Titus 2:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see how he everywhere urges the observance of what is fitting? He assigned the instruction of women chiefly to women, entrusting the younger to the older. But the whole work of instructing men he entrusts and commits to Titus himself. Truly, nothing at all is so difficult and burdensome for youth as to overcome shameful pleasures. Neither love of money, nor desire for glory, nor anything else troubles this age as much as sensual pleasure. Therefore the Apostle leaves everything else aside and directs his exhortation against this defect of the age. Yet he does not leave other needs without attention. But what does he say?

He appointed the older as teachers for the younger, women for women. For young men, he appointed Titus himself, a man for men. Everywhere he preserves propriety. What should he instruct and admonish them to do? To be temperate. For in youth the fire of shameful pleasures causes the greatest harm. It must be quenched, and one must strive to be temperate.

For this virtue especially adorns youth, because the passion of desire attacks it more strongly. Then the Apostle teaches how instruction must be made persuasive.

“Young men likewise exhort to be temperate.” Do you see how he everywhere observes what is fitting? Over the young women he set older women as moral guides, lest Titus bring any evil suspicion upon himself, since he was still young. But he entrusts the young men to Titus himself. What does he say? “Exhort the young men to be temperate,” that is, to abstain from the passions. What does “likewise” mean? It means that they should conduct themselves temperately, like the young women who learn prudent conduct from the older women. Or “likewise” means in the same way that you will exhort the young women through the older women.

In the second section, Saint Paul sketches the form of the pastor’s proper teaching activity in the Church. First, he shows him what to teach the faithful according to their age and state: what to teach older men and older women (Tit 2:1, 3), young women and young men (Tit 2:4–6), and slaves (Tit 2:9–10). Second, he shows how to teach: by presenting himself as a pattern of good works, and likewise of pure teaching and sound, irreproachable speech (Tit 2:7–8).

The Apostle commands that lessons for the young be carried out through mutual instruction, the elder teaching the younger. The content of these lessons is most natural: the instilling of conjugal and family love, purity, care for the home, good obedience, and prudence. By all this Christianity is glorified and not brought into reproach by anything bad, as though arising from Christian instruction. Such a thing might appear so to those insufficiently informed about Christian teaching. "Everything good comes from love," says St. John Chrysostom. "The Apostle did not simply say, 'they must be at peace,' but, 'to love their husbands.' When there is love between them, no discord enters among them. From it the other goods are also born.

In contrast to these false teachers, who teach the Cretans only what is evil, Titus must set forth sound doctrine. He must teach the faithful the dogmas of the faith and the rules of morality. The Apostle even indicates which virtues are to be taught to the faithful according to their age, sex, and state. Titus himself must serve as an example for the faithful.

He commands that young men be urged only to chastity. This is because other passions scarcely trouble them. The one contrary to chastity rules over them. Therefore, once they stand firm against it, there is no need to speak about the others. Moreover chastity, understood in soul and body, is a virtue essentially bound up with all the others. The chaste man has the fear of God, is temperate, attentive to himself, free from every distraction, dignified, and correct in all things. Therefore, when a pastor persuades them to be chaste, even without saying so he will be telling them to adorn themselves with all virtues. Blessed Jerome here also relates "likewise" to all the preceding.