Titus 2:10

Titus

CHRISTIANS MAKING THE GOSPEL BEAUTIFUL

Tit 2:10

THAT is a wonderful hope to hold forth before any man, that he may add beauty to the gospel. And it is still more wonderful when we remember that these words were originally addressed to a handful of slaves - the lowest of the population, whose lives were passed in sordid squalor; whose duties Were narrow and often repulsive, and yet they in their limited sphere and lowly lot might make fairer the truth which is already beautiful with all the beauty of God.

I. Let us then think for a moment of this wonderful possibility that is opened out here before every Christian, that he may add beauty to the gospel.

He may paint the lily and gild the refined gold; for men do quite rightly and legitimately, judge of systems by their followers. It would not be a fair thing to test a philosophy or a body of political or scientific truth by the conduct and character of the men who professed it; but it is a perfectly fair thing, under certain conditions and in certain limits, to test a system of practical morality, which professes to do certain things with people’s character and conduct, by its professors. It is just as fair, when a creed comes before our notice which assumes to influence men’s conduct, to say:

‘Well, I should like to see it working,’ as it is for any of you mill-owners to say, when a man comes to you with a fine invention upon paper, ‘Have you got a working model of it? Has it ever been tried? What have been the results that have been secured by it?’ Or as it would be to say to anybody that claimed to have got a ‘medicine that will cure consumption,’ to say:

‘Have you any cases? Can you quote any cures?’ So when we Christians stand up and say, ‘We have a faith which is able to deaden men’s minds to the world; which is able to make them unselfish; which is able to lift them up above cares and sorrows; which is able to take men and transform their whole nature, and put new desires and hopes and joys into them’; it is quite fair for the world to say: ‘Have you? Does it? Does it do so with you? Can you produce your lives as working models of Christianity? Can you produce your cure as a proof of the curative power of the gospel that you profess?’

So, dear friends, this possibility does lie before all Christian men, that they may by their lives conciliate prejudices, prepare people to listen favourably to the message of God’s love, win over men from their aura-gonism, and make them say: ‘Well, after all, there is something in that Christianity.’

It is not altogether and without limitation a fair thing to do to argue back from the lives of disciples to the truth of the creed, because all men are worse than their principles; and because, too, though a Christian man’s goodness ought to be put down to the credit of his creed, a Christian man’s badness ought to be put down to the debit of himself. But somehow or other the world, when it sees Christian people that do not live up to the level of their profession, does say, however illogically, both of two things, both of which cannot be true; first of all, ‘A pretty kind of Christians these are!’ and second, ‘There cannot be much in the system that produces such!’ One or other of the two things they ought to say. They ought either to say: ‘You are a hypocrite!’ or they ought to say: ‘Your Christianity is not worth much!’ But, illogically enough, they generally say both. And so you both damage yourselves in their eyes, and damage the religion you profess, by your inconsistencies and your faults.

Our lives ought to be like the mirror of a reflecting telescope. The astronomer does not look directly up into the sky when he wants to watch the heavenly bodies, but down into the mirror on which their reflection is cast. And so our little, low lives down here upon earth should so give back the starry bodies and infinitudes above us that some dim eyes, which peradventure could not gaze into the violet abysses with their lustrous points, may behold them reflected in the beauty of our life. The doctrines of Christianity, when they are only in words, are less fair than the same truths when they are embodied in a life. It is beautiful to say: ‘If ye love Me keep My commandments’; but the beauty of the words is less than when they are illustrated in a life. Our lives should be like the old missals, where you find the loving care of the monastic scribe has illuminated and illustrated the holy text, or has rubricated and gilded some of the letters. The best Illustrated Bible is the conduct of the people who profess to take it for their guide and law.

II. So much, then, for the first point, the wondrous possibility that is opened in this text. Now let me say a word about the other side the solemn alternative.

