Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
2. in hope of eternal life ] The force of this phrase ‘in hope’ in N.T. is seen best from 1Co 9:10, ‘to plow in hope to thresh in hope of partaking,’ or Rom 4:18, ‘who in hope believed against hope.’ It stands strongly by itself with a verb of some other strong feeling or action, equivalent to summa spe. The force of Act 26:5-6 comes out far more clearly if we keep ‘in hope’ there too, and understand St Paul to say ‘All the Jews know me; from a boy I have been a strict Pharisee; and today I am living in hope of the promise to our fathers as I stand here on my trial the hope to which our twelve tribes look; and about this very hope I am called to account.’ Comparing the structure as well as the subject matter of that verse, we may well connect ‘in hope’ here with ‘Paul the Apostle’ before, and with ‘the message wherewith I was entrusted’ after. St Paul is still magnifying his office, as the emphatic ego shews. ‘My commission is threefold, and ranges from (1) the first spiritual life and gifts of those who have been chosen by God, through (2) the growing life of the true man of God thoroughly furnished, to (3) all the hope of glory; how your people in Crete may be justified, sanctified, glorified, is in the message wherewith I was entrusted; against this no Judaic formalism, no Gnostic spiritualism can hold: I have taught you (1) of the Holy Catholic Church; (2) of the Communion of saints and the Forgiveness of sins; (3) of the Resurrection of the body and the Life everlasting: and you are my true child after this common faith.’
God, that cannot lie ] See Tit 1:1; ‘God’s promise, and mine as His messenger, is very different from the Cretan teachers’ word’ ( Tit 1:12). The epithet is unique in N.T.
promised before the world began ] R.V. literally, ‘before times eternal’; A.V. from Vulg. ‘ante tempora saecularia.’ The parallel passages are 2Ti 1:9 ‘his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,’ Rom 16:25 ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,’ 1Co 2:7 ‘which God foreordained before the worlds,’ Vulg. ‘ante saecula.’ The last passage shews the meaning of the Vulgate, ‘before the times of the world’s history,’ which is definite and accepted by R.V. there, though rejected here and in 2Ti 1:9 in favour of a bare and indeed meaningless phrase. It is better to import no extraneous definiteness into aionios, and also to recognise the proper idiomatic use of the preposition as to times and dates, of which 2Co 12:2 is an instance, ‘fourteen years ago,’ not ‘before fourteen years.’ Render in eternal times gone by. There is no difficulty as to the fact here or in 2Ti 1:9; with God to purpose, to promise, to give, are all one.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In hope of eternal life – Margin, for. Greek, ep’ elpidi. This does not mean that Paul cherished the hope of eternal life, but that the faith of the elect, which he aimed to secure, was in order that people might have the hope of eternal life. The whole system which he was appointed to preach was designed to secure to man a well-founded hope of salvation; compare the notes, 2Ti 1:10.
Which God, that cannot lie – On the phrase cannot lie, see the notes at Heb 6:13. The fact that God cannot lie; that it is his nature always to speak the truth; and that no circumstances can ever occur in which He will depart from it, is the foundation of all our hopes of salvation.
Promised – The only hope of salvation is in the promise of God. It is only as we can have evidence that He has assured us that we may be saved, that we are authorized to cherish any hope of salvation. That promise is not made to us as individuals, or by name, but it becomes ours:
(1) Because He has made a general promise that they who repent and believe shall be saved; and,
(2) Because, we may have evidence that we have repented, and do believe the gospel. If this is so, we fairly come under the promise of salvation, and may apply it to ourselves.
Before the world began – That is, the purpose was then formed, and the promise may be considered as in fact then made; – for a purpose in the mind of God, though it is not as yet made known, is equivalent to a promise; compare the Mat 25:34 note; 2Ti 1:9 note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Tit 1:2
In hope of eternal life
Christianity a hope-inspiring promise
I.
It is an absolutely certain promise. It is Gods premise, and God cannot lie.
II. It is an infinitely rich promise. Eternal life, i.e., eternal well-being.
III. It is a very old promise. Before the world began. (Homilist.)
Hope reaching beyond the revolutions of time
I. It is glorious in its object. Eternal life–a life of eternal goodness.
II. It is divine in its foundation.
1. Inviolable.
2. Eternal.
3. Conditional. (Homilist.)
Lessons
I. A glorious prospect–Eternal life.
II. A truth-speaking god–That cannot lie (Num 23:19; Heb 6:18).
III. An old-standing promise–Before the world began. (F. Wagstaff.)
The covenant–its deathless life and hope
I. The general doctrine.
1. God, he tells us, who cannot lie, made a certain promise before the world began. Not, observe, formed a purpose merely. We know well, indeed, from many a scripture, that He formed a purpose. But the apostle says that He did more,–that He made a promise–and to this belongs the special character under which he presents the adorable God here, God that cannot lie. But to whom was the promise made? It could only be to the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. It was eternal life of which God, before the world began, made promise. The Son of God could not receive such a promise for Himself. He could receive it only as the predestined Mediator–the Head and Surety of a people given to Him by the Father, to be in time redeemed by Him, and eternally saved.
3. And thus does there arise a third momentous truth, namely, that this promise could be made to Christ only on a certain condition–only on supposition, and in respect of His whole future obedience unto death in behalf of His people.
