embarrassed, having nothing to hold against you. Jesus could say to an angry mob, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46)

7. (Verses 9-10) How to teach servants.

Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

a. Exhort bondservants: Titus was to teach bondservants about their specific duties as Christians. In the ancient world, Christians shocked the larger culture by mixing slaves and masters in the social setting of the church service. This meant that a slave might go to church and be an elder over his own master.

b. Obedient to their own masters: Paul doesn't say that bondservants should be obedient to every free man, only to their own masters. This means that Paul recognized that bondservants had obligations, but only to their own masters.

c. Well pleasing in all things: Simply, Titus must direct servants to be good workers in all ways. By their hard work and humble submission, they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

i. In one sense the gospel doesn't need adornment. At the same time, we can show the beauty of the gospel by the way we live. We often think we need better words to adorn the gospel. Better words are fine, but what we really need are better lives. And those better lives are often on display where we work. The principles Titus had to teach bondservants apply to workers today.

B. The place of grace in the Christian life.

1. (Verse 11) Saving grace.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

a. The grace of God that brings salvation: Grace brings salvation. You don't go out and "get" salvation; it comes to you and you have the opportunity to receive it.

b. Has appeared to all men: There is one gospel of grace for all men. God doesn't have a gospel of grace for some and a gospel of law or self-justification for others. All men find salvation by the grace of God.

2. (Verses 12-13) What grace teaches us.

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

a. Teaching us that: The ancient Greek word for teaching has in mind what a parent does for a child. It speaks of the entire training process: teaching, encouragement, correction, and discipline.

b. Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts: Grace puts ungodliness and worldly lusts in our past. Now grace teaches us to renounce those things, not only to avoid them.

c. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age: Grace teaches us how to live in the present age. We must live soberly (self-controlled) in regard to ourselves. We must live righteously in regard to the people around us. And we must live godly ("to take God seriously") in regard to our God.

d. Looking for the blessed hope: Grace teaches us to expect and prepare for our blessed hope. That hope is not heaven or glory, but Jesus Himself, face to face, closer than ever.

3. (Verse 14) The heart of the God of grace.

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

a. Who gave Himself for us: Every word of this description of Jesus' work is important. Jesus gave, which means it was voluntary. He gave Himself, which means Jesus gave all He could give. And He gave Himself for us, which means Jesus was given as a substitute for sinful man.

b. That He might redeem us: Redemption means "to be bought out of slavery by the paying of a ransom." We are bought out of our slavery to sin, and purchased for His service.

c. Zealous for good works: We are redeemed purchased to live with zeal. This is zeal with knowledge, and zeal for righteousness in our own life before zeal for righteousness in the lives of others.

4. (Verse 15) The messengers of grace.

Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

a. Speak these things: Titus, and every one of God's messengers of grace are directed to speak, exhort, and rebuke - and to do it with all authority. God's messengers are to remember that they are messengers from a King, holding the word that brings life and turns back hell.

b. Let no one despise you: If Titus spoke with all authority, he had to back it up with his life. Titus had to live so that no one would despise him or his message.

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