If you look at the context you will see that a set of exhortations preceding these to the slaves, which are addressed to the wives, end with urging as the great motive to the conduct enjoined, ‘that the Word of God be not blasphemed.’ That is the other side of the same thought as is in my text. The issues of the conduct of professing Christians are the one or other of these two, either to add beauty to the gospel or to cause the Word of God to be blasphemed. If you do not the one you will be doing the other. If my life is not throwing back honour upon the gospel from which it manifestly flows, and by which it is manifestly molded, it will be throwing back discredit. Your lives, professing Christians, are not neutral in their effect upon men’s estimate of your creed. Either you attract or repel. The one pole of the magnet or the other you do present. Either you make men think better of God’s truth, or you make them think worse of it. There are no worse enemies of the gospel than its inconsistent friends. That is especially true in lands where the Christian Church is a little band amongst heathens, as was the case with the churches of which Titus had charge. Who is it that thwarts missionary work in India? Englishmen. Who is it that, wherever they go with their ships, put a taunt into the lips of the enemy which Christian workers find it hard to meet? English sailors. The notorious dissipation and immorality amongst the representatives of English commerce in the various Eastern centers of trade puts a taunt into the mouth of the abstemious Hindu and of the Chinaman. ‘These are your Christians, are they?’ England, that sends out missionaries in the cabin, and Bibles and rum side by side amongst the cargo, has to listen, and her people have to take to themselves the awful words with which the ancient Jewish inconsistencies were rebuked: ‘Through you the name of God is blasphemed amongst the Gentiles.’

And in less solemn manner perhaps, but just truly, here, in a so-called Christian land, the inconsistencies, the selfishness, the worldliness of professing Christian people, the absolute absence of all apparent difference between them and the most godless man in the same circumstances, are the things which perhaps more than anything else counteract the evangelistic efforts of the Christian Church. What is the good of my one voice preaching, if so many live in diametrical opposition to that which has been preached? One man pulls one way for twenty-five minutes, and hundreds pull the other way for a week; which will pull the most? If the Christian Church, and we as members of it, were living as we ought to do, and as we might do, far more than all eloquent teaching would be the result of our simple lives of transparent godliness. My brother! I bring to each of you the very solemn question: Do you repel or attract? You have, perhaps, children. Are they favourably disposed to Christianity because of what they see in the lives of their father and mother? or do your inconsistencies, which the sharp eyes that see you in your easy moments at home cannot hut notice however loving they may be, drive them away and disgust them with a profession of religion, and with religion itself?

You have friends and acquaintances, and a circle whom you influence. Do you influence them to look with favour upon that Word which has made you what you are? Or do you turn them away from it?

Remember, remember,

either you beautify or

you blaspheme the gospel by your conduct.

III. Once more, let me ask you to consider the sort of life that will thus commend and adorn the gospel

First of all it must be a life conspicuously and uniformly under the influence of Christian principles. I put emphasis upon these two words ‘conspicuously’ and ‘uniformly.’ You will be of very little use if your Christian principle is so buried in your life, embedded beneath a mass of selfishness and worldliness and indifference as that it takes a microscope, and a week’s looking for to find it. And you will be of very little use, either, if your life is by fits and starts under the influence of Christian principle; a minute guided by that and ten minutes guided by the other thing ; - if here and there, sprinkled thinly over the rotting mass, there be a handful of the saving salt. We want uniformity and we want conspicuousness of Christian principle in our lives if they are to be a power to witness for our Master.