II. A hope unspeakably glorious and stable in its character.
1. Its glory. Hope of eternal life. I cannot tell what this is. It doth not yet appear, etc. This, at least, we know, that the eternal life shall have in it the expansion to the full of all the faculties and affections of the renewed nature; the perfect harmony of those faculties and affections both among themselves and with the will of the adorable God; the end of the last remnants of sin; all tears forever dried up; body and soul reunited in a holy, deathless companionship, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity!
2. Its immovable stability.
(1) First, the apostle says that it is built on the promise of God who cannot lie. Ah, if that is not security enough, then farewell, at least, to all possible security in the universe!
(2) Nor is this a promise of God merely–one among many; it is, in a sort, the promise, the promise pre-eminently, of Jehovah, as the words intimate, eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. So we read, This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life. And again and again we read of eternal life, as of the grand central blessing–I give unto My sheep eternal life. Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. Whoso eateth My flesh, etc., hath eternal life.
(3) Again, the promise which this hope is built on was made by God before the world began. See the immovable stability which lies here. For this world is one of ceaseless fluctuations, vicissitudes. Had the promise arisen amidst the changes and emergencies of time, then, one of them having begotten it, another might peradventure have made a final end of it. But it was anterior to them all–made in full foresight of them all–made an eternity before them all. And thus none of them can in any wise affect its stability.
(4) The promise this hope is built on is, as we have seen, the promise of a covenant–a promise made only on express and determinate conditions. And own that these have been to the uttermost fulfilled, it has become matter of justice no less than truth–of rectitude, as well as faithfulness. Concluding inferences:
1. See the absolute security of the ransomed Church of God, and each living member of it.
2. Remember those words in Romans, Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed. That is to say, there is an open entrance for all of us, sinners, into the whole inviolable security of this covenant of promise, by faith alone, without the deeds of the law–it is of faith, that it might be by grace.
3. I end with the hope (daughter of the faith)–the undying hope–the hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. What a hope this for storms and tempests–anchor of the soul indeed, sure and steadfast! What a hope for afflictions, to sustain under them; for duties, to carry through them; for death and the grave, to give the victory over them! (C. J. Brown, D. D.)
The grace of hope
I. Every faithful teacher must conceive it to be his duty to draw mens hearts from things below to the contemplation of things of an higher strain, and from seeking the things tending to a temporal, unto such as belong to life eternal.
1. This was the aim of all the men of God, whose faithfulness the Scriptures hath recommended unto our imitation. All that pedagogy during the law was only to train men unto Christ, and to salvation by Him.
2. All other professions further men in their earthly estates, some employed about the health of the body, some about the maintaining of mens outward rights, some about the framing of tender minds in human disciplines and sciences; all which further our fellowship and society among men; only this, of all other professions, furthereth men in their heavenly estate, and fitteth them, yea maketh up for them their fellowship with God (Eph 4:11-12).
3. Hereby men lay a sure groundwork of profiting men in godliness, for this expectation and desire of life eternal once wrought in the heart, it easily bringeth men to the denial of themselves, both in bearing the cross for Christ, as Moses esteemed highly of the rebuke of Christ–for he had respect unto the recompense of reward–as also in stripping themselves of profits, pleasures, advancements, friends, father, wife, children, liberty, yea, of life itself.
II. True faith never goes alone, but, as a queen, is attended with many other graces, as knowledge, love, fear of God; among which hope here mentioned not only adorneth and beautifieth, but strengtheneth and fortifieth the believer, and as a helmet of salvation, causeth the Christian soldier to hold out in repentance and obedience.
1. The original of it. It is a gift of God and obtained by prayer as faith also is, whence the apostle prayeth that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ would give the Ephesians to know what the hope is of his calling.
2. The subjects in whom it is. The saints, for as the practise of believers before Christ to wait for His first coming in humility, as we read of Simeon, Hannah, and many others, so now believers as constantly wait for his second coming and the comforts of it (Rev 22:17).
3. The object of this hope. Things to come, and, namely, after the resurrection, life eternal. In which regard the apostle calleth it a hope laid up in heaven, which is all one with that in the text, hope of life eternal, unto which it lifteth up the heart and affections. Where the excellency of the grace may be conceived from the excellency of the object; it is not conversant about momentary and fleeting matters, nor insisteth in things below, but about durable and eternal things to come; and not only comforteth the soul here below on earth, but crowneth it hereafter in heaven.
4. It is added in the description that this grace of hope doth firmly and not waveringly expect this eminent object, and this it doth, both because it is grounded not upon mans merit, power, or promises, but upon the most firm promise of God, as also in that the Holy Ghost, who first worketh it, doth also nourish it, yea, and so sealeth it up unto the heart as it can never make ashamed; it may, indeed, be tossed and shaken with many kinds of temptations, yet in the patient attending upon the Lord it holdeth out and faileth not. (T. Taylor, D. D.)
Eternal life
I. What is that eternal life which is the object of faith and expectation? Complete deliverance from all evil, and the positive and perfect enjoyment of all good forever.
II. Why do we relieve in it?
1. God has promised it.
2. Christ has actually taken possession of it.
3. The Holy Spirit, given to them that believe, is expressly said to be the earnest and first fruits of eternal life.
4. The real Christian has an undoubted and undeceiving foretaste of this blessedness.
III. The influence which our relief of this great truth should have upon our spirit and conduct.
1. It should influence us to a due consideration of, and a diligent preparation for, the eternity to which we are destined.
2. It should influence us to a decided consecration of ourselves to that blessed Master whose service on earth is connected with so great and so substantial a reward in heaven.
3. It should induce us to a cheerful renunciation of the world as our portion.
4. It should influence us to cheerful and patient suffering under all the ills which can possibly crowd upon us in the present state of existence.
