Titus 1 commentary


       1: Paul a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to preach the faith of God's elect Tyndale and the knowledge of that truth Which truth is in serving God [2:] in hope of Eternal Life which God who cannot lie promised before the world began 3: But has at the time appointed[1] opened his word by preaching which is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior [2] 4: To Titus mine own son after the common faith Grace mercy and peace from Theon God (Father and Lord) Jesus Christ our Savior 5: For this cause I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I had appointed you 6: If any be blameless the husband of one wife[3] not practicing poygamy having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly 7: For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God not self-willed not soon angry not given to wine no striker [not a wife-beater] 1 Timothy 3:3 not greedy for sordid gain 8: given to hospitality loving that which is good sober just holy temperate 9: Holding fast the Faithful Word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers 10: For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers specially they of the circumcision[4] 11: Whose mouths must be stopped who overthrow entire households[5] 2 Timothy 3:6 teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake 12: One of themselves even a prophet of their own said The Cretians are always liars evil beasts slow bellies 13: This witness is true Wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith 14: Not giving heed to Jewish fables and man-made commandments that turn from the truth 15: Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their minds and conscience are defiled 16: They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate


[1] The times and seasons God has ordained are appointed and pre-set Ecclesiastes 3:1; Daniel 8:19,12:9; Acts 17:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:1; 1 Peter 1:19-20

[2] …and there is no God else beside me a just God and a Savior there is none beside me Isaiah 45:21  …all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer Isaiah 49:26 One God. One Savior. Jesus is God.

[3] This verse refers to polygamy—not to divorce. Having multiple wives was not uncommon among the earliest believers. Jesus clarified that having one wife (and not getting rid of her for just any reason) was God’s perfect will. There is biblical prohibition against adultery and treacherous divorce but no prohibition against divorced believers serving in any capacity God chooses to call them.

[4] Paul is speaking of Jews (the circumcision) here, referring to professing believers (false though they were) who had found a way to financially profit from dragging Christians back into the bondage of the Law. Paul had strong words for the Galatians on that subject.

[5] Paul used strong language in dealing with false teachers. He did not merely say they deceived people and led them into error, which is bad enough; he wrote that through error, their victims were overthrown
   In English, to overthrow means to bring about downfall or destruction, as does the Greek word, anatrepō, which is used in this passage. It is unfortunate that Bible commentators mitigate the destruction of God’s people by adding the word “figuratively” in their definitions of the downfall or destruction of victims that the word, anatrepō, refers to. There is nothing figurative about an eternity of destruction that results from being spiritually overthrown by false teachers, whose goal is to financially sack their victims. Victims are financially overthrown  when income streams or wealth is funneled it to the false teachers or when they liquidate and give their entire net worth to the false teacher. 
   These victims are plundered both spiritually and financially through deceit and greed.  
   Contending for the faith is serious business. 
   The motivation of false teachers is generally greed, and they prey on either legitimate needs of their victims or on their victim’s sins or weaknesses. 
   One of the most common weaknesses in the Body of Christ, is not having a working, conversive, knowledge of the Bible. There is great protection in being full of the knowledge of God—which can only happen if we fill our minds and spirits with His Word and ask the Holy Spirit to give us understanding [we must read it for ourselves, not depend on the interpretations of others]. The Word of God encompasses every part of the Armor of God—most of which is defensive, protective. 
   Knowing the Word and acting on it is a protection from the many snares the enemy of our souls lays for us. So we see that contending for the faith is an urgent business and involves biblical literacy. 
   One thing is true of most victims; they quickly become defensive of their teachers and conversive in the false doctrines they embrace. They quickly memorize talking points, mantras, and slogans that discourage constructive discussion when defending their paradigm or leader. 
   Believers who depend upon daily Bible devotions and Bible studies for all their Bible knowledge are also at risk. Daily devotions can be helpful but are  limited. When these are the sum total of our Bible reading, the vast majority of the Bible never gets read. 
   The only way to ensure the protection of biblical literacy is to read our entire Bibles on a daily and systematic basis. This writer, recommends reading our Bibles every day, always picking up today where we left off yesterday.

