The Text-Driven Podcast is walking through a new series entitled "Why You Need a Pastor.” Therefore, every Tuesday, the accompanying article series will provide essential commentary on the various passages handled in each episode through the Book of Titus. This week's passage is Titus 3:1-7 (Episode 180: Being Reminded of Sound Doctrine).
Essentially, the big idea of Titus 3:1-7 is "Remember to Live as a New Creation."
The Structure
The structure of the text is one main idea, a seven-item list subpoint, and a complement that is found in two parts. The main idea is found in verse one with the imperative "Remind them." Paul transitions from instructing Titus to "speak these things" to instructing Titus to "remind" the Cretan believers of specific things to do and to be. The seven-item list explains what Titus is to remind them of.
In verse 3, through the coordinating conjunction γαρ, Paul tells Titus why the Cretan believers need to be reminded of “these things.” The full answer to the question "Why do the Cretan believers need to be reminded?" is "For we ourselves were once…He saved us" (v. 3, 5). This creates the two parts of the complement.
"For we ourselves were once also" gives a seven-item list of all the things a Christian was before salvation. The point of this list is not to tell the believer that because they used to be wicked, they now should live righteously. Rather, the list is to provide a contrast to God's work of saving us. The greatness of salvation is highlighted against the background of our past.
"δε" in verse 4 creates this contrast and begins the second part of the complement. We were, but. "He saved us" in verse 5 is then described by everything else stated in verses 4-7. In each clause, the phrase "He saved us" could be moved to the beginning to understand the significance of the statement: He saved us when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared. He saved us not by works of righteousness which we have done. He saved us according to His mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. He saved us so that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This paragraph about how God saved us explains why the Cretan believers need to be reminded. God, through the Holy Spirit, has made a Christian a new creation, and the Christian needs to live in light of that reality. Titus is to remind Cretan believers to remember their salvation and live according to it.
The pericope can be divided at the end of verse 7 and before verse 8, as a new concept is presented in verse 8 in "Speak confidently." The structure of Titus 3:1-7 then is:
Remind Them
Remind Them We're No Longer Who We Were
Remind Them That God Saved Them to Live Godly
The Spirit
The spirit of the text, or the emotional tone, begins as helpful instructions to Titus but then turns to a passionate remembrance of what God has done. The tone is excitement, gratefulness, and joy. The spirit of the text is not shaming believers about who they were before Christ but rather exposing the glories of the new birth.
The Substance
In studying the substance of the text, key phrases will be addressed instead of the entirety of the passage. For a precise explanation of the text, make sure to listen to Episode 180 on the Text-Driven Podcast.
Verse 1: "Remind them."
Ὑπομίμνῃσκε: Remind or to call to mind. The action of Titus is to bring to mind the things believers have already learned.
"To be subject to rulers and authorities."
ὑποτάσσεσθαι: This is the same word used in chapter 2 concerning wives' submission to their own husbands and bondservants' submission to their own master. The word means "to submit, to be subordinate, to obey." The relation a believer must have with the government is one of submission. Believers are not to be rebellious.
"Ready for every good work."
ἑτοίμους: The word means ready in the immediate. It is used in Homer to talk about a meal just before it is to be served. The believer is to be ready in the immediate for any and every good work that they may have the opportunity to do.
Verse 2: "Gentle."
ἐπιεικεῖς: Not insisting on every right or letter of law or custom. Yielding, gentle, courteous. Titus must remind believers not to insist upon their preferences but rather be courteous to others. The use of "gentle" is in contrast to being a bully. Instead of demanding and bullying, the Christian is gentle with other people. The Christian does not demand his own way.
Verse 3: "Serving various lusts and pleasures."
δουλεύοντες: Performing the duties of a slave, serve, enslaved. The believer before Christ was enslaved to lusts and pleasures.
"Hateful"
στυγητοί: Despicable, loathsome.
Verse 4: "The love of God our Savior toward man"
Φιλανθρωπία: Affectionate concern for humanity, loving-kindness to man. The love spoken of here is a specific love for mankind.
Verse 5: "Through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit."
παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως: Regeneration and renewing are synonyms, and both communicate "rebirth, a complete change of life, renewal."
Translation
The following translation is done by Klayton Carson with an attempt at hyper-literalism and exposing the concepts that lie behind each Greek word. For balance, reference NKJV, CSB, ESV, and NASB95.
Titus 3:1-7
1 Remind them to submit to rulers to authorities, to obey, to be prepared for every good work, 2 to defame no one, to be peaceable, courteous, demonstrating all humility to all people. 3 For we ourselves were once also really dull-witted, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various desires and pleasures, spending our lives in depravity and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love for humanity of God our Savior appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done but because of His mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that having been justified by that One's grace, we may become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Written by Klayton Carson
The "Why You Need a Pastor" series is also on the Text-Driven Podcast. You can listen to the Text-Driven Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at www.textdriven.org/podcasts. New episodes are released every Monday, just in time for your morning commute.
