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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 Ezekiel 37:23 and Titus 2:14

Septuagint · New Testament

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Summary

The Greek Septuagint translation of Ezekiel promises that God will rescue Israel from lawless deeds, cleanse them, and make them his people. Titus uses the same verbs to describe what Jesus does through his sacrifice.

Passages

LXX Ezekiel 37:23

Septuagint
22 And I will make them a nation in my land, even on the mountains of Israel; and they shall have one prince: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided any more at all into two kingdoms: 23 that they may no more defile themselves with their idols; and I will deliver them from all their lawless deeds in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be to me a people, and I the Lord will be to them a God. 24 And my servant David shall be a prince in the midst of them: there shall be one shepherd of them all; for they shall walk in my ordinances, and keep my judgments, and do them.
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Ezekiel

Titus 2:14

New Testament
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.
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Titus

References

... Reflection on Christ’s death continues in Titus 2:14c, where the metaphor of “washing/cleansing” echoes another cluster of Old Testament covenantal texts linked to the preceding by the term anomia: “and to cleanse for himself a people of his own.” The new metaphor, “cleansing” (katharizō), leads some to think of baptism. But the sense is that of cultic purification, which the Old Testament already extended figuratively to describe God’s action of purifying his people, so that they may be his people. The “cleansing” imagery gives access to a catena of Greek texts from Ezekiel 36–37, already anticipated in the anomia of the last clause: Ezekiel 37:23: They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding [apo pasōn tōn anomiōn autōn], and I will cleanse them [katharō autous]. They will be my people [esontai moi eis laon], and I will be their God ...
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), 905–906.

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 Ezekiel 37:23 and Titus 2:14

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