5. It should influence us to indefatigable diligence in seeking the salvation of the human soul.
6. Lastly, what comfort may not this subject inspire in the prospect of our departure hence, our descent into the cold grave, and our introduction into that state, of which we have feebly enunciated the reality. (G. Clayton, M. A.)
The inspiration of hope
Look up! thundered the captain of a vessel, as his boy grew giddy while gazing from the topmast,–look up! The boy looked up, and returned in safety. Young man, look up, and you will succeed. Never look down and despair. Leave dangers uncured for, and push on. If you falter, you lose. Do right, and trust in God.
God, that cannot lie
What God cannot do
Truth once reigned supreme upon our globe, and then earth was Paradise. Man knew no sorrow while he was ignorant of falsehood. Falsehood is everywhere; it is entertained both by the lowest and the highest; it permeates all society. In the so-called religious world, which should be as the Holy of Holies, here too, the lie has insinuated itself. We have everywhere to battle with falsehood, and if we are to bless the world, we must confront it with sturdy face and zealous spirit. Gods purpose is to drive the lie out of the world, and be this your purpose and mine. After wandering over the sandy desert of deceit, how pleasant is it to reach our text, and feel that one spot at least is verdant with eternal truth. Blessed be Thou, O God, for Thou canst not lie.
I. The truth of the text.
1. God is not subject to those infirmities which lead us into falsehood. You and I are such that we can know in the heart, and yet with the tongue deny; but God is one and indivisible; God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all; with Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
2. The scriptural idea of God forbids that He should lie. The very word God comprehendeth everything which is good and great. Admit the lie, and to us at once there would be nothing but the black darkness of atheism forever. I could neither love, worship, nor obey a lying God.
3. God is too wise to lie. Falsehood is the expedient of a fool.
4. And the lie is the method of the little and the mean. You know that a great man does not lie; a good man can never be false. Put goodness and greatness together, and a lie is altogether incongruous to the character. Now God is too great to need the lie, and too good to wish to do such a thing; both His greatness and His goodness repel the thought.
5. What motive could God have for lying? When a man lies it is that he may gain something, but the cattle on a thousand hills are Gods, and all the beasts of the forest, and all the flocks of the meadows. Mines of inexhaustible riches are His, and treasures of infinite power and wisdom. He cannot gain aught by untruth, for the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof; wherefore, then, should He lie?
6. Moreover, we may add to all this the experience of men with regard to God. It has been evident enough in all ages that God cannot lie.
II. The breadth of meaning in the text. When we are told in Scripture that God cannot lie, there is usually associated with the idea the thought of immutability. As for instance–He is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. We understand by it, not only that He cannot say what is untrue, but that having said something which is true He never changes from it, and does not by any possibility alter His purpose or retract His word. This is very consolatory to the Christian, that whatever God has said in the Divine purpose is never changed. The decrees of God were not written upon sand, but upon the eternal brass of His unchangeable nature. There is no shadow of a lie upon anything which God thinks, or speaks, or does. He cannot lie in His prophecies. How solemnly true have they been! Ask the wastes of Nineveh; turn to the mounds of Babylon; let the traveller speak concerning Idumea and Petra. Has Gods curse been an idle word? No, not in one single case. As God is true in His prophecies, so is He faithful to His promises. His threatenings are true also. Ah! sinner, thou mayst go on in thy ways for many a day, but thy sin shall find thee out at the last.
III. How we ought to act towards god if it be true that he is a god that cannot lie.
1. If it be so that God cannot lie, then it must be the natural duty of all His creatures to believe Him if I doubt God, as far as I am able I rob Him of His honour; I am, in fact, living an open traitor and a sworn rebel against God, upon whom I heap the daily insult of daring to doubt Him.
2. If we were absolutely sure that there lived on earth a person who could not lie, bow would you treat him? Well, I think you would cultivate his acquaintance.
3. If we knew a man who could not lie, we should believe him, methinks, without an oath. To say He has promised and will perform; He has said that whosoever believeth in Christ is not condemned; I do believe in Christ, and therefore I am not condemned, this is genuine faith.
4. Again, if we knew a man who could not lie, we should believe him in the teeth of fifty witnesses the other way. Why, we should say, they may say what they will, but they can lie. This shows us that we ought to believe God in the teeth of every contradiction. Even if outward providence should come to you, and say that God has forsaken you, that is only one; and even if fifty trials should all say that God has forsaken you, yet, as God says, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, which will you take–the one promise of God who cannot lie, or the fifty outward providences which you cannot interpret?
5. If a man were introduced to us, and we were certain that he could not lie, we should believe everything he said, however incredible it might appear to us at first sight to be. It does seem very incredible at first sight that God should take a sinner, full of sin, and forgive all his iniquities in one moment, simply and only upon the ground of the sinner believing in Christ. But supposing it should seem too good to be true, yet, since you have it upon the testimony of One who cannot lie, I pray you believe it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Lessons:
1. If God cannot lie, then whatsoever His ministers promise or threaten from Him, and out of His Word, is above all exception; seeing He hath spoken it, who cannot lie, deceive, or be deceived; which should stir up every man to give glory unto God (as Abraham did) by sealing to His truth–that is, by believing and applying unto his own soul every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, for whosoever thus receiveth His testimony hath sealed that God is true, than which no greater glory can be given unto Him. Whereas not to believe Him on His Word is as high a dishonour as any man can cast upon Him, for it is to give God the lie; he that believeth not hath made Him a liar, which in manners and civility we could not offer to our equal, and which even a mean man would scorn to put up at our hands.
