CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Titus 2:11. Hath appeared.—In an epiphany. The Sun of Righteousness with health in His beams had chased away the “hidden things of darkness.” Like the sun’s light, the blessings of grace were to all men.
Titus 2:12. Denying ungodliness.—Repudiating any kind of connection with a life of irreligion. And worldly lusts.—Desires that, like carrion-vultures, fatten on the corrupting things of this world. Soberly, righteously, and godly.—The grace of God disciplines us in relation to ourselves, our fellow-men, and our God. If it had free scope, we should be self-respecting, respected, and Divinely blessed.
Titus 2:13. That blessed hope.—The object of hope. And the glorious appearing.—R.V. “the appearing of the glory.” The epiphany of grace was noticed in Titus 2:11; now the apostle comes to speak of another shining upon the world in glory. Of the great God and our Saviour.—The great question here is: “Are there two subjects, or one only?” For two subjects, the one being God, and the other our Lord Jesus Christ, it is argued: (a) that we never find the phrase “Jesus Christ our God”; (b) that we do find God and our Lord Jesus as two subjects; (c) that the addition “great” indicates God as an independent subject. For one, “the great God, even our Lord,” it is argued: (a) that epiphany is always applied to the Son; (b) that the immediate context refers to the Son; (c) that the following abasement explains the unusual term “great God”; (d) that “great,” if used of the Father, would be superfluous. The R.V. rendering would put the matter beyond question if we were shut up to it.
Titus 2:14. Who gave Himself.—“The forcible Himself, His whole self, the greatest gift ever given, must not be overlooked” (Ellicott). For us.—Not in our stead here, but on our behalf. From all iniquity.—Which is regarded as having had us in thrall. A peculiar people.—R.V. “a people for His own possession.” They were to be regarded as God’s property.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Titus 2:11-14
The Gospel of Grace—
I. Reveals salvation for all (Titus 2:11).—R.V. “The grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men.” The purpose of God to save the race was slowly unfolded to the world. The brightest and fullest manifestation of that purpose was the coming of Christ the Saviour; and yet the world has been slow to believe that He came to save all men. The revelation of the gospel has been a revelation of the character of God and of His boundless grace, embodied and illustrated in His incarnate Son.
II. Demands a life of self-denial and moral consistency (Titus 2:12).—The gospel insists upon the inseparable connection between creed and character, doctrine and life. It is a discipline, enforcing self-restraint in a world where sin is the normal state of things, and enabling us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, as a constant reproof to the world’s sin, and as an example and stimulus to all who are striving to conquer the world-spirit. The gospel of grace is a world-renewing power.
III. Furnishes the hope of unparalleled blessedness.—
1. A blessedness enhanced by the second advent of Christ in glory (Titus 2:13).—The hope created by the first advent grows in blessedness with the prospect of the glory of the second coming, when the great God and Saviour will be revealed in all the splendour of His mediatorial majesty. In that glory all who look and long for His appearing shall share, and their hope shall then have its fullest realisation.
2. A blessedness involved in the provisions of redemption (Titus 2:14). The aim of redemption was not only to release us from the bondage and penalty of sin, but from all its power and pollution. For this purpose Christ gave His whole self, the greatest gift ever bestowed by heaven or received by earth. The final result of redemption is to prepare, by the moral discipline of the gospel, a holy people who shall be zealous in doing and promoting all good works. These verses contain a suggestive summary of the apostle’s teaching, and an enlarged conception of the gospel of grace.
Lessons.—
1. The gospel is a manifestation of God’s grace to man.
2. The gospel gives power to live a holy and useful life.
3. The gospel reveals a future of glorious blessedness.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
Titus 2:11-14. What God expects from us, and what He does for us.
I. What God expects from us.—
1. Aversion to ungodliness and worldly lusts.
2. The practice of sobriety, righteousness, and godliness.
3. To cherish the hope of the second advent of our Lord.
II. What God does for us.—“He gave Himself for us.” The object of Christ’s self-sacrifice was:
1. For our redemption—“from all iniquity.”
2. Possession of Christ in a state of separation and purity. “Purify unto Himself a peculiar [purchased] people.”
3. Fruitfulness. “Zealous of good works.”—J. C. Trotter.
Titus 2:11. The Universal Offer of Salvation—
I. Irrespective of our varying moral Conditions.
II. Because all men need it.
III. Because God loves all.
IV. Because Christ died for all.
Titus 2:14. The Consecrating Saviour and the Consecrated People.
I. The consecrating Saviour.—
1. He gave Himself.
2. He gave Himself a ransom.
3. The object of this was to purify men.
II. The consecrated people.—
1. Freed from the power of sin.
2. Brought under the Divine rule.
3. Specially devoted to good.
4. Ardent.
5. Diligent.—F. W.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Titus 2:15
The Christian Teacher—
I. Should be master of all methods of effective instruction.—“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke.” The minister’s task is a constant and endless one. He must know how to instruct, exhort, persuade, and reprove. All the resources of learning, eloquence, and spiritual power are needed to do our work efficiently. The great aim of all preaching is to bring sinners directly to Christ. On Egypt’s far-off soil, as the morning beams lit up the eastern sky, an officer lay dying. With gallant daring he had led his followers, guided alone by the pale starlight of the heavens, until at last they reached the enemy; and now the strife is over, but he is wounded mortally. As the general, his cheeks bedewed with tears, gazed down with sadness on his face, a sudden radiance illumined for a moment the youth’s countenance as, looking up to Wolseley, he exclaimed, “General, didn’t I lead them straight?” and then he died. O brothers, when o’er our eyes there steals the film of death, and when the soul flits solemnly from time into eternity, may it be ours to say in truthful earnestness to Christ concerning those committed to our care—We led our people straight!
II. Should speak with unhesitating confidence in the truth.—“With all authority.” The minister is an ambassador for Christ, and speaks not in his own name, but in the name and with the authority of the great King he represents. The truth inspires him with power; and the more he studies and realises its virtue in himself, the more he is convinced of its supreme claims and enforces those claims with overwhelming emphasis. To palter and hesitate in the declaration of the truth is to be unfaithful to his trust and to the best interests of his hearers.
III. Should command the respect of those he teaches and governs.—“Let no man despise thee.” He should speak with such vigour and assurance as to compel attention, and warn with such authority that no one may think himself above the need of admonition. Channing once said: “There is no office higher than that of a teacher of youth, for there is nothing on earth so precious as the mind, soul, and character of the child. No office should be regarded with greater respect.” How much more is this true of the Christian minister! He should so speak and act as to commend the dignity and power of his commission to the most indifferent.
Lessons.—
1. The Christian minister deals with themes of the highest importance.
2. The presentation of Christian truth should be a subject of earnest and constant study.
3. The more we are possessed with the truth the more effectively we teach it.