Titus 3:2

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. TO SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN - especially, not of "dignities." NO BRAWLERS - not quarrelsome, attacking others. GENTLE - toward those who attack us [ epieikeis (G1933)]; considerate; not urging one's rights to the uttermost, but forbearing (note, Philippians 4:5). Very different from the 'innate graspingness,' greediness, and 'aggression' (Polybius, 6: 46. 9) toward others which characterized the Cretians. SHOWING, [ endeiknumenous (G1731): middle] - 'in one's self, evincing in acts.' ALL - all possible. Meekness...

2_To speak evil of no one _He now lays down the method of maintaining peace and friendship with all men. We know that there is nothing to which the disposition of every man is more prone than to despise others in comparison of himself. The consequence is, that many are proud of the gifts of God; and this is accompanied by contempt for their brethren, which is immediately followed by insult. He therefore forbids Christians to glory over others, or to reproach them, whatever may be their own superior excellence. Yet he does not wish them to flatter the vices of wicked men; he only condemns the propensity to slander. _Not given to fighting _As if he had said, “Quarrels and contentions must be avoided.” The old translation has therefore rendered it better, _Not quarrelsome; _for there are other ways of fighting than the sword or the fist. And from what follows it is evident that this is the...

1-7 Spiritual privileges do not make void or weaken, but confirm civil duties. Mere good words and good meanings are not enough without good works. They were not to be quarrelsome, but to show meekness on all occasions, not toward friends only, but to all men, though with wisdom, James 3:13. And let this text teach us how wrong it is for a Christian to be churlish to the worst, weakest, and most abject. The servants of sin have many masters, their lusts hurry them different ways; pride commands one thing, covetousness another. Thus they are hateful, deserving to be hated. It is the misery of sinners, that they hate one another; and it is the duty and happiness of saints to love one another. And we are delivered out of our miserable condition, only by the mercy and free grace of God, the merit and sufferings of Christ, and the working of his Spirit. God the Father is God our Saviour. He...

Verse Titus 3:2. _TO SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN_] μηδενα βλασφημειν. To blaspheme no person, to reproach none, to speak nothing to any man's injury; but, on the contrary, bearing reproach and contumely with patience and meekness....

TO SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN - Greek, “to blaspheme (βλασφημεῖν blasphēmein, compare the notes at Matthew 9:3) no one.” Doddridge renders it, “calumniate no one.” The idea is, that we are not to slander, revile, or defame anyone. We are not to say anything to anyone, or of anyone, which will do him injury. We are never to utter anything which we know to be false about him or to give such a coloring to his words or conduct as to do him wrong in any way. We should always so speak to him and of him in such a way that he will have no reason to complain that he is an injured man. It may be necessary, when we are called to state what we know of his character, to say things which are not at all in his favor, or things which he has said or done that were wrong; but,...

EXPOSITION TITUS 3:1 In _subjection _for _subject, _A.V.; _rulers _for _principalities. _A.V.; _to authorities _for _and powers, _A.V. and T.R.; _to be obedient _for _to obey magistrates, _A.V.; _unto _for _to, _A.V. PUT THEM IN MIND (ὑπομίμνησκε); as 2 Timothy 2:14. TO RULERS, TO AUTHORITIES. Many uncials, which the R.T. follows, omit the καὶ, but it seems necessary to the sense. The change from "principalities and powers" to" rulers" and "authorities" does not seem desirable. Ἀρχάι_ _and ἐξουσίαι_ _is a favorite juxtaposition el' St. Paul's (1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 6:12;...

TO SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN,.... As not of one another, so not of the men of the world, to the prejudice of their names and characters, which are tender things, and ought to be gently touched; nor of magistrates, principalities, and powers, of persons in dignity and authority, which the false teachers were not afraid to speak evil of, and by their principles and practices taught others to do the same: TO BE NO BRAWLERS; or "fighters", either by blows or words; not litigious and quarrelsome, wrangling and striving about things to no profit, and to the detriment and disturbance of civil government, churches, neighbourhood, and families; which is very unbecoming the followers of Jesus, who strove not, nor cried, nor was his voice heard in the streets. But gentle, showing all meekness to all men; yielding and giving way, rather choosing to suffer wrong than to brawl, contend, and litigate a poi...

Titus 3:1. _Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men._ Gentleness was not reckoned a virtue among the Greeks; I do not suppose that the people in Crete had ever heard of it before Paul wrote this Epistle to Titus. Among the Romans and the Greeks, it seemed to be a virtue to stand up for your own, to be like a gamecock, who is always ready to fight, and will never miss a chance of fighting; but this Christian virtue of gentleness is a most amiable one, and greatly adorns the doctrine of Christ. The world has run away with this word gentle, and now calls many a person a gentleman who has no right to the name. I wish that every gentleman were indeed a gentleman. It is very significant that Moses, the type of the Lord Jesus under

III. IN RELATION TO THE WORLD AND FALSE TEACHERS CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Instructions (Titus 3:1)_ 2. Warnings (Titus 3:9) 3. Directions (Titus 3:12) Titus 3:1 He asks Titus to remind all believers to be subject to rulers, principalities and powers (Greek: Magistracies and authorities, Romans 13:1), to yield obedience and to be ready for every good work. An ancient historian, Diodones Siculus, speaks of the riotous insubordination of the Cretans. They were to speak evil of no man, nor were they to be contentious, but show all gentleness and all

FURTHER INSTRUCTION ON CHRISTIAN CONDUCT. (_a_) TITUS 3:1 F. BEHAVIOUR TO THOSE OUTSIDE. In his relation with unbelievers the Christian must show (i) towards those in authority, obedience (1 Timothy 2:1 *); (ii) towards his neighbours generally, right-living and forbearance; (iii) towards all alike, meekness.__ (b) TITUS 3:3_ A_. ITS DOCTRINAL BASIS. Any other spirit than that of meekness is ruled out (i) by the character of the believer's own pre-Christian life (Romans 1:28 ff., _cf._ 1 Timothy 1:12 ff.), (ii) b