Titus 3:10

αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον : St. Paul passes from the reprehensible opinions to the man who propagates them. He is the same kind of man as the φιλόνεικος of 1 Corinthians 11:16; or “he that refuseth to hear the church” of Matthew 18:17; he is of “them which cause divisions and occasions of stumbling,” Romans 16:17. The term αἵρεσις is applied in a non-offensive sense to the sects of Judaism, Acts 5:17; Acts 15:5; Acts 26:5. St. Luke represents the Jews as so speaking of the Christian Church (Acts 24:5; Acts 28:22), and St. Paul as resenting this application of the term (Acts 24:14). The Apostle himself uses the word in an unfavourable sense (1 Corinthians 11:19; Galatians 5:20), as does 2 Peter 2:1. A comparison of 1 Corinthians 11:19 with 1 John 2:19 suggests that αἵρεσις involved the formation of a separate society (so R.V.m. here, factious), not merely the holding of aberrant opinions, or the favouring a policy different from that of the Church rulers. The νουθεσία addressed to a member of such a αἵρεσις would be of the nature of a verbal remonstrance, pointing out the essentially unchristian character of needless separation. It is evident that the αἱρετικὸς ἄνθρωπος would be beyond any Church discipline. The permission of a second attempt at reconciliation is probably not unconnected with our Lord's counsel, Matthew 18:15.

παραιτοῦ : Have nothing to do with him. See note on 1 Timothy 4:7. The word does not necessarily imply any formal excommunication. Such procedure would be unnecessary. Excommunication has no terrors for those who deliberately separate themselves. “Monere desine. quid enim iuvat? laterem lavares” (Bengel).