Titus 2:1-10 - OLD OR YOUNG, SLAVE OR FREE, A FAITHFUL WITNESS BE

Titus 2:1-10

OLD OR YOUNG,

SLAVE OR FREE,

A FAITHFUL WITNESS BE

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Susie: In contrast to the false teachers, and those who demanded conversion to Judaism as a prerequisite to becoming a follower of Jesus, Titus was to preach “sound doctrine.” Preaching the scripture and the Apostles’ teachings (which would later become much of the New Testament) would produce spiritual well-being, soundness of heart and mind due to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Susan: Sound teaching would lead them to that complete peace, shalom, found in serving Jesus. Their lives would be characterized by nothing broken and nothing missing, total spiritual wholeness and well-being.

Titus 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Susie: Paul then goes through messages for Titus to share with specific categories of people. Aged men would be those over the age of 60 years.

Susan: The older men should be contemplative, thinking things through, and exhibit common sense in every situation.

Susie: They should be strong in their faith, their complete surrender to Jesus as Lord, and demonstrate patient love to fellow believers.

Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Susie: Aged women would be those no longer engaged in child-rearing, women over sixty.

Susan: Their behavior should reflect that they have been set apart as belonging to the Lord, having the character traits personified in Jesus.

Susie: Older women should know better to spread gossip, false information about others. Nor should they drink to the point of inebriation. Tipsy grandmothers would not be an excellent example to others.

Susan: Their lives should be a neon sign flashing the message of how subsequent generations should live successful by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 2:4-5 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Susie: Older women (Yikes! I fit that category!) were to be entrusted with teaching the younger women.

Susan: Eek! I’m almost there, too. However, this truly is a victory since according to medical science I should have only lived to the age of twenty-four due to my diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Susie: What is it that we are to teach the younger women in our sphere of influence?

Susan: We should train the younger women to take their responsibilities seriously and approach each of them with due diligence.

Susie: If they are married with children, they need to demonstrate the love of Jesus to their husbands and children. They need to nurture their children in the truth of the scripture:

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Susan: The household was not only the woman’s nest where she nurtured her children, but it was her domain. It might even be her place of business or creativity to be shared with others. Both the husband and wife were providing for their household in different ways:

Proverbs 31:13-16 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

Susie: Women in biblical times did have businesses and responsibilities outside their homes, such as Lydia who was a seller of purple cloth (Acts 16:14). A young woman might even use her abilities in ministry to others just as the older women did. For example, Dorcas, made clothing for widows (Acts 9:39). In all their dealings, both within their families and within their communities, their modest, moral character should shine.

Susan: They should have a relationship of mutual respect with their husbands and be subject to their own husbands as the church is subject to the Lord (Ephesians 5:21-24), not out of fear but willingly submitting as a soldier submits to the chain of command.

Susie: First and foremost, these behaviors are in obedience to the Master, Jesus Christ. However, their good character would be a tremendous testimony to unbelievers as well. No one should be able to speak against God because His children are misbehaving.

Titus 2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Susie: A young man would be any male over the age of thirteen. This would be the age of Bar Mitzvah which means “son of the commandment”. The celebrations and ceremonies associated with this only began in about the 1800’s, but the concept of being responsible for one’s own actions at the age of 13 was true in biblical times.

Susan: In the Jewish culture, young men at the age of 13, the earmark of puberty, were expected to be in control of their own emotions, choices, and actions. If they were not, they were accountable under the law to suffer the consequences. Before that age, the parents were held responsible for the son’s actions. How many ways do we in modern America (and many other places) find to excuse the irresponsibility of young men? Why are there so many young men in juvenile hall and even prison?

Susie: Paul was telling Titus to admonish young men, teenagers and young adults, to be sober-minded, serious, responsible. As Susan indicated, our society fails in holding young men (and women) accountable. Even in churches, I have seen the college ministry treated as an extension of the high school ministry, encouraging frivolous and sometimes even silly activities rather than encouraging young adults to become serious in their commitment to the Lord and to society.

Titus 2:7-8 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Susie: In order to effectively teach the young men to take a responsible place in the congregation, Titus would need to set the bar high in his own life. He would need to be a living example of the virtues he taught.

Susan: Titus needed to be sincere and stay true to the plumb-line of scripture in his teaching. His Christian walk, his lifestyle, should back up the things he taught.

Susie: Everything Titus said should be so wholesome and true that no one could say anything bad about him, his ministry, or Christians in general.

Susan: These things that Paul encouraged Titus, Timothy, and pastors in general to implement in their lives should be the hallmark of every pastor’s heart. Truly every believer’s, every Christ follower’s, desire and goal should be to consistently walk out in their everyday lives what they say they believe.

Titus 2:9-10 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Susie: Slavery, being in subjection to a master who owned the person, was a common practice in the Roman world. Remember that slaves during this period were not just housekeepers (maids, butlers, cooks) and field hands. The person’s private physician might be a slave. A slave might have the responsibility of managing his master’s finances.  Let’s re-read this verse in the Complete Jewish Bible:

Titus 2:9-10 (CJB) Tell slaves to submit to their masters in everything, to give satisfaction without talking back or pilfering. On the contrary, they should demonstrate complete faithfulness always, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Deliverer more attractive.

Susan: Slaves were to remember to be controlled by the precepts of Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, they were to honor and respect their masters in the way they served them. They were to exemplify Christlike character in service to their masters.

Susie: The were to avoid talking back. They should follow the principle of obeying immediately and completely without complaining. Even though we are not slaves, I believe these principles apply to those working under the supervision of another.

Philippians 2:14       Do all things without complaining and disputing

Susan: Since slaves were often put in charge of the master’s money, possessions, and household goods, there was opportunity to skim a little off the top for themselves. The book of Philemon deals with a slave named Onesimus who stole from his owner, ran away, then heard the gospel from Paul and repented. Paul wrote the letter to Philemon to ask him to forgive Onesimus and accept him back into his household as a brother in Christ.  However, the slave/employee should never steal or embezzle from the master/employer.

Susie: Today, too many people steal from their employers by wasting time when they are supposed to be on the job—making unnecessary personal phone calls, playing on the internet, taking excessive time on breaks, etc. Let’s look at the remainder of verse 10 in the J.B. Phillips version:

Titus 2:10 but they are to show themselves utterly trustworthy, a living testimonial to the teaching of God our saviour.

Susan: Christian slaves/employees are to demonstrate the utmost integrity in any given situation. They should be above reproach or suspicion even if they are the lowest man or woman on the responsibility flowchart. This will demonstrate the change that the saving grace of Jesus Christ makes in a person’s life.

QUESTIONS

1.               Define “sound doctrine.”

2.               What traits should older Christian men exhibit?

3.               In what specific action were older women to engage?

4.               What did younger women need to learn?

5.               There is only one demand made of younger men, but what does “sober-minded” encompass?

6.               In addition to teaching these truths to the believers at Crete, what was Titus challenged to do?

7.               What was Paul’s instruction to slaves?

8.               In which of these categories do you fit?

9.               We are, by our godly behavior, to be ornaments of God’s grace. Evaluate your obedience as relates to this passage.