Free Bible Commentary
“Titus 2:1-5”
Categories: Titus“But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.”
---End of Scripture verses---
God’s older men should be paragons of self-control, dignity, faith, love and patience (verses 1-2). These are clear indications that they live and model spiritually “sound” or “healthy” lives for others look up to and emulate. Experienced veterans in the faith are susceptible to the temptations of sin as all humans are. But most of them should have accumulated an abundance of life experiences and a wealth of biblical knowledge to help sharpen their faith and smooth out the rough edges of their temperaments and personalities. They have survived the naivety and impulsiveness of youth, have witnessed the calming and healing powers of love, and have persevered through the storms and trials of life. God’s older men should be a wellspring of knowledge, wisdom and virtue for the family of God to draw from.
The same is true for God’s older women (verses 3-4). They are to be beautiful portraits of reverence and holiness. And there should be no question that older women play a vital role in the teaching of the Lord’s spiritual family. They should teach all the brethren by their godly example of love, wisdom and temperance; and there is no better qualified person to directly teach a young Christian woman how to be the kind of wife and mother that God wants her to be than our godly “mothers and grandmothers” in the faith.
Young women need to be taught how to properly love their husbands and children. This is not a skill that comes naturally and easily to most women. Husbands have a special set of needs to be met in order for them to feel loved and respected, and, let’s be honest—children can just make you crazy! Okay, men can do that too! That’s why we need godly, older women teaching faithful, younger women the knowledge and wisdom and love that they have accrued from a lifetime of experience of being a wife and mother and that they learned from older women when they were younger as well.
Friends, no matter what stage of life you may find yourself standing upon, God expects us to “act” in ways that harmonize with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our speech and our conduct must be consistent with the “sound doctrine” of the faith if we want to be pleasing to God and helpful to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each one of us has an appointment to keep (Judgment) and a part to play (in God’s family), no matter what our age or gender might be. If we refuse or neglect to live our lives accordingly, we do disservice to our spiritual family and we dishonor the word of God (verse 5).
Please read Titus 2:6-10 for tomorrow.
God’s blessings!
- Louie Taylor
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