The younger men in like manner exhort to be discreet
Paul has just addressed the older men, the older women, and the younger women. Now he turns to the young men, and gives them one instruction. Older translations call it being "sober-minded" or "discreet." Why is one word enough?
Paul asks one thing of them, and commentators say it is not one item on a list.
As for the young men, Titus is to urge them to be sober-minded, or discreet, as we have seen before. This, of course, is a covering virtue. It concerns the whole life. But Titus is also to show himself an example of good works, and that matters for the sake of the young men.
The word is wider than "sober" sounds today.
He was also to be "temperate." Our day has narrowed that word, and so far misused it. Its real meaning is self-control — not in one area, but in all. In a Christian, the sense of God's presence, His grace, and the fear of Him checks every way of expressing feeling or inclination.
Paul gave similar advice to another young worker. One writer draws on it to show what a young believer must hold back.
Avoid youthful lusts. Not only the worldly or bodily ones, but the "youthful" ones: acting on impulse, self-confidence, treating things lightly, impatience, and the like. It is not enough to guard against what older people would most resent. He was to pursue practical consistency, or righteousness. He was to walk in faith, not in mere human caution or policy. He was to hold on to love, not to selfish interests. He was to keep peace, not allow strife or push for his own will.
Young men might feel singled out. Read the chapter as a whole and the charge lands on everyone.
Titus 2 shows us the mind of the Spirit on sobriety in a very full and remarkable way. Read it, and you will find that every class of Christian here is plainly urged to be sober. Verse 2 urges that "the aged men be sober, grave," and so on; verse 3, that "the aged women likewise." Then verse 4 tells the older women to teach the young women to be sober. In verse 6 Titus is to urge the young men to be sober-minded, and in verse 7 Paul urges Titus himself to be serious. Finally, verse 12 speaks of the grace of God "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."
Pollock quotes an older translation, which says "sober" where the ESV has "self-controlled." That word keeps repeating here, and so does "sound."
"Soberly." This word appears five times in the Authorized Version of Titus. In one place it translates a word meaning watchful or vigilant (Titus 2:2). The other times, the word means self-control, good judgment and general soundness of mind. The word "sound" also appears five times. It translates a word with the sense of "healthful" — the word we have brought into our own language as "hygienic." The letter to Titus may well be called the letter of spiritual hygiene and sobriety.
The very next line turns from the young men to Titus himself, and the reason is easy to see.
Why this is fitting is obvious. He was to urge them to a right mind, or discretion. But his own example now comes to the front. Any failure of his in discretion would especially damage his godly influence with such young men.
Titus was a young man himself. Two things have to hold together in him, and losing either empties the other.
Young men are to be discreet in their words and ways. Titus himself, being a young man, is especially urged to act in a way that would be a pattern for the young men, in good works and in teaching. Again we learn how closely the life and the teaching are connected. On one hand, if the life is not right, the teaching, however correct, will have no power. On the other hand, let us beware of being content with good living while careless about sound teaching... If we act in the light of these instructions, those who want to oppose us will be silenced, with nothing bad to say about us.
- One word. Young men get one instruction. It is a covering virtue, and it reaches the whole life, not one corner of it.
- Self-control. The word means restraint in every direction. A sense of God's presence checks every feeling and inclination.
- Youthful. It curbs more than bodily sin. Impulsiveness, self-confidence, flippancy and impatience go too, and righteousness, faith, love and peace take their place.
- Everyone. Older men, older women, young women, young men and Titus himself all get the same call in this one chapter.
- Health. The word for "sound" means healthful. This is spiritual hygiene, taught by example, and it leaves opponents with nothing bad to say.
in all things affording thyself as a pattern of good works; in teaching uncorruptedness, gravity,
Titus has just been told what to press on the younger men. Now the charge turns on Titus himself: he must be a living sample of the conduct he urges, and a teacher whose manner matches his message.
The word behind "model" is the Greek τύπος. It shows up across the New Testament in several disguises:
The Greek word is τύπος, and from it comes our word "type." Older English versions translate it "print" in John 20:25; "figure" in Acts 7:43 and Romans 5:14; "form" in Romans 6:17; "fashion" in Acts 7:44; "manner" in Acts 23:25; and "pattern" in Titus 2:7 and Hebrews 8:5...
Titus is to be the pattern others copy. The "good works" he models are not simply kind-hearted acts. They are honourable ones. One commentator warns that the two can come apart, quoting the older wording of the verse:
That is why it says, "In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works" — that is, works that are right and honourable. Kindness is not the point here, though of course it would not be missing, and should not be. But kind people often fall short in what is fitting and worthy of the Lord's name. Too often they are softly agreeable, and ready to compromise for the sake of peace.
The charge lands on Titus at the point where he is instructing the younger men. Failure here does more than embarrass the teacher:
Young men are also to be sensible. Titus, who is charged with giving these instructions, was himself to be a pattern of good works. His example was to back up his words... When the preacher or teacher does not practise what he preaches, it does great damage to sound doctrine. What a stumbling block that is!
The verse ties conduct and teaching together in one sentence. The danger runs both ways:
Again we learn how closely life and doctrine are connected. If the life is not right, the teaching will have no power, however correct it is. But we must also be careful never to settle for good living while we care nothing for sound teaching.
Those good works have a source. They grow out of a new life:
They are the fruit of the new life and nature the Christian shares in. That life has its vitality in faith, and the Spirit of God is its power. They are the good fruit which grows upon the good tree.
The second half of the verse moves from life to words. Older versions call this integrity "uncorruptness": teaching nobody has watered down. Young hearers notice:
Practical conduct is not everything, however necessary it is. In his teaching he was to make sure of "uncorruptness."... The younger men above all had to be kept in mind. They watch fairly sharply, and any failure here would be sure to trip them up. Nothing damages Christianity more than compromising truth or holiness.
The man warned here was not an apostle. His honour did not excuse him from watching himself:
Titus was not inspired, and he did not hold the authority an apostle had, except where it was specially handed to him. Still, his position carried great honour and just as great responsibility. So it mattered enormously that he keep watch over himself.
The last word of the verse guards the manner of teaching. Older versions call it "gravity," and one commentator says only God's Spirit can keep it up:
Next, he was to show "gravity." Only the Spirit of God could keep up this high character while he worked among the younger men. There would be no shortage of chances for talk that was more or less light. Excitement is often very pleasant, to the speaker as well as to the hearers. But the grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ calls for gravity.
Older English versions add a third word, "sincerity," at the end of the verse. The ESV and others leave it out. One commentator explains why little is lost:
It is already assumed in the "uncorruptness" urged just before. But "uncorruptness" goes far beyond "sincerity," because it brings in what is due to God and Christ, and not just the honest character and manner of the man who teaches.
- Pattern. The word behind "model" gives us our word "type." Titus is not to describe good works. He is to be the pattern of them.
- Honourable. The works in view are right and fitting for the Lord's name. Being merely nice can turn soft and quick to compromise.
- Both halves. A wrong life drains the power out of right teaching. Good living with no care for sound teaching fails too.
- Uncorrupt. Young hearers watch closely. Nothing damages Christianity more than watering down truth or holiness.
- Grave. Excitement pleases speaker and hearers alike. But the grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ call for weight, not lightness.