will, and share counsels with no one, makes his presidency tyrannical rather than popular.
For he must be “blameless, as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry.” For how
shall he instruct others to rule that passion, who has not taught himself? For power leads
on to many temptations, it makes a man more harsh and difficult to please, even him that
was very mild, surrounding him with so many occasions of anger. If he have not previously
practiced himself in this virtue, he will grow harsh, and will injure and destroy much that
is under his rule.
“Not given to wine,1459 no striker.” Here he is speaking of the insolent man. For he
should do all things by admonition or rebuke, and not by insolence. What necessity, tell
me, for insult? He ought to terrify, to alarm, to penetrate the soul with the threat of hell. But
he that is insulted becomes more impudent, and rather despises him that insults him.
Nothing produces contempt more than insult; it disgraces the insolent person, and prevents
his being respected, as he ought to be. Their discourse ought to be delivered with much
caution. In reproving sins they should bear in mind the future judgment, but keep clear of
all insolence. Yet if any prevent them from doing their duty, they must prosecute the matter
with all authority. “Not a striker,” he says. The teacher is the physician of souls. But the
physician does not strike, but heals and restores him that has stricken him. “Not given to
filthy lucre.”
Ver. 8. “But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate.”
Ver. 9. “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.”
You see what intensity of virtue he required. “Not given to filthy lucre,” that is, showing
great contempt for money. “A lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy”;
he means, giving away all his substance to them that need. “Temperate”; he speaks not here
of one who fasts, but of one who commands his passions, his tongue, his hands, his eyes.
For this is temperance, to be drawn aside by no passion.
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught.” By “faithful” is here meant
“true,” or that which was delivered through faith, not requiring reasonings, or questionings.
“Holding fast,” that is, having care of it, making it his business. What then, if he be ig-
norant of the learning that is without? For this cause, he says, “the faithful word, according
to teaching.”1460
“That he may be able both to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers.”
So that there is need not of pomp of words, but of strong minds, of skill in the Scriptures
and of powerful thoughts. Do you not see that Paul put to flight the whole world, that he
was more powerful than Plato and all the rest? But it was by miracles, you say. Not by miracles
1459 πάροινον, see p. 438, note.
1460 The Greek does not exclude the sense of teaching others.
908
Titus 1:5,6