Правила в руководство св. Титу, а в лице его и всем устроителям Церквей

1) Rules regarding the installation of bishops Here the holy Apostle defines what kind of person he should be when elected to the bishopric: a) what he should be like in family and civil virtues (verse 6); b) what kind of good moral qualities should one be adorned with (verses 7 – 8) and: c) how teaching one should be (verse 9). a) What kind of family man and citizen can be considered worthy of the bishopric? Titus 1:6. If anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife is faithful, and is not guilty of fornication or disobedience. Before this, as has been said, it is appropriate to add: “precisely” - establishing such a connection between this text and the previous one: appoint church elders in all cities, acting in this way as I commanded you, namely: when you begin to elect for this work, then choose from these: “if anyone is blameless” and so on. “Immaculate” - that is, “if his life is free from criticism, if no one can reproach him for his (bad) life (“if he does not give any reason for a thorough accusation” [Blessed Theodoret]). For listen to what Christ says: “If there is darkness in you, then there is darkness” (Matthew 6:23)” (St. Chrysostom). “So, firstly, he must be blameless, ανεγκλητος - which, in another word, is expressed in the Epistle to Timothy, I think, namely: ανεπιλημπτος - immaculate (1 Tim. 3:2). Not only at the time when he is elected and determined, he should not have guilt and sin on himself, having only washed away his dirt before a new conversion and repentance; but to be such that his conscience does not gnaw at him for any sin from the time of his rebirth in Christ (from the time of baptism). For otherwise how will the head of the Church be able to remove the evil from among her, when he himself fell into the same vice? Or how can he freely reproach a sinner when he secretly realizes in his heart that he himself allowed himself to do what he accuses another of?” (Blessed Jerome). “The husband of one wife” is not a bigamist. The Apostle honored marriage by not making it an obstacle to receiving the degree of priesthood; but at the same time he did not give any concession to the pleasures of marriage, denying it to bigamists. This means, on the one hand, abstinence, and on the other, devotion to the one. Both presuppose qualities that can serve as a guarantee that the one elected can good govern the Church entrusted to him. Saint Chrysostom says: “Why does the Apostle introduce such a person? He stops the mouths of heretics who condemned marriage, showing that this matter is not at all reprehensible, but so honest that with it one can even ascend to the sacred throne; at the same time, he reproaches intemperate people, not allowing them to accept this power after their second marriage. Truly, whoever did not maintain goodwill towards the deceased, can he be a good primate? How can he not be criticized? You know, you all know that, although it is not prohibited by law to enter into a second marriage, this matter is subject to many criticisms. And the Apostle wants the boss not to give his subordinates any reason for complaints.” Blessed Jerome looks at this not so much at the matter as at the inner disposition that the Apostle wanted to instill with these words: “the words: “the husband of one wife” must be understood in such a way that it does not appear as if every monogamist (for this very reason) is better than a bigamist; but it is said to show that it is easier to persuade one to monogamy and abstinence who, with such a lesson, teaches more by his own example. For let us suppose that some young man lost his wife and, being overcome by carnal needs, took another; but, having soon lost her too, he decided to continue to live in abstinence (from marital pleasures). Let's take another, who until his old age had one wife and never stopped having carnal affairs with her. Which of these two is better, more temperate and purer? Of course, the one who, having suffered misfortune in his second marriage, then began to live purely and holy, and not the one who, even in old age, did not shy away from the embrace of his wife. So, let him who is elected (to the priesthood) not applaud himself because he is a monogamist, as if he were better than any bigamist, when in his election there was more happiness (not to lose his wife) than good will (to maintain abstinence). Others understand this passage to mean that one who has two wives at a time should not be elected as a bishop. Others interpret it completely wrong. Montanus and the followers of the Novatos schism, who appropriated to themselves the name of abstinents and pure ones, think (based on this place) that second marriages are prohibited for Christians; whereas the Apostle prescribed monogamy only for bishops and elders, and made easing for others in this regard. Tertullian also wrote a book about monogamy, which was heretical; and everyone (who reads the Apostle without prejudice) cannot help but see that he is going against the Apostle.” “His children are faithful, not inciting fornication, or disobedient.” It is necessary that the children of the chosen one be believers and not be subject to reproach for fornication or rebellion and obstinacy. To have one wife and to be chaste depends on the will of man; and that children are defective is not always the fault of the parents. Why is it not wrong to add that the Apostle here means such cases when children are defective due to the fault of their parents, due to their inability to guide them as they should, or due to negligence about it. But the Apostle did not highlight these cases, because they were very rare; or maybe because even though the children are bad through no fault of the father, a certain shadow still falls on him; he wants no one to see a blemish on the person he is elected, so that he is impeccable in everything, before everyone else’s eyes. Saint Chrysostom sees here a parent guilty of the malfunction of the children, and, arguing that it is fair not to elect such a person to the bishop, he explains this situation in this way. “For,” he says, “he who could not teach his children, how can he be a teacher of others? If he could not arrange those whom he had with him from the very beginning and educated and over whom he had power both by law and by nature, then how can he be useful to strangers? If the father’s carelessness had not been great, he would not have allowed those over whom he had power from the very beginning (of their lives) to become evil. It is impossible, truly impossible, that someone who from the very beginning was brought up with great care and surrounded by care should become evil; for sins are not of such a nature that they can be stronger than such care. If he considered the upbringing of children to be a secondary matter, caring only about property and not having proper care for them, then he is therefore unworthy (of the holy order). If, where nature prompted him, he had so little love or was so reckless that he cared more about property than about them; then how can he be elevated to the throne (episcopal) and to such a degree of power? If he could not (raise his children), then he is worthy of great condemnation for laziness; and if you didn’t try, then you are worthy of great condemnation for your lack of love. Therefore, whoever does not care about his children, how can he care about strangers? Blessed Jerome singles out the children of fathers who are innocent of faults; with all this, however, the rule of the Apostle remains in full force, not because the guilt of the children makes innocent parents guilty, but because otherwise the freedom of speech of the bishop will be constrained and suppressed. He writes: “to be a bishop or presbyter without blemish and to have one wife are requirements that are in our power. But what follows: to have faithful sons who are not subject to reproach for fornication or disobedience - these are demands that are not in our power. Why, if parents raised their children well and from a young age taught them to fulfill the commandments of the Lord, and then they became corrupted, indulged in vices and uncontrollability, then does the blame for this really fall on the parents and will the sins of the son tarnish the holiness of the innocent father? Isaac, for example, of course taught his son Esau every good thing, but Esau turned out to be both a fornicator and wicked to the point that he sold his sacred birthright for one meal (Gen. 25). The same with Samuel - who himself was such that in the day of need he cried out to the Lord for Israel, and “The Lord roared with a great voice against the foreigners, the enemies of Israel, and the fallen” (1 Samuel 7:10), - there were children who strayed into covetousness and accepted gifts and turned out to be such unrighteous judges that the Israeli people on this occasion asked for a king following the example of other nations ( 1 Samuel 8). So, if Isaac and Samuel were among those elected to the priesthood, then Isaac for Esau, and Samuel for his children should be considered unworthy of the priesthood. But in this case, just as children are not charged with the sins of their parents, shouldn’t we blame the sins of children on their parents? How shall we reason? Firstly, it must be said that the name of the priesthood is so holy that even though we were not unworthy of the episcopate in our deeds, we should not be allowed to this degree because of the dishonesty of children. For with what freedom can we rebuke other people’s sons and teach them the right paths, when the one being reproached can object to us: Teach your own first? Or with what face will I begin to reproach the fornicator, when my own conscience tells me in response: then deprive your son of the whore of his inheritance, and reject your children who indulge in vices? But when an indecent son lives under the same roof as you, then, by acting this way, that is, by denouncing other people’s sons, aren’t you taking the spoke out of someone else’s eye, not seeing the beam in your own? So, the words of the Apostle do not defile the righteous because of the vices of children, but protect freedom of speech for the head of the Church - so that he is such that he is not afraid to expose other people’s children because of his own depravity.” b) What kind of morals should a bishop have? Titus 1:7. It is fitting for a bishop to be without blemish, like God’s builder: not pleasing to himself (not daring, not in vain), not angry, not a drunkard, not a murderer, not filthy acquisitive. "Befitting a bishop". He began to speak about elders, and here he calls the elected one a bishop. This suggests that at the beginning both of these words were used indifferently and were generally applied to the heads of Christian societies or elders appointed to oversee Christian orders in them. But we must assume that the Apostles appointed bishops - bishops, and bishops, when need required, installed presbyters - priests. “To be without blemish”, ανεγκλητον, is the same as before this: “if anyone is blameless.” “This is a general requirement that embraces everything that has to be said: to be without blemish is to be impeccable” (Ecumenius). “Like God’s builder”, οικονομον, - a steward, a steward. By this, the Apostle either gives only a special incentive to impeccability (“to be God’s steward is a great title and dignity, which is why it requires special attention and vigilant thoroughness” (Ecumenius)), or indicates a new side from which the bishop especially must be impeccable. Before he said that he must be impeccable, as a family man and citizen; and here he indicates that he should be such in the order of church life, as God’s builder, steward and steward. The Church - the community of believers - is the house of God. A bishop is assigned to look after this house and observe the proper order in it. “God sets him over His house, he takes God’s place; why in all respects he must be an exact executor of His will” (Blessed Theophylact). In another place, Saint Paul calls the Apostles stewards of God and builders of His mysteries, adding: “And whoever is sought is sought among the builders, that the faithful may be found” (1 Cor. 4:1-2). This is already a common law for all God’s builders, and among them for bishops and Apostolic vicars. Blessed Jerome suggests that Saint Paul borrowed this lesson from the parable speech of Christ the Savior about the wise and faithful steward placed “over the servants to give during the life-giving period” (Luke 12:42ff); for he writes: “what is required of builders is: “let anyone be faithful.” It is instilled in him not to eat and drink with drunkards and beat slaves and slaves, but so that, while awaiting the unknown coming of God, he should distribute “living money” to his fellow servants in due time. The only difference between the overseer and the others is that he, a fellow servant, is placed above his fellow servants. Let the bishop and presbyter know that the people are entrusted to them, not slaves.” Judging by this, the impeccability required by the Apostle from the bishop in church house-building obliges him not to sin in feeding the souls entrusted to him with Divine truths, in sanctifying and strengthening them with grace through the teaching of the holy sacraments, especially in guiding everyone along the path of salvation - the unlost one. Following this general point, the Apostle also points out the particular features of impeccability, which also bring to mind the aforementioned parable speech of the Savior. - “I do not please myself”, μη αυθαδη, - I will not dare, who, carried away by self-will, puts his own arbitrariness above all else, not paying attention to the just desires and needs of the governed. The Slavic translation paraphrases this word with two other words: “I will not dare, I will not be in vain.” Saint Chrysostom says: “Whoever has external civil power, as a ruler by the force of law and out of necessity, does not rightly always comply with the desires of his subordinates; but whoever must rule over people who submit to him voluntarily and feel gratitude for his management, if he acts in everything only arbitrarily, as if he has no account to give to anyone, he will make his government violent, despotic.” Saint Peter also prescribes the same thing, saying: “elders... feed the flock of God in you, visiting (supervising) not through need, but willingly and according to God... not as possessing the rank" (inheritance of God) (1 Pet. 5:1-3). “I’m not angry.” “How can one,” says Saint Chrysostom, “teach others to curb this passion who has not taught himself this? Power puts a person in many circumstances that make even the very meek heavy and harsh, giving many reasons for anger. Therefore, if he has not taken care of taming this passion in advance, he will be extremely difficult (for his subordinates) and will damage and destroy many things in the affairs of his management.” Let us also add the words of Blessed Jerome: “An angry person always gets irritated and, at the slightest careless word or any mistake, begins to move, like a leaf from the wind. And truly there is nothing more uglier than an angry mentor, who, while he should be meek and according to the following word of Scripture: “It is not fitting for the servant of the Lord to be angry, but to be quiet towards everyone, a teacher, gentle, punishing those who oppose them with meekness” (2 Tim - 2, 24 - 25), appears, on the contrary, with a menacing look, with trembling lips, with with a wrinkled forehead and a face that turns pale and then reddens, he strikes with a frantic cry and does not attract those who have sinned to good, but with his ferocity overthrows them into greater evil. Why does Solomon say: “anger destroys even the wise” (Proverbs 15:1). And Saint James teaches that “the anger of a man does not bring about the righteousness of God” (James 1:20).” “Not a drunkard”, μη παροινον, - in fact, not noisy like wine, not scolding and abusive, finding fault and using insulting words. Saint Chrysostom says: “here he means the offender. The bishop should do everything by exhortation, and not by reproach and insult; for what, tell me, is the need to insult? It is necessary to threaten with hell and thus instill fear and trembling. The insulted person becomes more impudent and despises the insulter. For nothing arouses contempt more than an insult, which inflicts more dishonor on the insulter himself, depriving him of due respect. The bishop's word must be filled with great piety, remind sinners of future judgment and be free from all offense. If someone prevents him from fulfilling his duty, then he must act with full authority.” The same goes for Ecumenius and Theophylact, who paraphrase this word like this; μη παροινον – μη υβριστην. But Blessed Theodoret here means a drunkard as “one who gets drunk.” Likewise, the blessed one writes: “he also forbids the bishop to be a wine drinker, which is expressed in the Epistle to Timothy: “to those who drink not much wine” (1 Tim. 3:8). What is it like to see a bishop tipsy when, either under the influence of pleasant feelings, he elevates laughter and laughs beyond measure, humiliating his dignity, or, remembering something sorrowful, begins to laugh and cry. However, it would take a long time to list all the obscene things that drunkenness can lead to. And in the Old Testament it is commanded that priests, when they begin to serve God, should not drink wine (Lev. 10:9). Likewise, the Nazarenes had to abstain all the days of their vow from wine and strong drink and from everything made from grapes of wine, because this deprives the mind of its characteristic sanity (Num. 6:3). Let them say whatever they want; I testify in my conscience that violation of abstinence in this regard is not without harm, while observing it is always beneficial.” “Not a killer” - neither physically nor mentally, “neither with hands that inflict beatings and wounds, nor with bitter and cruel words (that do not crush souls)” (Blessed Theophylact). “Not to beat the conscience of weak brothers” (Ecumenius). “For the teacher is the physician of souls; and the doctor does not strike, but corrects and heals the one who strikes” (St. Chrysostom). Blessed Jerome, also combining both bodily and mental beating, says: “after the prohibition of the love of wine, he also commands not to be a murderer. This can simply be understood as a suggestion - not to give free rein to your hands and not to rush, like a madman, at another to inflict beatings. But it is better for us not to call a killer someone who is meek and patient, who knows when to say what and when to remain silent, so as not to hurt the conscience of the weak with inappropriate speech. The Apostle, drawing the image of the good primate of the Church, is, one must assume, forbidding that he should not be a fighter - something that is not approved of by the common people, even pagans; but as I said, so that with inappropriate scolding you do not destroy someone who can be corrected and saved with meekness and quietness.” Blessed Theodoret specifically points out this aspect of the matter, by “murderer” he means “imposing punishment not according to reason.” “I am not filthy acquisitive.” This not only prohibits the bishop from acquiring through unrighteous means, but in general any search and desire for gain is considered shameful in the person of the bishop. The Apostle says that he must be completely “non-acquisitive” (Ecumenius) - “show complete contempt for wealth” (St. Chrysostom). In a bishop, all acquisitiveness, even righteous, is shameful (Blessed Theophylact). And it is not only shameful, but also extremely harmful for the affairs of the episcopate: for nothing distorts the right course of affairs so much as expectation, desire and the search for profit. Blessed Jerome writes: “also, the desire for foul gain should be alien to the one who has to be a bishop. According to Solomon, “better is a little life with righteousness than a long life with unrighteousness” (Proverbs 15:29); and: “better is a good name than much wealth” (Proverbs 22:1). A bishop who wants to imitate the Apostle by having food and clothing should be content with these (1 Tim. 6:8). Let those who serve the altar live from the altar (1 Cor. 9:13) - live, he says, and not get rich. Why is it not appropriate for us to wear copper at our belts, and we should be content with one robe and not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 10; Mark 6). The desire for filthiness is a concern for more than the present.” Titus 1:8. But hospitable, kind, chaste, righteous, reverent, temperate. “Do you see how high he demands virtue?” (Saint Chrysostom). – “Until now, what a bishop or presbyter should not have was commanded by the word of the Apostle; now, on the contrary, it is stated what he should have” (Blessed Jerome). “I am strange-loving.” “Not only not to profit from others, but also to depend on strangers for your own” (Blessed Theophylact). “First of all, love of hobbies is sought from one who is to be a bishop. For if it is desirable for everyone to hear this word, as indicated in the Gospel: “I was strange and knew Me” (Matthew 25:35), how much more so for the bishop, whose house should be a common host for all? A layman, by welcoming one, or two, or several - not many - into the house and putting him to rest, will fulfill the duty of hospitality. A bishop, if he does not accept everyone, is inhuman. And I am afraid that - just as the Queen of the South, who came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, will condemn the people of the time (the first coming of Christ) and the men of Nineveh, who repented of the preaching of Jonah, will condemn those who, out of contempt and negligence, did not want to listen to the greater Jonah of the Savior - so many of the people who have withdrawn from the church rank, but diligently they do things that the bishop does not consider it his business to do; they have not condemned the bishops. About such, I think, John writes to Gaius: “Beloved, do faithfully, even if you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have testified to your love before the church: having presented them worthily to God, do what is good” (3 John 1:5-6). And truly, he, by the Holy Spirit who spoke in him, even then denounced what was to happen in the Church later, saying: “The writings of the church: but