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| Titus 1:8 |
| But a lover of hospitality, a lover
of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; |
This section has two verses:
Titus 1:8-9
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been
taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both
to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
In verse 7 we see what elders must not be. In these
two verses, we see what elders [and ultimately
all firstfruits] must be.
We will begin with the Barclay.
WHAT THE ELDERS MUST BE
[the verse paraphrased]: Rather he must be
hospitable, a lover of all good things and all good
people, prudent, just, pious, self-controlled, with
a strong grip on the truly reliable message which
Christian teaching gave to him, that he may be well
able to encourage the members of the Church with
health-giving teaching, and to convict the opponents
of the faith.
THE previous passage set out the things which the
elders of the Church must not be; this one sets out
what the elders must be. These necessary qualities
group themselves into three sections [sections 1
and 2 in verse 8 with section 3 in verse 9].
(1) First, there are the qualities which elders of
the Church must display to other people.
An elder must he hospitable. The Greek is
philoxenos, which literally means a lover of
strangers. In the ancient world, there were a great
many who were constantly on the move. Inns were
notoriously expensive, dirty and immoral; and it was
essential that Christian travellers should find an
open door within the Christian community. To this
day, no one needs Christian fellowship more than the
stranger in an unfamiliar place.
An elder must also be philagathos, a word which
means either someone who loves good things or who
loves good people, and which Aristotle uses in the
sense of unselfish; that is, someone who loves good
actions. We do not have to choose between these
three meanings; they are all included. The Christian
elder must be someone whose heart answers to the
good in whatever person, wherever and in whatever
circumstances it is found.
(2) Second, there comes a group of terms which tell
us the personal qualities which Christian elders
must possess.
They must be prudent (so¯phro¯n). Euripides
called this prudence. Socrates called it ‘the
foundation stone of virtue’. Xenophon said that it
was that spirit which shunned evil, not only when
evil could be seen but even when no one would ever
see it. R. C. Trench defined it as ‘entire command
over the passions and desires, so that they receive
no further allowance than that which the law and
right reason admit and approve’. So¯phro¯n is the
adjective to be applied to the person, as the Greeks
said themselves, ‘whose thoughts are saving
thoughts’. The Christian office-bearers must be
people who wisely control every instinct.
They must be just (dikaios). The Greeks
defined the just person as the one who gives to
other people what is due to them. The Christian
elders must be the kind of people who give to other
people the respect, and to God the reverence, which
are their due.
They must be pious (hosios). The Greek word
is hard to translate, for it describes the person
who reverences the fundamental decencies of life,
the things which go back beyond any human law [this
relates to doing all things after the counsel of
God's will].
They must be self-controlled (egkrate¯s). The
Greek word describes the person who has achieved
complete self-control. Anyone who would serve others
must first be in complete control of self.
~Barclay commentary with minor edits by me
We will now go to the other commentaries. We will
begin with the general and go to the specific.
We will go first to the Matthew Henry and breaking
into the commentary where it begins speaking to
verse 8:
But, Secondly, Positively: he must be (Titus 1:8) a
lover of hospitality, as an evidence that he is not
given to filthy lucre, but is willing to use what he
has to the best purposes, not laying up for himself,
so as to hinder charitable laying out for the good
of others; receiving and entertaining strangers (as
the word imports), a great and necessary office
of love, especially in those times of affliction and
distress, when Christians were made to fly and
wander for safety from persecution and enemies, or
in travelling to and fro where there were not such
public houses for reception as in our days, nor, it
may be, had many poor saints sufficiency of their
own for such uses - then to receive and entertain
them was good and pleasing to God. And such a spirit
and practice, according to ability and occasion, are
very becoming such as should be examples of good
works. A lover of good men, or of good things;
ministers should be exemplary in both; this will
evince their open piety, and likeness to God and
their Master Jesus Christ: Do good to all, but
especially to those of the household of faith, those
who are the excellent of the earth, in whom should
be all our delight.
Sober, or prudent, as the word signifies; a needful
grace in a minister both for his ministerial and
personal carriage and management. He should be a
wise steward, and one who is not rash, or foolish,
or heady; but who can govern well his passions and
affections. Just in things belonging to civil life,
and moral righteousness, and equity in dealings,
giving to all their due. Holy, in what concerns
religion; one who reverences and worships God, and
is of a spiritual and heavenly conversation [conduct].
