Titus 3:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

So that you would not inquire how this happens, he says: the Spirit set everything right. How is this evident? “Whom,” he says, “He poured out on us abundantly.” He not only recreated us through Him, but also richly endowed us with Him, so that this too might be seen through Him. And rightly so. After He had cleansed us, He also abundantly filled us with the Spirit. This is what “poured out” means. For what is pure does not enter the impure. And this was accomplished through Jesus, for He is the mediator and giver of all good things.

“Whom He poured out on us abundantly,” that is, when He breathed Him into the Apostles (Jn 20:22) and distributed Him in tongues of fire (Acts 2:2-4). Some also prophesy through Him, some interpret through Him, and others perform various miracles by His aid (1 Cor 12:1-10).

The Master, says the Apostle, showed love for mankind and through the Only-begotten freed us from our former evils. By saving Baptism He granted us remission of sins, recreated and renewed us, counted us worthy of the gift of the Spirit, and showed us the path of righteousness. To those who walk in it He promised the Kingdom of Heaven. And since it is invisible, for “hope that is seen is not hope” (Rom 8:24), the Apostle necessarily adds:

“Whom He poured out on us abundantly.” He richly poured out upon us the spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit. For He says through the prophet, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28), meaning upon those who have believed. “Through Jesus Christ our Savior.” For He was our mediator with respect to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as the mediator between God and men.

These words form an addition and explanation to the words of verses 11-14 of chapter 2. There it was said that Christ gave Himself for us. Here it is explained why this was necessary.

It was necessary because men themselves have no works of righteousness. They can be saved only by the mercy of Christ. This mercy was revealed precisely in this, that Christ delivered Himself to the justice of God as a sacrifice for men.

When it says, "not by righteous works which we have done," it means the absence in us of works which, apart from the merits of Christ, could obtain justification for us.

Here the holy Apostle indicates the foundation or reason why Christians, while meek and condescending toward unbelieving impious people, must themselves shine with virtues and surpass the rest of mankind.

It is because they are not only called to a holy life in Christianity. In Christianity, sufficient means of grace are also mystically given for the acquisition of holiness.

After all this, it would be unnatural and inexcusable for Christians to remain hardened in their former moral oldness.

By "the laver of regeneration" the holy Apostle plainly points to the mystery of water baptism. By the abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit after this laver, he points to the mystery of the descent of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, or Chrismation.

He speaks a second time about the manifestation of grace and the renewal of men, in order again to stir them up to a worthy life and to hopes for the good things to come in eternal life.

"If we examine this passage more carefully," writes blessed Jerome, "we shall find in it the Most Holy Trinity most plainly. The goodness, that is, grace, and love for mankind of our Savior God, not another, but God the Father, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us through Jesus Christ, made us righteous for the inheritance of eternal life."

"Alas," cries Saint John Chrysostom, "we were so deeply sunk in evil that we could no longer be cleansed, but needed regeneration. This was truly a new birth, the receiving of a new being.

Then Christians should be moved to condescension toward unbelievers by the immeasurable love for mankind which God has shown toward Christians themselves.

For when the divine goodness, χρηστότης, and love for mankind were revealed, God saved us not by virtue of our merits, but solely according to His mercy.

Therefore we too, imitating God, must show goodwill toward the pagans even when they do not deserve it at all.

At the same time, to make an even stronger impression on Christian souls, the Apostle commands Titus to remind them that through Baptism, the washing with water, cf. Eph 5:26, they were cleansed from sins and renewed.

God the Father poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly upon all believers through Christ the Savior.

When the Lord uttered the promise of this to the Apostles, He said: "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter" (Jn 14:16).

Then: "The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name" (Jn 14:26). And again: "The Comforter, whom I shall send to you from the Father" (Jn 15:26).

Thus the Lord Jesus Christ mediates the sending down of the Most Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and through them upon all believers.

It had been appointed in the counsel of God that the Son of God should become incarnate, pass through sufferings on the Cross and death, and be glorified in Resurrection and Ascension.