their leader, Diotrephes, does not accept us. For this reason, if I come, I will remember the deeds that he does, reproaching us with evil words: and being not pleased about these, he himself receives the brethren, and rebukes those who want to, and drives them out of the church” (3 John 1:9-10). Truly, now one can see this, predicted, in many cities, where it happens that bishops or presbyters, seeing the laity as hospitable and well-loving, look at this unfavorably, as if a layman could no longer do what a bishop does not do. And such and such laity will serve to condemn the sanctified persons” (Blessed Jerome). Saint Paul everywhere commands the love of hospitability to entire Churches; for which purpose common hospices were established, the care of which lay with the bishop. But in order for him to fulfill this more faithfully and willingly, he must, before being elected, make sure whether he has a disposition towards this. "To the benevolent". “This is what the Apostle calls the meek (quiet, not disturbing anyone), measured in everything, unenvious” (Blessed Theophylact). Or “distributing all his property to the needy” (St. Chrysostom). This requires that he be a zealot for all kinds of good deeds, and, moreover, a benefactor. He takes care of the poor and sick, widows and orphans. The flock supplies what is needed for this; but the bishop or presbyter must have a heart for such matters. “Chaste” - pure from carnal sins, which are possible even during married life, or chastely and in due time using the marital bed, or even completely abstaining from it, as this was later legitimized by the Councils for bishops. Blessed Jerome writes: “one must be a bishop and chaste, σωφρονα, as the Greeks say. If the laity are commanded to abstain from their wives for the sake of prayer, then what can we say about the bishop, who every day must offer immaculate sacrifices to God for the sins of himself and his people? Let us open the book of Kings and find that Abimelech the priest did not first give David and his youths some of the showbread, as he asked whether the youths were pure from a wife - not a stranger, but from his own wife (1 Sam. 21). And if I had not heard that yesterday and yesterday they had no marital affair, then, of course, I would not have given them those loaves. But between the showbread and the Body of Christ there is such a distance and difference as between the shadow and the body, between the image and the truth, or between the type of the future and what the type represented. Therefore, just as meekness, patience, sobriety, moderation, non-covetousness, hospitableness and charity should be in the most excellent degree in a bishop, so priestly purity or chastity should be such that not only one abstains from carnal affairs, but so that the one who has to perform the sacrament of the Body of Christ has a pure mind from the thought of his wife, and an eye from looking at her.” “Righteous” - that is, “impartial in relation to people” (Blessed Theophylact). It is required that he himself does not unjustify anyone in his affairs and that, when it comes to sorting out the affairs of his flock, he impeccably observes the law of justice. Blessed Jerome writes: “a bishop must also be righteous, so that, when presiding before the people, he observes the truth, giving to everyone what he deserves, and being impartial in court. The difference between the righteousness of a layman and a bishop is that a layman can be righteous in a smaller circle, but a bishop must observe righteousness in relation to as many persons as his flock.” “Reverend” - that is, “I reverence before everything Divine, not omitting anything that is obligatory in relation to God” (Blessed Theophylact). A bishop must be holy, that is, adorned with all kinds of spiritual and physical virtues. But reverence is the highest form of holiness, when “it is united with piety and is sanctified by reverence for God and whole dedication to Him” (Blessed Jerome). "Abstain". “Here the Apostle means not only one who fasts, but one who abstains from all passion, revealed by the tongue, and the hand, and the shameless gaze; for this is what abstinence consists of, so as not to indulge in any passion” (St. Chrysostom). “A bishop must be abstinent not only from carnal lust and from the embrace of his wife, but from all spiritual passions: not to be inflamed with anger, not to fall into sadness, not to be overwhelmed by fear and not to be carried away by immoderate joy. The Apostle listed abstinence among the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If in this way abstinence is required from everyone, how much more so from the bishop, who must patiently and meekly bear the infirmities of the weak and the sins of those who sin, console the faint-hearted, support the weak, not repay anyone evil for evil, but overcome evil with good” (Blessed Jerome). nbsp; “What has been said so far about the bishop’s virtues relates to his life; and what follows from this relates to the knowledge of him” (Blessed Jerome). c) What kind of teaching should a bishop be? Titus 1:9. May he who holds true words according to doctrine be able to both comfort him in sound doctrine and reprove those who resist. “To the one who holds on”, αντεχομενον, - which means someone who is committed to the word, one who “takes care and care for it, making this his main business” (St. Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact). It is not enough to know and contain the word of truth; one must value it as if it were life, with the desire for it to be respected by everyone, and the readiness to protect its honor to the point of one’s stomach. "True to the Word". – The word means all Christian teaching, which is the word heard by Christ the Savior from the Father and brought to earth (John 8:26, 14:24) and spread by the Apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout its face (Matthew 28:19; John 14:26, 16:13). This word is true, as if it came from God, who is true and faithful in all His words. It is true both in what it lays down and in what it promises. God Himself confirmed this fidelity when by His deed He delivered what the word of the gospel promised, initially acceptable by faith alone. So, the “true” is the true (St. Chrysostom), the very thing that came from God, exactly the same, without increase or decrease or change. But how can one know that this is the case for someone elected to a bishop? When he adheres to the word, not the one he himself invented, but which he accepted through learning, κατα διδαχην. The Savior says that He was taught by the Father. The Apostles were taught by the Lord Savior, the believers were all taught by the Apostles. This teaching constituted at the beginning the norm of Christian knowledge and evidence of its fidelity. Whoever adhered to this teaching was “true to the word.” And the Apostle lays this down as a law for the bishop: do not go into philosophizing; keep it as you received it; and teach as you received. “The word is true,” says Saint Chrysostom, “taught through faith, without the need for speculation or research.” “It is not mental proof that is needed, but the correct teaching of the doctrine” (Ecumenius). And for it to be like this, you must keep it like that in your heart, without mixing it with your wisdom. “And only such a good word will be sung, like the word of Paul himself” (Blessed Theophylact). “Just as the word of God is true and worthy of all acceptance, so let the bishop reveal himself in such a way that everything he says is considered worthy of faith and his words are the rule of truth” (Blessed Jerome). And so it will be; just let him not be clever and convey what he has received and learned. “What does it matter if he is unskilled in outer wisdom. It is not verbal pomp that is needed, but sound judgment and the power of thoughts” (St. Chrysostom). "May he be strong." That is, if he adheres to “true words according to teaching,” he will be strong; the former is the condition of the latter. Whoever brings into this word, which is true according to teaching, anything from the outside, weakens it, makes it powerless, and is himself powerless. The power of the episcopal word lies in fidelity to the word according to teaching. Firmament: so God taught and commanded to maintain; and your word will be victorious. If you begin to philosophize, you will arouse counter-philosophy; and from here only disputes and irritation and all damage to the knowledge of the truth. "And comfort in sound doctrine". Sound teaching “is that which teaches both true dogmas and right life” (Ecumenius) - the same as the true word that has come, received and is held by everyone according to teaching - without any foreign admixture that weakens it and makes it weak and ineffective; like wine, diluted with water and spoiled by impurities, is weak, ineffective and even harmful. – “Comfort”, παρακαλειν, – to beg, persuade, convince. The Apostle instills that the bishop must be able to teach the right word to the faithful and keep these latter in faith in him, each time calming their thoughts, as soon as they are disturbed by the attraction of alien thoughts and wisdom, through persuasion and persuasion that only the word that he teaches is true - true, for it is so taught and accepted. “And rebuke those who resist.” “He is strong not only to protect his own people, but also to repel enemies. Because if this doesn’t happen, then everything may be upset. He who does not know how to fight enemies, “capture every mind into the obedience of Christ” and cast down wisdom (2 Cor. 10:5), let him be far from the teaching throne” (St. Chrysostom). “If these opponents are not exposed and defeated, then they can easily corrupt the hearts of the simplest” (Blessed Jerome). At the end the Apostle put teaching, in the calculation of what a bishop should be adorned with, because in a bishop teaching completes all other qualities, constituting his distinctive feature. “Other qualities can be found in subordinates, such as: integrity, raising children in obedience, love of hobbies, justice, piety; but the bishop and presbyter are especially distinguished by the fact that he announces his teaching to the people, about which they are not at all concerned today” (St. Chrysostom). “If a bishop’s life is only holy, then by living like this, he only benefits himself; but if he is teaching, then he builds himself and others. This passage is directed against those who indulge in inaction, laziness and sleep (in the matter of teaching), not paying attention to the fact that the Apostle, after listing the qualities of life worthy of a bishop, placed a special instruction - imperative that he should also be a teacher” (Blessed Jerome). “Whoever is not able to fight with enemies and captivate every mind into the obedience of Christ, nor to teach, convince, and affirm his own, is a false bishop. What most characterizes a bishop is to teach” (Blessed Theophylact). 2) Rules in case someone spreads wrong thoughts There are two rules here: those who spread such thoughts should “stop their mouths” (Titus 1:11), and those who are carried away by them “reprove mercilessly” (Titus 1:13). These rules are given as if in passing. Having said that he who is elected bishop must be strong and reprove those who resist, the Apostle shows how necessary such bishops are, because there are many vain talkers there who, going from house to house, corrupt the simplest. But until bishops who are able to oppose them are elected and until they begin such opposition, this matter cannot be left to continue as it is. And it rests with Titus himself. Having the commandment to appoint presbyters “in every city,” Saint Titus had to go around these cities. In this walk he inevitably had to meet people of this kind. The Apostle tells him in this case: stop their mouths. Stopping the lips and laying the foundation for counteracting evil teachings, Saint Titus also gave a model of how to act on them to the newly appointed bishops, on whom he had the responsibility and to reprove those who resisted. Further, since such opponents were already acting, naturally there were those who were carried away by them. And Saint Titus could meet such people. In this case, Saint Paul writes to him: rebuke them mercilessly. And this is a model of action for newly appointed bishops. So this department (verses 10 - 16) gives instruction to both Saint Titus and those elected to the bishops. Titus 1:10. The essence is that many are disobedient, vain talkers, and deceived by the mind, especially those who exist from circumcision. Therefore, he says, it is especially necessary to elect such teaching persons, because in Crete there are many vain talkers, whom it is dangerous to leave without reproof and stopping their lips. And to do this successfully, you need to be capable and skillful. Why and food for you: especially look for such as bishops. What exactly these are the essence of the persons against whom Saint Titus and in his person the future bishops are armed here, Saint Paul defines with these features. “Disobedient”, ανυποτακτοι, - those who do not follow the rank, those who do not want to know any rules, self-inflicted and self-willed people. By planting faith, the planters of faith immediately established all sorts of orders according to the Spirit of this faith. It was laid down by law how to judge and think about everything, how to live and act and, most importantly, how to approach God through prayers and sacraments. The disobedient did not consider anything like this obligatory for themselves, but as they themselves thought and what seemed appropriate and possible, so they judged, so they acted, and so they inspired others to think and act. These are people who do not want to adhere to the general, but are particular and separate. “Do you see how the Apostle suggests why such people exist? From the desire not to obey, but to dominate; he points to this” (Saint Chrysostom). “He pointed to the root of all evil - insubordination. Insubordination, because he does not want to be under superiors, but jumps up to boss others, obviously has not learned anything sensible and right; because I didn’t want to endure the teaching. Why is there also a vain talker” (Blessed Theophylact). “Various talkers”, ματαιολογοι, are idle talkers, talking to the wind, just to show that they are smart people who understand the essence of things no worse than others, and even better than the teachers themselves, who know how to formulate their views and with them illuminate, expand and deepen general beliefs, not caring about what such views can lead to - do they not hesitate and not whether they undermine the common, devoted faith of all. There are many of these at all times. They know the matter of faith only superficially; for their weakness prevents them from studying it deeply - from forging their own views, which, being born before the knowledge of the truth, obscure it from them. This is why it happens that in their speeches these spontaneous, mostly immature, views always come forward: there are many words, but the substance of the deed is empty. And what came out was idle talk - idle talk. “A teacher, if he himself, due to disobedience to teaching, has not learned as he should, naturally becomes a vain talker, and not only a vain talker, but also an intellectual one” (Ecumenius). “With a deceived mind”, (φρεναπαται, - deceived, “deceiving themselves and others” (Blessed Theophylact), - we add, - with their cleverness. Carried away by their views, they are captivated by them, as if they were true, and are jealous of sharing them with others, as if they were high and deep truths, the foundations of all truth, so that without them it would seem and all knowledge will crumble. Such spontaneous views, even when they agree with the truth, do not add anything to it either in clarity or in firmness; but, occupying attention with themselves, instead of the truth itself, they thereby deviate from right speculation, which, in the essence of faith, should reign in the mind: time is wasted and the taste for solid truth is spoiled. But when they are far from the truth, then there is direct seduction, leading to. The one who is carried away is the same as the one who accepts a different gospel; and on him, even without a public judgment, the terrible judgment of the Apostle falls: “let him be anathema” (Gal. 1:8). While exposing all these features, the Apostle does not indicate what they are talking about and what they are seduced and seduced by those who are disobedient. For Saint Titus and for all the believers in Crete this was definitely known. We can only guess about that. But, instead of any guesswork, isn’t it better to limit ourselves to the guidance that the Apostle, speaking about certain persons of that time, for us, however, difficult to define, prefaced a certain lesson for us - to avoid ourselves and others from deviating from the seductive urge to build our views on objects of faith, not in the spirit of submission to the rules of faith, but in the spirit of domination over them, as if inferior to us and our mind. The Apostle warns us against this disease of the mind. The words: “most of all those who are of circumcision” suggest somewhat what the disobedient were talking about; but very hesitantly. For “most of all” shows that they were not exclusively Jews, but that there were also pagans. Consequently, it cannot be asserted with decisiveness that those nonsense were ordinary Judaizers’ reasoning about the urgent need for believers to fulfill both the Mosaic Law and the decrees of their elders. If further we have no reason to believe that those who are of circumcision have spoken one thing in vain, and those of uncircumcision another, for in that case the Apostle would not have put them on the same level; then it is necessary to admit that both of them adhered to a certain wisdom, which cannot be called either exclusively Jewish or exclusively pagan, but which was a mixture of both. What exactly it consisted of is not visible; but it was such that his provisions could be discussed among Christians without suddenly pushing them away from him - which gave the wise men entry into the homes of believers. Consequently, in addition to the Jewish and pagan, there was also something Christian in it. Hiding behind the side that seemed Christian, they penetrated into houses, and then filled the ears and heads of those who heard with what they had that was Jewish and pagan. The poison of lies had a destructive effect, and the Apostle suppresses an evil that has probably already been experienced by many. Titus 1:11. It is proper to stop their mouths: they corrupt all houses, even more often than not, for the sake of profit. To whom does this “befit”? Those who were to be appointed bishops. The Apostle said above (verse 9) that these bishops should be like this, holding true teaching and being strong to confirm their own in the truth, and to reprove those who oppose. Why is this especially necessary? Because there are many vain talkers who do not obey the truth, whose lips should be stopped. For, to be strong in fulfilling this, one must oneself be firm in the truth and be able to reveal lies and expose them to those who talk nonsense. Saint Chrysostom says: “if such a person (ordained as a bishop), having accepted the responsibilities of teaching, is unable to fight shameless people and stop their mouths, then he will be guilty of the death of each of those who perish. Therefore, if the Wise One commands: “Do not seek, so that you will be a judge, when you cannot take away unrighteousness” (Sir. 7:6); then all the more so here we can say: do not strive to become a teacher if you do not have the ability for this matter, but refuse even then, even if you were attracted.” However, it goes without saying that Saint Titus, meeting such persons, could not and should not have remained silent: so, “it is appropriate,” one can mean in general for anyone who has the duty to disseminate the truth and affirm in it. “Stopping the mouth” can be done either by the power of pastoral authority, or by the power of exposing lies and affirming the truth. And the first is applicable in the present case, if we admit that the opposing vain talkers belonged to the society of believers, they only acted among it without permission. This is for the first time; if they continue to persist in their stubbornness, they should be completely cut off, as the Apostle laid down the law below (Titus 3:10). But the second is more applicable, because it applies to everyone. Having met such vain talkers, whoever they may be, it is necessary to expose the falsity of their teaching so strongly that they have nothing to say in defense of it. “The Apostle said well: “stop the lips,” that is, by the power of exposing lies, bring them to the point that they no longer dare to say a word, so that those who listen will benefit from it” (Ecumenius). “What is the use (of such blocking of lips) when they are from those who do not obey the truth? Nothing for them, but it is useful for those who may become corrupted if the bishop passes through their false speeches and teachings in silence” (Blessed Theophylact). But you can only stop your mouth like this when meeting with vain talkers. If this does not happen, and it is only known that some people are going from house to house and talking vainly about this and that, which can corrupt, then even in this case this matter should not be ignored, but it is necessary, before the believers, to reveal the falsity of the recognized lie, to expose it; the truth of God, the opposite of the scattered lies, can be more fully explained and more powerfully confirmed. And this will also be a barrier, if not from the lips of vain talkers, then from the entry of their lies into the souls of those who hear: for there is already settled a “counteranswer” to their lies - a thought, a knower (expert) of “true words”, strong to repel the lying word that beats the ears. “They corrupt all houses.” The idea is given that they do not preach openly, but stealthily go from house to house. Such a course of action is befitting of a lie, which recognizes itself as a lie and thereby exposes that it is a lie. - “Teaching is not appropriate.” What exactly? It would be interesting to know; but since the Apostle did not mean to satisfy curiosity or empty inquisitiveness, he did not say this. And it gives us a lesson - not to