2. Seeing God cannot lie let every one of us labour to express this virtue of God–first, and especially the minister in his place, seeing he speaketh from God; nay, God speaketh by him, he must therefore deliver true sayings worthy of all men to be received, that he may say in his own heart that which Paul spake of himself, I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, and justify that of His doctrine which Paul did of his writings, the things which now I write unto you, behold I witness before God that I lie not. (T. Taylor, D. D.)
God cannot lie
I. An argument for trust. God, in all views of His character, may be safely trusted. He is wise, mighty, good, and faithful.
II. An argument for truth. God, who cannot lie Himself, hates lying in others. Be truthful, for God cannot be deceived. (J. Edmond, D.D.)
Promised before the world began
All the promises, promises to Christ
St. Paul speaks only of the promise of eternal life, but you will admit at once that such a promise must be regarded as including every other. In promising eternal life, God is to be considered as promising whatsoever is required for the attaining eternal life. The promise of eternal life is a sort of summary of all the promises; for every other promise has to do with something which is helpful to us in our course; with those assistances in duty, or those supports under trial, without which eternal life can never be reached. To whom, then, did He make the promise? If He promised before the world began, He must have promised before there were any human beings, with whom to enter into covenant. If the promise were then made, the two contracting parties must have been then in existence or intercourse; whereas there was then certainly no Church, no man, to form a covenant with the Almighty. There can be little debate that it must have been to Christ, the second Person in the ever-blessed Trinity, that God made the promise of eternal life before the world began. Before the world began the apostasy of our race was contemplated and provided for in the councils of heaven. A solemn covenant was entered into between the Persons of the Trinity, each undertaking an amazing part in the plan for our redemption; and though the Mediator had not then assumed human form, He already acted as the Head or Representative of the Church, engaging to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin, and receiving in return the promise that the sacrifice should be accepted, and should prevail to the full salvation of all such as believe on His name. Eternal life was promised to Christ, on behalf of the Church; it was promised to the Church for the sake of Christ; or, rather, it was promised to Christ, as that result of His obedience and endurance in the flesh, which He might bestow on all those who should have faith in the propitiation. But whilst this seems sufficient to explain the strangeness of our text, you can hardly fail to observe that the explanation involves a great general doctrine or truth; even the same doctrine or truth which is elsewhere announced by St. Paul when, speaking of Christ, he says that all the promises of God are in Him yea and amen; in other words, that God has promised nothing to man, but in Christ or on account of Christ, and that all that He hath thus promised hath on His account been fulfilled. In order to the clearing and understanding of this, you are to observe that Adam, as the father of all men, steed federally in their place. And when the whole race had thus fallen, in the person of their representative, there were no blessings and no mercies for which man could look. Human nature had become so necessarily and entirely exposed to Divine vengeance that there was no room whatsoever for promise. Therefore, if He promised at all, it could only have been in virtue of His having covenanted with another Head; with One who had put the race which He represented into such a moral position, that it would no longer be at variance with the Divine character, to extend to them the offices of friendship. Because it was His own Son who had undertaken to be this Head of humanity, and because it was therefore certain that the required ransom would be paid to the last farthing, God could immediately open to man the fountain of His benevolence, and deal with man as a being who stood within the possibilities of forgiveness and immortality. But if this be the true account why, after his transgression, man could still be the object of the promises of God, it follows distinctly that, according to the doctrine of our text, these promises, however announced to the sinner at or after the time of his sin, were promises originally made to another; and that, too, before the world began. There could have been no promises, it appears, had not the Word which was in the beginning with God, and which was God, previously engaged to become the Surety for the beings who had just woven death and woe and shame into their inheritance. Assuredly it follows from this that whatsoever is now promised to man is not promised to man in himself but to man in his representative. It must have been promised to Christ before it was promised to man; or rather, the promise must have been made unto Christ though the thing promised should be given to man. Fix not, then, as the origin of a promise, the occasion when the promise was clothed in human speech; associate not the making of that promise with the human being to whom it was first uttered. The promise was made before man was created; the promise was given to a higher than man, to a higher than any finite being. And when you have taken, as you justly may, all the promises of God, and gathered them into the one emphatic summary, the promise of eternal life, you are not to say, This clause of the promise was made to Adam, this to Moses, this to David, this to Paul; you are to say, generally, of the whole, with the apostle in our text, that God, which cannot lie, promised it–and to whom could He then promise but to Christ?–promised it before the world began. Now we have been so occupied with the great doctrine of our text, with the fact of all Gods promises being promised to Christ, and to us only for the sake of Christ, and in virtue of His merits, that we have made no reference to what St. Paul here says of Gods truthfulness–God, that cannot lie. He uses a similar expression in his Epistle to the Hebrews: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. It is one of Satans most frequent and dangerous devices, to put before you your unworthiness, and to strive to make this hide the rich provisions of grace. It looks so like genuine humility, to think oneself unworthy to have a promise made good, that the Christian will almost fancy it a duty to encourage the suspicion which the devil has injected. But you are to remember that your own unworthiness has nothing whatsoever to do either with the making or the performing the promise. God did not originally make the promise to you; He made it to His own dear Son, even to Christ, before the world began; and the performing the promise, the making good His own Word, is this to be contingent on anything excellent in yourselves? Nay, it is for His own sake, for the glory of His own great name, that He accomplishes His gracious declaration. He is faithful, He cannot lie; heaven and earth may pass away, but not one jot nor one tittle can fail of all which He hath covenanted with Christ, and, through Christ, with the meanest of His followers. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. In hope of eternal life] In expectation of a state of being and well being which should last through eternity, when time should be no more. This includes, not only the salvation of the soul and its eternal beatification, but also the resurrection of the body. This was a point but ill understood, and not very clearly revealed, under the Mosaic law; but it was fully revealed under the Gospel, and the doctrine illustrated by the resurrection and ascension of Christ.
