Lessons #47 and 48
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual exposition not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GWT = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instructions to slaves (Titus 2:9-10)
9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
We have been considering the task of instructing believers that Titus was to carry out in Crete and by application, the task all pastors of local churches should perform. The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul indicates that Titus and so all pastors should be mindful of the various groups that constitute their congregation to ensure that the specific problems that face each group should be handled. Therefore, the apostle thus far has instructed Titus with respect to the older members of believers in Crete, that is, men and women, about the virtues they should cultivate or possess. He directed him to instruct older women regarding their responsibility of encouraging younger women regarding their conduct as it pertains to showing love to their husbands and children and being obedient to their husbands. He directed Titus about what he should instruct the younger men which is to encourage them
to think and live wisely in self-control over their passions and desires. Following these groups of believers, the apostle encouraged Titus and so all pastors to be exemplary to their congregations. This encouragement, we indicate may be considered parenthetical unless, of course, we take the position that the apostle was concerned with another group of believers, the teaching elders that Titus represented. If we take the instruction of Titus 2:7-8 as parenthetical, then we can say that the apostle resumed the instruction to Titus regarding the various groups that constitute the local churches in Crete. This being the case, the apostle instructed Titus regarding the last group of believers he should encourage. This group stands out differently in that those involved are not classified in terms of age or gender as in the previous groups the apostle directed Titus to instruct.
The last group of believers mentioned consists of slaves in Crete hence the expression Teach slaves that begins Titus 2:9. The word “teach” of the NIV does not appear in the Greek of verse 9 but it is added by its translators to help the English reader to recognize that what is given in verse 9 is still part of the instruction to teach believers that was given in Titus 2:1 to Titus regarding the group mentioned, that is, the slaves or that verse 9 is still part of the instruction to exhort or encourage mentioned in verse 6. In either case, the point is that verse 9 is still part of what Titus is to instruct but this time to slaves.
The word “slaves” is translated from a Greek word (doulos) that may mean male slave as an entity in a socioeconomic context hence “slave” although many of our English versions often use the meaning “servant” to translate the Greek word, but such meaning is of late. It may also mean one who is solely committed to another hence “slave, subject.” This meaning could have both negative and positive connotations. Negatively, it refers to being a slave, either to humans or sins, as for example, in Romans 6:17:
But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
Positively, it can be used of special relationship of humans to God. Thus, the apostles are regarded as slaves of God, as in the testimony of the evil spirit that spoke through a slave girl about Apostle Paul and his team in Acts 16:17:
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”
The phrase servants of the Most High God is more literally slaves of the Most High God. It is in this positive sense that Apostle Paul used the Greek word to describe his relationship with Christ several times in his epistles, for example, in Romans 1:1:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
The phrase a servant of Christ Jesus is literally a slave of Christ Jesus. Anyway, the Greek word is used in Titus 2:9 in the sense of one who is a slave to another human being to whom the individual is duty bound or to whom total allegiance is expected or demanded.
Be that as it may, the mention of slaves as the last group Titus is to instruct is the apostle’s way of recognizing the reality of the situation at the time he wrote his epistle to Titus. In other words, he recognized that there were believers who were human slaves that needed to be instructed in such a way that they will distinguish themselves from other slaves who are unbelievers. His mention of slaves does not mean that he endorsed slavery. He was more concerned with the spiritual life of those who were slaves. The fact that he did not endorse slavery is evident in his advice to slaves that they should purchase their freedom if they could, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 7:21-22:
21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you-although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.
The apostle was concerned with the mindset of believers who were slaves than he was concerned about the physical condition of slavery. For there were many people who were free as far as social standing was concerned but who were spiritually worse than these slaves. Therefore, the apostle indicates while a believing slave should seek to gain his freedom but that should not be his most important concern since the spiritual life is more important than the physical freedom.
