Titus 2:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The same is true of young virgins, though not for this reason, but because in them the fire of desire is strongly inflamed. "Teachers of good." But do you not forbid women to teach? How then do you permit it here, having said elsewhere, "I do not permit a woman to teach" (1 Tim 2:12)? Listen to what he added: "nor to exercise authority over a man." From of old men were entrusted to teach both men and women. Women he permits to offer exhortations at home. He by no means permits them to preside in church or to deliver a lengthy discourse. Therefore he added, "nor to exercise authority over a man."

"Teachers of good." How then does he say elsewhere, "I do not permit a woman to teach" (1 Tim 2:12)? There he is speaking of public teaching in church, which is not permitted to women. Here he speaks of teaching at home, and only of younger women. Listen further, for this is what the Apostle says.

"Not enslaved to much wine." This defect is found chiefly in old people, because the body grows cold and needs warming remedies. Therefore, after permitting them the necessary measure of wine for this purpose, he forbade its use in greater quantity, which leads to drunkenness and madness. Thus the use of much wine is harmful for them, because through age and weakness of the bodily organs they cannot resist the force of the vapors that rise upward from the stomach. It is harmful for the young because it stirs in them shameful desires.

"Teachers of good." They must teach others what is good. It is true that elsewhere he did not permit a woman to teach (1 Tim 2:12). But there he meant that she should not exercise authority over a man or teach in the Church. Here he allowed older women to admonish the young. Of course, even in this case he did not grant them the right of teaching in the proper sense. He granted worthy women only the right of domestic exhortation.

Many things dispose a man of this age not to be sober, above all the dulling of all the senses, slowness, and lack of easy movement. With the years a man grows cold, and from this comes a strong inclination to wine. Therefore the Apostle warns them against this, wishing them to avoid the disgrace arising from this sickness. Men have been given from above to teach both men and women. Women he permits to offer exhortations at home." "It is evident," says the right reverend Theophan, "that the Apostle wants the older men to present a fully exemplary life, being teachers of good, so that they teach good both by rule and by word. Old age, rich in experience, is by the natural order the guide of youth. But in ordinary life only those who have occupied themselves with such matters and acted in them wisely can guide the younger. This is still more true in the religious and moral order. Therefore the Apostle placed this task of old age after adorning it with many good qualities."

“Therefore in the present place it is prescribed to them that in them too the Apostle’s saying may be fulfilled: ‘Strength is made perfect in weakness’ (cf. 2 Cor 12:9). For it is said that they too should have everything commanded to the older men.

“In the following words, ‘the older women likewise,’ he means that they too, like the older men, should be honorable in all things, sober, chaste, sound in faith, love, and patience. Moreover, in accordance with their sex, they should walk in attire befitting holiness, or, as it is better said in Greek, en katastemati hieroprepeis. This means in bearing and posture, so that even their step, movement, gaze, and speech present a certain dignity befitting sacred things.”

Indeed, “in adornment” does not encompass everything contained in the Greek expression en katastemati. As blessed Jerome indicates, this word embraces all that is outward: bearing, gait, gaze, speech, and movement. In general, it means outward self-comportment, including clothing.

Teach, he says, that in all this they be worthy of holiness. Chrysostom also says that older women “must show modesty by their very appearance and clothing.” Blessed Theodoret writes that here they are commanded “the comeliness of dignified conduct.”

Sacred dignity does not point to an ecclesiastical rank of older women, but to the quality of their outward self-comportment. They should carry themselves as though they were in church, or like those who serve in church, modestly and reverently, so as to spread reverence and dignity around themselves.

Teach the older women also “not to be slanderers,” me diabolous. They must be alien to gossip, accusations, slanders, and every kind of evil speech. All these are the devil’s portion, instruments of mutual discord, divisions, and quarrels, and often of calamities for those spoken against.

Blessed Jerome writes: “Since this class of women is usually talkative, according to the word of the same Apostle, ‘They learn to be idle, going about from house to house, and not only idle, but also babblers and busybodies, saying what they ought not’ (cf. 1 Tim 5:13), he also wishes here that they be not slanderers.

“That is, they must not be accusers, nor such as speak against some in order to please others. Nor should they, as those who have already passed the age of youth, reason and speak about young women in this way: this one dresses so, that one walks so, that one is acquainted with such people, she loves this man, or is loved by that one.

“Even if there were something blameworthy in all this, they should not so much condemn before others as correct privately in the spirit of Christ’s love. They should rather teach them not to do such things than publicly condemn what they have done.”

“Not enslaved to much wine.” He does not forbid the use of wine, but prevents its abuse, so that they neither drink much nor become attached to wine. In old age, nature itself seems to require the use of wine, to support energy and assist the functions of nourishment.

But excessive use helps neither the one nor the other, but harms them. One who becomes attached to this quickly disorders himself entirely, both bodily and spiritually. For wine irritates desire and makes the old behave indecently in this state even more than the young.

Chrysostom says: “This defect, drinking wine, is characteristic of old age. With the years a man grows cold, and from this comes a strong inclination toward wine. Therefore the Apostle especially warns them against this, destroying drunkenness in every way and wishing them to be free from this disease and to avoid the shame that comes from it.

“With the passage of time, vapors more easily rise from below upward, and the membranes of the brain are damaged by old age. From this especially comes the inclination to drunkenness. True, this age has especial need of wine because it is weak. But it does not need much. The same applies to young women, not for the same reason, but because in them the fire of desires is strongly inflamed.”

Let us continue this instruction with the words of blessed Jerome: “Excessive use of wine is forbidden to older women because intemperance produces in the old what lust produces in the young. After this, how will an older woman teach young women purity when a young woman, if she begins to imitate the older woman in drinking wine, can scarcely preserve herself pure?”

“Teachers of good,” so that by both example and word they teach every good thing. Experienced old age, according to the natural order, is the guide of youth.

In ordinary life, only those who have occupied themselves with certain matters and have acted reasonably in them can guide the younger. This is even more true in the religious and moral order. Only those who themselves have passed through it zealously and reasonably can instruct others in this kind of life.

For this reason the Apostle placed this work of old age after adorning it with many good qualities. Indeed, if older women possess everything indicated so far, then they will naturally become teachers of good by example alone, even if words were lacking. Yet words cannot be lacking, because instructions in this order of life do not require many words.

Experienced old age teaches much in simple conversation, without special effort. Youth that desires to learn naturally attaches itself to it and listens zealously.

Blessed Jerome writes: “After teaching what older women should be like, he now permits them also to take the reins of teaching. Having become precisely such women, they may have boldness and courage to teach other younger women every good thing.”

Chrysostom objects: “How then do you forbid women to teach? Here you permit it, but elsewhere you say, ‘I do not permit a woman to teach’ (cf. 1 Tim 2:12).” He answers: “But hear what he added there: ‘nor to have authority over a man.’

“It has been granted from above to men to teach both men and women. But he permits women to offer exhortations at home, and by no means to preside in church or deliver a lengthy discourse.”

“There he speaks of public teaching in church, which is not permitted to women. Here he speaks of household teaching, and only of younger women, as the following words show,” says blessed Theophylact.