And remember, too, as the context teaches us, that the lives which commend and adorn the doctrine must be such as manifest Christian principle in the smallest details. These slaves, in their smoky huts, with their little tasks, and by the exercise of very homely virtues, were to ‘adorn the doctrine.’ Do you ever notice what it is that Paul tells them to ‘do that they may’ adorn the doctrine’? Here is the list - ‘Obedient to their masters, not answering again, not purloining but showing all good fidelity.’ Very homely virtues; there is nothing at all lofty or transcendent or above the pedestrian level of a prosaic life in that. Obedience, keeping a civil tongue in their heads in the midst of provocation, not indulging in petty pilfering, being true to the trust that was given to them. ‘That is no great thing,’ you may say, but in these little things they were to adorn the great doctrine of God their Saviour. Ay! the smallest duties are in some sense the largest sphere for the operation of great principles. For it is the little duties which by their minuteness tempt men to think that they can do them without calling in the great principles of conduct, that give the colour to every life after all. You can write the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten Commandments in the space of a three penny bit; you can make all the beauty and all the sanctifying power of the gospel visible and manifest within the narrow circle of the smallest duties that the lowest station has to perform. The little banks of mud in the wheel-tracks in the road are shaped upon the same slopes, and moulded by the same law that carves the mountains and lifts the precipices of the Himalayas. And a handful of snow in the hedge in the winter time will fall into the same curves, and be obedient to the same great physical laws which shape the glaciers that lie on the sides of the Alps. You do not want big things in order, largely and nobly, to manifest big principles. The smallest duties, distinctly done for Christ’s sake, will adorn the doctrine: -

‘A servant, with this clause, Makes drudgery divine;

Who sweeps a house as by Thy laws

Makes that and the calling fine.’

‘Adorn the doctrine of God in all things.’ And then again, I may say that the manner of life which commends the gospel will be one conspicuously above the level of the morality of the class to which you belong. These slaves were warned not to fall into the vices that were proper to their class, in order that by not falling into them, and so being unlike their fellows, they might glorify the gospel For the things that Paul warns them not to do are the faults which all history and experience tell us are exactly the vices of the slave - petty pilfering, a rank tongue blossoming into insolent speech, a disregard of the master’s interests, sulky disobedience or sly evasion of the command. These are the kind of things that the devilish institution of slavery makes almost necessary on the part of the slave, unless some higher motive and loftier principle come in to counteract the effects.

And in like manner all of us have, in the class to which we belong, and the sort of life which we have to live, certain evils natural to our position; and unless you are unlike the non-Christian men of your own profession and the people that are under the same worldly influence as you are - unless you are unlike them in that your righteousness exceeds their righteousness, ‘Ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ My brother, if you and the godless man whose warehouse is up the same staircase pursue your business on the same maxims, have the same ideas as to what is desirable, press towards the same end, take the same short cuts through some morality in order to reach it, what is the good of your saying you are a Christian? If there is no difference between you and them, to your advantage and to the advantage of the gospel that you profess, say no more about your being dead to the world by the Cross of Christ, and living for higher and other motives.

If you are to adorn the doctrine you must conspicuously and uniformly, in great things and in small things, be living by other laws than those obey who believe not the doctrine. Unless it can be said of us: ‘There is a people here whose laws are different from all people that be on the earth,’ we shall never beautify the gospel of Christ.

And now one last word. How is such a manner of life to be attained? I know of only one way, and that is by continually living near Jesus Christ. If we are to beautify Him, He must first beautify us. If we are to adorn the doctrine, the doctrine must adorn us. That is to say, it is only when we live near Him, are in constant touch of His hand, and communion with His spirit, it is only then that His beauty shall pass into our faces, and that beholding the glory of the Lord ‘we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory.’ We must be on the mountain like Moses in fellowship with our Master, if we are to come down and walk amongst men with radiance streaming from our countenance, so as that all that look upon us shall behold our face ‘as it had been the face of an angel.’ ‘Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord; this people have I formed for Myself, they shall show forth My praise’

Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tit 2:10. Ἀγαθὴν, good) in things not evil.—κοσμῶσιν, may adorn) The lower the condition of servants, the more beautifully is their piety described. [Even such as they should not cast themselves away, as if it were of no importance what sort of persons they were.—V. g.]