The subject of slavery as addressed in the Scripture has caused many people to question the morality of the Scripture because of how the subject is treated in it. I have dealt with this matter in little more detail in our study of the book of Philemon so that if you want to understand this matter as given in the Scripture, I suggest you listen to the first lesson of the book of Philemon that is available in our website. Meanwhile, let me bring to your attention two observations in that lesson. The apostles were more concerned to lay down universal principles that would eventually undermine the evil of slavery. Hence, while the apostles did not attack slavery directly, the application of the principles they laid in the epistles and the teaching of Christianity in general would and did undermine the evil system of slavery. For example, the NT teaches that all people of the earth are of one family so that God does not recognize whatever human distinction humans might set up. Love is an essential command of the NT. If a person understands and obeys the command of the NT, it would be difficult for him to maintain a system that violates this command to love others. Apostle Paul specifically taught that in Christ there was neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female in Colossians 3:11:
Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Consequently, if this doctrine is understood and applied slavery was certainly doomed. A second observation is that the early church led by example in this matter of slavery. For example, the slave and his master shared equally in the Lord’s Supper in the local church. In effect, slaves enjoyed the same equal status with their master when in the local church setting, but they were inferior to the masters at home and in the society at large. In fact, it is possible that some of the pastors or teaching elders were slaves and their masters were in their congregation. This would eventually cause the masters to free their slaves. Historically, the church was involved in contributions of funds to help some slaves obtain their freedom. The way the church viewed slaves who were martyrs was quite exemplary. When slave girls, such as Felicitas in Africa or Blandina in Gaul, were celebrated for their martyrdom with honors denied to the most powerful and rich unbelievers, that was a serious blow to social prejudice regarding slavery that would not be healed. Hence, while the church did not directly condemn the institution, it led by example. Of course, in modern slavery, especially in Europe and the United States, the church failed to lead by example, which no doubt contributed to the church’s loss of its moral authority in these countries.
In any case, Apostle Paul under the guidance of the Holy Spirit recognized a problem that slaves in general had which is that of submission to the authority of their masters among others he implied later in this verse. It is for this reason that the apostle instructs Titus concerning what he is to teach to slaves in the verbal phrase of Titus 2:9 to be subject to their masters in everything.
The expression “to be subject” is translated from a Greek word (hypotassō) that literally means “to order oneself under a leader” and so means “to submit” but such a meaning is not always communicative in many contexts of the Scripture. The Greek word has a range of meanings that fit a given context. It may mean to bring someone or something to subjection hence means “to subject, to subordinate.” It is in this sense that the word is applied by Apostle Paul regarding Christ’s action of bringing everything under subjection to Him in Philippians 3:21:
who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
The sentence the power that enables him to bring everything under his control is more literally the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. The Greek word may mean “to obey” when there is the concept of authority involved. In other words, the meaning “to obey” can be used in all passages where our Greek word appears that involve authority figure. Let me give you examples to substantiate this statement. The word is used in describing the relationship of Jesus Christ to His parents in Luke 2:51:
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
The verbal phrase was obedient to them is more literally was submitting to them. The translators of the NIV captured correctly the meaning of our Greek word as meaning “to obey” since that is the way to understand a child being submissive to the parents. The Greek word is used to describe the relationship of believers to secular or governmental authorities in Romans 13:1:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Here to submit to governing authorities certainly means to obey them. It is used to describe the relationship that should exist between the Corinthians and Stephanas, the first convert in Achaia, who is presumed to be a spiritual leader in 1 Corinthians 16:16:
to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.
The apostle meant that believers in Corinth should obey him and other spiritual leaders as they are those described in the expression such as these and to everyone who joins in the work. We find our Greek word used to enjoin believers to submit to God the Father in Hebrews 12:9:
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
The requirement of submitting to the Father of our spirits is one that demands obedience to God the Father. This means that in this passage “to submit” is the same as “to obey.” The examples we have cited where our Greek word is used to describe the relationship of a subject to an authority figure reveals that whenever that is the case the meaning of our Greek word that is translated “to be subject” in Titus 2:9 should be understood to mean “to obey.” Thus, Christian slaves are to obey their masters.
The obedience required of slaves is not a blanket requirement in the sense that because they are slaves then they should obey any and every one that commands them. No! Their obedience is limited to their masters as in the phrase to their masters that literal reads in the Greek to their own masters that indicated it is to their specific masters and not any other person that they are required to obey. That aside, it is important we recognize the limitation of the word “masters.” This is because of the range of meanings associated with the Greek word (despotēs) translated “masters.” It may refer to one who owns and/or controls the activities of slaves, servants, or subjects, with the implication of absolute, and in some instances, arbitrary jurisdiction and so means “master, owner, lord”, as our Greek word is used in 1 Timothy 6:1:
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
The word may mean “ruler” in the sense of one who holds complete power or authority over another, especially of God. Thus, it is used with the meaning “Lord” or “Sovereign Lord” or “Master” in the address of God in the prayer of the early church when they faced persecution, as recorded in Acts 4:24:
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
It is used in the sense of “Sovereign Lord” for Jesus Christ in 2 Peter 2:1:
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Thus, the Greek word translated “masters” could be applied to God but in our context, it is applied to slave owners who have legal control and authority over their slaves but for the Christian slaves, it is understood that such authority is limited to earthly matters and not spiritual issues.