1 Timothy 3 commentary


    1: This is a true saying If any desire the episkopē  (the over-sight) they desire a good work 2: Overseers then must be blameless husbands of [only] one wife not polygamists vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach 3: Not given to wine no striker [not wife-beaters] not greedy of sordid gain but patient not brawlers nor covetous 4: managing well their own households having children in obedience with all respect 5: For if any know not how to manage their own households how shall they care for the Church of God 6: Not novices lest being lifted up with pride they fall into the condemnation of the devil 7: Moreover they must have good reports of them which are without lest they fall into reproach and the snares of the devil 8: Likewise diakonos servants of the Body of Christ [must] be honest not doubletongued not given to much wine nor greedy for sordid gain 9: Holding [forth] the mystery of the faith with pure consciences 10: And let these also first be tested then let them serve being found blameless 11: Likewise women [who desire the office, be] honest not slanderers sober faithful in all things[1] 12: Let diakonos [servants] be husbands of [only] one wife setting before their children and their households good [examples] 13: For they that have served well purchase to themselves a good reputation and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus 14: These things write I unto thee hoping to come to you shortly 15: But if I tarry that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God [who is] the pillar and ground of the truth 16: And without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh [Jesus] justified in the Spirit seen of angels preached to the Gentiles [Jesus] believed on in the world received up into glory [Jesus is God]


[1] There is nothing in this chapter that excludes women from service in any capacity the Spirit of the Lord may call them—even overseers if that is the case.

2 Timothy 4 commentary


       1: I earnestly testify therefore before the God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom 2: Proclaim THE WORD stand in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all patience and teaching
3: For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound teaching but after their own desires they shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears 4: And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto mythos 5: But you watch in all things endure afflictions do the work of an evangelist fully carry out your service diakonia 6: For I am now ready to be offered to die and the time of my departure death is at hand 7: I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith 8: It remains then [that] there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me on that day and not to me only but to all [who] also love his appearing 9: Endeavor to come to me quickly 10: For Demas has forsaken me having loved this present age and is left for Thessalonica Crescens to Galatia Titus to Dalmatia 11: Only Luke is with me Take Mark and bring him with you for he is profitable to me for diakonia service 12: And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus 13: The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come bring with you and the books but especially the parchments 14: Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil the Lord reward him according to his works[1]
15: Of whom you be wary [of] also for he has greatly withstood our words 16: At my first trial no one stood with me but all forsook me I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge 17: Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that by me the proclamation [of Christ] might be fully made and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion from death by beasts in the Colosseum 18: And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 19: Salute Prisca[2] and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus 20: Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick  21: Make every effort to come before winter Eubulus greets you and Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the adelphos [believers who are with me] 22: The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit Grace be with you Amen


[1] Paul did not appear to have a problem with naming names and expressing sentiments many would characterize as unchristian and making statements that seem to contradict Jesus’ words about loving your enemies and blessing them instead of cursing them. 

[2] In all male-dominated societies [virtually the entire planet—still today], it is customary, when referencing a married couple, to mention the husband first and then the wife. This is common protocol world-wide, including in the democracy of the United States. Yet we see Paul, in an ancient, and unapologetically androcentric, culture, list the wife’s [Prisca’s] name first. This is not coincidence. Both the Jewish culture and the Greek culture of the day, esteemed freeborn women only just above slaves in the social strata. But Jesus elevated the status of women [that men had lowered—not God] while he walked the earth, and his first followers continued in his example. The earliest efforts at “organizing” the early Church and the councils that followed, had everything to do with control in general and keeping woman in her “place” in particular. All of the early church “fathers” (this writer disagrees that they were any such thing) were misogynistic and  committed to the suppression of women in leadership. Yet, The great Apostle, in his letter to the young diakonos [servant of the Lord], had the audacity, not only to mention a woman teacher by name but to mention her before her husband. This is not insignificant.