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tit 2:10 . μὴ νοσφιζομένους : non fraudantes (Vulg.), not purloining . The particular form of theft implied is the abstraction or retention for oneself, of a part of something entrusted to one’s care.

πᾶσαν πίστιν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀγαθήν : displaying the utmost trustworthiness . There is a similar phrase in ch. Tit 3:2 , πᾶσαν ἐνδεικ . πραΰτητα . See note on 2Ti 4:14 . On this use of πᾶς , See on 1Ti 1:15 . πίστιν has a qualifying adj. elsewhere, e.g. , ἀνυπόκριτος (1Ti 1:5 ; 2Ti 1:5 . Cf. ch. Tit 1:4 . 2Pe 1 ; Jud 1:20 ), but the addition of another adj. after πᾶς is unusual. In Clem. Rom 1 Cor. 26 πίστις ἀγαθή is rendered by Lightfoot honest faith ; but honest fidelity would be an odd expression. Von Soden would give ἀγαθή here the sense of kind, wishing well , as in Tit 2:5 , and as a contrast to ἀντιλεγ ., as πιστιν is to νοσφ . W.H. suggest that the original reading here was πᾶσαν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀγάπην . See apparat. crit.

διδασκαλίαν : See note on 1Ti 1:10 .

Θεοῦ refers to God the Father. See Tit 1:3 . Von Soden takes it here as objective genitive; the διδασκαλία being set forth in Tit 2:11-14 .

κοσμῶσιν : cf. 1Ti 2:9 , κοσμεῖν ἑαυτάς … διʼ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν . The διδασκαλία , though really practical, can be plausibly alleged to be mere theory; it must then, by good works, be rendered attractive to them that are without. Cf. Mat 5:16 , Phi 2:15 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Not purloining--Greek, "Not appropriating" what does not belong to one. It means "keeping back" dishonestly or deceitfully (Act 5:2-3).

showing--manifesting in acts.

all--all possible.

good--really good; not so in mere appearance (Eph 6:5-6; Col 3:22-24). "The heathen do not judge of the Christian's doctrines from the doctrine, but from his actions and life" [CHRYSOSTOM]. Men will write, fight, and even die for their religion; but how few live for it! Translate, "That they may adorn the doctrine of our Saviour God," that is, God the Father, the originating author of salvation (compare Note, see on Ti1 1:1). God deigns to have His Gospel-doctrine adorned even by slaves, who are regarded by the world as no better than beasts of burden. "Though the service be rendered to an earthly master, the honor redounds to God, as the servant's goodwill flows from the fear of God" [THEOPHYLACT]. Even slaves, low as is their status, should not think the influence of their example a matter of no consequence to religion: how much more those in a high position. His love in being "our Saviour" is the strongest ground for our adorning His doctrine by our lives. This is the force of "For" in Tit 2:11.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. Not purloining] μη νοσφιζομενους. Neither giving away, privately selling, nor in any way wasting, the master's goods. The word signifies, not only stealing but embezzling another's property; keeping back a part of the price of any commodity sold on the master's account. In Ac 5:2, we translate it, to keep back part of the price; the crime of which Ananias and Sapphira were guilty. It has been remarked that among the heathens this species of fraud was very frequent; and servants were so noted for purloining and embezzling their master's property that fur, which signifies a thief, was commonly used to signify a servant; hence that verse in Virgil, Eclog. iii. 16: -

Quid domini faciant, audent cum talia FURES?

"What may not masters do, when servants (thieves) are so bold?"

On which Servius remarks: Pro SERVO FUREM posuit, furta enim specialiter servorum sunt. Sic Plautus de servo, Homo es trium literarum, i.e. fur. "He puts fur, a thief, to signify a servant, because servants are commonly thieves. Thus Plautus, speaking of a servant, says: Thou art a man of three letters, i.e. f-u-r, a thief." And Terence denominates a number of servants, munipulus furum, "a bundle of thieves." Eun. 4, 7, 6. The place in Plautus to which Servius refers is in Aulul., act ii. scene iv. in fine: -

-------------Tun', trium literarum homo,

Me vituperas? F-u-r, etiam fur trifurcifer.

"Dost thou blame me, thou man of three letters?

Thou art a thief, and the most notorious of all knaves."

It was necessary, therefore, that the apostle should be so very particular in his directions to servants, as they were in general thieves almost by profession.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10 Not thievish but shewing all good faith He censures two vices that are common among servants, petulant replies, and a propensity to steal. The comedies are full of instances of excessively ready talk, by which servants cheat their masters. Nor was it without reason that an exchange of names took place in ancient times, by which “servant “and “thief “became convertible terms. Thus prudence requires that we make our instructions apply to the morals of each individual.

By faith he means fidelity to their masters; and therefore, to shew all faith is to act faithfully, without using fraud or doing injury, in transacting the affairs of their masters.

That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things This ought to be a very sharp spur of exhortation to us, when we learn that our becoming conduct adorns the doctrine of God, which, at the same time, is a mirror of his glory. And, indeed, we see that this usually happens; as, on the other hand, our wicked life brings disgrace upon it; for men commonly judge of us from our works. But this circumstance ought also to be observed, that God deigns to receive an “ornament” from shaves, whose condition was so low and mean that they were wont to be scarcely accounted men; for he does not mean “servants,” such as we have in the present day, but slaves, who were bought with money, and held as property, like oxen or horses. And if the life of those men is an ornament to the Christian name, much more let those who are in honor take care that they do not stain it by their baseness.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(10) Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity.—It must be remembered that many of the slaves in the Roman empire were employed in other duties besides those connected with the house or on the farm. Some were entrusted with shops, and these being left often quite to themselves, of course great opportunities for dishonesty and fraud were constantly present. Others received an elaborate training, and as artists, or even physicians, worked in part for their masters. A slave in the days of St. Paul had a hundred ways of showing to his owner this true and genuine fidelity, opposed to mere assumed surface obedience and service.

That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.—A slave cheerfully accepting his hard yoke, and striving with hand and brain to please and advance the interest of his earthly master only for the dear love of Christ, must have been in those days of cynical self-love a silent, yet a most powerful preacher of a gospel which could so mould and elevate a character so degraded. Calvin remarks that it is indeed noteworthy how God deigns to receive an adornment from slaves, whose condition was so mean and abject that scarcely were they considered to rank among men at all; “they were ranked as ‘possessions.’ just like cattle or horses.” Professor Reynolds very happily remarks here: “This teaching of St. Paul is in harmony with the words of the Lord Jesus—out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise. God gets His highest praise from the lips of little children, His robes of glory from the faithfulness, honour, and simplicity of born slaves.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. not purloining] Old French purloigner, i.e. pour-loin, to convey far, to ‘make away with,’ rendering the adverb in the Greek ‘afar,’ ‘apart.’ The verb only occurs in N.T. here and Act_5:2-3, ‘put away part of the price.’

But ‘purloin’ has come to have so petty a meaning as to narrow unduly the thought here. Almost all trades arts and professions were at this time in the hands of slaves; and so all tricks of trade, all mercantile or professional embezzlement and dishonesty, are covered by the word; just as ‘all good fidelity’ ‘covers the whole realm of thought, of speech temper and gesture, as well as embraces the sanctity of covenants, the sacredness of property, and the dignity of mutual relations.’

all good fidelity] The weight of ms. authority is in favour of this reading, though ‘all love’ has strong support.

God our Saviour] God the Father, as above, 1Ti_1:1, &c.; render our Saviour God. The phrase fits with the thought, ‘quo vilior servorum conditio eo dignior Deus Salvator, dignior Dei redemptio.’ Dr Reynolds quotes Chrysostom, ‘The Greeks judge of doctrines, not from the doctrine itself but from conduct and life; women and slaves may be, in and of themselves, teachers,’ and adds, ‘God gets his highest praise from the lips of little children, his robes of glory from the faithfulness honour and simplicity of bondslaves.’ Sec Appendix, J, on St Paul and Slavery.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Teaching us,.... Not all men, to whom the Gospel appears in its outward ministry; for there are many who externally receive the Gospel, and profess it, who are never influentially taught by it to deny sin, or love holiness of life; they profess in words to know it, but in works deny it; they have a form of godliness, but deny its power: but the persons effectually taught by the Gospel are the "us", to whom it was come, not in word only, but in power; and so taught them, not only doctrinally, but with efficacy, both negative and positive holiness, as follows:

that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts; all impiety, or sin more immediately against God; or which is a violation of the first table of the law, as idolatry, will worship, superstition, perjury, and the like; and all sinful lusts, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; which fill the world, and are reigning lusts in it, and which are common to the men of the world; and they are under the power of: to "deny" these, is to abhor and detest them, and to abstain from them, and have nothing to do with them: and this lesson of self-denial, or of the denial of sinful self, the Gospel teaches, and urges upon the most powerful motives and arguments; and when attended by the Spirit of God, does it effectually: so that

we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; not, only "temperately", but wisely and prudently, as children of the light, on whom, and into whom the Gospel has shined; and "righteously" among men, giving to every man his due, and dealing with all according to the rules of equity and justice; as being made new men, created unto righteousness and true holiness; and as being dead to sin, through the death of Christ, and so living unto righteousness, or in a righteous manner; and as being justified by the righteousness of Christ, revealed in the Gospel: and "godly"; in a godly manner, according to the Word of God, and agreeably to the will of God; and in all godly exercises, both public and private, and to the glory of God: and that as long as

in this present world: which lies in wickedness, and in which there are so many strong temptations to a contrary way of living. The Gospel then is no licentious doctrine; it is according to godliness, and teaches and promotes it; it is an holy faith, yea, a most holy faith; wherefore it is a vile slander to charge it with leading to looseness of life and conversation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

Ver. 10. Not purloining] Interverting, embezzling their master’s estates, ordinary among the Romans, which made them call servants and thieves by one name, {a} ordinary among the Hebrews; whence that saying of Rabbi Gamaliel, Marbe gnabadim, marbe gezel, He that multiplieth servants, multiplieth thieves. {Pirke-aboth, Tit 1:1-16} Ordinary also among us, whence that proverb, "He that will be rich must ask his servant’s leave."

{a} Audent cum talia fures. Virgil.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Not purloining - Not to appropriate to themselves what belongs to their masters. The word “purloin” means, literally, to take or carry away for oneself; and would be applied to an approbation to oneself of what pertained to a common stock, or what belonged to one in whose employ we are - as the embezzlement of public funds. Here it means that the servant was not to apply to his own use what belonged to his master; that is, was not to pilfer - a vice to which, as all know, servants, and especially slaves, are particularly exposed; see the word explained in the notes at Act 5:2.

But showing all good fidelity - In laboring, and in taking care of the property intrusted to them.

That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things - That they may show the fair influence of religion on them, in all respects, making them industrious, honest, kind, and obedient. They were to show that the effect of the religion which they professed was to make them better fitted to discharge the duties of their station in life, however humble; or that its influence on them was desirable in every respect. In this way, they might hope also that the minds of their masters might be reached, and that they might be brought to respect and love the gospel. Hence, learn:

(1) That one in the most humble walk of life may so live as to be an ornament to religion, as well as one favored with more advantages.

(2) That servants may do much good, by so living as to show to all around them that there is a reality in the gospel, and to lead others to love it.

(3) If in this situation of life, it is a duty so to live as to adorn religion, it cannot be less so in more elevated situations. A master should feel the obligation not to be surpassed in religious character by his servant.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Not defrauding.[3] St. Jerome puts, not stealing. The Greek signifies private thefts. Dr. Wells, not by filching. --- That they may adorn (or give honour to) the doctrine of God, our Saviour, in all things; by whom we may understand God, i.e. Christ, God and Man, or God as common to the three divine persons. (Witham) --- Thus ought they to shew forth in their whole conduct that strict love of justice and sanctity which the Catholic faith inspires into those who profess it, and live up to the admirable rules it prescribes; thus alone can they be said to do honour to their religion, when they practically perform what they speculatively believe.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Non fraudantes, Greek: me nosphizomenous, non suffurantes.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Not purloining; nosfizomenouv the word signifieth taking something away from others to our own use, and it signifies properly the taking not the whole, but a part of a thing; it is used to signify the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, who kept back part of what they sold their estate for, Act 5:2,3.

But showing all good fidelity; honesty, and truth, and diligence.

That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things; that they may not be a scandal or reproach to the gospel to which they make a profession, but may be an ornament to it in all things, as remembering that it is the doctrine of God our great Preserver, and of Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Purloining (nosfizomenouv); literally, separating for their own use what does not belong to them. So Act_5:2, Act_5:3, to keep back part." It is used in the same sense by the 70: Jos_7:1 of Achan, and RAPC 2Ma 4:32 of Menelaus, and occasionally in classical Greek (Xenophon, Polybius, etc.). Showing (endeiknumenouv). It occurs eleven times in the New Testament, viz. twice in Hebrews, and nine times in St. Paul"s acknowledged Epistles. All good fidelity. All fidelity means fidelity in everything where fidelity is required in a faithful servant care of his master"s property, conscientious labor, keeping of time, acting behind his master"s back the same as before his face. The singular addition agayhn , coming after endeiknumenouv , must mean, as Bengel says, "in all good things." The duty of fidelity does not extend to crime or wrong-doing. The word "good" is like the addition in the oath of canonical obedience, "in all honest things," and is a necessary limitation to the preceding "all". (see Tit_3:1, and note) The doctrine (thon) as in ver. 1 (where see note). In Tit_1:9 (where see note) h didach is used in the same way. This use of didaskalia is confirmed by the reading of the R.T., which inserts a second thn before tou swthrov . Adorn the doctrine. The sentiment is the same as that in 1Pe_2:12 1Pe_4:11. Christians are exhorted to give glory to God, and support and honor to the gospel of God"s grace, by their good works and holy lives. God our Savior. (see 1Ti_1:1 1Ti_2:3 1Ti_4:10; and above, Tit_1:3, note) In all things (en pasin); as 1Pe_4:11.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Showing all good fidelity - Soft, obliging faithfulness That they may adorn the doctrine of God our saviour - More than St. Paul says of kings. How he raises the lowness of his subject! So may they, the lowness of their condition.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

10. Not purloining. Men robbed of liberty and labor have always been under temptation to steal. Good fidelity. Faithfulness in duty which will secure the master's confidence. That they may adorn. The virtues of a Christian servant would commend Christianity to the master. As a matter of fact we know that many masters were converted by their servants.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

10. μὴ νοσφιζομένους. WH give μηδέ a place in their margin, on the authority of CbD2*G 17; אAC*D2cEKLP &c. have μή.

πᾶσαν πίστιν. There is some confusion about the order. The reading of the text has the weight of uncial authority, viz. אcACD2EP and d e, on its side; and it is in favour of this, as Ellicott points out, that in St Paul (except Eph 4:19) where πᾶς is in connexion with an abstract and anarthrous substantive, it always precedes the noun. The rec. text has πίστιν πᾶσαν with KL (so also Chrysostom, Theodoret, and the Latin Vulgate). It is remarkable that א*17 omit πίστιν altogether, and 17 for the following ἀγαθήν has ἀγάπην; WH, in consequence, place πᾶσαν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀγάπην in their margin, as a reading of which it is quite possible that the others may be corruptions. See exegetical note.

