Titus 3:10

This and the next verse seem to close the last instruction; St Paul reviews the counsel given as to doctrine and discipline; similarly at the close of 1 Tim. See summary at beginning of ch. vi.

A manthat is a heretick This being so, it would be unnatural if the epithet here were required to have the definite narrowed meaning which we now give to the word -heretic". The internalconsideration favours a meaning which covers quarrelsome opinionative controversy and speculation, contentiousness in faith andmorals. The externalconsideration is from St Paul's usage of the word and its substantive. Prof. Reynolds misrepresents Bp Ellicott as saying -St Paul uses the word for contentious conduct, not heterodox opinions: divisions, not doctrinal error." His words are, -the word does not imply specially the open espousal of any fundamentalerror in 1 Corinthians 11:18-19; Galatians 5:20; but more generally, "divisions in church matters," possibly of a somewhat maturer kind." In that early day the -self chosen divergence," which is the essence of the word, included bothreligious belief and practice. Theod. Mops. Lat. Comm. defines - haereticumillum qui ea quae contraria sunt pietatis praeelegit." And Augustine's definition was exact, -haeresis schisma inveteratum." it was not till later that Jerome's distinction held good, -haeresis perversum dogma habet; schisma propter Episcopalem dissensionem ab ecclesia separatur." This distinction as to doctrineand disciplinefound illustration in the Council of Nicæa, Arius being condemned as a heretic for maintaining that Christ was a Divine being but created, Meletius as a schismatic for ordaining bishops without the authority of his metropolitan or consent of his fellow bishops in the province of Egypt. Here the R.V. by its rendering heretical and its marginal -factious" adopts this more general meaning for the word.

after the first and second admonition, reject A first and second admonition. Cf. Ephesians 6:4, -nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord." -Discipline" or -chastening" (see the verb ch. Titus 2:11) is per poenas, -admonition" is verbis, encouraging or reproving words according to the occasion. Here the reference must be to Titus 1:13, the reproof of confutation and condemnation. -Reject" should be rather refuse, as in 1 Timothy 4:7 where see note; and (of the widows) 1 Timothy 5:11; refuse, that is, to argue with, or to countenance. St Paul's use is against the interpretation which has classical support, -exclude" from Church membership, as in Lucian of divorcing a wife. But his use is fora stronger meaning than -avoid."