Temperate; it comes from a word that signifies
strength, and denotes one who has power over his
appetite and affections, or, in things lawful, can,
for good ends, restrain and hold them in. Nothing is
more becoming a minister than such things as these,
sobriety, temperance, justice, and holiness - sober
in respect of himself, just and righteous towards
all men, and holy towards God. And thus of the
qualifications respecting the minister's life and
manners, relative and absolute, negative and
positive, what he must not, and what he must, be and
do. ~Matthew Henry
Now a few words from the Matthew Henry Concise. The
text covers verses 5-9.
The character and qualification of pastors, here
called elders and bishops, agree with what the
apostle wrote to Timothy. Being such bishops and
overseers of the flock, to be examples to them, and
God's stewards to take care of the affairs of his
household, there is great reason that they should be
blameless. What they are not to be, is plainly
shown, as well as what they are to be, as servants
of Christ, and able ministers of the letter and
practice of the gospel. And here are described the
spirit and practice becoming such as should be
examples of good works. ~Matthew Henry Concise
Now a couple of things from the Biblical
Illustrator:
A lover of hospitality - The true hospitality
By this is not meant what is called keeping a good
open table, of which we have, and have ever had,
many examples in England, and much money, time, and
health have been spent at these luxurious and
hospitable banquets. The apostle does not mean the
great dinners of friendship, such as we have now,
when luxuries are drawn together from the ends of
the earth, to renew the sated appetite, and
anticipate not only the real but the imaginary wants
of the guests; he refers not to the sparkling of the
wine, or the brilliancy of wit when the spirit is
high, or those postprandial [pohst-pran-dee-uh l]
[after the dinner] exhibitions which have
been called the feast of reason and the flow of
soul. No; this is not his meaning: but the bishop
must be a lover of hospitality in a higher and far
nobler sense of the word; his house and his heart
ever open to the poor and needy (Luke 14:13); if he
has two coats, the first naked man whom he meets
gets one of them; if the Lord has given him wealth,
he actually realizes the 25th of Matthew, by feeding
the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting those
that are in prison. He loves to see the learned and
the good, the advanced Christian and the weak
believer, assembled round his table, in free and
full and unrestrained conversation; it is his noble
privilege to meet with all classes, mix with all
classes, and still be a blessing to them all; he can
fare with a peasant or feast with a prince, and be
equally satisfied with either. ~Biblical
Illustrator
Quoted verses:
Luke 14:13
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the
maimed, the lame, the blind:
Matthew 25:35-36
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and
ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye
visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Here is another speaking to the last three words of
the verse:
Just, holy, temperate - Good ministerial qualities
1. Just refers to the principles of equity in our
conduct with one another. In the entire management
and government of his Church, but especially in
discipline, the bishop or elder requires this
qualification. He must look upon the poor and the
rich, the ignorant and the learned, in this respect
with an equal eye.
2. Holy, on the other hand, expresses more
especially our relations towards God, who is so
often called in Scripture “the Holy One of Israel.”
He is a saint, and rejoices to be numbered with the
company of those that are sanctified. His external
conduct, which is altogether just, is not
superficial but real, and flows from holiness of
heart; and all his noble actions in the sight of man
are based on the new heart, the new nature, and the
new hope within him. He is holy: his presence
rebukes the ungodly, and the tongue of the wicked is
silent before him; the atmosphere around him is
pure, salubrious [favorable to health], and serene; his words when he
speaks are like ointment poured forth; his holy
exhortations and heavenly prayers are full of the
blessing of the Lord; and his whole walk in the
midst of the people is like the sun, brighter and
brighter unto the perfect day. This twofold relation
of man to his neighbour and to God was known to the
heathen, for Polybius says (23:10, 8), “Just in
respect to our fellow man, and holy in things
pertaining to God.” Both of these meet in the
Christian bishop and form the greatest perfection of
his character. He is distinguished by justice among
his fellow creatures on earth, and his holiness
connects him with his Lord and Head in heaven.
3. He is also temperate, ἐκρατῆς, (cf. 1
Corinthians 7:9; 1 Corinthians 9:25)
—powerful, master of himself, having self-control,
and hence continent, which is undoubtedly the
meaning of it here. He has renounced the world, the
devil, and the flesh, and he will not be drawn away
from his high calling by sensual pleasure.
~Biblical Illustrator
Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 7:9
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it
is better to marry than to burn.
1 Corinthians 9:25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a
corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Let us go now to the specific commentaries.
