Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley, [1754-65], at sacred-texts.com
Titus 1:1
tit 1:1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ - Titles suitable to the person of Paul, and the office he was assigning to Titus. According to the faith - The propagating of which is the proper business of an apostle. A servant of God - According to the faith of the elect. An apostle of Jesus Christ - According to the knowledge of the truth. We serve God according to the measure of our faith: we fulfil our public office according to the measure of our knowledge. The truth that is after godliness - Which in every point runs parallel with and supports the vital, spiritual worship of God; and, indeed, has no other end or scope. These two verses contain the sum of Christianity, which Titus was always to have in his eye. Of the elect of God - Of all real Christians
Titus 1:2
tit 1:2
In hope of eternal life - The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God. Which God promised before the world began - To Christ, our Head.
Titus 1:3
tit 1:3
And he hath in his own times - At sundry times; and his own times are fittest for his own work. What creature dares ask, "Why no sooner?" Manifested his word - Containing that promise, and the whole "truth which is after godliness." Through the preaching wherewith I am intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour - And who dares exercise this office on any less authority?
Titus 1:4
tit 1:4
My own son - Begot in the same image of God, and repaying a paternal with a filial affection. The common faith - Common to me and all my spiritual children.
Titus 1:5
tit 1:5
The things which are wanting - Which I had not time to settle myself. Ordain elders - Appoint the most faithful, zealous men to watch over the rest. Their character follows, Tit 1:6-9. These were the elders, or bishops, that Paul approved of; - men that had living faith, a pure conscience, a blameless life.
Titus 1:6
tit 1:6
The husband of one wife - Surely the Holy Ghost, by repeating this so often, designed to leave the Romanists without excuse.
Titus 1:7
tit 1:7
As the steward of God - To whom he intrusts immortal souls. Not selfwilled - Literally, pleasing himself; but all men "for their good to edification." Not passionate - But mild, yielding, tender.
Titus 1:9
tit 1:9
As he hath been taught - Perhaps it might be more literally rendered, according to the teaching, or doctrine, of the apostles; alluding to Act 2:42.
Titus 1:10
tit 1:10
They of the circumcision - The Jewish converts.
Titus 1:11
tit 1:11
Stopped - The word properly means, to put a bit into the mouth of an unruly horse.
Titus 1:12
tit 1:12
A prophet - So all poets were anciently called; but, besides, Diogenes Laertius says that Epimenides, the Cretan poet, foretold many things. Evil wild beasts - Fierce and savage.
Titus 1:14
tit 1:14
Commandments of men - The Jewish or other teachers, whoever they were that turned from the truth.
Titus 1:15
tit 1:15
To the pure - Those whose hearts are purified by faith this we allow. All things are pure - All kinds of meat; the Mosaic distinction between clean and unclean meats being now taken away. But to the defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure - The apostle joins defiled and unbelieving, to intimate that nothing can be clean without a true faith: for both the understanding and conscience, those leading powers of the soul, are polluted; consequently, so is the man and all he does.