Which God, that cannot lie, promised] We have often seen that the phrase, the foundation of the world, means the Jewish economy, and, before the foundation of the world, the times antecedent to the giving of the law. This is evidently the meaning here. See 2Ti 1:9-11.
Supposing the word in this verse to signify eternal, says Dr. Macknight, the literal translation of would be, before eternal times; but that being a contradiction in terms, our translators, contrary to the propriety of the Greek language, have rendered it before the world began, as Mr. Locke observes on Ro 16:25. The true literal translation is before the secular times, referring us to the Jewish jubilees, by which times were computed among the Hebrews, as among the Gentiles they were computed by generations of men. Hence, Col 1:26, The mystery which was kept hid , from the ages and from the generations, signifies the mystery which was kept hid from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In hope of eternal life; which faith also, producing the acknowledgment, profession, and obedience to the truth, according to godliness, produceth in the soul a hope, or certain expectation, of eternal salvation or happiness.
Which God, that cannot lie, promised; nor doth this hope grow up as a rush without mire, or a flag without water, but is bottomed in Gods declaration of his will to that purpose; and it is impossible that the God of truth should lie, or speak what he never intended to effect. Ephggeilato might as well here have been translated purposed, and must be so interpreted, if we interpret the next words, before the beginning of time, unless we say it was promised to the Head of the elect, Christ, on their behalf.
Before the world began; before the beginning of time, or rather, many ages since, as Rom 16:25. Thus eternal life was promised, though more obscurely, Gen 15:1; 17:7; 22:18.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. In hope of eternal lifeconnectedwith the whole preceding sentence. That whereon rests my aim as anapostle to promote the elect’s faith and full knowledge of thetruth, is, “the hope of eternal life” (Tit 2:13;Tit 3:7; Act 23:6;Act 24:15).
that cannot lie(Rom 3:4; Rom 11:29;Heb 6:18).
promised before the worldbegana contracted expression for “purposed beforethe world began (literally, ‘before the ages of time’), and promisedactually in time,” the promise springing from the eternalpurpose; as in 2Ti 1:9, the giftof grace was the result of the eternal purpose “before the worldbegan.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In hope of eternal life,…. Or “for the hope of eternal life”; in order to bring souls to the hope of it. This is another end of the Gospel ministry, as to bring God’s elect to faith in Christ, and to the knowledge and acknowledgement of the truth, as it is in Jesus, so to the hope of eternal glory and happiness: in a state of nature, they are without the grace of hope, or any true ground and foundation of it; and though it is the gift of God’s grace, and is implanted on the soul by the Spirit of God in regeneration; yet the Gospel is the means of producing it at first, as well as afterwards encouraging and increasing it; for in it, Christ the foundation of hope is proposed, and set forth before awakened and convinced sinners: the object of this hope is “eternal life”; not anything now seen and enjoyed, for that is not hope; not anything in this present life, but something future; a life of perfect bliss and happiness with Christ to all eternity; which is a hope laid up in heaven, an inheritance reserved there; a life which is secured in the hands of Christ, which he has a power to give, and does give to all his sheep, and is the gift of God through him: and of which it is further said,
which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; eternal life is a “promise”, and so of free grace, and not by the works of the law, which is inconsistent with a promise: it is the promise of God, who is faithful to his word, and “can not lie”; being the God of truth, that can neither deceive, nor be deceived: this does not contradict his omnipotence, but argues the perfection of his nature, which cannot admit of anything that implies weakness and mutation: and this promise was made before the world was, as early as the choice of God’s elect in Christ, and the gift of grace to them in him; as early as the covenant was made with him, and he was set up as the Mediator of it; who was present to receive this promise as their head and representative for them, and to whom it was made as federally considered in him, and in whom it was secured for them; see 2Ti 1:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
God who cannot lie ( ). “The non-lying God.” Old adjective ( privative and ), here only in N.T. See 2Ti 2:13. In Polycarp’s last prayer.
Promised (). First aorist middle indicative of . Antithesis in (manifested) in verse 3 (first aorist active indicative of ). Same contrast in Rom 16:25; Col 1:26.
Before times eternal ( ). Not to God’s purpose before time began (Eph 1:4; 2Tim 1:9), but to definite promises (Ro 9:4) made in time (Lock). “Long ages ago.” See Ro 16:25.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
In hope of eternal life [ ] . Const. with Apostle, verse 1. 149 Epi resting upon.
God that cannot lie [ ] . Ayeudhv N. T. o. Once in LXX, Wisd. 7 17. Comp. Rom 3:4; Heb 6:18. Paul expresses the idea positively, by ajlhqhv truthful, Rom 3:4.
Before the world began [ ] . Lit. before eternal times. Before time began to be reckoned by aeons. See on 2Ti 1:9, and additional note on 2Th 1:9.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “In hope of eternal life.” (ep’ elpidi zoes aionion)”In hope of eternal life.” Wherever life eternal is expressed to be in the future for the child of God, it always refers to the resurrection of the body, at the coming of Jesus Christ, Tit 3:7; Rom 8:23-25; Eph 1:14; Eph 4:30; Heb 6:18-19.
