Titus 2:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By “opponent” the Apostle means the devil and everyone who serves him. When the teacher’s life is radiant and his word corresponds to it, when it is modest, meek, and condescending, and gives opponents no occasion for faultfinding, then great and unspeakable benefit comes. Therefore the ministry of the word is very necessary. It must not be just any word, but a skillful and irreproachable word, giving no occasion at all for reproach to those who desire it.

“Sound speech, irreproachable.” That is, Orthodox speech, containing nothing worthy of reproach. “That the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.” By “opponent” he means either the devil or anyone who serves him.

Likewise, be modest and sound in speech through yes and no. Be blameless before those whom you will teach, so that the stranger and our opponent, even if he wishes to say something evil about us, may nevertheless be put to shame before his hearers when he cannot say any evil word about us.

One who gives counsel to others must show in himself an example of good works: in teaching, in chastity, and in gravity (Tit 2:7–8). His speech should be sound and faultless, his counsel useful, his life worthy, and his judgments excellent.

Such is speech adorned by spiritual grace. “That the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing reproachful to say of us.” For when what is said is adorned with truth, and what is done accords with the words, then the mouths even of the most slanderous are stopped.

“Sound speech,” right and true speech. “Irreproachable,” speech without blame or fault. “That the opponent may be put to shame.” The opponent is the one who belongs to the opposing side. Such, first of all, is Satan, and then every man who serves him. The opponent is put to shame when he sees the word spreading its light everywhere, and the life of Christians wholly conforming to the word. Thus he finds no opportunity to reproach them in anything. “Having nothing reproachful to say of us,” being deprived of any possibility of saying something evil about us, and having no power either to abase us or to blaspheme.

This teacher of the Gentiles, chosen as instructor of the Church because Christ lived and spoke in him, knew the future rise of the sickness of corrupt eloquence. He knew the coming frenzy of seductive and destructive teaching against the sound words of truth. He also foresaw that the corruption of impious inventions contained in this teaching would creep even to the very foundations of the soul and lead to great evil. Therefore he said, "Their word will spread like a cancer" (2 Tim 2:17), always stealing upon sound minds and infecting them with a perverse way of thinking. For this reason the Apostle wanted the bishop to possess conscious faith, skill in instructing in true teaching, and knowledge of arguments by which to defend it from impious, false, and reckless opinions.

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).

Teaching through example is the most fruitful teaching. This is what the holy Apostle Paul advises Titus to maintain. Besides common good works, he commands him to possess special teaching qualities: full readiness, dignity, and a good disposition. In the content of teaching he commands formative edification and wholeness uncorrupted in anything, so that no one can reproach him from any side. According to St. John Chrysostom's explanation, the Apostle speaks to Titus as if saying: "Let the older women teach the younger, but you yourself instruct the young men in chastity. Let your radiant life, open to all, be a common teacher and pattern of virtue for everyone.

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.

The exemplary content of teaching is defined by the words "sound speech, irreproachable." Sound speech is speech that edifies, so that those who hear may be healthy in faith and remain firm in sound doctrine (cf. Tit 1:13, 9). As a healthy body is one that, being damaged in no part, lives the full life proper to it, so sound teaching speech is one that presents doctrine damaged in no part. It contains all that it is appointed to contain according to the intention of Him Who sent this word of truth to earth. Such a word both plants, waters, and increases sound faith and sound dogmatic teaching (cf. Oecumenius). "Irreproachable speech," ακαταγνωστον, is speech that cannot be blamed in anything.