On the Letter of the Apostle Paul to Titus
Latin Text from public domain Migne Editors, Patrologiae Cursus Completus.
Translated into English using ChatGPT.
Table of Contents
Prologus.
The Apostle Paul appointed Titus as bishop; and therefore he advises him to be diligent in the ecclesiastical ordination: that is, to discern those who present themselves as worthy with a certain pretense in order to obtain a higher position; and also to rebuke the heretics who promote circumcision.
Caput I.
(Vers. 1-4.)
(Vers. 1-4.) Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; To Titus, my true son in our common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. The decree declares the gift from God, which He had promised before the ages and has now been revealed at the time of the Savior in the preaching of the Apostles; for thus He had promised. He also says that it has been entrusted to him, in order to make known to the Gentiles the predestined mercy of God; so that even Titus, his true son, that is, according to the Gospel (for this is true, which is eternal), diligently preaches the grace of God and peace, so that they may become at peace with God and the Father by receiving the gift; for all things are from Him, and through Christ Jesus our Savior, for He Himself has delivered us from death.
(Vers. 5-11.)
(Vers. 5-11.) For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might put in order what remained, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you: if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. For there are indeed many who are disobedient, empty talkers and deceivers, particularly those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. For indeed, those who were Christians in name only were not pure; for they wanted to both honor the Law and honor Christ. He says these things about those who were destroying households with their corrupt teaching. For they were eager for shameful gains in two ways; namely, they did these things in order to please the Jews, from whom they hoped to receive expenses, so that they could profit financially and physically. These were their profits, just as the Lord says to the Jews: You travel over land and sea to make a single proselyte (Matthew 23:15). He calls these two shameful gains; because he who teaches under the name of God, not for the sake of devotion, but for profit, is a shameful seeker of gain: likewise also he who wants to acquire something through circumcision. Therefore, elsewhere it says: And their glory is in their shame (Philippians 3:19).
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verse 12, 13.) A certain one among them, who was their own prophet, said: 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. A certain one from the Cretans, who was improved through the teaching of the Lord, expressed what should be thought about the uneducated Cretans, that they were both evil and lazy, wanting to eat. For they desired to be nourished by wickedness, who, although they are of no benefit, are eager to harm. Therefore, it is a twofold evil. These were the Cretans; hence he calls him a prophet, but in the case of the Cretans. For he asserts that he spoke truly to them as a prophet; for it is impossible for a prophet to lie.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) For this reason, argue with them harshly, that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish fables and the commandments of men who turn away from the truth. Instruct them to rebuke those people, that they may be converted and follow what is just and worthy of God's law, turning away from Jewish fables. For in the Law, they find justification before God, even more so in the commandments of men! For whatever is opposed to the truth is a human invention; for they are ignorant of the power of the Scriptures and the inner meaning of the words of the Law, they follow the appearance, not the taste. Therefore, myths are said to tell stories, not truth; for they think that one should never deviate from what Moses handed down, such as concerning foods, or unions, or new moons, or the blood of a weasel, or a house unclean for seven days; whereas their leaders, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were justified and called friends of God without these things; and the prophet Ezekiel testifies that they received precepts and commands that were not good because they profaned the law of God and his justifications, in which they could not be justified. And so the Lord says to the Jews: Because of the hardness of your heart Moses wrote these things (Mark 10:5). Hence it is that Peter the apostle also says: Why do you impose a yoke upon the necks of the brethren, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear (Acts 15:10)? For if they had been useful, they would have been given when the Law was given on the tablets; but because after so many signs and wonders, and the Law being given, they were found disrespectful, distrustful, and stiff-necked, they received such great and burdensome commandments in which they could not breathe. From this it happened that both the good labored with the wicked, to receive their reward. Therefore these things were given for vengeance, so that at the time when the promise of God arrived, the mercy of God would relax everything that He had previously forbidden. The Jews, not understanding this, remain under the yoke, and willingly bind themselves with these chains; and therefore he warns them to turn away from these things and be admonished.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) Indeed, all things are clean to the pure: but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is clean; but both their mind and conscience are defiled. These people signify those who know and understand the reasons why certain things are prohibited and later allowed. For if it is written in Genesis that everything God created is good (Genesis 1:31), there is no doubt that they are also clean. But those who do not understand are unclean; for they are accusers of Scripture. For if good deeds are read, why are they forbidden as if they were accursed? If they are not accursed, because they are good; they are known to be forbidden because of the hardness of the heart, because they are considered unworthy to benefit from all of God's creation. For those who are seen to be prohibited from better things, their mind and conscience are corrupted; because they accuse the creature of God in order to excuse themselves.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their deeds; since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. Although this statement applies to all heretics, it is specifically referring to the Jews who claim to know only the God of Abraham, but deny Him by their actions, as the Lord says: 'If you were children of Abraham, you would do the works of Abraham' (John 8:39). Therefore, how can they claim to know the God of Abraham when they are ignorant of His mystery and faith, not following the works of the Gospel, but disturbing others with their observance of the law, circumcision, and other practices, behaving impiously and without reverence? These are the works that do not know God.
Caput II.
(Vers. 1)
(Version 1) But you, speak the things that befit sound doctrine. This is the knowledge of God, which is called sound doctrine; for the doctrine of God is saving.
(Vers. 2.)
(V. 2.) The elders should be sober, serious, prudent, sound in faith, love, and patience. He shows who they should be of sound doctrine, in order to indicate that those who are less sober, less serious, unbelieving, lacking in charity, impatient, and disciples of unsound doctrine. By their works, God is not known, nor is his righteousness.
(Vers. 3, 4, 5.)