The fact that slave masters’ authority is limited to earthly matters is important because without such understanding then slaves may misunderstand the next phrase of Titus 2:9 in everything. This phrase does not mean that a Christian who is a slave should obey his earthly master in all matters of life since it is possible that an unbelieving slave master could require his slave to do that which is contrary to the Scripture. The apostle is aware that believers are to obey authorities only to the extent that their command does not violate God’s word. He knew of the two responses of the apostles to the Jewish ruling authority in Jerusalem. Peter and John indicated that is not right to obey humans when their instruction is contrary to God’s word, as indicated in Acts 4:19:
But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
Later, Apostle Peter and the other apostles conveyed that God is the highest authority and so should be obeyed instead of humans in Acts 5:29:
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
It is true the apostle used the phrase in everything but it is up to Titus to expound this phrase as we have done to indicate there is an exception to what is meant in the phrase. The exception is when there is a conflict between what a slave master requires and what God requires then the believer should disobey the earthly master in favor of God although he should be prepared to suffer for such a stand. The apostle did not go into this detail but Titus is supposed to do so as he taught the slaves the importance of obedience to their earthly masters. We are saying that although the apostle did not spell out the exception in the phrase in everything but that he expects Titus to understand the limitation of the phrase. For one thing, the apostle has elsewhere indicated that believers are not to be slaves of men in such a way that they forget they are responsible to God, as implied in 1 Corinthians 7:23–24:
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.
If believers are not to be slaves of men and they are to be responsible to God, the implication is that believers, slave or free, are limited to the extent of their obedience to any human authority. Thus, Titus was expected to expound the instruction to slaves to mean that they should obey their masters in everything they ask them to do unless such requirement is contrary to God’s word at which point they must obey God and not their masters but, as we have indicated, they should be willing to suffer in the hands of their master. This kind of suffering is in keeping with the promise of 2 Timothy 3:12:
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
The point is that if a believing slave is obedient in everything except in that which conflicts with his faith in Christ that that may speak to the master in some fashion. By this, we mean that the slave could tell his master that he obeys him in every way but that what he is asking him is contrary to his belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The master may be upset and punish his slave but if he reflects whatever the situation was, he would understand that what the slave said is true. It is like my encouragement in the past to children who are believers but have unbelieving parents. I say to them if they obeyed their parents in everything but fail to obey when their instruction is contrary to God’s truth such as preventing them from going to Bible study that they could use their habitual obedience to their parents to argue that the reason for their disobedience is a conflict between what they require and what the Lord requires. The parents may be angry but they will probably understand the truthfulness of the argument of such a believing child. In fact, the situation would be like that of Balaam and his donkey when it spoke to him about its unusual behavior, as recorded in Numbers 22:28–30:
28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” 29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said.
The donkey’s argument given in the question Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” is one that is appropriate to be used by anyone who is under authority that obeys constantly except when there is conflict between the ruling authority and God’s word. The point is that if you are under authority and you form the habit of obeying the given authority but failed to do so when the authority’s demand conflicts with God’s word that you should be able to use the kind of question of the donkey to Balaam to the authority figure with whom you are dealing. Hopefully, such an authority could answer in the same way Balaam did to his donkey. Of course, even if that does not happen, you should take whatever punishment that comes your way as part of suffering for the faith. Nonetheless, the point of the instruction to slaves is that they should carry out the instruction that is from their masters that does not conflict with the word of God. The apostle used a present tense in the Greek, implying here that slaves should make it their habit to obey their masters. It should be a second nature, so to say, to obey their masters as we have discussed. Such obedience is possible only if believing slaves strived to be filled of the Spirit. This is because our sinful nature does not want to obey any instruction but to rebel against it. But when a believer is filled of the Spirit then such an individual will automatically obey instructions from a legitimate authority over the individual.