2) “Which God, that cannot lie, promised.” (en epegeilato ho apseudes theos) ‘Which the unlying God” – (the trinitarian) one “Promised,” Joh 10:27-29.
3) “Before the world began.” (pro chronon aionion) “before age-times” 1Pe 1:18-20; Eph 1:4-5; Eph 3:11-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2. In the hope (or, on account of the hope) of eternal life This undoubtedly denotes the cause; for that is the force of the Greek preposition ἐπί ; and therefore it may be translated, “On account of the hope,” or “On the hope.” True religion and the practice of godliness — begin with meditation on the heavenly life; and in like manner, when Paul (Col 1:5) praises the faith and love of the Colossians, he makes the cause and foundation of them to be “the hope laid up in heaven.” The Sadducees and all who confine our hope to this world, whatever they may pretend, can do nothing else than produce contempt of God, while they reduce men to the condition of cattle. Accordingly, it ought always to be the aim of a good teacher, to turn away the eyes of men from the world, that they may look up to heaven. I readily acknowledge that we ought to value the glory of God more highly than our salvation; but we are not now discussing the question which of these two ought to be first in order. All that I say is — that men never seek God in a right manner till they have confidence to approach to him; and, therefore, that we never apply our mind to godliness till we have been instructed about the hope of the heavenly life. (210)
Which God promised before the times of ages. As Augustine translated the words, Πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων to mean — not “the times of ages” but “eternal times,” he gives himself great uneasiness about “the eternity of times,” till at length he explains “eternal times” as denoting those which go beyond all antiquity. As to the meaning, he and Jerome and other commentators agree, that God determined, before the creation of the world, to give that salvation which he hath now manifested by the gospel. Thus Paul would have used the word promise incorrectly instead of decree; for before men existed there was no one to whom he could promise.
For this reason, while I do not reject this exposition, yet when I take a close survey of the whole matter, I am constrained to adopt a different interpretation — that eternal life was promised to men many ages ago, and not only to those who lived at that time, but also for our own age. It was not for the benefit of Abraham alone, but with a view to all who should live after him, that God said,
“
In thy seed shall all nations be blessed.” (Gen 22:18.)
Nor is this inconsistent with what he says, in another sense, (2Ti 1:9) that salvation was given to men “before the times of ages.” The meaning of the word is still the same in both passages; for, since the Greek word αἰών, denotes an uninterrupted succession of time from the beginning to the end of the world, Paul declares, in that passage, that salvation was given or decreed for the elect of God before times began to flow. But because in this passage he treats of the promise, he does not include all ages, so as to lead us back beyond the creation of the world, but shews that many ages (211) have elapsed since salvation was promised.
If any person prefer to view “the times of ages” as a concise expression for the ages themselves, he is at liberty to do so. But because salvation was given by the eternal election of God before it was promised, the act of giving salvation is put in that passage (2Ti 1:9) before all ages, and therefore we must supply the word all. But here it means nothing more than that the promise is more ancient than a long course of ages, because it began immediately after the creation of the world. In the same sense he shews that the gospel, which was to have been proclaimed when Christ rose from the dead, had been promised in the Scriptures by the prophets; for there is a wide difference between the promise which was formerly given to the fathers and the present exhibition of grace.
Who cannot lie. This expression ἀψευδής is added for glorifying God, and still more for confirming our faith. And, indeed, whenever the subject treated of is our salvation, we ought to recollect that it is founded on the word of Him who can neither deceive nor lie. Moreover, the only proof of the whole of religion is — the unchangeable truth of God. (212)
(210) “Thus he shews that it will never be possible for men to dedicate themselves entirely to the service of God, if they do not think more about God than about all things else. In short, there is no living root, no faith no religion, till we have been led to heaven, that is, till we know that God has not created us to keep us here in an earthly life with brute beasts, but that he has adopted us to be his heritage, and reckons us to be his children. If, therefore, we do not look up to heaven, it is impossible that we shall have true devotion to surrender ourselves to God, or that there shall be any faith or Christianity in us. And that is the reason why — among all who, in the present day, are accounted Christians, and give themselves out to be such — there are very few who have this true mark, which Paul has here given to all the children of God. It is because all are occupied with the present life, and are so firmly bound to it, that they cannot rise higher. Now perceiving this vice to be so common, so much the more ought we to guard against it, and break the force of that which we cannot altogether destroy, till we come into close fellowship with God, which will only be, when the hope of eternal life shall be actually and sincerely formed in our hearts.”— Fr. Ser.
(211) “ Beaucoup de centeines d’ans.” — “Many centuries of years.”
(212) “What a strange sort of men are these, that will endure to be so exposed, so scorned, so trampled upon, as they that bear the Christian name commonly are? What is the reason of it? What account will a reasonable man give, why he will so expose himself? I will tell you the reason. ‘Therefore we labor and suffer reproach, because we hope in God, in the living God, and we are pretty well persuaded we shall not finally be losers. We shall not have an ill bargain of it at last.’ As the same Apostle, when he writes himself ‘an Apostle and servant of Jesus Christ’ seems to allow that he was to doom himself to all the sufferings and calamities that the enemies of the Christian cause could load him with and lay upon him, for his assuming to himself such names of ‘an Apostle and servant of Jesus Christ.’ But why should Paul, — that wise and prudent man, that learned man, that man of so considerable reputation among his own countrymen — why should he come to be written among the Apostles and servants of Jesus Christ? Why, saith he, it is in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, hath promised. (Tit 1:1.) I avow myself an Apostle and servant of Jesus Christ upon this inducement, and for this reason; and so I mean to continue unto the end. It is the hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, hath promised to me. He whose nature doth not allow him to deceive to whom it is impossible to lie, I firmly and securely hope in him; and, therefore, I will readily dispose myself to encounter all the difficulties and hardships which the service of Jesus Christ can lay me open to.” — Howe.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) In hope of eternal life.Better translated, resting on the hope of eternal life. The connection of the preceding clauses with these words has been well summed up: The Apostles calling had for its object the faith of the elect and the knowledge of the truth; and the basis on which all this rested was the hope of eternal life.
