Teks -- Titus 3:3 (NET)

3:3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Aforetime

Aforetime ( pote ).

"Once"in our unconverted state as in Eph 2:3.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Foolish

Foolish ( anoētoi ).

See Rom 1:14, Rom 1:21.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Disobedient

Disobedient ( apeitheis ).

See note on Rom 1:30.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Deceived

Deceived ( planōmenoi ).

Present passive participle of planaō though the middle is possible.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Divers lusts

Divers lusts ( hēdonais poikilais ).

"Pleasures"(hēdonais from hēdomai , old word, in N.T. only here, Luk 8:14; Jam 4:1, Jam 4:3; 2Pe 2:13). Poikilais (old word) is many-coloured as in Mar 1:34; Jam 1:2; 2Ti 3:6, etc.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Living

Living ( diagontes ).

See note on 1Ti 3:6 (supply bion ).

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - In malice

In malice ( en kakiāi ).

See note on Rom 1:29.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Envy

Envy ( phthonōi ).

See note on Rom 1:29.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Hateful

Hateful ( stugētoi ).

Late passive verbal from stugeō , to hate. In Philo, only here in N.T.

Robertson: Tit 3:3 - Hating one another

Hating one another ( misountes allēlous ).

Active sense and natural result of being "hateful."

Vincent: Tit 3:3 - Divers - pleasures

Divers - pleasures ( ἡδοναῖς ποικίλαις )

Ἡδονή pleasure , only here in Pastorals. o P. See on Jam 4:1. For ποικίλαις divers , see on 2Ti 3:6.

Vincent: Tit 3:3 - Malice

Malice ( κακίᾳ )

Only here in Pastorals. See on Jam 1:21. In N.T. κακία is a special form of vice , not viciousness in general, as Cicero, Tusc . iv. 15, who explains by " vitiositas , a viciousness which includes all vices." Calvin, on Eph 4:32, defines as " a viciousness of mind opposed to humanity and fairness, and commonly styled malignity ." The homily ascribed to Clement of Rome, describes κακία as the forerunner (προοδοίπορον ) of our sins (x). Malice is a correct translation.

Wesley: Tit 3:3 - For we

And as God hath dealt with us, so ought we to deal with our neighbour.

Wesley: Tit 3:3 - Were without understanding

Wholly ignorant of God.

Wesley: Tit 3:3 - And disobedient

When he was declared to us.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - For

Our own past sins should lead us to be lenient towards those of others. "Despise none, for such wast thou also." As the penitent thief said to his fellow thief, "Dost thou not fear God . . . seeing that thou art in the same condemnation."

JFB: Tit 3:3 - we

Christians.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - were

Contrast Tit 3:4, "But when," that is, now: a favorite contrast in Paul's writing, that between our past state by nature, and our present state of deliverance from it by grace. As God treated us, we ought to treat our neighbor.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - sometimes

Once.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - foolish

Wanting right reason in our course of living. Irrational. The exact picture of human life without grace. Grace is the sole remedy for foolishness.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - disobedient

To God.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - deceived

Led astray. The same Greek, "out of the way" (Heb 5:2).

JFB: Tit 3:3 - serving

Greek, "in bondage to," serving as slaves."

JFB: Tit 3:3 - divers

The cloyed appetite craves constant variety.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - pleasures

Of the flesh.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - malice

Malignity.

JFB: Tit 3:3 - hateful . . . hating

Correlatives. Provoking the hatred of others by their detestable character and conduct, and in turn hating them.

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - For we ourselves

For we ourselves - All of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, were, before our conversion to Christ, foolish, disobedient, and deceived. There is no doubt that the apostle felt he could include himself in the above list, previously to his conversion. The manner in which he persecuted the Christians, to whose charge he could not lay one moral evil, is a sufficient proof that, though he walked according to the letter of the law, as to its ordinances and ceremonies, blameless, yet his heart was in a state of great estrangement from God, from justice, holiness, mercy, and compassion

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Foolish

Foolish - Ανοητοι· Without understanding - ignorant of God, his nature, his providence, and his grace

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Disobedient

Disobedient - Απειθεις· Unpersuaded, unbelieving, obstinate, and disobedient

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Deceived

Deceived - Πλανωμενοι· Erring - wandering from the right way in consequence of our ignorance, not knowing the right way; and, in consequence of our unbelief and obstinacy, not choosing to know it. It is a true saying, "There are none so blind as those who will not see."Such persons are proof against conviction, they will not be convinced either by God or man

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Serving divers lusts and pleasures

Serving divers lusts and pleasures - Δουλευοντες· Being in a state of continual thraldom; not served or gratified by our lusts and pleasures, but living, as their slaves, a life of misery and wretchedness

Divers lusts - Επιθυμιαις· Strong and irregular appetites of every kind

Pleasures - Ἡδοναις· Sensual pleasures. Persons intent only on the gratification of sense, living like the brutes, having no rational or spiritual object worthy the pursuit of an immortal being

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Living in malice and envy

Living in malice and envy - Εν κακιᾳ και φθονῳ διαγοντες· Spending our life in wickedness and envy - not bearing to see the prosperity of others, because we feel ourselves continually wretched

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Hateful

Hateful - Στυγητοι· Abominable; hateful as hell. The word comes from Στυξ, Styx, the infernal river by which the gods were wont to swear; and he who (according to the mythology of the heathens) violated this oath, was expelled from the assembly of the gods, and was deprived of his nectar and ambrosia for a year; hence the river was hateful to them beyond all things, and the verb στυγεω, formed from this, signifies to shiver with horror

It maybe taken actively, says Leigh, as it is read, hateful; or else passively, and so may be read hated, that is, justly execrable and odious unto others, both God and man

Clarke: Tit 3:3 - Hating one another

Hating one another - Μισουντες αλληλους· This word is less expressive than the preceding: there was no brotherly love, consequently no kind offices; they hated each other, and self-interest alone could induce them to keep up civil society. This is the true state of all unregenerate men. The words which the apostle uses in this place give a finished picture of the carnal state of man; and they are not true merely of the Cretans and Jews that then were, but of all mankind in every age and country; they express the wretched state of fallen man

Some of the Greek moralists expressed a dissolute and sensual life by nearly the same expressions as those employed by the apostle. Plutarch, in Precept. Conjug., says: Σωματος εστι κηδεσθαι, μη δουλευοντα ταις ἡδοναις αυτου, και ταις επιθυμιαις· "We must take care of the body, that we may not be enslaved by its lusts and pleasures."And Josephus, speaking of Cleopatra, Antiq., lib. xv. cap. 4, says: Γυναικα πολυτελη, και δουλευουσαν ταις επιθυμιαις· "She was an expensive woman, enslaved to lusts."

Calvin: Tit 3:3 - For we ourselves

3.For we ourselves ²⁵⁷ also were formerly foolish Nothing is better adapted to subdue our pride, and at the same time to moderate our severity, than when it is shewn that everything that we turn against others may fall back on our own head; for he forgives easily who is compelled to sue for pardon in return. And indeed, ignorance of our own faults is the only cause that renders us unwilling to forgive our brethren. They who have a true zeal for God, are, indeed, severe against those who sin; but, because they begin with themselves, their severity is always attended by compassion. In order that believers, therefore, may not haughtily and cruelly mock at others, who are still held in ignorance and blindness, Paul brings back to their remembrance what sort of persons they formerly were; as if he had said, “If such fierce treatment is done to those on whom God has not yet bestowed the light of the gospel, with equally good reason might you have been at one time harshly treated. Undoubtedly you would not have wished that any person should be so cruel to you; exercise now, therefore, the same moderation towards others.”

In the words of Paul, there are two things that need to be understood. The first is, that they who have now been enlightened by the Lord, being humbled by the remembrance of their former ignorance, should not exalt themselves proudly over others, or treat them with greater harshness and severity than that which, they think, ought to have been exercised towards themselves when they were what those now are. The second is, that they should consider, from what has taken place in their own persons, that they who to-day are strangers may to-morrow be received into the Church, and, having been led to amendment of their sinful practices, may become partakers of the gifts of God, of which they are now destitute. There is a bright mirror of both in believers, who

“at one time were darkness, and afterwards began
to be light in the Lord.” (Eph 5:8.)

The knowledge of their former condition should therefore dispose them toσυμπάθειαν fellow-feeling. On the other hand, the grace of God, which they now enjoy, is a proof that others may be brought to salvation.

Thus we see that we must be humbled before God, in order that we may be gentle towards brethren; for pride is always cruel and disdainful of others. In another passage, (Gal 6:1,) where he exhorts us to mildness, he advises every one to remember his own weakness. Here he goes farther, for he bids us remember those vices from which we have been delivered, that we may not pursue too keenly those which, still dwell in others.

Besides, seeing that here Paul describes briefly the natural disposition of men, such as it is before it is renewed by the Spirit of God, we may behold, in this description, how wretched we are while we are out of Christ. First, he calls unbelievers foolish, because the whole wisdom of men is mere vanity, so long as they do not know God. Next, he calls them disobedient, because, as it is faith alone that truly obeys God, so unbelief is always wayward and rebellious; although we might translateἀπειθεῖς unbelieving, so as to describe the kind of “foolishness.” Thirdly, he says that unbelievers go astray; for Christ alone is “the way” and the “light of the world.” (Joh 8:12.) All who are estranged from God must therefore wander and go astray during their whole life.

Hitherto he has described the nature of unbelief; but now he likewise adds the fruits which proceed from it, namely, various desires and pleasures, envy, malice, and such like. It is true that each person is not equally chargeable with every vice; but, seeing that all are the slaves of wicked desires, although some are carried away by one and others by another desire, Paul embraces in a general statement ²⁵⁸ all the fruits that are anywhere produced by unbelief. This subject is explained towards the close of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

Moreover, since Paul, by these marks, distinguishes the children of God from unbelievers, if we wish to be accounted believers, we must have our heart cleansed from all envy, and from all malice; and we must both love and be beloved. It is unreasonable that those desires should reign in us, which are there called “various,” for this reason, in my opinion, that the lusts by which a carnal man is driven about are like opposing billows, which, by fighting against each other, turn the man hither and thither, so that he changes and vacillates almost every moment. Such, at least, is the restlessness of all who abandon themselves to carnal desires; because there is no stability but in the fear of God.