For all practical purposes, the modern world does not tolerate institutionalized slavery, that does not mean that its practice is completely obliterated but that no civilized society in the modern time sanctions such practice. This reality may raise the question as to the applicability to believers today of the instruction given to slaves. In other words, you may ask; how does the instruction Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything apply to you? This question is concerned with the equivalency of the last group that Titus is to instruct in Crete. The equivalent situation is that of employer-employee relationship or any situation that involves one being under an authority. Granting that employer-employee relationship is not an exact equivalent of master-slave relationship but it comes closest than any other relationship where people are under authority. There is certainly a difference between a slave and an employee of any organization. A slave in the ancient world was obligated to serve the master since the person was in that situation not by choice but something forced on the individual while the modern employee is a servant to the employer but with the distinction of the fact that such an employee could quit his/her job any time. This difference notwithstanding, the slave and modern employee have two things in common. Both are under authority and both render service. Therefore, the instruction to the slave is applicable to an employee in the sense that such an individual is expected to obey the employer while employed. In effect, pastors are to teach Christian employees to be obedient to their employers. They should do everything their employers ask of them that is permissible within God’s word. They should form the habit of obeying instructions from their immediate supervisors. They are not called to challenge the authority of their supervisors but to comply to their instruction. Again, as we said with the case of slaves, Christian employees should be careful that they do not obey any order or instruction that conflicts with the word of God. When that is the case the believer should be willing to suffer punishment from the employer that may result in being terminated instead of do anything that is inconsistent with God’s word. Anyway, the instruction given to slaves is applicable to modern employees as we have considered.
Obedience of believing slaves to their masters should result in their masters being pleased with them. It is this result that the apostle states in the verbal phrase of Titus 2:9 to try to please them. Literally, the Greek reads to be pleasing. There is a problem of how to interpret the literal phrase because of the word “to be” is a verbal noun (infinitive) in the Greek. There are several ways to understand the phrase. It could be understood as an additional instruction that should go along with obedience of the slaves to their masters, which is the interpretation reflected in most of our English versions. It could be understood as the purpose of instructing the slaves to be obedient to their masters which is difficult to differentiate from the result of being obedient. This interpretation seems to be reflected in the ISV (International Standard Version). The phrase could be interpreted as providing further explanation of what it means for slaves to obey their masters or that it is the means of obeying their masters. It is difficult to be certain in what way the apostle used it. This notwithstanding, it seems probably that the apostle was concerned with the result of teaching slaves to obey their masters. For when anyone under authority obeys one in authority then that results in the one in authority to be pleased. Furthermore, the apostle in another passage implies that obedience results in pleasing God. I am referring to the obedience of children to their parents, as we read in Colossians 3:20:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
The clause for this pleases the Lord of the NIV is more literally for this is pleasing in the Lord. All in all, since it is often difficult to differentiate purpose from result, it seems that the apostle intended to convey that obedience of slaves to their masters, results in their masters being pleased with them or satisfied with them, which is one thing a person under an authority should strive to do. The idea of result does not exclude the requirement of slaves to please their masters as that will be implied in the interpretation that sees result as the concern of the apostle. Of course, the word “pleasing” in Titus 2:9 is translated from a Greek word (euarestos) that pertains to that which causes someone to be pleased hence means “pleasing, acceptable.” It is used predominantly in the NT with respect to God to whom something is acceptable. Thus, Apostle Paul used the word in instructing believers about presenting their bodies as acceptable and so pleasing sacrifice to God in Romans 12:1:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
The apostle used the word to describe the gifts the Philippians gave him as a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God in Philippians 4:18:
I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
In our passage in Titus 2:9, the word is used in the sense of giving pleasure and satisfaction. Thus, obedience of slaves to their masters would result in their masters being satisfied.
Obedience is not the only thing that will result in slaves pleasing their masters, there are other actions that would do the same thing but obedience in a sense is at the top of the list or the most important act of a slave to his master. Therefore, the apostle instructs Titus concerning other actions required of slaves that will result in their pleasing their masters beginning with an action that is another way of stressing the importance of obedience. This another action is simply that slaves should not be resistant to their masters as they serve them. It is this negative action that is given in the last verbal phrase of Titus 2:9 not to talk back to them. The expression “talk back” is translated from a Greek word (antilegō) that may mean “to oppose, to refuse”, as it is used by the Jewish authorities who were bent on Jesus being crucified by falsely implying that they accepted the rule of the Roman government over them in John 19:12:
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
The word may mean “to speak against, to contradict” someone or something. It in this sense that the word is used to indicate that some Jews in Pisidian Antioch contradicted Apostle Paul’s preaching in Acts 13:45:
When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.