torture in vain. The norm of truth is known; it is simple and uncomplicated. The Cretan Christians knew her. And this was what should be taught. However, everything inconsistent with it is something that is not appropriate to teach and that, therefore, it is not appropriate for those who teach, who know the truth, to listen. With this one word the Apostle said everything. "Bad for the sake of profit". “You see that there is insubordination due to the love of money and filthiness. All these are levers in the hands of the devil, through which he destroys the houses of God (that is, Christian families)” (Blessed Theophylact). “Is there anything that this passion has not persuaded or persuaded to commit lawlessness?” (Ecumenius). - What profit, of course? Ordinary, material - receiving money, things, food. They are jealous of acquiring disciples in order to live and have contentment at their expense. But Saint Hilary and Blessed Jerome, in addition to this, consider it possible to understand by profit the very disciples who are carried away by the teachings of the vain talkers, applying them to the words of the Savior: “cross sea and land, to create one stranger” (Matthew 23:15). “It is possible,” writes Blessed Jerome, “to interpret these words differently: “bad for the sake of profit,” namely that the Apostle used this ordinary everyday turn of phrase to show how heretics, corrupting minds, usually call themselves money-grubbers of people, although killing the souls of the deceived is not acquisition, but loss. On the contrary, whoever, according to the Gospel, exposes an erring brother so that he turns, truly gains him (Matthew 18:15). For what gain can be greater or more precious than that if someone gains the soul of a man? So, every teacher of the Church who draws people to faith in Christ in the right way is an honest profit-maker; on the contrary, every heretic who with seductive speech deviates from the truth and induces to follow his inappropriate teaching is a foul profiteer.” – The Apostle does not have such a thought; but it can be acceptable as a side suggestion or allegorical interpretation of his word - which, out of context, is acceptable. Titus 1:12. A prophet from them spoke to them: The Cretans are ever deceitful, wicked beasts, idle wombs The stated reason for electing as bishops persons who are firm in the truth and strong in denouncing lies is strengthened by the fact that the Cretans, by their natural disposition, are susceptible to lies and, therefore, themselves lend a hand to the vain talkers - to deceive them and mislead them. With this the Apostle turns the attention of Saint Titus and future bishops from the vain talkers to the Cretans themselves, as if saying: it is not enough to stop the lips of the vain talkers; the Cretans themselves must be persuaded to firmly adhere to the truth and not open their ears to every fabulist who turns away from the truth. And this will, as noted, block the progress of the spreaders of lies. This is the meaning of verses 12–14. To confirm that the Cretans are susceptible to lies, fables and vanity, the Apostle could point to actual experiments. But I thought it best to bring the testimony of a poet, a Cretan, so that no one might say: you spent several days on the island and you already knew our character. The Apostle answers in advance: I’m not the only one who thinks so, but my own, your poet, noticed this about you a long, long time ago. Moreover, having taken such ancient testimony, the Apostle makes it clear that the unkind quality of the Cretans he points out is not fleeting and accidental, but an outdated vice, which, the more difficult it is to eradicate, the more obligatory it is for those appointed to correct everything bad among them, to direct their attention, care and labor to this side. The Apostle called the poet a prophet not because he actually revered him as a Prophet, but because the pagans thought so about poets and believed their word, as if revealed from above. And all pagan beliefs rested on poets. – The words cited by the Apostle were said by Epimenides (St. Chrysostom, Blessed Jerome), and the same was then repeated by Callimachus (Blessed Theodoret). Callimachus has only the first word: “lie.” The entire verse, as quoted by the Apostle, is found in Epimenides (Blessed Jerome). The Cretans were so named because when someone explained to them that Zeus, or Dius, died among them, and indicated the place; They easily believed, built a tomb and told everyone: here we have the tomb of Zeus. By this they revealed their gullibility and susceptibility to lies and fables, which they did not cease to adhere to, thus remaining ever deceitful, that is, never ceasing to repeat lies. The Apostle exposes this particular feature of them in order to later say: rebuke them, so that they do not listen to fables. For the Apostle’s purpose, only the first word was needed: “lie.” Other words are given only because they are part of the verse that was known to the Apostle (Blessed Jerome). Therefore, there is no need to speculate what the Apostle had in mind when he cited the words about the Cretans: “evil beasts, idle bellies.” The first signifies savagery, unbridledness, malice; and the second - that they love to eat and drink, but are reluctant to do business, are idle and lazy. Perhaps, however, such traits really were in the character of the Cretans, and the Apostle deliberately retained the indicated words of the verse, not limiting himself to the first word, in order to later give lessons regarding them, as can be concluded from what the Apostle commands to teach in the second chapter. But in this place, only the first was needed for the Apostle: “lie,” as required by the flow of speech. Titus 1:13. This testimony is true, even for the sake of guilt, expose them mercilessly, so that they may be healthy in the faith. Saying that such a testimony is true, the Apostle meant the first word of the testimony: “lie,” meaning by this that they willingly open their ears to all sorts of idle talk and all sorts of fables, as can be seen from the words that follow: reprove, so that they do not listen to fables. “If they are prone to lies, then they need a strong and accusatory word; such a person cannot be touched by meekness. So, “convict them mercilessly.” For it is necessary not to treat everyone in the same way, but differently and variedly, depending on their faces. For how, by reproaching an obedient and noble person, you can kill and destroy him; So by caressing a person who needs strong reproof, you can spoil him and not bring him to correction” (St. Chrysostom). “This: “reprove them mercilessly” does not contradict what was said: “with meekness I punish those who oppose them” (2 Tim. 2:25); because those who have not yet believed must modestly and meekly preach the Divine teaching; and those who have promised to believe and those who attempt to act contrary to the faith must be treated with severe medicines” (Blessed Theodoret). “May they be healthy in the faith.” “Here the Apostle speaks not about strangers, but about his own” (St. Chrysostom). He ordered the lips of strangers - harmful talkers of vain - to be stopped, and he ordered them to mercilessly reprove his own - “to strike deeply” (St. Chrysostom). And this is not to satisfy one’s displeasure with them, but so that they are sound in the faith, that is, so that they do not accept false views that are inconsistent with faith (St. Chrysostom). Health in faith is precisely staying true to one's devotion. The body becomes unhealthy when it accepts elements alien to it; and faith becomes unhealthy when it accepts thoughts that destroy its structure, either entirely or in parts. He who accepts such thoughts with the conviction that they are true, when they are not true, damages true faith and becomes unhealthy in it. For he does not keep “the form of sound words” taught by the Apostles (2 Tim. 1:13), and he is unfaithful “to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching according to good faith.” That’s why he’s sick” (1 Tim. 6:3–4). So that the Cretans do not fall under such a disease, the Apostle commands them to be mercilessly rebuked when it is noticed that they are opening their ears to vain talkers without caution. Titus 1:14. People who turn away from the truth do not heed the fables of the Jews, nor the commandments. The way to remain sound in the faith is indicated. Merciless reproof will discourage them from listening to anything alien to faith—their faith will remain sound, and they will remain sound in faith. The faith has already been taught to them, and they maintain it. But vain talkers come and put into the mind things that are alien to faith, but which nevertheless seem to be true; and - the inexperienced, not being able to unravel the lie hidden in the vanity, begin to think that maybe this is so. By this, faith may already be shaken and her health shaken. This state of affairs lasted, the crooked rumors were repeated several times; and - there is nothing marvelous if these latter are recognized as more red than the provisions of faith. That's the disease. This disease will be prevented if they do not listen to anything alien to faith. Don’t pay attention - and you will be healthy in your faith. Saint Chrysostom says: “health consists in not introducing anything false, nothing alien.” The Apostle defines this alien thing with the words: Jewish fables and commandments “people who turn away from the truth.” What exactly Saint Paul meant by this, Saint Titus and the Cretans knew clearly. It's hard for us to guess. For there were many Jewish fables and human errors. But there is no loss for us from this. Both those Jewish fables and those human errors have already passed, and we have nothing to fear from them. There is only one Apostolic commandment left for us: not to listen to anything alien to the faith. And didn’t St. Paul have this goal, leaving it unclear for us (and not for those to whom he wrote) what not to heed, in order to inspire us not to heed anything at all that we see incompatible with faith, no matter how red it may seem? By Jewish fables one should not understand legal decrees or the structure of subordinate religious life, but either a crooked interpretation of these decrees and their meaning, or everything that was subsequently invented for them by the Jews themselves. Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle did not call the law Jewish fables, but the interpretation of the law proposed by the Jews.” Blessed Theophylact adds to this: “the holy books of the Old Testament, well understood, are not fables. How can this be when from them we learn the truth of the Gospel? But incorrect interpretations and additions are like fables!” But what exactly is it? All Jewish sects had their own crooked interpretations and additions - the Essenes, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees; There were among the Jews both philosophical wise men and dreamers - mystics who invented Kabbalah. Isn't this all a fable? There were also common Jewish fables, for example, about the Messiah, as an earthly king, and about his kingdom, both sensual and everyday. And among the Jewish Christians a fable persisted for a long time - about the urgency of fulfilling legal decrees (especially about circumcision, the Sabbath and types of food, permitted and forbidden) and for all believers in the Lord Savior. – What Saint Paul meant from all this is not clear. But it is certain that the teaching of the vain talkers who seduced the Cretans included something else from this. For, as it seems, it was a mixture of heterogeneous teachings, in which Jewish fables also had their part, although we cannot definitely say which ones. What is the essence of the commandment “people who turn away from the truth”? This is either the same as Jewish fables, or something other than them, invented by human wisdom, and specifically by paganism. In the first case, the words: commandments “man” will be determined by what someone understands by Jewish fables. Blessed Theophylact, Ecumenius, and partly Saint Chrysostom, understand the legal customs of the Jews, which, not being in themselves, by their origin and purpose, fables, have already become fables when they are considered obligatory after they have lost their power. In this case, they cease to be the commandments of God, and begin to be the commandments of men. But Ambrosiastes, by human commandments, means those Jewish decrees that were later added to the law by the Jews themselves. In the second case, the commandments “man” will mean pagan wisdom and customs. So partly Saint Chrysostom. It comes to mind that such an understanding may be closer to the truth. For as the course of speech shows, the wisdom of the vain talkers who seduced the Cretans was a mixture of Judaism and paganism; then the Apostle, commanding not to heed what is alien to faith and what can make faith unsound, of course, had in mind both one and the other side of the seductive wisdom of those and, denoting what was Jewish in them, with Jewish fables, probably with the words: commandments of man, he meant what was pagan in them. This can also be confirmed by the quality of these “people” - that they turn away from the truth. For, although it was fair to regard the Jews who opposed the Gospel as turning away from the truth, such a judgment could more fully go to the pagans, who were completely mired in lies. Saint Chrysostom sees in the words of the Apostle a suggestion not to listen not to any supposed Jewish and pagan false teachings, but to Judaism and paganism, as they were then before our eyes. He says: “if those who keep the rules regarding food are not healthy, but are sick, - for the Apostle says about such: “Do not accept him who is weak in faith with doubting thoughts” (Rom. 14: 1), then what can we say about those who fast and keep the Sabbath with the Jews or go to places considered sacred by the pagans, for example, a place in Daphne, the so-called cave Matrona, a place in Cilicia called Kronov? Can they be sane? Thus, neither the pagans nor the Jews should be obeyed; for this means not being healthy. If you contain faith, then why do you introduce something else, as if faith were not sufficient for justification? Why do you subject and enslave yourself to the law? Or do you not rely on faith? This is characteristic of the sick and the unbeliever; such a person doubts, but it is unusual for a believer’s soul to doubt.” Perhaps, in fact, among the Cretans there were not any new teachings, mixed from Judaism and paganism, but the old Jewish and pagan superstitions and customs remained, to which others attached importance and tried to keep others in them. In our time, one can see here a suggestion to beware of falling under the influence of the Jewish and pagan spirit, understanding by the first contentment with one factual and active side of life, and by the second - the overthrow of every yoke both for the mind, and for feelings with desires, and for external action. Titus 1:15. All squalor is pure to the pure; to the defiled and unfaithful, nothing is pure, but their mind and conscience are defiled. Verses 15 and 16 point out certain points or aspects of the false teaching that was current among the Cretans, as if by way of example. You can combine them with the previous one like this: how absurd this teaching is, there is nothing to say about it. Take what it says about the variety of foods, as if there is any one of them that by its nature can make the one who receives it unclean. Simple meaning is enough to know that food can make you neither pure nor unclean. Purity or impurity depends on the heart. He who is pure in heart, no matter what seemingly unclean food he eats, everything is clean and everything is clean for him, and food does not make him unclean. On the contrary, he who is unclean in heart is not made clean by any food considered pure; he is all unclean. No food makes him unclean, and no food makes him clean; or this one’s food is always pure, but this one’s food is always unclean. The Apostle here instills the same thing that the Savior taught, that it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes from the heart (Matthew 15:11-19). To fully understand these provisions, one must pay attention not to the types of food, but to the nutrition or eating itself. One person’s food is pure because he accepts it with a pure heart; and the other is unclean, because it is received with an unclean heart. A pure heart is one that, having renounced all self-indulgence, directs everything to the glory of God, even while eating and drinking; that’s why everything about him is clean. But that heart that is filled with self-indulgence is unclean, and with this self-indulgence makes every action and movement unclean, because everything is done out of self-indulgence, even that which in appearance seems self-sacrificing and directed towards God. The Apostle speaks of such people: “their mind and conscience be defiled.” The mind is defiled by false concepts, which it accepts without reasoning, due to the mere desire of the heart, or being carried away by customs, or out of vanity and superstition. Conscience is defiled when a person, contrary to it, acts according to false concepts, or when he acts without heeding his conscience, or with a doubtful conscience. This kind of state is inevitable in those whose hearts are filled with self-indulgence and are completely dominated by certain objects that nourish and satisfy it. Here they not only do not listen to the mind and conscience, but they themselves are forced to judge and determine to please themselves, or condescendingly, or crookedly; They strive in every possible way to imagine that they are acting right, at least tolerably, although from within they hear some kind of reminder that does not approve of them. Saint Chrysostom says that in the Old Testament some foods were prohibited, but “not because they were unclean, but in order to better curb carnality. – God did not create anything unclean; and there is nothing unclean except sin, because it touches the soul and defiles it; and everything else is considered unclean by human prejudice. – Why did the Apostle attribute everything to the people themselves? There is nothing, he says, unclean, but they themselves are unclean - their mind and conscience; there is nothing uncleaner than the latter. This is what impurity consists of: they themselves are not clean. - One must be selective in relation to what defiles the soul - this is truly uncleanness, this is filth; and everything else is not. Those whose taste is corrupt think that what they take is unclean; but this comes from their illness. Therefore, one must thoroughly know what is by nature pure and what is unclean. What is unclean? Sin, malice, deceit, greed, deceit. “Wash yourself,” says the Prophet, and be clean, take away wickedness from your souls” (Is. 1:16). - Those (Old Testament) cleansings were images of (true) cleansing. – Nowadays it is not this (external) that is required of us, but everything is related to the soul. The corporeal is closer to us; that is why God first turned away from him; but not so now; for one should not always remain with the images and adhere to the shadows, but accept the truth and adhere to it. Uncleanness is sin: we will flee from it, we will abstain from it. “If, says the Wise One, you approach him, he will bite you” (Sir. 21:2).” The Apostle mentioned this side of the teaching because it was especially outstanding and its absurdity was so obvious that it did not require a long refutation. You see, he seems to be telling them, what is their point! But as this one is, so are all the others. “Now look what their teachers are like.” Titus 1:16. They confess God, but His works are rejected; they are scoundrels and disobedient, and unskilled in every good work. The Apostle here inspires the same thing that the Savior commanded: “Give ear from lying prophets... By their fruit you will know them” (Matthew 7:15-16). If you want, he says, to make sure that the teaching of those who deceive you is incorrect, look at what they are like and how they live. A life that does not correspond to the teaching undermines the power of the teaching, revealing in the teachers a lack of conviction and, especially, the fact that their teaching is not the goal and essence of their life, but a means. The Holy Apostles were distinguished by their all-round impeccability of life, pure and selfless - and this did not repulse them at first, but later attracted them. This is how sanctified persons should always and everywhere be. It is true that even teachers of truth can limp in the affairs of life; but it is also certain that nothing repels one from teaching more than the bad life of teachers. Saint Paul’s goal was to turn away from false teaching, and as the false teachers presented to him their weak side - in the defectiveness of life and character - he took advantage of this. If it weren’t for this, he would not have touched on this, but would have pointed out something else about the false teachers that could expose the falsity of their teaching. He had already pointed out in them the evil nature of profit (Titus 1:11); and now he points out something more - hypocrisy: “They confess God, but His deeds are averted.” This image of expression shows that the Apostle beats “more than the living of circumcision.” Ambrosiastes writes: “although these words can be applied to all heretics, here the Apostle speaks of the Jews who insisted about themselves that they alone knew the God of Abraham. “They know, but only with their tongues, and with their deeds they will abolish Him, just as the Lord denounced them: “Even though they were children of Abraham, they did the works of Abraham quickly” (John 8:39).” Blessed Theodoret reduces this to the subject of the Apostle’s speech as follows: “They strive to pretend that they honor the God of all, but they act directly contrary to what is pleasing to Him. For God limited the law to a certain time; At that time they did not fulfill the law, but when the time is over, they stand firmly for the law.” Don't listen to them. It is not God they honor. God is only on their tongue, but in their hearts it is completely different. Blessed Jerome writes: “those whose minds and consciences are defiled, “they confess God, but their deeds avert Him,” according to the words of Isaiah the prophet: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Is. 29:13). So, as one honors with his lips, but is far away in heart, so another speaks in word. He confesses God, but rejects Him by works. But whoever rejects God by his oral confession is an abomination to God, and, since he is not convinced by any foundations of the truth, he is rightly called disobedient and unfaithful. This also means that he is unskilled in every good work. And the fact that, being attracted by natural goodness, he does what is good, being defiled by the corruption of his mind. God is rejected by those who, during persecution, being captured by the pagans, are denied that he is a Christian. But the Apostle affirms that God is rejected by everyone, no matter what anyone does that is wrong. Christ is wisdom, truth, holiness, courage. He is rejected like wisdom, unwisdom like truth, unrighteousness like truth, lies like holiness, depravity like courage, cowardice. And in general, no matter how many times we are overcome by passions and sins, so many times we reject God. On the contrary, every time we do something good, we confess God. One should not think that on the day of judgment the Son of God will reject only those who rejected Him during His torment; but with all his deeds, words and thoughts, Christ either, being rejected, is rejected, or, being confessed, he confesses. Thus, all good words and deeds testify that the soul is devoted to Christ.” 