"But speak thou the things which become the healthful teaching . . . that aged women . . . may
train the young women to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children, discreet, chaste, workers at
home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God be not ill-spoken of. The
younger men likewise exhort to be right-minded, in all things showing thyself a pattern of good
works, in the teaching uncorruptness, gravity, healthy speech that cannot be condemned, that he
that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil to say concerning us" (Titus 2:1-8
Kelly Version).

Concerning the Young Women

The apostle now looks at the relation of the older women to the younger women, with whom they
would as the rule have a strong influence. How were they to use their opportunities? "That they
may train the young women to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children." Here they would be
admirably in place, and with the Lord before their eyes their experience would prove invaluable
for those that have to face the daily difficulties and dilemmas of human life. Not merely were they
to school their younger ones to be subject to their husbands; to cultivate affection in the home
circle is particularly pressed. This would win with an adversary of the truth where godliness alone
might at first be repellent. Love to a husband and to children is indispensably to be cherished by
the wife and mother. Christianity was never intended to enfeeble the affections.

There is another exhortation which fits in most suitably. The elder women were to school their
younger sisters in Christ to be "discreet" or right-minded:they might be liable to rigidity on the
one hand, or to carelessness on the other. Discretion is therefore a most needed quality to preserve
on the true path of godliness and wisdom in the midst of the difficulties of ordinary Me.

Further, purity claims a great place in the exhortation of the elders to the younger ones. They
were to encourage them to be "chaste" in deed, word, and spirit; how little it was known among
the Greeks, and even among the Jews to their shame! Their very religion defiled the Greeks; it
was the consecration of every corruption, and made them far more polluted than if they had no
religion. Purity is so mighty and so essential a quality in Christianity that it outwardly and really
proved to be a wholly new element in a world without Christ. A selfish Jew or a dissolute Greek
would not fail to appreciate purity in his wife and in family life.

The next thing pressed is that they be devoted to domestic occupation_"workers at home." One
cannot but feel the gracious wisdom of such an exhortation as this; and it must have struck those
who lived in heathen circumstances even more than ourselves, accustomed to the blessed contrast
with heathen habits in these days of Christendom, however degenerate. It is a fine example of the
way in which the Spirit of God adapts Himself to the most ordinary duties in the present scene.
See it in Christ who lived for so many years of His life subject to His parents, and who, in the
most obscure of conditions, advanced in wisdom as well as favor with God and man. It is He who
makes all these exhortations as simple and easily understood as they are morally elevating. He
brings in His own grace as applicable to women as to men. He shows us the way in every sense,
the pattern of obeying God, undoubtedly beyond all comparison. How many He has led, and

fashioned, and blessed, in that narrow path He trod in a wilderness where there is no way!

The next exhortation is of great value, following diligence in work at home. It is that the younger
women should be "good" in the sense of kindness. If Christ were not before their eyes, homework
might be despised as drudgery. But if the work were ever so well done, is this all that would
satisfy or please a husband? Goodness diffuses happiness all around. The exhortation to kindness
has special wisdom in following homework. There is no place where it is more valuable and less
frequent. Nothing short of the Lord’s grace could make it a constant habit, where countless little
occurrences would inevitably turn up to try patience. But with Christ before the heart goodness
would be manifested whatever the circumstances.

Last, but not least, is the call for wives to be in subjection to their own husbands, that the Word
of God be not evil spoken of. It is most irritating to a husband to find a readiness on the wife’s
part to question his authority or interfere with his plans. The habit of subjection is of all things the
most suited to win a husband’s ear. If he had experienced previously the danger of slighting advice
given by his wife, it would have the effect of producing the wish to listen to her in the future. But
the wife’s unjudged insubordinate spirit would completely counteract this happy influence and
make even what might be good advice to be shunned and disregarded. It was therefore of the
greatest moment that the elder women should instill it into the younger women to be in subjection
to their own husbands. And this was not merely for the peace and profit of the household in
general, and for the happy relation of the wife and husband, but "that the Word of God be not
blasphemed," or of evil report.

Concerning the Young Men

Titus is now instructed as to the younger men. First he was to exhort them to a right mind or
discretion. But his own example is brought into the foreground now; any failure on his part in
discretion would be particularly prejudicial to his godly influence with the young men. Therefore
it is said, "In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works," that is, of works right and
honorable.

Practical conduct, however indispensable it may be, is not everything. In his teaching he was to
see to "uncorrupt-ness." No quality can be, at any time or with any souls, of greater moment.
Compromise of truth or holiness is of all things most damaging to Christianity. Titus had a
position of great honor and equally great responsibility. It was therefore of all importance that he
should be vigilant for himself. An apostle even was in no way absolved from the necessity, both
in his walk and in his ministry, of continual watchfulness, and keeping his body under, and
bringing it into subjection, as the great apostle phrases it in 1 Cor. 9. Here, however, it is in his
teaching that Titus is exhorted to show uncorruptness; his practical walk and works had already
been insisted on.

Next, he was to show "gravity." Only the Spirit of God could maintain this high character in his
occupation with the younger men. There would not lack ample opportunity for conversation more
or less light and frivolous. But the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ claims gravity.

There is another quality, it seems, not confined to his teaching, though certainly not excluded from
it. But the apostle presses "healthy speech that cannot be condemned," sound in itself, and not
open to just censure, not merely on the more formal occasions of teaching, but on all occasions.
Assuredly we must all feel the great importance of this, even though it be a characteristic in which
we have to acknowledge our own frequent failure. One thing alone is an adequate safeguard_the
conscious presence of God.

The apostle finally gives moral aim to this last exhortation. "That he that is of the contrary part
may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say concerning us." We have to consider not friends only
but foes, with their readiness to malign what condemns themselves. Let us seek then to cut off
occasion from those that seek occasion, that even the adversary, of whatever sort he be, may have
no evil thing to say concerning us.

(From An Exposition of the Epistle of Paul to Titus.)