The clause and talked abusively against what Paul was saying is literally and began contradicting what was being said by Paul by reviling him. In our passage of Titus 2:9, the word may mean “to speak against” or “to oppose or to resist” in the sense of “to disobey”, since the primary instruction to slaves is that which requires obedience on their part. Anyway, slaves are to be instructed to avoid anything that will imply they are resistant to their masters’ instructions. The application of this instruction is that those who are employed by others should strive not to be resistant to the authority of their employers or to the authority of their supervisors. We are saying that believers who work for someone should ensure that they do not undermine the authority of their supervisors or show any kind of resistance to their instructions. This does not mean that such an individual should never speak up when something is wrong but that such a person should do so respectfully in such a way as not to convey that the believer is being disobedient or undermines the authority of the supervisor.
Another action that believing slaves should avoid is embezzlement or theft. It is this unacceptable action that is given in the first verbal phrase of Titus 2:10 and not to steal from them. The word “steal” is translated from a Greek word (nosphizō) that means to put aside for oneself hence “to keep back” anything that belongs to another. There is also the sense that the word involves engagement in a type of skimming operation. The word is used only twice in the Greek NT. In its first usage, it is in the sense of “to keep back” that the word is used in describing the action of Ananias and the wife in that there is the implication they kept back what belonged to the church by virtue of the commitment of members to give the proceeds from the sale of their property to the church, as the word is used in Acts 5:2:
With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
In its other usage, which is our passage of Titus 2:10, the word has the meaning of “to embezzle, to steal.” Slaves face the temptation of keeping for themselves something that belongs to their master that they may justify by stating that their masters would not discover what has been kept for their own use or by rationalizing that such a thing should be part of their compensation. You may wonder how this instruction will apply to you at the work place as that is what we indicated is closest to being a slave in the time of this epistle. Well, the requirement is clear that if a believer is involved in financial administration in a job then the believer should ensure he/she never embezzles or misappropriates the funds of the employer. But what if a person is not involved in financial matters of his/her employer, you may ask? The application is still concerned with keeping back what belongs to another. Consequently, a believer while at work should put in his/her maximum best in that such an individual does not fail to put the full hours of work for which the person is paid. Failure in this respect is tantamount to embezzling from the employer. Many employees do not recognize they are defrauding their employers when they fail to put the maximum hours for which they are paid. This matter of employees stealing the time of their employers is rampart today because some employees are on the internet or texting when they are supposed to be working. The instruction the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul that is to be communicated to slaves about not stealing from their masters implies that you should do your best not to be among those who steal from the organization because they conduct their private business at work.
In any case, the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul switches from those things not becoming of believing slaves to that which is proper for them as believers in Christ. Slaves are to be taught to show to their masters they are truly faithful, which, of course, will be the case if they are faithful to their Lord who through the Holy Spirit gave the instruction we are considering. The focus of “faithfulness” is given in the verbal phrase of Titus 2:10 but to show that they can be fully trusted. Literally the Greek reads but showing all good faithfulness. This is because firstly, we have a Greek word (agathos) that may pertain to meeting a relatively high standard of quality and so means “useful, beneficial”, as Apostle Paul used in Ephesians 4:29:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
The verbal phrase helpful for building others up according to their needs is literally good for the building up of the need. The word may pertain to meeting a high standard of worth and merit hence means “good, kind, generous”, as in Matthew 20:15:
Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
In our passage of Titus 2:10, the word means “good” in the sense of having desirable or positive qualities; especially those suitable for a thing specified. Secondly, we have a Greek word (pistis) that is rich in meaning and so it is used in a variety of ways in the NT. For example, the word may mean “proof” or “assurance,” as the word is used by Apostle Paul when he preached in Athens, as recorded in Acts 17:31:
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
The verbal phrase given proof of this is literally having given faith. However, in our passage, the Greek word means “faithfulness, reliability, fidelity.” Thus, the literal verbal phrase showing all good faithfulness is to be understood to mean that believing slaves are, in everything they do, to show their masters faithfulness that cannot be reproached or one that cannot be doubted because of its high quality and consistency. Their faithfulness should always be glaring to their masters in every way. In effect, the believing slaves are not to act they are faithful only when their masters observe them, but that faithfulness is what they should strive to exhibit to their masters. This is because we have a present participle in our passage that implies that of habit so we can say that believing slaves are to demonstrate in everything, at all times their faithfulness to their masters even when they do not appreciate them as some employers do today in that they do not recognize faithful employees.