3) Indication of what and how the faithful should be taught, in accordance with their age and condition Those who teach wrongly, the Apostle said above (Titus 1:11), teach “what is not proper”; and you, he says, turning to Titus, teach “what is proper” (Titus 2:1). And he immediately indicates what exactly should be said to whom. It does not embrace everything, but only takes into account: elders and elders (Tit.2, 2–3), b) young men and young men (Tit.2, 4–6), d) slaves (Tit.2, 9–10) and: f) civic virtues (Tit.3, 1–2). Between these instructions he inserts: c) a reminder that the teacher himself should set an example in everything (Titus 2:7-8) and instill in those taught that: d) then the whole economy is in Christ Jesus, so that believers, having rejected ungodliness and worldly lusts, live chastely, holyly and godly, being zealous for good works in the blessed hope ( Tit.2, 11 – 15), g) then the grace of the Holy Spirit, to transform us from bad to good (Tit.3, 3 – 7) and: h) concludes: teach this, but shun their struggles and drive away heretics (Tit.3, 8-11). – The Apostle repeats three times: teach to be kind (Tit. 2, 1, 15; Tit. 3, 8); three times he inspires: so that no one has any reason to say anything reproachful either about our teaching or about us (Titus 2:5, 10, 15). By this he defines the subject and purpose of the Epistle. It can therefore be assumed that the Cretans, having accepted the faith, did not bother to live according to faith, but lived according to their former customs - Jews - Jewish, pagans - pagan, meanwhile spending their time in spreading fables of superstition and in empty and useless competitions. To correct these defects, the Apostle mainly directs the works of Saint Titus, and after him the bishops, whose appointment in cities he considers the surest means to achieve this goal. This is the essence of the entire Message. Titus 2:1. You speak as befits sound doctrine. “Let them not confuse you,” says the Apostle, by those who teach otherwise; You, according to custom, teach Divine instructions” (Blessed Theodoret). “Don’t be silent for this; even if they do not accept (instructions), you do your job; even if they are not convinced, you exhort and advise” (St. Chrysostom). But, it seems, the Apostle wants to show by this where the work of teaching should be directed. The talkers spread fables; But you, having stopped their mouths, and strictly rebuked your own, then do not get involved in disputes, but pay all your attention to teaching sound doctrine: “verbs that are appropriate to sound doctrine,” - what is consistent with sound doctrine, what is required by sound doctrine, or - what is the essence of sound doctrine. Sound teaching is not only that which teaches true knowledge about God (Ambrosiastes) and our relationship to Him, and even more so about the reunification of those who have fallen with Him, but also that which is not content to remain with mere naked teaching, but at the same time demands a life in accordance with the teaching, and is more focused on correcting morals, avoiding all useless disputes and competitions. You speak more about living well: “Let those who have believed God be careful to do good deeds” (Titus 3:8). What is this good life and good morals of believers? a) What is the good character of the elders and old women? Titus 2:2. Be a sober old man, honest, chaste, strong in faith, love, and patience. The elder here is not a presbyter, but an old man in years. This elderly person should be, firstly, “sober.” Sobriety or sobriety is the attention of the mind acquired through labor and experience to what is happening inside, and to how things flow outside, both before the face of God - attention, accompanied by vigilance, unremitting tension of strength, in readiness for every proper task. Just as a helmsman on a ship looks vigilantly both forward and to the sides in order to guide the ship as it should, so does a sober, keen-sighted eye to everything that is inside and without, in order to guide his spiritual life as he should. Sobriety is not established suddenly, but through long labor, and after passions have subsided. Just as many passions naturally subside among elders, the order of nature requires that they be sober. However, this does not always happen; does not happen, since the previous life was not in good order. Therefore, in this commandment, the elders also have a hidden commandment for men to practice sobriety, so that in old age they will have this virtue as an integral quality. The opposite of sobriety is inattention to oneself and one’s affairs, scattering of thoughts, laziness and dejection. Blessed Theodoret writes: sobriety requires “always being awake and sober and having prudence appropriate for one’s age.” Saint Chrysostom says: “even old age has shortcomings; she is characterized by negligence, laziness, forgetfulness, dullness and immobility. Therefore, the Apostle commands “to be a sober elder.” For a person at this age has a lot to do with not being sober, and most of all what I said, that is, dullness of all senses, slowness and lack of mobility.” But whoever pays attention to himself can always be sober, that is, “cheerful and ready for everything that is due” (Blessed Theophylact). Secondly, - “be honest”, - “and decent in appearance” (Blessed Theodoret). Sobriety determines the inner mood of the elder, and honesty determines the outer behavior. This is how he should behave in order to induce everyone to respect him. This commands sedateness, restraint and a certain importance in movements, speeches and all deeds. Thirdly, “be chaste.” Saint Chrysostom says: “By chaste he here means sensible. For a sound state of mind is called chastity.” So it is with Ecumenius and Theophylact. And the wise Sirach writes: “If judgment is red for gray hairs, then understand the advice of the elders! How red is old wisdom and glorious wisdom and advice!” (Sir. 25, 6 – 7). But others here understand chastity as purity from carnal sins and lust. Jerome writes: “The Apostle commands the elders to be chaste, so that they do not indulge in carnal lust at an age that is naturally alien to it, and so that, when their blood has cooled for it, they do not serve as a tempting example for young men.” The same idea can be seen in Blessed Theodoret, who interprets the word: “chaste” as “careful about a good life.” It is not alien, one might assume, to St. Chrysostom; for, having said the above, he adds: “there are, indeed, among the elders there are frantic people.” Although the ecumenium says: “one cannot think that Saint Paul demanded from the elders abstinence from carnal lust, when it is naturally already assumed in them”; but this only expresses how inappropriate lust is for old age, and not that it does not overcome the old too. And the Wise One says that his soul is disgusted by the life of “an adulterous old man who degrades his mind” (Sir. 25:3-4). There are, it turns out, elders who are lustful. Lust makes them meaningless and drags them after itself. Therefore, it is not surprising that Saint Paul had this in mind when he commanded that the elders be taught to be chaste. These three - chastity, honesty and sobriety - embrace life in all possible relationships, that is, to oneself, other people and to God; for sobriety cannot be established otherwise than when the mind merges with the thought of God. From this it is clear that the Apostle wants the elders to present a comprehensively exemplary life. These three also combine all levels of life pleasing to God - spiritual, mental and physical. By sobriety the spirit is brought into close communion with God; but the spirit, having thus become its rank, does not deny mental and physical life, but spiritualizes them. The spiritualization of the soul is found in honesty, which combines truth with love; and the spiritualization of the body is in chastity, which embraces all detachment from everything sensual, and complete purity from passions. “Those who are strong in faith, love, and patience” - “so that they can sincerely believe, and be distinguished by love for their neighbors, and courageously endure what they suffer from the hostile enemies of the truth” (Blessed Theodoret). A sound faith does not only contain the right confession, but moreover, in the depths of the soul, it has God as faithful and believes itself to be faithful to Him always and in everything. Feeling God's Fatherly love for himself, he burns with his love for Him, embracing with it all who bear the image of God. Patience is the fruit of faith and love, soldered by hope and ripening under its influence or in its atmosphere and, even more accurately, in its greenhouse. It holds and carries both the work of faith and the work of love; Most of all, he complacently endures everything that is encountered because of them - difficult, cramped, sorrowful, leading to troubles, suffering and death. These three are the height of the perfection of life according to God, in Christ Jesus, by the grace of the Holy Spirit - a perfection with which it is more natural for whom to adorn themselves, if not the elders? Blessed Jerome, when interpreting this passage, considered it not superfluous to talk at length about these virtues. “Those who have the soundness of faith will hear from the Savior: “Your faith will save you” (Mark 10:52), or as in another place: “I have not found much faith in Israel” (Matthew 8:10). For such soundness of faith they will become the sons of Abraham, about whom it is written: “Abraham believed in God and was credited to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). And Habakkuk, understanding this sound faith, says: “The righteous will live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). Re-read the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews and list the entire catalog of sons of faith placed there. It is written there: “By faith you shall offer Abel a greater sacrifice than Cain to God” (Heb. 11:4); “By faith Enoch was cut short so as not to see death” (Heb. 11:5); and Noah, “about these things which were not seen, believing God, created an ark, and Abraham, who went from unknowing, was coming” (Heb. 11:7-8). And lest it be thought that the Holy Scripture does not indicate a single example of faith among wives, it is written in that Epistle that Sarah “was given strength to keep the seed, and more than the age of her birth, since she was faithful not to Him who promised” (Heb. 11:11). The faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab and others is praised there, whom you know better by reading the Epistle itself. But just as there is soundness in faith, so there is soundness in love. Who has the health of love, if not the one who loved God with all his soul, with all his heart and with all his strength? Then, hearing the commandment of Christ, he will turn love towards his neighbor; for on these two commandments hang the whole law and the Prophets. He who has healthy love does not envy, does not become arrogant, does not act disorderly and dishonestly, is not provoked by anger, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, endures everything, has faith in everything, has every hope (1 Cor. 13:4-7). Just as love never falls away, the one who is in healthy love never falls away. Neither sorrow, nor distress, nor famine, nor persecution, nor nakedness, nor trouble can separate him from the healthy love that he has in Christ Jesus. But what do I say about the sword and other lesser things that cannot separate one who has sound love, when neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, neither present nor to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate one who has sound love in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:35-39)? Having thus understood that there is healthy love, let us take as an example from Scripture what is said about those whose love is not healthy. The Savior says about the last times: “because iniquity will increase, the love of many will dry up” (Matthew 24:12). Warm love is in those who burn in spirit; in those that have been exposed to the cruel winds blowing from the north, it is cold as ice. “From the face of the north evil will be kindled against all who dwell on the earth” (Jer. 1:14). This coldness of love once made Amnon numb in relation to his sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13). We must be afraid that a similar disease of love may sometimes overcome us. For it happens that our love for a young woman or some woman is at first holy; but then, when the soul becomes soft and relaxed from passion, our healthy love little by little begins to wither and turns into illness, and finally leads to the brink of destruction. This is why the Apostle instructs Timothy to strictly instruct the young to keep themselves clean in every possible way (1 Tim. 5). Complete purity occurs in the spirit, soul and flesh: so that the eye is not tempted, clinging to the beauty of a woman’s face, so that the ear does not delight in hearing flattering speeches and the mind, previously strong, does not weaken from such charms. So, let both young men and old men be careful, both young men and old women, and with all diligence let them guard their hearts, so that, instead of the health of love, the disease of love does not arise and, instead of holy love, does not creep in - not holy, plunging into Gehenna. “He who is sound in faith and sound in love is also sound in patience, - in patience, especially tested in temptations, which “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13).” Titus 2:3–4. “The old women are also adorned with holiness, not slanderous, not guilty of much, enslaved, good teachers, so that the young ones may be chaste.” And by eldresses the Apostle means elderly women, as Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle called old women those who were advanced in years, and not those who were worthy of any service (in the Church, not deaconesses).” This is what all of us understand; only Ecumenius sees the deaconess here. This, of course, was what Theophylact had in mind when, having said that the Apostle is speaking here about wives aged in years, he added: “Some, however, think that we are talking about deaconesses here.” - Blessed Jerome writes: “although the Apostle Peter commands that husbands give honor to their wives, “as to a weaker vessel” (1 Pet. 3:7), one should not, however, think that a wife, having a weak vessel in body, is therefore also weak in soul. Why is it commanded in this place that what the Apostle said should be fulfilled in them: “power... is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9): for it is said that they too should have everything that is commanded to the elders; in the following words: “the same for the elders,” - that is, so that they, just like the elder men, should be honest in everything, sober, chaste, healthy in faith, love and patience and, moreover, in accordance with their sex, walk in holy attire or, as it is better said in Greek: εν καταστηματι (step, posture) ιεροπρεπεις - so that their very step and movement, gaze and speech represent a kind of sacred dignity.” And indeed, “in decoration” does not embrace everything that is contained in the Greek word: εν καταστηματι. This word, as Blessed Jerome points out, embraces everything external: posture, gait, gaze, speech, and movement - in general, external self-containment, which includes clothing. Teach, he says, so that in all this they will be holy. Saint Chrysostom says that old women “should show modesty by their very appearance and clothing.” And Blessed Theodoret writes that they are commanded here to “comeliness of sedate behavior.” Sacredness does not indicate the church rank of the elders, but the quality of their external self-conduct, that is, so that they behave as if they were in church or like those who serve in church, both modestly and reverently, so that they spread reverence and sedateness around themselves. “Not slanderous” - also teach the elders, μη διαβολους, to be free from gossip, slander, slander and all kinds of slander, which are all part of the devil, an instrument of mutual unpeace, discord and warfare, and often troubles for those slandered. Blessed Jerome writes: “since this class of women is usually talkative, according to the words of the same Apostle: “But the idle learn to go from house to house: not exactly idle, but also whores (chatty) and inquisitive (curious), speaking even inappropriately” (1 Tim. 5:13), then here too he wants them to be unslandering, that is, non-judgmental women, not those who, to please one, would slander others, or who, like those who have already passed the age of youth, would reason and say about youths like this, this one dresses like this, this one performs like this, that one over there knows so-and-so, loves so-and-so, is loved by so-and-so: whereas, even if there was something reproachful in all this, they should not judge so much in front of others as to correct in private in the spirit of the love of Christ - to teach rather that they should not do it, than to publicly condemn what they have done.” “I do not blame much for the enslaved.” It is not the use of wine that prohibits, but the abuse of it, so that they do not drink too much and become addicted to wine. It is as if nature requires drinking wine in old age - in order to maintain energy and promote nutrition. But using it in excess does not help one or the other, but harms; and one who is addicted to this soon completely upsets himself, both physically and mentally. For wine irritates lust and makes the old more disgraceful in this state than the young. Saint Chrysostom says: “this deficiency (wine drinking) is characteristic of old age: for with age a person becomes colder, and from this comes a strong disposition towards wine. Therefore, the Apostle especially warns them against this, destroying drunkenness in every possible way and wanting them to be free from this disease and avoid the shame that comes from it. Over time, vapors rise more easily from below and the brain membranes become damaged from old age; This is where the tendency to drunkenness especially comes from. True, this age (old age) especially has a need for wine - for it is weak - but it does not need large quantities, just like young women, not for the same reason, but because the fire of desires is strongly ignited in them. Let us continue this instruction with the words of Blessed Jerome: “Excessive consumption of wine is prohibited for old women, because drunkenness produces the same thing in the old as lust produces in the young. After this, how will the old woman begin to teach the young women cleanliness, when the young woman, if she begins to imitate the old woman in drinking wine, can hardly keep herself clean?” “Good teaching” - so that by example and by word they teach every good thing. Old age, experienced in its natural order, is the leader of youth. But just as in everyday life only those who were engaged in these matters and acted wisely in them can guide the younger ones: so much more in the religious and moral order, only those who diligently and wisely went through it themselves can instruct in the life of this kind. Why did the Apostle set this task for old age after he had adorned it with many good qualities. And indeed, if the elders have everything that has been indicated so far, then they will naturally be good instructive, one example, even if words were lacking, which, however, cannot be lacking, because instructions in this order of life do not require verbosity. Old age is very experienced and in a simple conversation, without much tension, teaches a lot. And youth, wanting to learn, clings to it of its own accord and diligently listens. Blessed Jerome writes: “after teaching what old women should be, he now allows them to take the reins of teaching, so that, having become just such, they would have the boldness and courage to teach other, younger women, every good thing.” Saint Chrysostom objects: “How then do you forbid wives to teach? Here you allow it, but in another place you say: “I do not allow my wife to teach (1 Tim. 2:12)?” And he answers: “But listen to what he added to this: it is lower to own a husband.” It is given to men from above to teach both husbands and wives; and he allows wives to offer exhortations at home, and not at all to preside (in church) or conduct a lengthy speech.” “There he speaks of public teaching in the church, which wives are not allowed to do, but here about domestic teaching, and only of younger wives, as the following words show” (Blessed Theophylact). “Let the young ones be chaste. “They will become chaste” - not let them teach them to be chaste, - there is a special word about this below, - but let them become wise, σωφρονιζωσιν, - let them teach them the wisdom of Christian living. “Do you see,” says Saint Chrysostom, “how he agrees and unites people, how he subordinates the younger ones to the elders? For he is not talking about daughters, but in general about