TSK: Tit 3:3 - we // foolish // disobedient // deceived // serving // living // hateful

we : Rom 3:9-20; 1Co 6:9-11; Eph 2:1-3; Col 1:21, Col 3:7; 1Pe 4:1-3

foolish : Pro 1:22, Pro 1:23, Pro 8:5, Pro 9:6

disobedient : Mat 21:29; Act 9:1-6, Act 26:19, Act 26:20; Eph 2:2; 1Pe 1:14

deceived : Isa 44:20; Oba 1:3; Luk 21:8; Gal 6:3; Jam 1:26; Rev 12:9, Rev 13:14

serving : Joh 8:34; Rom 6:17, Rom 6:22

living : Rom 1:29-31; 2Co 12:20; 2Ti 3:2, 2Ti 3:3

hateful : Psa 36:2; Rev 18:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Tit 3:3 - For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish // Disobedient // Deceived // Serving divers lusts and pleasures // Living in malice and envy // Hateful // And hating one another

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish without any knowledge, wisdom, or spiritual understanding.

Disobedient: the word signifieth as well unbelieving as disobedient, neither persuaded to assent to the truth, nor yet to live up to the rule of the gospel.

Deceived by the deceitfulness of sin.

Serving divers lusts and pleasures being slaves to our sensitive appetite.

Living in malice and envy suffering wrath to rest in our bosoms, till it boiled up to a desire of revenge, and showed itself in actions of that nature, and pining at the good and prosperity of others.

Hateful deserving to be abominated by good men.

And hating one another and hating good men, or such as were our neighbours: and having been so ourselves formerly, we ought to pity such as still are so.

Haydock: Tit 3:3

We may see in this portrait of a child of Adam, drawn by the hand of a master, what we should have been without Jesus Christ, and what we perhaps have been, as often as he has abandoned us to ourselves. Whoever cannot read in this his own depravity, has never studied as he ought his own heart.

Gill: Tit 3:3 - For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish // disobedient // Deceived // Serving divers lusts and pleasures // living in malice and envy // Hateful, and hating one another

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish,.... Nothing has a greater tendency to promote humility, and check pride in the saints, than to reflect upon their past state and condition, what they themselves once were; and this is a reason why magistrates, though evil men, should be obeyed in things good and lawful, and why no man should be spoken evil of, and why every man should be treated in a gentle manner, and used with mildness and meekness; since the apostle himself, and Titus, and other saints, whom he designed this as an instruction for, were formerly, in their unregenerate state, just such persons themselves; and therefore should not glory over them, and treat them in a contemptuous manner: and besides, the same grace that had made a difference in them, could make one in these also, and which might be made in God's own time: and particularly, whereas they observed great ignorance in these men, they should consider that they also had been "foolish", and without understanding of things, divine and spiritual, and neither knew their own state and condition, nor the way of salvation by Christ; yea, the apostle himself, though he had a zeal for God, yet not according to knowledge; he did not know lust, nor the exceeding sinfulness of sin, until he was enlightened by the Spirit of God; he was ignorant of the righteousness of God, and went about to establish his own, which he imagined to be blameless; and thought he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus:

disobedient; both to the law of God, and Gospel of Christ; disbelieving the truths of the Gospel, and not subjected to the ordinances of it, notwithstanding the evidence with which they came, and the miracles by which they were confirmed.

Deceived; by the old serpent Satan, who deceives the whole world; and by an evil heart of unbelief, as well as by false teachers and leaders; and so, as the word signifies, were wandering about in darkness and ignorance, and were as sheep going astray, until they were returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of souls.

Serving divers lusts and pleasures; the lusts of the flesh are many and various, which promise pleasure to them that obey them, though that is but imaginary, and very short lived, and which subjects persons to bondage and slavery; for such who indulge to these things, are overcome by them, led captive, and brought into bondage, and are the servants of sin, vassals and slaves to their own corruptions; and such these saints had been, here spoken of:

living in malice and envy; they had not only malice and envy in their hearts against their fellow creatures, but practised it in their lives; yea, their lives were a continued series of malice and envy; particularly this was true of the apostle, who haled men and women out of their houses, and committed them to prison; breathed out slaughter and threatenings against the saints; was exceedingly mad against them, persecuted them to strange cities, and compelled them to blaspheme, and gave his vote for punishing them with death.

Hateful, and hating one another; abominable in the sight of God, as considered in themselves, and on account of their nature and practices; and to be abhorred by all good men; and who, by their continual feuds, quarrels, and animosities among themselves, showed an hatred, an abhorrence of one another.