The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul brings to Titus an important fact that all pastors and all believers should be very mindful with respect to our faith. It is that the teaching of the word of God is for a purpose. There can be no doubt that the primary reason for the teaching of the word of God is for believers to glorify God. In other words, the purpose of the teaching of the word of God is not only so we may have knowledge of what God says in His word but that we implement what we learn so that our God is glorified in the church. This is evident in the fact that the apostle kept emphasizing the necessity of believers conducting themselves in such a way not to tarnish the reputation of the Christian faith. Anyway, this purpose of teaching the word of God is presented in terms of believing slaves bringing credit to the teaching about God our Savior because of its effect on their masters. In other words, when the slave masters observe the lifestyle of their slaves, they will also give credit to God, that is, they will say that their slaves’ conduct is due to the teaching of the word of their God. It is this purpose that is given in the last clause of Titus 2:10 so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. This translation of the NIV is one way to interpret the Greek since the literal Greek reads in order that the teaching of God our Savior they may adorn in all things.
The literal phrase the teaching of God our Savior could be interpreted in one of two ways. It could be interpreted as teaching that comes from God our Savior or teaching about God our Savior. It is probably the case here that both interpretations are intended, that is, that the teaching about God our Savior is one that comes from God our Savior since there is no way we can have any teaching about God our Savior if He did not give it to us. By the way the phrase God our Savior is a reference to Jesus Christ as He is the member of the Godhead the apostle so far has referred to as our Savior in Titus 1:4:
To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Of course, we have argued in detail when we expounded on this passage that the phrase Christ Jesus our Savior conveys that Jesus Christ is God. So, it is the teaching from Jesus Christ and teaching about Him that is the focus of the apostle when he wrote in the words of the NIV of Titus 2:10 they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
The expression they will make ... attractive, as we have noted previously, is literally they may adorn. This is because we have a Greek word (kosmeō) that may mean to put in order so as to appear neat or well organized hence “to make neat or tidy.” Thus, the word has the meaning of “to trim” with respect to lamp in Matthew 25:7:
“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
It may mean to cause something to have an attractive appearance through decoration hence “to adorn, decorate.” It is used figuratively for inner beauty so that it means “to make beautiful or attractive inwardly”, as it is used in 1 Peter 3:5:
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands,
In our passage of Titus 2:10, the sense of the word is “to do credit to, to adorn” or “to make attractive by what is done.” The Greek indicates that believing slaves should make it their habit to bring credit to the teaching from the Lord Jesus Christ and teaching about Him by how they conduct themselves. We are saying that the way believing slaves bring credit to the teaching about Jesus Christ is if they live their lives in a manner that is superior to that of other slaves so that their masters who see they are different will be drawn to the Christian faith. This instruction to the believing slaves is one that is applicable to all believers. By this, we mean that every believer should bring credit to the Christian faith. In other words, we Christians should live our lives in accordance to the teaching of the Scripture so that unbelievers will recognize that our lifestyles are due to the teaching about Jesus Christ and from Jesus Christ that we have received. In effect, we are expected to bring glory to our God our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, when we demonstrate to the world around us that we are different from them. You see, the world should be able to see the peacefulness of our lives, the joy in our lives, the righteousness of our lives, and the stability in our lives that they want what we have. I am saying that it is not enough for us to learn the word of God but we should so utilize it so that it produces impact in our lives that will make others want what we have. So, I ask you; do those who know you want to have what you have in Christ because of what they see in your life? My fellow believers, we should strive to ensure that we bring credit to our God as we live our lives in accordance to the teaching of the Christian faith. Hence, I leave you with the instruction of the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul to believers in Philippians 1:27:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.
Add to this, is the direct instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:16:
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
May the Lord help us live out our faith!
07/21/17