The verse is broken out in six parts:
1] But a lover of hospitality.
2] A lover of good men.
3] Sober.
4] Just.
5] Holy.
6] Temperate.
1] But a lover
of hospitality.
Barnes and the John Gill say to see the notes it has
on 1 Timothy 3:2 [see
Lesson]
Given to hospitality - This is often enjoined on all
Christians as a duty of religion. For the reasons of
this, and the nature of the duty, see the Romans
12:13 note; Hebrews 13:2 note. It was a special duty
of the ministers of religion, as they were to be
examples of every Christian virtue. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses
Romans 12:13
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to
hospitality.
Hebrews 13:2
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby
some have entertained angels unawares.
A lover of hospitality - Φιλοξενον· A lover of
strangers. Instead of φιλοξενον, one MS. has
φιλοπτωχον, a lover of the poor. That minister who
neglects the poor, but is frequent in his visits to
the rich, knows little of his Master’s work, and has
little of his Master’s spirit. ~Adam Clarke
2] A lover of
good men.
A lover of good men. - Better, lover of good.
~Vincent's Word Studies
A lover of good men. - disposed to generous actions.
~Popular Commentary of the New Testament
A lover of good men - Margin, “or things.” The Greek
(φιλάγαθος philagathos) means, a lover of
good, and may apply to any thing that is good. It
may refer to good men, as included under the general
term good; and there is no more essential
qualification of a bishop than this. A man who
sustains the office of a minister of the gospel,
should love every good object, and be ever ready to
promote it; and he should love every good man, no
matter in what denomination or country he may be
found - no matter what his complexion, and no matter
what his rank in life; compare the notes at
Philippians 4:8. ~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things
are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things.
A lover of good men - Φιλαγαθον· A lover of goodness
or of good things in general. ~Adam Clarke
A lover of good men - or "of good"; the Syriac
version renders it, "of good things"; as prayer,
preaching, reading, meditation, spiritual
conversation, and every religious exercise: or "of
good men"; for such an elder or bishop has chiefly
to do and converse with; and if he is not a lover of
them, their company will be disagreeable to him, and
he will be of no advantage to them; and if he does
not love the souls of men, he will not naturally
care for their state, or be concerned for their
good. ~John Gill
3] Sober.
Sober - Prudent in all his conduct. Just in all his
dealings. Holy in his heart. ~Adam Clark
Sober - in body, using moderation in diet and dress;
and in mind, being prudent, modest, and humble, and
thinking soberly of himself, and others, as he
ought. ~John Gill
4] Just.
Just - Upright in his dealings with all. A minister
can do little good who is not. ~Barnes Notes
Just - righteous in his dealings with men, giving to
everyone their due; upright and sincere in his
conversation [conduct] with the saints; and
faithful in his counsel, admonitions, and reproofs.
~John Gill
5] Holy.
Holy - Pious, or devout. Faithful in all his duties
to God. ~Barnes Notes
Holy - devout towards God, constant in all religious
exercises in the closet, family, and church; and
living soberly, righteously, and godly in the world.
~John Gill
6] Temperate.
Temperate - having power over; possessed of; hence,
controlling, keeping in hand. ~Vincent's Word
Studies
Temperate - ἐγκρατῆ egkratē. Having power or
control over all his passions. We apply the term now
with reference to abstinence from intoxicating
liquors. In the Scriptures, it includes not only
that, but also much more. It implies control over
all our passions and appetites. ~Barnes Notes
Temperate - self-denying and abstemious [ab-stee-mee-uh
s] [moderate] , in his food and raiment;
not too nice on points of honor, nor magisterially [maj-uh-steer-ee-uh
l ly] [domineeringly] rigid in the
exercise of his ecclesiastical functions.
Qualifications rarely found in spiritual governors.
~Adam Clarke
Temperate - in eating and drinking; continent [showing
restraint or control] from the lusts of the
flesh; and even abstaining from those things which
might be lawfully used, though inexpedient, for the
sake of the weak, the peace of the church, and the
glory of God. ~John Gill
So, be a lover of hospitality -
his house and his heart ever open
to the poor and needy.
Be a lover of good things.
Sober - prudent in your conduct.
Just - righteous in your dealings, faithful
in your counsel; upright in your conduct.
Holy - devote towards God; living
righteously.
Temperate - having power and control over all
your passions
...these are the lessons of verse 8.
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