Titus 1:13

This witness is true Not to be taken, as Dr Farrar says, au pied de la lettre, as though the Cretans were indiscriminately wicked. Nor to be taken as authority for -scolding" in the modern sermon. The spiritof St Paul and of Titus must be taken with the letter: and the counsel of Bp Wilberforce remembered, -speak straight to them, as you would beg your life, or counsel your son, or call your dearest friend from a burning house, in plain, strong, earnest words" (Ordination Charge, 1846).

rebuke them sharply As above, convict or confute, Titus 1:9. R.V. loses much by -reprove," which is even weaker than -rebuke" and quite unequal to the burden of -confute and condemn." The substantive corresponding to -sharply" occurs Romans 11:22, in the metaphor of the cutting outof the evil branches from the olive tree, -the goodness and severityof God;" and the adverb itself in 2 Corinthians 13:10 in reference to the severe measures to be taken by St Paul at Corinth, -that I may not when present deal sharply." Dr Reynolds puts the drift well: -a sharp knife, firm handling, free incisions, are needed for some poisonous and putrefying sores; and as in former days Titus had to shew the Corinthians how to purge out the old leaven, to deliver wicked persons to Satan, to rebuke pretentious Sciolism, so once more out of sheer kindness he was commanded not to spare them."

that they may be sound in the faith Again -healthy," -healthful," keeping up, with this -Pastoral" word, the metaphor of health in the body corporate of the Cretan Church. Compare Proverbs 15:4, -A wholesome tongue Heb. the healing of the tongue is a tree of life" with Titus 1:10, and 1 Timothy 6:3, -if any man teacheth a different doctrine and consenteth not to sound wholesome words."