young people. Each elder, says, let the younger one admonish.” Here is the Apostolic instruction that pastors can and should initiate mutual teaching among their flock, and especially regarding wives: for it is not always convenient to have conversations with wives, and especially young ones. b) What is the good character of young women and young men? Titus 2:4–5. Let young women be wise, lovers of husbands, lovers of children, chaste, pure, ruling well at home, good, submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God is not blasphemed. The Apostle writes rules to the shepherd about what and how to teach his flock, and assigns part of this work to the elder women, precisely in the matter of teaching the youngest wives. But the elders undertake to teach according to the teaching and direction of the shepherd. Consequently, the source of teaching is still one - the law-ordained shepherd; oxbow lakes are only tools. And the care of the youngest is not removed from the shepherd, but only made easier. What should we teach young wives? “To be man-loving.” “This is the most important of household goods: “the wife and husband agree with each other,” as the Wise One says (Sir. 25:2). When you have this, then there will be nothing unpleasant. For when the head is in union with the body and there is no division between them, how can everything else not be in harmony? When the main members are in the world, then who can disrupt and disturb this peace? On the contrary, if they are in bad relations with each other, then there is nothing decent in the house. There is nothing better than their mutual agreement; it is more useful than wealth, nobility, power and everything else. The Apostle did not just say: we must be in peace, but: “love our husbands.” For when there is love between them, no discord will penetrate between them; from it other benefits are born” (St. Chrysostom). "For child lovers". This means that by young, the Apostle does not mean girls, but young wives, such, however, who already have children. Child love is natural to mothers, as it is to fathers. If one is reminded of it, it is not so much in order to instill love for children, but rather in order to bring to mind its quality: for not all love for children is true love. Blessed Jerome writes: “Let them love children so much that they may be strengthened in the Divine teaching. Not wanting to sadden children by teaching them what is good and leaving them the freedom to sin does not mean loving children, much less hating them.” “Chaste” - marital chastity, according to which even the pleasures of the marriage bed are considered not the main thing of marriage, but an ancillary caused by the necessity of nature, and not only do not allow themselves such pleasures outside of this bed. Blessed Jerome writes: “The Apostle wants them to love their husbands purely, he wants there to be a kind of bashful and modest love between husband and wife, and wives with shame, as if out of necessity of sex, to give more to their husbands than they themselves demanded of them, and to believe that the very work of procreation is performed before the face of God and the Angels.” "Clean". This is either synonymous with chastity, or chastity means marital fidelity and the abstinent use of the pleasures of the marriage bed; but purity, so as to keep your heart as far as possible from these sweets, and especially not to allow yourself to be carried away by love for strangers. Blessed Theophylact writes: “a wife who loves her husband will be both chaste and immaculate, that is, pure in body and heart, both from mixing with outsiders and from lustful love for them.” “Houses are good for those who rule.” With love for her husband and children, the wife is responsible for the economy and all the housework. This requires a lot of work, more than prudence and diligence. But when there is spoken love, it will teach the wife everything. Saint Chrysostom says: “all good things come from love; Wives are both kind and caring about the house out of love and affection for their husband. On the contrary, a wife who despises her husband also neglects her home. From love comes constant chastity, from love all discord is destroyed; if the husband is a pagan, he will soon convert; if you are a Christian, then it will be better. Do you see Paul's condescension? He who tried in every possible way to divert us from the worries of everyday life now takes great care of household affairs. For when these affairs are managed well, then the spiritual ones will find a place for themselves, otherwise they too will be upset. A wife who takes care of the house will also be chaste; a wife who takes care of the house will also be thrifty; she will not allow luxury, untimely expenses, or anything else like that.” "Good." When they love their husbands and children, then they are kind to them. But it is possible that, having become too preoccupied with the care of the household, they will become addicted to the things of life and fall into stinginess, depriving family members of what they deserve. In a family, moreover, there are servants, and some mistress, out of care for the house, is not good to them. And yet, in addition to meeting the needs of family members, outsiders - those in need - cannot be ignored. So that caring housewives do not become, for this very reason, stingy, cruel to servants, unmerciful to the needy, the Apostle commands them, when caring for the house, to be kind. Others read it like this: οικουργους αγαθας - to be good housewives - without separating these words with a comma. Blessed Jerome writes: “Young wives must be taught so that they can take care of the home. But how could it happen that others would begin to correct this care with cruelty and, regarding the commandment of the Apostle, another mistress would appear unmerciful to the servants, then the Apostle added: “good,” so that housewives would then consider themselves to be good rulers of houses when they treat the servants kindly, and not with cruelty, which gives rise to fear.” "By submitting to your husband". The submission of wives to their husbands is God's original decree, which is naturally fulfilled, so that deviation from it is an exception to the general natural order of affairs. The Apostle puts it out “so that Christian wives, for whatever reasons, do not forget about this divine decree that subordinates them to their husbands. God said to the wife: “Your return will be to your husband, and he will rule over you” (Gen. 3:16). The Lord did not say to the husband, “You will possess the wife,” but to the wife herself; so that the reward for obedience remains with her if, self-willingly submitting to the commandments of God, she self-willingly serves her husband and submits to her spouse; so this submission is free and full of love, according to which they submit to their husband in everything, fearing to offend him. The husband was not created for the sake of the wife, but the wife for the sake of the husband. And as the head of the wife is the husband, the head of the husband is Christ; then a wife who does not submit to her husband, that is, to her head, is guilty of the same guilt as a husband who does not submit to Christ, his head” (Blessed Jerome). But the Apostle sets forth a special incentive for Christian wives to submit to their husbands, namely: “Let not the word of God be blasphemed.” If a previously submissive wife, having become a Christian, becomes disobedient, then this will give her husband a fair excuse - to blaspheme the word of God - or the Gospel: what word of God is this or what faith is it that teaches wives not to submit to their husbands?! And there will be damage to the Gospel and faith. To prevent this from happening, the Apostle, in addition to God’s general determination that wives should be submissive to their husbands, encourages them to do so and risk damaging the word of God. Saint Chrysostom says at this: “Do you see that he is primarily concerned about preaching, and not about worldly affairs? So (about obedience to authorities) in the Epistle to Timothy he says: “Let us live a quiet and quiet life in all godliness and purity” (1 Tim. 2:2); and here: “Let not the word of God be blasphemed.” If a believing wife living with an unbelieving husband is not virtuous, then blasphemy against God is usually uttered; if she lives honestly, then the sermon gains glory from her and her good deeds. Let wives who live with evil or unfaithful husbands listen to this, let them listen and learn by their conversion to attract them to piety. Even if you do not gain any other benefit, even if you do not attract your husband to fellowship in right dogmas, then at least you will stop his mouth and will not allow him to blaspheme Christianity. And this is not an unimportant, but a great thing - so that our teaching is respected for our behavior.” Ambrosiastes writes the same thing: let wives be submissive to their husbands, “so that husbands, if they are unfaithful, rejoice even more at the fact that they have become Christians, and not blaspheme the name of God, seeing that they are more willing to obey them, fearing to offend God, according to the inspiration of their faith.” Were there not such cases “that others, under the pretext of piety, left their husbands, and this brought blasphemy on the preaching,” as Blessed Theodoret guesses? Titus 2:6. Young men also pray to be chaste. He commands only to instill chastity in young men. This is because other passions hardly bother them: one, contrary to chastity, dominates them. Therefore, as long as they resist it, there is nothing to say about others. Moreover, chastity, of course, both in soul and body, is a virtue with which all others are essentially connected. He is chaste and has the fear of God, and is self-controlled, and is attentive to him, and is free from all hobbies, and is sedate, and correct in everything. Therefore, the shepherd, urging people to be chaste, will not even say that they should be adorned with all the virtues. Blessed Jerome here also refers to “the same way” to everything previous. In relation to the elders “in the same way” (verse 3) he understood: like the elders; and in relation to young men he understands: like both. As for young men, this is all encompassed in one word: “be chaste,” “in soul and body, in deed and in thought, so that suspicion of the sin of carnal impurity does not fall on any young man.” Ambrosiast adds to this: “as youth is characterized by uncontrollability and is quick to fall; therefore, it is commanded to hold her with saving holders, so that, being bridled by Divine laws, she will walk the right path.” Let us also apply the words of St. Chrysostom: “You see how he everywhere inspires to observe what is due. He left the instruction of women mainly to women, entrusting the elders to the younger ones; and he entrusts and leaves the whole matter of instructing husbands to himself (Titus). Nothing, truly nothing is as difficult and difficult for a young person as overcoming shameful pleasures. It is not so much the love of money, or the desire for fame, or anything else that confuses this age, but rather voluptuousness. Therefore, the Apostle, leaving everything else behind, directs his admonition against this dangerous disease.” “Pray,” he says, persuade, convince; for here neither the severity of the commandment nor the fear of authority is strong enough to influence. Rather, the fatherly admonition will have an effect, instilling into the heart, with words of love, convictions that can excite and strain the energy of the will to resist rebellious carnal desires. c) A reminder that the student himself should be exemplary in everything Teach, he says; but, of course, not just so that they know, but most of all so that they live in accordance with the teaching. Since in this regard the best motivation and instruction is the example of the teacher, the Apostle adds: Titus 2:7–8. In all things, presenting to himself the image of good deeds, in teaching unenviable, honesty, incorruption, sound words, not shameful: let the contrary be put to shame, having nothing to say about us stubbornly. The Apostle commands Saint Titus to have two exemplary qualities in himself: exemplary life and exemplary teaching; so everything that has been said can be briefly expressed like this: but, most importantly, be an example in everything, both in life and in teaching. Exemplary life is manifested by a wealth of good deeds: imagine yourself as an image of good deeds. “Let, he says, the older women teach the younger ones, and you yourself teach the young people chastity; for everyone, let your bright life be a common school and a model of virtue, open to everyone, as if some kind of initial image, containing all the virtues and easily presenting examples for everyone who wants to learn something good” (St. Chrysostom). “Let life be the example of the teachings you propose; because the word, evidenced by deeds, becomes worthy of belief” (Blessed Theodoret). “How one should do what the word teaches, let him set the example of life” (Ambrosiastes). “There is no benefit for a teacher to acquire skill in teaching and polish his tongue in speaking, if he does not teach by example rather than by word. If an unchaste person begins to persuade his listeners to chastity, his word will be weak and ineffective, no matter how eloquent he is. On the contrary, if he himself is pure and chaste, then, even if he is ignorant in words and slanted in speech, by his example he will encourage them to excel in this virtue through imitation of him” (Blessed Jerome). The Apostle teaches exemplary teaching both in the manner in which teaching should be taught and in its content. Exemplary attitudes in the matter of teaching are defined by the words: “unenvious, honest, incorruptible. – Not envious”, αδιαφθοριαν – for others: αφθοριαν, ​​– for some: αφθονιαν. The latter gave rise to translation in Slavic: “unenviable”. An unenvious source, for example, means: sufficient for everyone, not closed to anyone, take anyone and as much as you want. There will be a lack of jealousy in teaching: teach everything to everyone, not so as to teach one thing and withhold another, or teach everything to some and part to others, but everything to everyone, imitating Saint Paul, who told the Ephesians that without hesitation he taught them the whole will of God. In this meaning, unenvy will be the same as: “integrity” - as it means in Slavic under the line, that is, teach for a whole society and a whole body of teaching. For διαφθειρειν clothing, for example, means: to tear into pieces. In every possible way, the word: αδιαφθοριαν must be given a special meaning, different from: αφθαρσιαν, which stands through the word. It is best to believe that the Apostle inspires: in teaching, teach everything to everyone, show yourself to be a complete source of teaching, overflowing, eager to share with everyone what your heart is full of, from the overflow of which the lips speak, just as the Savior said about teachers: “every scribe, having learned the kingdom of heaven, is like a housewife, who wears out of his treasure the new and the old” (Matthew 13, 52). And shouldn’t we primarily see here an indication of this thirst for teaching, or an uncontrollable desire to pour out in the word from the fullness of the knowledge of God, with a full heart of content and love? “Honesty”, σεμνοτητα, is demonstrated by the teacher when he teaches the teaching reverently, as if speaking before God in Christ, and respectfully to those listening, addressing them not as a boss to his subordinates, but as a benevolent father to his children (Ecumenius), with meekness and love. This requires that in the very manner of expression, the teaching speech maintains strict importance in accordance with the subject, with all the simplicity required by the need to adapt to the concepts of the listeners - so that there is no pomposity, no baseness and vulgarity, no comic turns, no sophistication, usual in vain wisdom, or, as Blessed Theophylact writes, “so that there is nothing youthful that can dispel the unreasonable and to inspire laughter, but so that everything is pious, important and worthy of God.” “Incorruption” - in the teaching directly conveys the idea that not only lies, but also vain assumptions that corrupt the word of truth should not be allowed in it. But as this idea is contained in the following words: “a sound and unshameful word,” here by incorruption it is better to understand an uncorrupted, undamaged by passions, disposition of spirit with which the doctrine should be taught, so that there is no vanity, no foul gain, or any other earthly motives. The exemplary content of the teaching is determined by the words: “a sound word, without shame. “The sound word” is that which edifies, so that “those who hear in the faith may live and remain strong in sound doctrine” (Titus 1:13, 1:9). Just as a healthy body is one that, being undamaged in any part, lives the full life characteristic of it, so a healthy teaching word is one that offers teaching, undamaged in any part and containing everything that it was intended to contain, according to the intention of the One who sent down this word of truth to earth. Such a word instills, instills, and restores sound faith and sound, dogmatic teaching (Ecumenius). The word “not shameful”, ακαταγνωστον, is that which cannot be reproached for anything, which is correct in all respects and has everything that it should have, according to the requirements proposed above from it. “The word that is sound and not offensive is the Orthodox word, containing nothing reproachful” (Blessed Theophylact). This impeccability of the word can be considered a feature that combines in itself all the perfections required of it, about the decoration of the word with which jealousy should extend to the point that even the “nasty” enemy, vigilantly watching him and maliciously spying in order to discover anything bad in him, remains ashamed in this attempt, “having nothing to say reproachfully about us.” Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle calls the devil and everyone who serves him disgusting. When the life (of the teacher) is bright and the teaching corresponds to it, when it is modest, meek, condescending and does not give opponents any reason for condemnation, then there is great and ineffable benefit. Therefore, there is a great need for the ministry of the word, not just any word, but a skillful and impeccable one, which would not give any reason for criticism to those who desire it.” Blessed Jerome adds the following explanation: “demanding a word that is not shameful, the Apostle does not want the teacher to show himself so skilled in words and so wise in life that he would not suffer reproach from anyone (both the Apostles and Evangelists were reproached from heretics and pagans), but that he should not say or do anything worthy of reproach and reproach, even if his enemies carefully tried to find something like that in him - he wants the enemies, being amazed by the holiness of life and teaching, not to have the courage to condemn or weave anything plausible for reproach. The Apostle himself set an example of this, for he speaks of his way of acting: “Let me cut off the guilt of those who desire guilt” (2 Cor. 11:12).” d) What is the good character of slaves? Titus 2:9–10. Slaves, obey their master, be pleasing in everything, not backbiting, not stealing, but showing faith in every good thing: so that the teaching of our Savior God adorns in everything. Teach "slaves". He skips over the masters, perhaps because he doesn’t write a complete program on who to teach what and how, and perhaps because the masters themselves could easily understand what kind of behavior towards slaves they should follow and carry out comfortably; the slaves, having received and felt their great spiritual advantages in Christ Jesus, could easily get carried away and think that they were (henceforth) free from their duties in relation to their masters. The Apostle reminds Titus to prevent this deviation of slaves from the right path, suggesting, perhaps, that Titus might not think that slaves can be left without any special edification. Blessed Jerome writes: “since our Lord and Savior, who says in the Gospel: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28), does not exclude any condition, age or gender from bliss; then the Apostle prescribes commandments for slaves, that is, as members of the body of Christ, part of His Church; and as he showed above what Titus should teach elders and old women, young women and young men, so now he shows what commandments are useful for slaves.” Teach, he says, slaves first to “obey their master” - this is the main thing; because if this exists, it is difficult for anything else to break through, incompatible with the right way of action of slaves: perhaps some kind of injustice will arise in the spirit of obedience. Why does Saint Chrysostom say at this word: “The Apostle rightly teaches in another place: “serving as the Lord, and not as a man” (Eph. 6:7). For although you serve the master, perhaps the basis for this is fear (human, which takes away the value of your service). But whoever serves with the fear of God will receive a great reward.” “In everything” – Blessed Jerome refers to: “obey”. “First of all, teach,” says the Apostle, that slaves should obey their masters in everything. However, in that “in everything” that is not contrary to God: that is, if the master commands something that is not contrary to the Holy Scriptures, then the slave must obey the master; if he commands something contrary to him, then he must obey the Lord of the spirit rather than the Lord of the body. Pay attention to how the Apostle gives commandments consistent with the faces!” Blessed Theodoret, without indicating what this word refers to, defines only its relative meaning: “It is said: “in everything,” that is, relating to the provision of bodily services to the masters, for if the master commands wickedness, this does not oblige the slave to obey.” – But usually “in everything” refers to the following word: “To be pleasing”, ευαρεστους ειναι, - not obsequious, but such that it would be pleasing and pleasant for the masters to have them, so that having such servants would give them pleasure, because of their obedience, reasonable diligence and always faithfulness, for the sake of which