In hope of eternal life. — Better translated, resting on the hope of eternal life. The connection of the preceding clauses with these words has been well summed up: “The Apostle’s calling had for its object the faith of the elect and the knowledge of the truth; and the basis on which all this rested was the hope of eternal life.”
Which God, that cannot lie. — Possibly, this singular and strong expression was chosen with reference to the peculiar vice of the Cretans, over whose Church Titus was then presiding. (See Titus 1:12 : “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars.”)
Promised before the world began. — More accurately rendered, from eternal ages. (See 2 Timothy 1:9.) The promise of eternal life was the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity.