something said (including the thought) · noun — genitive singular masculine
as
κατὰkata
G2596
(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
taught
διδαχὴνdidachēn
G1322
instruction (the act or the matter) · noun — accusative singular feminine
that
ἵναina
G2443
compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
be
ὦō
G5600
(may
able
δυνατὸςdunatos
G1415
powerful or capable (literally or figuratively) · adjective — nominative singular masculine
by
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
sound
ὑγιαινούσῃhugiainousē
G5198
to have sound health · verb — present active participle, dative singular feminine
doctrine
διδασκαλίᾳdidaskalia
G1319
instruction (the function or the information) · noun — dative singular feminine
both
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
exhort
παρακαλεῖνparakalein
G3870
to call near · verb — present active infinitive
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
convince
ἐλέγχειν.¶elegchein
G1651
to confute · verb — present active infinitive
gainsayers
ἀντιλέγονταςantilegontas
G483
to dispute · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is accord…
1 Timothy 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other…
1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a…
Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, o…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Titus 1:6–end
The apostle here gives Titus directions about ordination, showing whom he should ordain, and whom not.
I. Of those whom he should ordain. He points out their qualifications and virtues; such as respect their life and manners, and such as relate to their doctrine: the former in the sixth, seventh, and eighth verses, and the latter in the ninth.
1. Their qualifications respecting their life and manners are,
(1.) More general: If any be blameless; not absolutely without fault, so none are, for there is none that liveth and sinneth not; nor altogether unblamed, this is rare and difficult. Christ himself and his apostles were blamed, though not worthy of it. In Christ thee was certainly nothing b…
Holding fast--Holding firmly to (compare Mat 6:24; Luk 16:13).
the faithful--true and trustworthy (Ti1 1:15).
word as he has been taught--literally, "the word (which is) according to the teaching" which he has received (compare Ti1 4:6, end; Ti2 3:14).
by--Translate as Greek, "to exhort in doctrine (instruction) which is sound"; sound doctrine or instruction is the element IN which his exhorting is to have place . . . On "sound" (peculiar to the Pastoral Epistles), see Ti1 1:10; Ti1 6:3.
convince--rather, "reprove" [ALFORD], (Tit 1:13).
Adam Clarke on Titus 1:9
Holding fast the faithful word - Conscientiously retaining, and zealously maintaining, the true Christian doctrine, κατα την διδαχην, according to the instructions, or according to the institutions, form of sound doctrine, or confession of faith, which I have delivered to thee.
That he may be able by sound doctrine - If the doctrine be not sound, vain is the profession of it, and vain its influence. It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing; but zeal for what is not of God will do no good to the souls of men, how sincere soever that zeal may be.
To exhort - Them to hold the faith, that they may persevere.
And to convince - Refute the objections, confound the sophistry, and convert…
"For the bishop," he says, "must hold to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to convict even the gainsayers." How, then, if he is inexperienced at speaking, as they say, will he be able to convict the objectors and to stop their mouths? If it is permissible to welcome such inexperience in the episcopacy, then why should any church leader bother to read books and study the Scriptures? This is all just a pretense and excuse and a pretext for carelessness and indolence.
To Titus he gives commandment that among a bishop's other virtues [which he briefly describes] he should be careful to seek a knowledge of the Scriptures. A bishop, he says, must hold 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." In fact, want of education in a clergyman prevents him from doing good to any one but himself. Even if the virtue of his life may build up Christ's church, he does it an injury as great by failing to resist those who are trying to pull it down.
When Paul describes the character of those who are called bishops and portrays what sort of a man a bishop ought to be, he instructs that he should be a teacher. He must be "able also to refute the adversaries," that by his wisdom he may restrain those who speak vainly and deceive souls. He prefers for the episcopate a man once married rather than one twice married, and a man unblamable rather than blameable, and a sober man rather than one not of this character, and a prudent man rather than one imprudent, and an orderly man rather than one even slightly disorderly. In the same way he most wishes that the one who is to be selected as bishop should be a teacher and capable of "refuting adversaries."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Bishop — An overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters (Acts 20:17-28; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3). The term…
Bishop · (An overseer, a supervi — (An overseer, a supervi
Decision · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Doctrines Of The Gospel, The · Ministers should: Hold steadfastly — Ministers should: Hold steadfastly
Elder · IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH — IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Ministers · Are bound to: Exhort — Are bound to: Exhort
Perseverance · 1:10,22,23;2:7; — 1:10,22,23;2:7;
Steadfastness · Ministers: Exhorted to — Ministers: Exhorted to
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on Titus 1:9
Holding fast the faithful word,.... The doctrine of the Gospel, so called because it is true, and to be believed; it is the word of truth, and truth itself, and contains nothing but truth; and because it never deceived any, that gave credit to its doctrines, and its promises; and because it is pure, unmixed, and unadulterated, and is the sincere milk of the word; and because in it is a glorious display of the faithfulness of God to his perfections, to his holiness and justice, to his law, and to his covenant, word, and oath; and of the faithfulness of Christ, to him that appointed him and to his covenant engagements, and which has appeared in the discharge of his various offices: and this is…
Titus 1:7-9
7. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
7. oportet enim episcopum sine crimine esse sicut Dei dispensatorem non superbum non iracundum non vinolentum non percussorem non turpilucri cupidum
8. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
8. sed hospitalem benignum sobrium iustum sanctum continentem
9. Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
9. amplectentem eum qui secundum doctrinam est fidelem sermonem ut potens sit et exhortari in doct…
The elders had a leading role in teaching the community. This may have been necessary in dealing with the immediate threat to these particular communities (as also in Ephesus; see 1 Tim 3:1). • Only with a strong belief in the Good News would an elder be able to provide wholesome teaching. Paul’s specific concerns are addressed in Titus 2:1–3:11, in light of the problems mentioned in 1:10-16 and 3:9-11 (see also 1 Tim 1:10). • Titus had a similar role (cp. Titus 1:13; 2:15; 3:10-11). The local leadership would carry on where Paul and his delegates left off. • Those who oppose it are described in 1:10-16.