one can rely on them in everything and be completely calm about them. But Blessed Jerome finds it possible in the word: “to be pleasing” - to see the idea that the servants find it pleasing to themselves to be servants, to be content with their position. He writes: “We can interpret this word, although not completely, in part this way: so that they are satisfied, that is, so that it does not seem to them that God is wrong in awarding them such a state. But just as a poor person can be saved according to the measure of his sex, just as a woman, with the weakness of her sex, is not excluded from the Kingdom of God and every condition according to its rank can receive bliss, so let slaves be content with the fact that they are slaves, and do not think that they can no longer serve God for the reason that they are subordinate to people, but believe that, being in everything submissive to their masters and content with their position, they please the will of God and thereby are saved." “Not contradictory” - so that they do not contradict, not out of a better understanding of the matter, but out of sheer grumpiness and grumbling, when they often do and grumble. “The greatest vice in slaves,” writes Blessed Jerome, “is to contradict their masters and grumble with themselves when they order something. The Apostle commands Titus to use sound teaching to ward off such defects among Christian slaves. For if it is impossible for a slave not to do what the master commands, then why should he not do this with good will? With his reproaches he insults his master, but he still cannot help but do what is ordered.” “Not stealing”, μη νοσφιζομενους, - not separating anything from the master’s and not separating secretly for their own benefit or for their share. Of course, such appropriation of the master's goods, which does not catch the eye, is done secretly and in such a way that no traces are visible; The cunning art of profiting from the master's goods is prohibited, while being in good standing with the masters. “But faith is good for everyone who shows it. “I have all faith” – all fidelity; loyalty to the “good” - with a good will, with good goals, in good deeds and for good; so as not to appear only faithful, but in the mood of the heart to be so. “Do you see what is required of slaves? That which most of all reassures the masters is precisely so that they do not contradict, do not steal, but are faithful in everything” (Blessed Theophylact). “Let the teachings of our Savior God be adorned in everything.” “With such good deeds,” he says, “let the servants adorn the teaching of our Lord. Then the gentlemen will not only not prohibit faith, but will even be happy about it, seeing that faith turns out to be useful for them themselves” (Ambrosiastes). On the contrary, “if a slave does not restrain his hand and bridle his tongue, then for what reason will the pagans be surprised at our teaching? If they see a servant philosophizing in Christ, showing greater self-control than their philosophers, and serving with great readiness and zeal, then they will undoubtedly be amazed at the power of preaching. For the pagans judge dogmas not by teaching, but by deeds and life. So, let both wives and slaves be teachers for them by their behavior. Both here and everywhere it is recognized that slaves are generally rude, uneducated, stubborn, and have little capacity for virtue - not by nature, no, but because of their upbringing and the negligence of their masters. “So, when the pagans see that the power of preaching, having curbed this rude race of people, has made them the most honest and modest of all, then, even if the gentlemen were the most reckless of people, they will receive a high understanding of our dogmas. And the more evil such people (slaves) were before, the more (masters) will be surprised at the power of preaching. Likewise, we are surprised at a doctor when he heals and corrects a desperate person who does not take any food” (St. Chrysostom). e) The suggestion that then the whole economy of salvation is in Christ Jesus, so that believers become zealous for good works Titus 2:11. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. Having read everything that the Apostle has said so far, another might ask, why care so much about slaves when few people think about them? And another might think, why do you command to teach everything only how to live: as if only objects? The apostle answers: I care about slaves because the saving grace of God appeared to all people, not excluding slaves; and I command you to teach especially how to live, because this saving grace, which embraces everyone, then appeared to make us zealous for good deeds, teaching us to live chastely, piously and righteously. The first answer is found in this verse, and the second in the following. Saint Chrysostom puts this verse in direct connection with the previous instruction to slaves: “having commanded slaves to have great virtue, - for truly great virtue is to adorn the teaching of God and our Savior in everything, without giving the masters any reason for displeasure, even in unimportant matters - the Apostle also gives a fair reason why slaves should be like that. What is the reason? “Bore has appeared,” he says, “the grace of God, saving all mankind.” - “The grace of God” is the economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, - that the Son of God became incarnate, suffered, died, rose again, ascended into heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit, who through the Apostles built the Church of God on earth, into which entry is open to everyone: come, accept the teaching by faith, be sanctified by the sacraments and then live holy under the guidance of shepherds - slave whether you are or free. “For this reason, the Only Begotten Son of God was incarnate,” writes Blessed Theodoret, “so that all people, both masters and servants, might be worthy of salvation, preparing them to leave their lawless life along with wickedness.” “We have no distinction between slave and free, Greek and barbarian, circumcised and uncircumcised, female and male; but we are all one in Christ, we are all called to one Kingdom, having been reconciled with God the Father, not by our own merits, but by the grace of our Savior - Christ the Lord, Who is the imparting grace that (always) intercedes for us before the face of the Father” (Blessed Jerome). But one can, by diverting attention from the slaves, see in these words of the Apostle a common motivation for all Christians to zealously adorn the teachings of our Savior God through a beautiful life. This is what Saint Chrysostom does, who, having quoted the previous words, added: “Truly, those who have God as their teacher and have received remission of countless sins, how can they not be the same as I have now depicted them (of course, in the previous commandments of the Apostle to different persons)? You know that what shames a lot (makes someone who shouldn’t feel ashamed) and enlightens the soul, among other things, is the fact that, although she was guilty of countless sins, she was not punished, but received forgiveness and countless benefits. If someone, having a slave who had committed many offenses, would not punish him with belts, but would grant him forgiveness and honor him with great gifts, only requiring him to perform well for the future and ordering him to beware of the same offenses; Then, tell me, wouldn’t someone who received such mercy try to be good? However, do not think that grace consists not only in the forgiveness of past sins, but also makes us safe (from punishment) for the future, although this also depends on grace. If it freed those who do evil from punishment forever, then “it would not be grace, but some reason for corruption and destruction.” – The knowledge of the great grace in Christ Jesus does not weaken, but strains the moral strength of believers; for the essence of grace is to make us morally correct in everything, as the words that follow say. Titus 2:12. Having punished us, so that, having rejected wickedness and worldly lusts, we may live chastely and righteously and piously in this present age. The answer to the second question begins: why teach everything about the proper life? Namely, for the sake of such a life - the whole economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus, here called saving grace. This grace does not impart bare knowledge, but remakes life. How is this possible? “Punish us”, παιδευουσα. Children are not read theories, but are told directly: you are standing wrong, you went the wrong way, you are doing the wrong thing - and they immediately take you by the hand and correct how everything should be; so here both word and deed go at once. Saving grace works in the same way. Calling; but the first step at the call is already a vital step. Namely: renounce wickedness and worldly lusts and begin a new life, contrary to the first. “Reject” - do not only recognize the inconsistency of the previous orders, but turn away from them with your feelings, consider them vile, hate them and abandon them. And the Savior even before said: “Let him who desires to follow Me deny himself” (Matthew 16:24, 10:38). And even before, the Prophet predicted: “Come out from among them and do not touch their uncleanness” (Is. 52:11). This is the basis of active Christianity! Why are Christians bad? Because they do not have this rejection and did not come from an unkind environment. Saint Chrysostom says at this: “This is the foundation of all virtue! He did not say: so that we avoid, but: “let us turn away”; rejection means complete withdrawal, complete hatred, decisive disgust.” What exactly does the Apostle demand to renounce? "Wickedness and Worldly Lusts". Impiety embraces all wrong concepts about God and every image of worship that is inconsistent with the true concept of God—all wrong religions. “The Apostle calls impious teaching (St. Chrysostom), impious dogmas (Ecumenius), idolatry” (Blessed Theophylact). By worldly lusts we mean a self-indulgent life in the lusts of the heart and passions, towards the satisfaction of which all the customs of the world are directed and to which all the laws of truth and love are sacrificed. “The apostle called the wicked life worldly lusts; or (general) worldly lusts are everything that benefits us only for the present life (without relation to the future); everything that disappears along with real life is worldly lust” (St. Chrysostom); “covetousness, voluptuousness, (pride) and the like” (Blessed Theophylact). Saint Peter outlined all this when he wrote: “The time of your life that has passed by is sufficient for you, having done the will of the pagans, walking in uncleanness, in lust, in drunkenness, in goat-speaking, in covetousness and in abominable idolatry” (1 Pet. 4:3). Enough; filled and satiated. You must give up all this and leave it behind you. This is how grace teaches, attracts and disposes, so that “not by human lusts, but by the will of God, the rest of the time in the flesh” (1 Pet. 4: 2), - namely: “chastely, and righteously, and piously.” “Chastely” - moving away from carnal sins and being zealous for purity. But here we can understand purity from all passions, both physical and mental, that defile the soul and make it unclean before God and unfaithful to Him. Thus Saint Chrysostom: “Chastity, as I always say, consists not only in abstaining from adultery, but also in abstaining from other passions. Therefore, the covetous is unchaste; just as he (the adulterer) is addicted to bodily pleasure, so this one (the covetous) is addicted to wealth; even the latter is more incontinent than the former, the more so the less strong the impulse acts on him. There the desire is so natural that, even if another does not approach his wife, nature acts and produces its own; but that doesn’t happen here.” What is said here about covetousness, the same applies to other passions: pride, vanity, hatred, envy, anger, self-will and disobedience, and so on. Everyone who acts according to these passions acts unchastely - unwisely, not in the way that one gifted with higher power, mind or spirit should live. “Righteous” – as a Christian should. A Christian should not only not violate the limits of truth in relation to others, but also do them every kind of good. The law of Christian truth is love, which requires, in case of need, to lay down one’s soul “for one’s friends.” Just as chastity, in the broadest sense, requires a selfless life, with the complete trampling of all self-indulgence, which draws everything towards itself: so righteousness requires beneficial action, directing everything from oneself towards one’s neighbors. “Piously” - with fear and reverence before God, omnipresent, all-seeing and containing everything, devoting everything to Him, as our Lord: big and small, mental and physical, visible and invisible - and jealous in every way, so that His most holy name may be glorified not only in us, but also through us. Piety embraces the comprehensive relationship of our mind and heart to God, and most importantly, always praying to Him and creating everything for His glory. Chastity, righteousness and piety embrace the entire holy life and combine all the commandments and the entire will of God, in which those who approach God in true faith accept the obligation to walk. Christians who are aware of this are zealous to live this way all the time they live in this world, in this life, in order to adequately prepare for a blessed life in the future century. What is a Christian? He believes sincerely and, sanctified by the sacraments, is wholeheartedly zealous about pleasing God with a holy life, in the undoubted hope of a blessed eternity. On earth he is only with his hands and feet, but with his consciousness, mind and heart he is entirely in heaven. Titus 2:13. Waiting for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. “Blessed hope” is the hope of bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven. By the grace of God it dwells in the heart of a true believer in the very act of calling and new birth in the baptismal font. He who is born here of the Spirit is a child of God and recognizes himself as such and feels it in the depths of his heart. Feeling himself like this, he feels that he is God’s, and has everything of God for his own, and is the direct heir of God. “The Spirit itself obeys our spirit, for we are children of God. And also children and heirs: heirs for God, and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:16-17). Thus, blessed hope or the hope of eternal bliss is an integral feature in the inner mood of true Christians, and they remain on earth “waiting” for it - not as something indefinite and not with any hesitation: maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t - but just as someone waits for the arrival of a dear person who is already walking, approaching, his steps can already be heard. - Why should a Christian who does not carry such aspirations in his heart quickly judge why this is so and hasten to restore this essential feature in his inner structure. A person cannot live without hope; but there are two of them: one in this world, and the other in the future. The Apostle said about the first: “Even if we have hope in this life, we are the most wretched of all men” (1 Cor. 15:19). And about the second: “our life is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Therefore, we should have no place for the first; the second one must rule in us, so that “our life may remain hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). For there are no words to describe what awaits in heaven for true believers and faithful to the faith. “Future blessings exceed every mind” (St. Chrysostom). The appearance of the glory of our great God Jesus Christ is His second coming, when He will appear in glory and in judgment will reveal His eternal Kingdom in all its ineffable greatness and luminosity. Immediately after death, the faithful enter the threshold of this Kingdom, which itself fulfills indescribable bliss. Their complete satisfaction will follow after the resurrection. But if this pleases, how blessed is the latter? The blessed ones know this and preferably await the appearance in the glory of Christ the Lord, tempering this desire perhaps with goodwill towards those living on earth, so that all the predestined have time to complete the preparatory course for this. The Apostle called our Savior Jesus Christ God, and the great God. “Where are those,” asks Saint Chrysostom, “who say that the Son is less than the Father? “Great,” he says, “our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” When he calls Him a great God, he does not call Him great in relation to anything, but unconditionally great, - One after whom no one is great, because everyone else is great only relatively; if it is relative, then it is great in comparison, and not in nature; He is great without comparison.” Blessed Jerome also writes: “Where is the serpent Arius? Where is Eunomius? The Great God is called Jesus Christ the Savior, the Firstborn of “all creation,” not the Word of God and Wisdom, but Jesus Christ; which words combine the perceived person. For we do not say that there is another Jesus Christ and another Word, as a new heresy blasphemes; but one and the same, who both before the age, and after the ages, and before the world, and after Mary, or rather from Mary, we call the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:14. He who gave Himself food for us, may He deliver us from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a chosen people, zealous for good deeds. “For this reason, Christ accepted death for all of us, so that, having stopped the torment of death, he would deliver us from this bitter slavery and make us His own people, a lover and zealot of praiseworthy deeds” (Blessed Theodoret). First he indicated what saving grace requires of us and what it produces in us. Now he shows the reason for this, asserting that then the whole incarnate economy is to make us alien to sin and rich in all sorts of virtues. For “he gave Himself food” means: He deigned to accept upon Himself and complete the incarnate economy, the focus of which is the death on the cross of the God-Man. “Let him deliver”, λυτρωσηται, - let him redeem, let him give a ransom for us. How? Having satisfied with our death the righteousness of God for all our sins, so that not a single one remains on us for which we would need to pay ourselves. But that's not all: the redeemed slave is freed from bondage and free to act on his own. We are in bondage to sin. Having redeemed us, the Savior breaks these bonds, “for no one would have to sin for us” (Rom. 6, 6), and we receive the freedom to act on our own as required by our nature, created in the image of God, and not according to the attraction of sin - the alien tyrant. And this is complete atonement, or deliverance. “It’s not so as to get rid of one (lawlessness) and not another; but from all iniquity. Let us honor our deliverance (we are ashamed to darken it with some sin)” (Blessed Theophylact). “And He will purify for Himself a chosen people. “It will clear”, καθαριση, - as debts are cleared by paying for them. Or, in relation to the condition of the redeemed slaves, who turn out to be unkempt, dirty, with wounds and rags, “cleanse” means: he will wash away all sinful impurity, he will heal every wound of passions and clothe him in the red robes of virtues. “People are chosen”, λαον περιουσιον. - Περιουσιος, - excellent, excellent, isolated from others and having nothing in common with them (St. Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact). Or - his own, converted into his own property by the power of redemption and assigned to works according to his spirit. “Metaphorically taken from the servants who revolve around the property, περι την ουσιαν, - and the property of their master” (Blessed Theophylact). So, the Savior gave Himself food in order to redeem us, to cleanse us from all uncleanness and wounds and, having made us excellent, to set us to work according to His spirit. How? “The font of Divine baptism and the doing of His Divine and purifying commandments” (Blessed Theophylact). “Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior, having redeemed us with His blood, made of us for Himself a special Christian people, which can only be special when it is zealous for good deeds” (Blessed Jerome). “Zealots of good deeds” - that is, “ardently striving for virtue and showing zeal for all good deeds and ardent imitation (of the Savior Himself)” (Blessed Theophylact). “It does not simply require works, but to be zealous, that is, doing good deeds with great zeal and with due diligence. To deliver those burdened with many evils and to heal the terminally ill was the work of His love for mankind; and what follows is the work of both ours and His” (St. Chrysostom). Titus 2:15. Say this, and pray, and reprove with every command: so that no one will offend (despise) you. The entire previous introductory speech was given by the Apostle in order to prove that just as for believers the main thing is to avoid all evil and do all good, so for pastors the main thing should be to teach them this, teaching them by insisting that they certainly be like this, and using all sorts of methods of persuasion. “Verbs” – simply say that one should live this way and that way. There are morals for which nothing more is required: just point it out and it will be done. For whom a simple instruction is not enough, he says, “beg” - that is, persuade, convince with loving and benevolent speech. Conviction is accomplished by indicating such aspects in the commanded matter that attract the heart to it, move it towards it and excite energy to accomplish it. Every good deed has these sides; but they are not clear to everyone. And you need to show them... and beg them to do it. For whom even this is not enough, all that remains is to act on him only by the power of reproof, shame, reproach and power: such, he says, “convict with every commandment.” “First, “verb and beg” - that is, teach with a more meek speech, and then “reprove” - and not simply, “but with every command” - that is, urgently and imperiously” (Blessed Theophylact). - “I used three verbs: “verbs, pray, rebuke. “Pray” - then it means the same as in the words: “for Christ we pray” (2 Cor. 5:20), when the teacher humbles himself and humiliates himself, as if he were a suppliant, just to win the one he convinces. And the third: “convict” is appropriate after conviction. He speaks like a son” (Heb. 12:5). Writing to Timothy, the Apostle put reproof before the supplication: “convict... pray” (2 Tim. 4:2). and not to the first two (that is: “teach, pray”). For you cannot say: “pray” with every command, or “verb” with every command, but only “reprove” with every command” (Blessed Jerome). Saint Chrysostom explains the difference in the nature of teaching speech by the difference in subjects. “There are sins that need to be warded off by commandments; exactly. convincing one to despise wealth, to be obedient, and the like, one must exhort (beg), and one must correct an adulterer, fornicator and covetous person “with command”; a sorcerer, wizard and similar people (need to be rebuked) not just with a command, but “with every command.” Do you see with what force and with what great authority he commands Titus to act?” You can see here an instruction to the shepherd: do not sleep, but act, using all sorts of measures to force your flock to live as they should. “But no one will offend you” (despises you). If you do not teach, beg and rebuke with authority, then the faulty ones will finally begin to do everything inappropriate before your eyes, thinking and saying: what is there to look at? He won't say anything. “Even though you yourself are good in life, if you do not care about your flock, then everyone will despise you and regard you as nothing.” It is not that he instills that through his life he should not give cause for self-contempt, but that through negligence in his pastoral duty he should not give his flock the freedom to impute anything to themselves. Why is the verb used like this: μηδεις σου περιφρονειτω; so that no one despises you, not for what is in you, in your character, but for what is around you and on you, that is, for your negligence in teaching, begging and reproaching your flock. f) What is the good character of a Christian as a citizen? Titus 3:1. Remember to obey and repent to those in command and control, and to be ready for every good deed. First it is shown what family virtues should be taught to believers; now he shows what civil virtues they should be taught, or, what is the same, what deeds Christians should adorn themselves with in this regard. The first thing here is the attitude towards the authorities. How should one behave in relation to him? “Obey and repent.” As everywhere, so here, the Apostle, of course, understands unfeigned obedience, in order to cover up one’s faith with visible obedience and to live by faith serenely, but according to conscience, according to the conviction that authority is from God and that those in authority are servants of God; why submission to them is submission to the will of God. This directly leads to faith in the all-managing providence of God. Saint Paul does not show this here because he writes not to believers, but to Titus, who knew what principles Saint Paul adhered to in this regard. He writes: “remember those,” that is, Christians; because this obedience was everywhere, according to the usual civil order. Others were forgotten; but they immediately received admonition from the authorities themselves. The Apostle wants this to be prevented by domestic suggestions so that no one gives Christians any reason to remind the authorities of his obedience. Christians could have forgotten themselves because they, by faith, became citizens of another world and had another King, Christ the Lord. Remind them, he says, so that they do not fall into such delusions. “To those who rule and own”, αρχαις και εξουσιαις, - to the beginnings and authorities. More precisely, this means, without distinction, all civil authorities, both large and small. But the Slavic translation conveys the idea that the Apostle wants to teach Christians to submit not only to the kings, the “owners,” but also to the closest authorities, the “rulers,” although it cannot be argued that this was certainly the case; Greek words on the contrary in: αρχαι - indicate the highest authorities, and in: εξουσιαι - lower ranks. “Obey and repent”, υποτασσεσθαι, πειθαρχειν. The first means in general submission, willing or unwilling; and the second is heartfelt submission, whole-hearted obedience, with the conviction that this is how it should be. Blessed Jerome offers the following consideration: “a similar thing is written to the Romans: “Let every soul obey the powers that be: for there is no authority except from God” (Rom. 13:1). Such a commandment, both here and there, is, I think, put forth because at that time the dogma of Judas the Galilean was still in force and had many followers, as is mentioned in the book of Acts (Acts 5:37). He, it is probable to believe, taught on the basis of the law that no one should be called ruler except God alone, and that those who contribute tithes to the church should not pay tribute to Caesar. This heresy grew so much that it not only captivated many people, but also outraged the Pharisees; so they approached the Lord Himself with the question: “Is it worthy to eat kinson to Caesar, or not?” To which they received a wise answer: “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and the things that are God’s to the Gods” (Matthew 22:17,21). In accordance with this answer, the Apostle Paul teaches that believers must obey the principalities and authorities.” “And be ready for every good deed.” Or, in general, exemplary good behavior among fellow citizens is indicated, so that everyone can see and know that Christians are a kind, meek, helpful, charitable people. Ecumenius is “ready”, ετοιμοι, - interprets: ευτρεπισμενοι, - well-disposed, well-behaved, not only outwardly kind, but also in the inner mood of the heart. - Or - we are ready for every good deed to which the authorities and authorities invite us, so that they too know that Christians are the first to do good. This, for example, is how we now invite people to help fire victims, to contribute to the treatment of the wounded, to alleviate the plight of those starving due to crop failure, and the like. Blessed Theodoret sees in these words an indication of how long obedience to superiors should extend: “for one must not obey the superiors in everything, but pay dues and taxes, render due honor, and if they order to dishonor, then openly contradict.” The same is true for Jerome: “If a ruler commands something good, then obey the will of the commander. And if something is bad and ungodly, then answer him with the Apostolic answer: “It is fitting to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29).” Titus 3:2. Do not blaspheme one single thing, do not be quarrelsome, but be quiet, showing meekness to everyone in your life. These words are a more detailed explanation of the previous words: “be ready for every good deed” - and together with them they define the second half of social virtues - namely: while submitting to authorities, maintaining good relations with fellow citizens. Readiness for every good deed already embraces everything in this regard. The Apostle here also points out that what especially upsets the good relations of citizens should be eliminated, namely: teach, he says, so that Christians do not bully anyone, not only in deed, but also in word; Let them live so quietly that it’s as if they don’t exist, and let others know about their existence only through good deeds. “Not a single blasphemy,” that is, “not to speak ill of anyone” (Blessed Theodoret). “Even if someone does something bad, do not slander him or reproach him” (Blessed Theophylact). “Michael the Archangel, always arguing with the devil, spoke about the body of Moses, not daring to bring blasphemy to judgment, but said: may the Lord rebuke you” Jude. 1:9) If Michael did not dare to bring “blasphemous words” against the devil, who is most worthy of all blasphemy, how much more must we keep ourselves clean from slander? The devil deserved blasphemy; but the word of blasphemy should not have come from the mouth of the Archangel” (Blessed Jerome). “Let us obey this suggestion. Our lips must be clean from reproaches; for even if our reproaches were fair, it is not our business to express them; to investigate is the work of the judge; “Why are you judging your brother?” (Rom. 14:10). Moreover, if you reproach others, you will soon be subjected to the same thing yourself. Therefore, blessed Paul offers the following admonition: “Be sure to stand still, lest you fall” (1 Cor. 10:12)” (St. Chrysostom). Nothing upsets good community relations more than talking bad about each other. On the contrary, nothing holds a community together more than good speeches, especially when bad speeches are deserved. The basic law of community life is not to allow evil speeches to be made and to stop those that come from there. A stream of evil speeches is a poison that corrodes the union of good cohabitation. “Do not be quarrelsome”, αμαχους, - do not be warriors, - start quarrels, disputes and courts, and do not plot against evil and do not create evil. This is the same as the Lord said: “I tell you not to resist evil” (Matthew 5:39). When rainwater is dammed, it swells more and more; and when allowed to flow freely, it flows in a small stream and soon stops. This also happens when hostility arises from the outside. Crouch down; it will roll like a wave - and that’s the end. If you stand against it, she will become arrogant to the point of irresistible force. Blessed Jerome writes: “if we are the sons of peace and desire that peace rest upon us, if we have approached the heavenly Jerusalem, which received its name from the world, then may we have peace even with those who have hated the world, and, for our part, may we remain peaceful with all people - not only with the meek, but also with the perky and scolding: for what virtue is it to be peaceful with the quiet? Let us give place to anger, showing quiet meekness towards all people. Not guided by the desire for empty glory, we must show ourselves meek towards all people; but let it be that when we bear with everyone and do not repay with vengeance for injustice, the deeds themselves become glorious before everyone. Some may, out of vanity and rumor for the sake of the people, pretend to be meek and take on the guise of kindness; but if someone does not have true, heartfelt, rooted meekness, then I don’t know whether he will be able to convince everyone of his meekness.” The last words of Blessed Jerome also interpret the following words of the Apostle: “to everyone who shows meekness toward all people.” And Ecumenius writes equally: “To Jews and Greeks, to friends and enemies, to those who do not tell the truth and cause harm” (and Saint Chrysostom with Blessed Theophylact). Compliance seems to be a certain loss and damage, but in reality it always gains, if not in the present, then in the future, not only eternal, but also temporary. What is lost comes back with interest. g) The suggestion that then the grace of the Holy Spirit to transform us from bad to good Titus 3:3. Because sometimes we are foolish, and unruly, and seduced, working with lusts and various pleasures, living in malice and envy, being scoundrels, and hating each other. "Behom bo". Through this “bo” - this speech is directly connected with the previous one, so that not a single blasphemy should be done. Why? Because we shouldn't be like that anymore. We were the same; but now they have become different, by the grace of our Savior, who renewed us and made us good from bad. So Saint Chrysostom: “Do not blame anyone, for you were the same. Having been the same before and having changed, he should not reproach such people, but pray and thank Him who gives him and is ready to give them liberation from previous sins. No one should boast: for all have sinned. So, when you, being good yourself, want to blame someone, then remember your previous life and the uncertainty of the future and restrain your indignation. If you had lived virtuously from childhood, even then you would have had many sins; and if you do not have them, as you think, then know that this does not depend on your strength, but on the grace of God; for if He had not called your ancestors (to faith), then you too would have been an infidel.” – So Blessed Theodoret: “Let us recall our previous behavior, imagine in our minds how many bad qualities we had; and when we were such, the God of all made us worthy of salvation. Therefore, we too will endure the evil of those who are still in error.” But it is possible, having abstracted the thought from the connection with the previous one, to see in this section (verses 3 - 7), as well as in what we have already encountered above (Tit. 2, 11 - 14), an indication of the motivation why Christians especially should be alien to all vice and adorned with all virtues. Because they were bad, but now they are protected by the grace of the Spirit in the font to a new holy life, so that, having become righteous, they will be worthy of the inheritance of eternal, blessed life. The difference between this separation and the one encountered above is that it talks about the calling to a holy life, and here about a new birth for this life and about supplying us with sufficient strength for this. Those who are regenerated and equipped for a holy life have an urgent duty to be holy. And if they do not turn out to be so, then nothing can compare with such unreason. So partly Ambrosiast: “The Apostle remembers that these blessings, which unbelief does not have, are given to Christians; so that, shining with all righteousness, they let everyone know that they are worshipers of the true God. For when they, having once been meaningless, are now meaningful in everything, then through this God is glorified in them.” “Behom bo sometimes we too. “Sometimes” - before belief and sanctification by the grace of God. - “And we.” The apostle obviously means the Cretans; but he also included himself among them in order to soften his speech. In our current speech the phrase corresponds to this: we are with you. Blessed Theodoret explains it this way – and so do we: “The Divine Apostle included himself in the same number, not as subject to all these accusations, but as a former persecutor; for not all were subject to all vices, but some were subject to one, and others to another; however, everyone received better salvation.” “It is foolish, and unconquerable, and seductive.” These words depict how, when they live in sins and passions, all the powers of the soul are affected and perverted. The mental power is amazed by “nonsense”, loses sound concepts about God, the world, man, the purpose of real life, the purpose of the things around us and the meaning of everything that happens to us. Having lost such concepts, it loses the power to control a person’s life, and he walks as if in darkness, falling from foolishness to unreasonableness. This is how it was with the pagans. “Wasn’t it pointless to serve such gods (as the pagans had) and sacrifice people?” (Blessed Theophylact). And one cannot read the depictions of their lives by their own writers without disgust. – The active force becomes infected with “disobedience,” according to which it does not want to know either Divine or human laws, and does not take into account any respect other than its own will. This is how I want it, and no one can tell me; but wants only what inspires selfishness and self-indulgence in the satisfaction of passions. No matter what you say, he doesn’t want to listen. Απειθεις - this is exactly what he represents, who do not accept any reason. – The feeling force is dominated by “prelest”, according to which it considers good, pleasant and beautiful that which is inherently bad, disgusting and ugly. She loses her natural taste. Or we can believe that this indicates the defeat of the highest spiritual side of human nature: “non-thinking” - the disappearance of the thought of God and the fear of God; “disobedience” - inattention to the voice of conscience and muffling it; “seduction” – addiction to sensual things. This all always and everywhere takes place when someone indulges in self-indulgence and passions, no matter who he is, pagan or Christian, learned or unlearned, simple or noble. For sin, like poison, has no respect of persons. “We work with lusts and indulge in various desires.” When the higher powers and the highest side of human nature are defeated, then the place of the laws that lie in them and were supposed to govern the actions of man is replaced by lusts and pleasures, and life begins to flow according to their demands. Then they have higher powers at work: the mind comes up with means to satisfy them and cover up such satisfaction, which is not suitable to be visible; the will, as if led, is led after them, like a donkey on a scrap; and the feeling, having more than once experienced the tastelessness of lustful pleasures, is constantly drawn to them, seduced by the deceptive aspiration - to finally meet and taste, and on this path, some lasting good. Here is real slavery within a person - the tyranny of sin. – By lusts we mean mental and physical passions. They excite desires for objects, with which they are usually satisfied. And sweets are those momentary pleasures that satisfy the passions. Every passion has its own sweetness, with which it attracts to its objects; nevertheless, sweets merge into one root - self-indulgence. Sweets contain the power of passion. Passions always win with the promise of sweets. The sinner is voluptuous; That’s why he works without unbending passions. Foolishness, disobedience, pretentiousness, slavery to lusts and pleasures constitute the internal structure of the sinner. How does it manifest itself externally, in deeds? “A life of malice and envy.” Selfishness and self-indulgence pulls everything towards itself. As outside they meet with the same directions, they naturally come into collision. He who puts an obstacle to them arouses hostility towards himself in different degrees, at the top of which there is anger - the desire to destroy the enemy by cutting off his inherent strengths: when he is rich, by depleting wealth; when in power, by undermining power and so on. This is malice or villainy. It occurs especially when the egoist is proud, strong both in character and in the means at hand. - But it happens that someone arouses hostility not because of an obstacle, but simply because he stands taller and lives richer and more cheerfully. Because of him, envy begins to sharpen, which also leads the strong to villainy, and consumes and exhausts the powerless. Where passions dominate, anger and envy are constantly in motion, more or less strong. And is anyone free from them? “Scoundrels exist.” Whoever dislikes others in undisguised malice and envy arouses hostility back to himself: they begin to turn away from him, either abhorring him or feeling horror towards him. This is what it expresses: στυγητοι. Evil and envious people are naturally disgusting. And it turns out that people possessing passions live “hating each other.” Because each one inseparably wants to possess the good, to which the other extends his hand with the same desire. It is in the nature of egoism to only love oneself. He is already cold towards everyone; and as soon as he encounters something contrary to himself in others, he immediately transforms his coldness into hostility. Egoism is sometimes tempered by sympathetic feelings; but this does not extinguish his hatred, but only expands it: for then with hatred he protects not only himself, but also everything accepted into the sphere of his sympathy; Party after game comes out. Titus 3:4–5. “When the grace and love for mankind appeared of our Savior God, not from the works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” So this is what we were like before faith and grace, when we lived in slavery to desires and pleasures. Now we are different and we are and should be. For grace delivered us from that slavery, renewing our nature in the font of baptism and committing us to life, according to the spirit and power of its renewal. “Grace”, χρηστοτης, - goodness, - “and the love of mankind of our Savior God” - appeared in the incarnate economy, “through the incarnation of the Only Begotten, when the Only Begotten Son of God, becoming incarnate and becoming like us in everything” (Ecumenius and Blessed Theophylact) accomplished and arranged everything necessary for our salvation. Appearing - indicates the dispensation of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ; and its application to each of us believers, or the manifestation of its power in us below, is signified in the words: “Save us by the washing of regeneration.” The words: “God our Savior” lead to God the Father: for below it is said that this God our Savior saved us through “the renewal of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out by Jesus Christ.” “Having looked more carefully,” writes Blessed Jerome, “we will find in this separation most clearly the Most Holy Trinity. The goodness and love for mankind of our Savior God, none other than God the Father, through the bath of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us through Jesus Christ, made us righteous for the inheritance of eternal life. The salvation of believers is the sacrament of the Most Holy Trinity." The same is true for Theodoret. “Not from righteous deeds, which we have done.” The arrangement of salvation is not caused by our great virtues, but, on the contrary, by our extreme thinness and helplessness. The goodness of God did not tolerate leaving us in the hands of our fall and destruction - and was pleased to arrange for us a wondrous image of salvation. We had only one advantage - that we were the creation of an all-good, wise and omnipotent God, who did not repent of His gifts. And this attracted the goodness of God to us, which arranged our salvation. But not just the general dispensation of salvation, but also the calling of everyone to receive this salvation is also not the fruit of our valuable deeds, but the work of God’s goodness. Of all the experiences of calling, only Cornelius the centurion was called because his prayer and alms reached God; but this was a special, providential occasion for paving the way for the acceptance into the fold of the Church of sheep that were not from the court of Israel. The general order of calling is a matter of goodness, both at the beginning, and now, and until the end of the age. It is necessary, however, to strictly distinguish between the calling to organized salvation and the realization of salvation in the way in which it is arranged. From the moment you accept the calling and take the first step along it, you begin to participate in the work of salvation and your own labor and effort, which goes hand in hand with grace until the very final accomplishment of salvation. Everything is from goodness; but God's goodness is not merciful. “But according to His mercy, save us by the washing of rebirth.” This is not said by the one looking at the salvation of others, but by the one who has received the salvation himself. In a feeling of salvation, with grateful lips he proclaims: “Savior.” "Save" from what? From all the evils mentioned above, and from slavery to lusts and pleasures, under the yoke of which we groaned. “Save us” – who are we? All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Having named himself and the Apostles, Saint Paul understood all those who believed in Christ, showing what they were like before rebirth in the life-giving bath and what they became after that” (Blessed Jerome). How "saved"? “The washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” "Alas! - St. Chrysostom calls. – We were so deeply immersed in evil that we could no longer cleanse ourselves, but had a need for revival. This was truly a new birth, a new being received. Just as no one puts a support under a rotten house or nails anything to the old building, but, having destroyed it to the ground, completely erects and renews it, so did He, our Savior: He did not correct us, but recreated us in full. This means the words: “and the renewal of the Holy Spirit.” He has made us completely new. How? Holy Spirit. We have such great need of grace!” Titus 3:6–7. “He was poured out on us richly, Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might be heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” God the Father poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on all believers through Christ the Savior. Speaking to the Apostles about this promise, the Lord said: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter” (John 14:16). Further: “The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name” (John 14:26); and then: “Comforter, whom I will send to you from the Father” (John 15:26). Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ mediates in sending down on the Apostles, and through them on all believers, the Most Holy Spirit. It was ordained in the Council of God that the Son of God, having become incarnate and having gone through suffering and death on the cross, should be glorified in the resurrection and ascension and thereby pave the way for the descent of the Holy Spirit. This divine law in the dispensation of our salvation was revealed by the holy evangelist John, saying: “The Holy Spirit was not with him, for Jesus was not glorified” - the Holy Spirit, whom believers received in such abundance that “rivers from their bellies will flow living waters” (John 7:38-39). The Holy Spirit was poured out initially on the Apostles, and through them He was poured out on all believers. And we see in the Acts and Epistles many examples that tangibly testify to this. The apostles usually proclaimed the Gospel of salvation, baptized those who believed, laid hands on the baptized, and the Holy Spirit was poured out on them, testifying to this with obvious gifts of grace. The believers all knew and experienced this, and the Apostle unflatteringly told them to their faces that God poured out the Holy Spirit on you and me through Jesus Christ our Savior. It is understood: as you yourself know and have experienced. “Yes, being justified by His grace. “Justified” - not declared right, but having become righteous, holy and pure, such that there is no trace of the previously mentioned moral defects. This is accomplished by grace. She, descending on us, turns us away from everything bad and inspires us to everything good, giving us the strength to act on this inspiration. By acting in this way, we drive out all the evil from ourselves, yet we plant and root the good - and thus become pure and immaculate in everything. This is the goal of the economy of our salvation. Semeta, where we must direct all the labors of our action on earth. The end that crowns these works is “the inheritance of eternal life.” “Yes... we will be heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The hope of inheritance is an essential feature in the internal structure of believers. This is clearly demonstrated everywhere by the Apostle. And in essence, this is how house-building should be. Where I am, there will my servant be, the Lord promised. The inheritance of eternal life is secured to us. Not so that perhaps we will receive it, but so that it is already ours, only the time has not come to receive it. “What does it mean: “according to hope”? That is, as we have promised, so shall we receive, or: we are already heirs of this” (St. Chrysostom). If only they would not cease to be zealous about being righteous and holy, and would succeed in that. By gift they are called to the inheritance, by gift they are equipped with the strength to reach it; but it is not given for free, but “to each according to business.” These words are related to the next verse; but in essence the matter relates to the previous speech. With them the Apostle seals the faithfulness of everything said in verses 3–7, especially the promise of the inheritance of eternal life. Blessed Jerome writes: “what he said: “the word is true,” this must be combined with the previous words: “that having been justified by His grace, we may be heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” For the message of the inheritance of God and the hope of eternal life is worthy of all faith.” So does Saint Chrysostom: “since he spoke about the future, he added this too for confirmation. This is true, he says, and is clear from what has gone before. He who delivered us from such iniquity and such evils will, without a doubt, give us future blessings if we remain in grace; for everything is accomplished by one and the same providence.” h) Teach this, but deny empty strivings and drive away heretics Titus 3:8. “(Child Titus) the word is true, and I want to inform you (confirm) about these things, so that those who have believed in God may take care of good deeds: this essence is useful to man and good.” “Child Tite” – none of our interpreters reads. “The word is true,” as shown, is connected to the previous one as a confirmatory word. “About these” can be applied to both the previous and the subsequent. So Ecumenius: “about these” - that is, about what is said above, and about what follows: “let them be diligent in doing good deeds.” In the first case it will be: and this is what I want you to teach, what you instill, what you convince, meaning the promise of eternal life: “retreat from such struggles.” Speak and interpret about dogmas that enlighten the mind and heart, affirming in a good mood and good hopes, and not about empty dreams that are of no use. In the second case it will be: in addition to the above, teach them the following. The above is all the virtues that are commanded to be taught above, especially those that are spoken of in the 1st and 2nd verses of this chapter, that is, not to offend anyone, but to be quiet and meek. The next is good deeds, mercy and charity. Teach and instill, he says, so that they not only do not offend, but also be charitable. “I want to inform you,” διαβεβαιουσθαι, - affirm. The Apostle does not want to convince Saint Titus of this, but he wants Saint Titus to convince believers of the need to act in this way. Or so that Saint Titus would be convinced that this is the most important thing to teach believers. “Let them be diligent in doing good deeds. “Let them care,” not casually and not casually about doing good deeds, but wholeheartedly caring about it, day and night they only thought about how and what kind of good deed they could do somewhere. “Be diligent”, προιστασθαι, - stand in front, stand out from everyone. When they offend you, give in, as if hiding; and when a good deed is presented, be ahead of everyone, do not let anyone forestall you, be the first to grab it, so that the general opinion about believers will be established that they are always the first in good deeds. That’s why I added it: let those who believed in God take care of these things. Why they should act this way, this directly follows from the previous indication of what we were before faith, and what we became from faith, and with what, by virtue of it, we are comforted by the promises. Having received so many mercies, be merciful and kind yourself. Let's write down what our interpreters said about this. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having spoken about God’s love for mankind, about His ineffable care for us and about what we were and what he made us, the Apostle continues: “And about these I want to establish you, so that those who have believed in God will be careful to do good deeds”; that is, to talk about it and thus dispose to mercy. For the above can dispose us not only to humility and not to be proud and not to blame others, but also to any other virtue. Recalling God's care and His extraordinary love for mankind, he convinces his listeners to be merciful, and not simply or by chance, but how? “Let them take care,” he says, “to do good deeds,” that is, to help those who are offended, not only with money, but also with their intercession, to protect widows and orphans, and to bring peace to all those in need; for this means: be diligent in good deeds.” Some of these thoughts are more fully expressed by Blessed Theophylact. “Having mentioned the ineffable goodness of God, he says: I want you to teach about this in such a way that believers learn not only to be humble and not to offend others, but also to show them all kinds of mercy. For whoever remembers the mercy of God, which he has been vouchsafed, will himself be merciful. Let them take care, he says, that is, so that it is their constant task and constant concern to help those who are unjust: to provide for widows, orphans, and in general for all those in need. For this is what the words mean: “to be diligent in good deeds”, προιστασθαι, - not to expect those in need to come to them, but to take care of them ourselves.” “This essence is useful to man and good.” This is what is good and useful to teach! Or - this is what to occupy your mind with and what is good for everyone to be diligent about! The Apostle wants to direct both the teaching of teachers and the care of believers towards the acquisition of eternal life through grace-filled and holy life. “Nothing is more obvious than the fact that mercy and philanthropy are both good for the present and useful for the future: here they are praised, and on the day of judgment they are crowned. And he convinces the ruler of the people (God) to take care of them” (Ambrosiastes). Titus 3:9. Retreat from other rivalries and genealogies and zeal and legal quarrels: they are useless and vain. Teach this, and get rid of the next one. Why? Lots of struggles, ζητησεις, - research, torture, questions, what is this, why is one thing like this, and another that way - which is called co-questioning in another place. Not all research and torture is reproachful. And the Savior suggested testing the Scriptures, because they indicate the path to eternal life. To torture Scripture in this way in order to open and clarify this path is commendable. But one can test the same Scripture in a disgraceful way when I torture not the direct content of what is written, but something devious; why, for example, is there such a letter here and such a letter there, or what secret will be revealed if you compare the letters this way and that. Such research feeds empty inquisitiveness, providing no food for either faith or good morals (Blessed Jerome). The Jews had many similar tortures, and among them there were many people who boasted of this and tried to occupy others. The Apostle commands to avoid such and similar investigations, which are more refined than edifying; That’s why they are called “boomy,” unreasonable, stupid. Ambrosiastes writes: “the Apostle calls those that do not contribute to salvation in the least and do not provide any experimental guidance to the organization of a virtuous life.” Blessed Theodoret paraphrases these words as follows: “Try to avoid useless interviews; because they bring no benefit either to those interviewing or to those listening.” "Genealogies". One of the subjects of “buy competitions” is indicated. If we relate this to the pagans, then they had funny genealogies of their gods; and if to the Jews, then it was their custom to display their descent from the great forefathers and trace their genealogical lines. Ecumenius writes: “Speaking of genealogies, the Apostle means either the Greeks, who calculate the genealogies of their gods, saying: such and such begat such and such; or the Jews, who, not distinguished by virtues, hide behind the names of their ancestors and, because of their “high” nature, philosophize about themselves. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are our forefathers, they say. The Apostle also calls these genealogies useless. For what does it profit a sinner to have Abraham as his forefather? Rather, this is a condemnation that, coming from such persons, they turned out to be obscene.” Saint Chrysostom says that the Apostle here means only the Jews: “The Apostle alludes here to the Jews, who, exalting themselves with their forefather, Abraham, were neglectful of themselves. That is why he calls such genealogies useless and vain. It’s really crazy to hope for things that are useless.” "Zeal and legal quarrels". There they pointed to peaceful pursuits, only empty ones, and here - not only empty ones, but also non-peaceful ones - fervent disputes, similar to war, with a zealous zeal to stand their ground. The subject of controversy is the law. The pagans also readily accepted the moral law; All the Old Testament Scriptures came to Christians along with the history of the people of God. And there was nothing to argue about. The debate was about the ritual side of the law and even more about the many additions to it imposed on the Jews by their later teachers in the form of the most precise execution of one or another legal prescription. Christians did not condemn what was prescribed in the law, but considered it unnecessary in the new grace, which is why they refused to fulfill it. The Jews, defending their own, entered into heated disputes. Hence the zeal and quarrel; but there is no benefit from it. The Apostle orders that this should be avoided. Περιιστασο, - pass by, don’t mind the mania. You have important items; but don’t bother yourself with these trifles and teach all your flock to ignore all this and the like. “The essence is useless and vain.” “For one should not, leaving necessary matters, waste time on vanity and fruitless disputes. What is the use of arguing where there is no hope that anyone will be taken captive into Christ” (Blessed Theophylact). The Apostle proceeds from the conviction that both the sacraments of faith and the rules of Christian life are undoubtedly true and immutable; then everything else is lies and trifles, which believers should not indulge in. What does not build faith and good morals is useless and should be avoided. Blessed Theophylact asks: “But how did he command above to stop the mouths of those who resist?” - and answers: “this is when it is clear that they are causing harm to others; Don’t try to talk to such people, hoping to benefit them themselves: you won’t have time to do anything, because they are incorrigible.” Perhaps it would be better to divide the Apostle’s words so that “controversies and genealogies” are attributed to pagan speculation about their gods, and “zeal and quarrels” to Jewish disputes about the dignity of their law. The Cretan believers were both pagans and Jews. Both of them, it can be assumed, have not completely abandoned their views and skills. Why did they raise questions about this or that - they searched, started conversations, argued - and for the most part not looking for benefit, but only to gossip. Unbelievers, both Jews and pagans, may have often joined this. There was noisy talk and competition to no avail. The Apostle ordered to stop this. Teach, he says, what builds in faith and establishes in a good life; and avoid idle talk yourself, and oblige believers to do the same. Titus 3:10. A heretic of a person shall deny the first and second punishment. This is completely different. There they were talking about those leading empty research and useless disputes, but here a dangerous person is presented, a heretic who does not rant about empty and useless things, but thinks in disagreement with the generally held teaching and can create division in the society of believers, dragging them along with himself. This cannot be ignored; but, firstly, in the hope that “how God will give him repentance into the mind of truth” (2 Tim. 2:25), hasten to turn to him with admonition and, if the first turns out to be unsuccessful, repeat it; and then, secondly, renounce him. Only two experiments in admonition are indicated, so that increased pressure does not deepen the stubbornness of the dissident, so as not to give him a reason to learn resourcefulness in defending his lies. Ambrosiastes writes: “Heretics usually, relying on the words of Scripture, teach contrary to Scripture. By giving the words of Scripture their own meaning, they reinforce with its approving authority the wrong wisdom of their own mind. For wickedness, knowing how much weight the authority of Scripture has, composes a lie under its name, so that, since a bad thing cannot be accepted in itself (under its own name), it seems acceptable under someone else's good name. – The Apostle orders such people to be admonished once and twice, so that they will not respond to them; but no more. Because if you reprove them more often, they will become even more incited to do evil. Whoever reproaches someone often makes him more zealous for the destruction of the greatest number. Why is it better to send them away, so that, having weakened in jealousy to seduce others, they themselves at least perish? “Denial” - say decisively: you are not ours, go away from us; like a good shepherd, drive these wolves away from your flock. This definitely means excommunication from the Church. But then by a heretic we must mean one who belongs to the host of local believers. Meanwhile, he may be a stranger, having come from elsewhere; in this case, “refuse” - it will be: don’t get involved with him, talk some sense into him once or twice and leave him, turn away from him, let him go his own way. Blessed Theodoret writes: “When you teach the proper teaching two or three times to those who are trying to teach the contrary, and then you see that they remain with their evil dogmas, then do not enter into interviews with them, because this is useless work.” Saint Chrysostom says the same thing: “When someone has become corrupted to such an extent that he does not dare to change his mind in any way, then why should you work in vain, sowing seed on a stone, while you can use this hard work for your own people, talking with them about mercy and other virtues. About people who give hope for correction and only show resistance (you can take more care); and when someone (holds heresy) openly and openly before everyone, then why argue in vain with him, why beat the air? Titus 3:11. He who knows, because he has become corrupted, sins and is self-condemned. The reason why, after admonishing the heretic twice, one should no longer deal with him is that: “one becomes corrupted and sins. - Be corrupted" εξεστραπται, - completely corrupted; accepted a perverted mind, with which nothing can be done because he lost the ability to see the truth, being filled with prejudices contrary to it. The false principles he has adopted darken his eyes, and in the middle of the day he does not see the light that surrounds him and enlightens everyone else. “Sins”, αμαρτανει, is usually used about moral sins, or violation of commandments. But here we are talking about false teaching, in relation to which a sin can be considered disobedience to the clear instructions of the word of God or resistance to the clearly expressed will of God - persistence in a lie in favor of personal prejudices, despite its contradiction to the clear truth of God. “He sins” - will: stubbornly remains in his error, despite any admonition. "And is self-condemned". How can you be self-condemned when you don’t realize your mistake? Maybe this also means that it is his own fault; talked, admonished, - did not want to listen, - and reap the fruits of perseverance - who is to blame? The fruit of persistence in heresy is the loss of the Kingdom of God. Elsewhere, the Apostle, having listed the works of the flesh, including heresies, concluded: “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:21). The heretic who stubbornly stands in heresy, henceforth condemns himself to this deprivation of the Kingdom - without condemning, he sentences himself by the very act of persistence in heresy, despite the exposure of his favorite lies. Here, for now, he does not see or hear such a sentence upon himself. But it is possible, at the word of the Apostle, to be transported in thought to the final judgment, where the heretic himself will see his mistake and condemn himself, having seen not seen, not having anything to say in his own justification. In this case, “self-condemned” will be the same as unjustified, having nothing to say in his own justification (Ecumenius). In Greek it stands: “he sins, being self-condemned,” ων αυτοκατακριτος. This conveys the idea that his conscience condemns him (Ecumenius) for disagreeing with the obvious truth, but he does not listen to his conscience, ashamed to disgrace himself by yielding. He sacrifices the clearly recognized truth to his pride and sins by going against his conscience. Among heretics, not all are like this; But among those who oppose the truth, there are not a small number of those to whom we will apply such a sentence. You might be interested in: