Chapter 2
Paul tells Titus to teach sound doctrine, and then talks about how older men and women are to behave. Is this doctrine? Or just general character traits that a Christian should exhibit depending on age?
Look at the standard for "older men", but I presume older men who are not overseers, Just church members. Me, in fact. "Sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. There is a real life application study for me, learning what all these words mean.
2021-2, The above is Vs 2 in ESV. Below are other translations:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. [Tit 2:2 KJV]
2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. [Tit 2:2 NASB95]
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. [Tit 2:2 NIV]
So here's how the words line up:
Sober-minded, sober, temperate, temperate
Dignified, grave, dignified, worthy of respect
Self-controlled, temperate, sensible, self-controlled
Sound in faith, sound in faith, sound in faith, sound in faith. Guess there is very little wiggle room for this phrase!
Sound in love, sound in charity, sound in love, sound in love. Same.
Sound in steadfastness, sound in patience, sound in perseverance, sound in endurance.
There follow instructions to older women, then to young men. Titus seems to be included in the young men group, and is urged to live an exemplary life, beyond reproach. Then bondservant behavior is discussed.
This verse:
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, [Tit 2:13 ESV]
Jesus referred to as both God and Savior. Not an expert, but I don't see the article in front of either word.
2021 - Perhaps "our" serves as the definite article in this verse? KJV puts it in front of God (see KJV translation below). The Interlinear has a separate indicator in front of each word. In front of God it calls the indicator a "phrase", and the word is Strongs G3173, transliterated "megas". But megas is an adjective meaning great. The KJV definite article is not technically there. "of great God" is a more literal translation. But apparently some put in the and some put in our to make it read more smoothly. The word translated God is theos, used 1343 times in the KJV, and 1320 of those are the upper case God. ESV does it all differently. Note how it reads: "...the appearing of the glory of...", not the appearing of God and Jesus themselves. So much to be unraveled...
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; [Tit 2:13 KJV]
In 14, we see that Jesus redeemed us, to purify us for himself. We are his possession. I hadn't thought of redemption this way before. We were purchased from a previous master - our sin - and so freed from that, but the redeemer now owns us. We are not free to do as we like, but are now beholden in every way to the one who bought us and so saved us from death. The redemption - which was voluntary on his part, not required by him - saved us from inevitable death under our former master who had no care for us at all.
In 15, Paul urges Titus to "exhort and rebuke". Perhaps this "rebuke them" is repeated often because Titus was not very confrontational (I don't think Timothy was either, and both of them were apparently quite young), or perhaps because the Cretans were as described in chapter 1 and need constant "prodding".