Titus 1:2 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

In hope Which doctrine lays a foundation for, and shows us how we may attain a well-grounded and lively hope; of eternal life The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God. Which God, that cannot lie Nor deceive any of his creatures, hath not only, as in the former dispensation, intimated to us, but expressly promised To all obedient believers; before the world began Or, before the times of the ages, as Macknight renders προ χρονων αιωνιων, observing, “the promise here referred to is that which God made to Adam and Eve, and their posterity, at the fall, when in passing sentence on the serpent, he said of the seed of the woman, It shall bruise thy head. The same promise was renewed in the covenant with Abraham: In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” That this included a promise of eternal life to all believers has frequently been shown. It is true, “supposing the word αιωνιος, in this clause, to signify eternal, the literal translation of the passage would be, before eternal times. But that being a contradiction in terms, our translators, contrary to the propriety of the Greek language, have rendered it, before the world began. As Locke observes on Romans 16:25, the true, literal translation is, before the secular times, referring us to the Jewish jubilees, by which times were computed among the Hebrews, as among the Gentiles they were computed by generations of men.” But hath in due times Or, in his own times, as the phrase καιροις ιδιοις properly signifies. God's own times are fittest for his own work. What creature dares ask, Why no sooner? Manifested his word His gospel, containing that promise, and the whole truth which is after godliness; through preaching The public declaration thereof; which is committed unto me Or, wherewith I am intrusted. According to the commandment Or sovereign pleasure; of God our Saviour And who dares exercise this office on any inferior authority? By affirming that Christ intrusted him with the preaching of the gospel according to the commandment of God, or as it is expressed 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1, by the will of God, the apostle carried his own authority to the highest pitch. To Titus, mine own son Begotten of God by my preaching, and a true follower of me, and my assistant in the Lord's work. See on Philippians 2:22. After the common faith Common to me and all my spiritual children. Grace, mercy, and peace, &c. See on 1 Timothy 1:2.