Which God, that cannot lie.Possibly, this singular and strong expression was chosen with reference to the peculiar vice of the Cretans, over whose Church Titus was then presiding. (See Tit. 1:12 : One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars.)
Promised before the world began.More accurately rendered, from eternal ages. (See 2Ti. 1:9.) The promise of eternal life was the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. In hope Literally, upon hope. But what is it that rests upon this hope? Afford, translating it in hope, misses by saying it is the whole clause after apostle, from not seeing that the whole passage to Tit 1:4 expands St. Paul’s apostle. Paul is apostle, according to godliness; and based upon hope, etc., to end of Tit 1:3. The apostolate is based, not, as is the mission of the gainsayers, (Tit 1:9,) upon Jewish fables, (Tit 1:14,) but upon a hope of eternal life, eternally promised by a truthful God. This is his and Titus’s platform over all rival systems in Crete.
Eternal life AEonic life; that life which belongs to the endless and glorious aeons, ages, or time-worlds, of the future. See notes on Mat 25:46; Gal 1:4-5; Eph 1:10. In this transcendent object of hope St. Paul’s Gospel stood alone.
Cannot lie Literal Greek, unlying. Hence the assured fulfilment of the apostolic hope.
Before the world began , before aeonic times; before the time-worlds began to roll on their events; from the anterior eternity. See notes on Gal 1:4-5; Eph 1:4; Eph 2:2; and 2Ti 1:9. As Alford rightly says, against Huther, the same phrase in 2Ti 1:9 forbids interpreting it here as merely equivalent to ’ , “from of old.” Luk 1:70. The promise, from eternity, is explained in our note to Eph 1:4-5; Eph 1:9. From his very nature God eternally promises eternal life to all who come into accord and unison with himself. The temporal promises of eternal things in the Gospel are the external expressions of the true eternal promise. And so the apostle declares that the aeonic life of the gospel hope is not a thing of to-day, but lies in ideal in the anterior eternal ages. And hereby is, perhaps, made clear the error of Huther, who tells us that if the phrase means from eternity, then promised must mean decreed. Just as if a mental promise, and that a conditional one, too, could not be as truly eternal as a mental decree! And he quotes the questionable authority of Calvin, who says: “As the phrase treats of a promise, it does not embrace eternal ages, so as to bring us to before the world began, but teaches us only that many temporal ages had passed since the promise was made.” But the true meaning is, that there are the “promise and potency” of holy and blessed union with God himself for all who thereto consent in his own appointed way; an eternal election of all who voluntarily come into that election.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal,’
And God’s elect, those who have come to a knowledge of God’s truth are ‘in hope of eternal life’. This is not a wishful hope, but a certain hope, like the hope that fills a child’s heart as the vehicle in which it is travelling is almost in sight of the treat in store. It knows that it is about to happen. It refers to our confident expectation of full spiritual, everlasting life under God’s eternal Kingly Rule in the new heavens and the new earth. Through Christ we already have eternal life if we are His (Joh 5:24; 1Jn 5:13), the new life that throbs in our hearts and transforms our lives (Tit 3:5; 2Co 5:17), but in the future we will enjoy it in overwhelming measure.
‘Which God, who cannot lie, (is free from all falsehood), promised before times eternal.’ And this life was promised by the God Who cannot lie, in a promise made before ‘the times of the ages’, in other words before the world began. (See Eph 1:3-14; Rom 8:28-30; 2Th 2:13; 1Pe 1:2). This was the message that was entrusted to Paul under God’s command (Tit 1:3), and has been committed to Titus to pass on to others. Thus the hope is a hope both of Paul and of the elect.
These reminders were an important part of his bolstering of the faith of those who had not themselves seen with their own eyes the risen Jesus Christ, especially in view of the challenging times. He was not giving Titus new teaching, he was reminding him of the vision that they both shared.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Tit 1:2. Before the world began , before the secular ages; or before the giving of the law of Moses. God had promised the gospel, in an obscure manner, to the patriarchs before Abraham; but to him it was promised more explicitly. Now that promise to Abraham, was before the secular timesthe jubilees under the law, and, consequently, before the distinction of the world into Jews and Gentiles. But what the God, who cannot lie or break his word, had promised so long before to Abraham, the law of Moses, which intervened, could not disannul. See Rom 16:25. Gal 3:17.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Tit 1:2 . ] , “in hope” (comp. Rom 4:18 ; Rom 8:21 ; 1Co 9:10 ). It is not to be taken with (“the knowledge of the truth which gives hope of an eternal life,” Heydenreich, but with hesitation; Wiesinger: “it is a knowledge whose content is that , and whose ground and condition is the hope of eternal life, by which hope it is supported and guided”), nor is it to be taken with (“a holiness the possessor of which is justified in hoping for eternal life,” which Heydenreich likewise considers possible), nor with (Matthies: “truth and holiness in their inner relationship are founded evangelically on the hope of eternal life”), nor even with the two ideas closely connected: and . (so Plitt: “the and the rest on the ”); but it is to be joined with . . . Paul by this declares that the is the basis on which he stands as an . . . Van Oosterzee: “Paul in Tit 1:4 says he fulfils his task with or in hope of eternal life” (so, too, Hofmann).
