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reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself”?
In the former passage he speaks of the correction of those of whom he had hope, and who
had simply made opposition. But when he is known and manifest to all, why dost thou
contend1517 in vain? why dost thou beat the air? What means, “being condemned of himself”?
Because he cannot say that no one has told him, no one admonished him; since therefore
after admonition he continues the same, he is self-condemned.
Ver. 12. “When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus; be diligent to come unto
me to Nicopolis.” What sayest thou? After having appointed him to preside over Crete, dost
thou again summon him to thyself? It was not to withdraw him from that occupation,1518
but to discipline him the more for it. For that he does not call him to attend upon him, as
if he took him everywhere with him as his follower, appears from what he adds:
“For I have determined there to winter.”
Now Nicopolis1519 is a city of Thrace.
Ver. 14. “Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing
be wanting unto them.”
These were not of the number to whom Churches had been intrusted, but of the number
of his companions. But Apollos was the more vehement, being “an eloquent man, and mighty
in the Scriptures.” (Acts xviii. 24.) But if Zenas was a lawyer, you say, he ought not to have
been supported by others. But by a lawyer here is meant one versed in the laws of the Jews.
And he seems to say, supply their wants abundantly, that nothing may be lacking to them.
Ver. 14, 15. “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that
they be not unfruitful. All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith.”
That is, either those that love Paul himself,1520 or those men that are faithful.
“Grace be with you all. Amen.”
How then dost thou command him to stop the mouths of gainsayers, if he must pass
them by when they are doing everything to their own destruction?1521 He means that he
should not do it principally for their advantage, for being once perverted in their minds,
they would not profit by it. But if they injured others, it behooved him to withstand and
contend with them; and manfully await1522 them, but if thou art reduced to necessity, seeing
them destroying others, be not silent, but stop their mouths, from regard to those whom
1517 πυκτεύεις.
1518 σχολῆς.
1519 Montfaucon mentions two of this name in Thrace. Mr. Greswell takes this to be in Epirus.
1520 He means, perhaps, that “in faith” (which has not the article) may be applied to this.
1521 B. makes “When they undoing everything for mischief,” part of the answer, omitting “their own,” and
adding αὐτόν in the sense of ultro. Other copies vary.
1522 περιίστασθαι, or as B. περιίστασο. Ed. Par. proposes προσίστασθαι, “to resist,” but needlessly.
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Titus 3:8-11