τὴν διδασκαλίαν τήν. The second τήν is wanting in rec. text as it is in KLP and some other authorities; ins. אACD2EG 17, Chrysostom and Theodoret.

ἡμῶν. The rec. text has ὑμῶν, apparently through a printer’s error, for it has no MS. support.

10. μὴ νοσφιζομένους, not purloining; for νοσφίζεσθαι cp. Act 5:3; 2Ma 4:32. Tyndale’s “neither be pickers” gives the sense exactly; the allusion is to the petty thefts which are always possible for a dishonest servant.

ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν πίστιν ἐνδεικνυμένους ἀγαθήν, but shewing all good fidelity, sc. shewing good faith on every possible occasion; see note on the extensive force of πᾶς in St Paul, at 1Ti 1:15. πίστις here = fidelitas, the fidelity which slaves owe to their masters, servants to those who employ them.

ἵνα τὴν διδασκαλίας κ.τ.λ., that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, sc. in every department and call of duty. κοσμεῖν ‘to adorn,’ is used of the ‘setting’ of a jewel; and so, here, ‘the doctrine of God our Saviour’ is, as it were, ‘set off,’ and exhibited in a favourable light to the unbelieving world, by the conduct of those who, in whatever station, profess belief in it. For the title ‘our Saviour’ as applied to God the Father, see note on 1Ti 1:1 and cp. 1Ti 4:10.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. πᾶσαν πίστιν (cf. Gal 5:22) ἐνδεικνυμένους] Cf. Pap. Oxyr. iii. 494. 9, καταλείπω τῇ γυναικί μου . . . εὐνοούσῃ μοι καὶ πᾶσαν πίστιν ἐνδεικνυμένῃ ἃ ἐὰν ἀπολείπω ἔπιπλα.

ἀγαθήν] possibly limiting πᾶσαν, “in rebus non malis” (Bengel); but almost certainly strengthening it “with a hearty good will”=μετʼ εὐνοίας, Eph 6:7; ἐλεύθερα ἀφίημ . . . κατʼ εὔνοιαν καὶ φιλοστοργίαν δοῦλά μου σώματα, Pap. Oxyr., ubi supra, line 6,

W.-H. place in the margin, as an alternative reading, πᾶσαν ἐνδ. ἀγάπην: but Pap. Oxyr. strongly supports πᾶσαν πίστιν, and ἀγάπην may have been an attempt to avoid the doubtful meaning of ἀγαθήν: cf. Introd., p. xxxviii.

κοσμῶσιν] “Quo vilior conditio servorum, eo pulchrius describitur eorum pietas,” Bengel (“that they may do worshippe to the doctrine,” Tynd. Cranmer). The very difficulty of the slaves’ position—for which see an interesting note in Chry sostom—makes his loyalty redound the more to the credit of the Gospel, and show that it is a Gospel of glory, 1Ti_1:ll; cf. G. Herbert:

“Who sweeps a room as for thy laws

Makes that and the action fine.”

The notes of St. Thomas Aquinas on vv. 2-10 show a shrewd knowledge of human nature, and the appropriateness of each quality to be pressed upon each class.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Purloining [νοσφιζομενους] . Only here and Act 5:2, 3. LXX, Jos 7:1; 2 Macc. 4 32. Often in Class. From nosfi apart. The fundamental idea of the word is to put far away from another; to set apart for one's self; hence to purloin and appropriate to one's own use. Purloin is akin to prolong : prolongyn or purlongyn "to put fer awey." Old French porloignier or purloignier.

Shewing all good fidelity [πασαν πιστιν ενδεικνομενος αγαθην] . The phrase N. T. o. This is the only instance in N. T. of ajgaqov with pistiv.

Adorn the doctrine (thn didaskalian kosmwsin). The phrase N. T. o. For kosmwsin adorn, see on 1Ti 2:9.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.