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Titus

About this book
Chapter 2

1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. 3 Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good. 4 In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited. 6 Encourage younger men likewise to be self-controlled, 7 showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss because he has nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, in order to bring credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything. 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.⁠ 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires⁠ and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives⁠ in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness⁠ and to purify for himself a people who are truly his,⁠ who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you.

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Exodus 19:5 and Titus 2:14

Septuagint · New Testament

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Summary

At Sinai, God declares Israel will be his special people out of all the nations. Titus uses the same Greek phrase to describe Jesus’ purified people, expanding the original ethnic group to include all people.

Passages

LXX Exodus 19:5

Septuagint
4 You have seen all that I have done to the Egyptians, and I took you up as upon eagles' wings, and I brought you near to myself. 5 And now if you will indeed hear my voice, and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a special people above all nations; for the whole earth is mine. 6 And you shall be to me a royal priesthood and a holy nation: these words you will speak to the children of Israel.
300–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Exodus

Titus 2:14

New Testament
13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you.
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Titus

References

... Paul’s adaptation draws together the concepts of cleansing (from anomia) and election. The defilement in mind in Ezekiel 37:23 and 36:25 is that of exilic and postexilic idolatry, and the application of this to the Cretan context is not hard to see (1:10–16 and the use of the katharos word group in 1:15). The wider textual network that Paul contacts also associates purification from idolatry with the event of “becoming” God’s people and the ongoing act of “being” God’s people by way of the Godward covenant commitments required of his people. Paul sets the identity of the church into the Old Testament context specifically focused on the promise of the new (or renewed) covenant (compare Ezekiel 36:26–28). The textual network, beginning with Ezekiel 37:23, superimposes Christ’s purifying act over God’s act in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament covenantal transaction, by Yahweh’s action of cleansing (Ezekiel 37:23) and electing (Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2), and upon the condition of the people’s faithfulness (Exodus 19:5), Israel would be known as “a people for his own possession” (for the phrase laos periousios, see also Exodus 23:22 LXX; Deuteronomy 26:18) — that is, the unique possession of Yahweh, bearing the imprint of his holiness ...
Philip H. Towner, "1-2 Timothy and Titus" in Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson, editors. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 906–907.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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LXX Exodus 19:5 and Titus 2:14

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