The believer, it is true, possesses the in the present; but its perfection will only be granted to him in the future (comp. Col 3:3-4 ); here it is to be considered as a future blessing, which is indicated by .
] relates to , and not, as some expositors (Flatt, Mack, and others) think, to .
, viz. , comp. Rom 1:2 .
] This epithet occurs only here; is equivalent to , in regard to the divine promises, comp. Heb 6:18 : ; 1Co 1:9 ; Rom 3:4 .
here is not equivalent in meaning to or similar expressions; for in that case must have meant promittere decrevit, or the like, as Chrysostom expounds it: , which is impossible. It is equivalent to , Luk 1:70 : “before eternity, i.e. before the earliest times” (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt, Hofmann), comp. 2Ti 1:9 . Calvin rightly says: hic, quia de promissione tractat, non omnia saecula comprehendit, ut nos adducat extra mundi creationem, sed docet, multa saecula praeteriisse, ex quo salus fuit promissa. De Wette rightly remarks that apparently the opposite is declared in , Rom 16:25 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Ver. 2. God that cannot lie ] The word of promise binds God; therefore it seems, saith one, that it is stronger than God; for he can as soon deny himself as his promise.
Promised ] That is, purposed, as2Ti 1:92Ti 1:9 , or decreed to promise, or promised to Christ, or promised to our first parents from the beginning of ages, ante multa saecula, so some sense it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2 .] in hope (on condition of, in a state of, see note on , Rom 5:12 ) of life eternal (to what are the words . . to be referred? Not back to , regarding them as a co-ordinate clause with . . . (not for the reason assigned by Huther, that thus would be required, cf. the similar sentence, Rom 16:25-26 , but because such a personal reference would not agree with Tit 1:3 below, where his preaching, not his prospects, is in question): not to . . . as subordinate to it nor to , nor to any one portion of the preceding sentence: for by such reference we develope an inferior member of the former sentence into what evidently is an expansion of the main current of thought, and thus give rise to a disproportion: but to the whole, from to ., as subordinate to that whole, and further conditioning or defining it: q. d., that the elect of God may believe and thoroughly know the truth which is according to piety, in hope of eternal life), which (eternal life: not , nor ) God who cannot lie (so , Herod. i. 49: Eur. Orest. 364, , : see Wetst. and cf. Heb 6:18 ) promised from eternal ages (the very distinct use of in 2Ti 1:9 , where the meaning ‘ from ancient times ’ is precluded, should have kept Commentators from endeavouring to fix that sense on the words here. The solution of the difficulty, that no promise was actually made till the race of man existed, must be found by regarding, as in 2 Tim. l. c., the construction as a mixed one, compounded of the actual promise made in time, and the divine purpose from which that promise sprung, fixed in eternity. Thus, as there God is said to have given us grace in Christ from eternal ages, meaning that the gift took place as the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity, so here He is said to have promised eternal life from eternal ages, meaning that the promise took place as the result of a purpose fixed from eternity. So Thdrt. , ),
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Tit 1:2 . . . .: This is best taken in connexion with the preceding clause, . The faith and the knowledge there spoken of have as their basis of action, or energy, the hope of eternal life. Cf. 1Ti 1:16 . Compare the use of in Act 26:6 ; Rom 4:18 ; Rom 8:20 ; 1Co 9:10 . On the other hand, we must not exclude a remoter connexion with . A comparison of the parallel passage in 2Ti 1:1 suggests that the succession of clauses here, , is a full and detailed expansion of . .
: qui non mentitur . See note on 2Ti 2:13 .
: See Rom 1:1 ; Rom 4:21 ; Gal 3:19 .
, : The same antithesis is expressed in 2Ti 1:9-10 ( q.v .); Rom 16:25 ; Col 1:26 . From different points of view, one may say that eternal life was promised, and given, to man in Christ before times eternal; though the revelation of this purpose and grace could not be made until man was prepared to receive it, , at seasons, occasions, epochs of time as relative to man’s comprehension.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
In. Greek. epi, App-101.
hope. See Tit 3:7. Compare Co Tit 1:3, Tit 1:4. 1Ti 1:1.
eternal. App-151.
life. App-170, I.
that cannot lie. Literally, the unlying. Greek. apseudes. Only here.
promised. Greek. epangellomai. Compare App-121Tit 5:8.
before . . . began. App-151.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] in hope (on condition of, in a state of, see note on , Rom 5:12) of life eternal (to what are the words . . to be referred? Not back to , regarding them as a co-ordinate clause with … (not for the reason assigned by Huther, that thus would be required, cf. the similar sentence, Rom 16:25-26,-but because such a personal reference would not agree with Tit 1:3 below, where his preaching, not his prospects, is in question):-not to . . . as subordinate to it-nor to , nor to any one portion of the preceding sentence: for by such reference we develope an inferior member of the former sentence into what evidently is an expansion of the main current of thought, and thus give rise to a disproportion:-but to the whole, from to ., as subordinate to that whole, and further conditioning or defining it: q. d., that the elect of God may believe and thoroughly know the truth which is according to piety, in hope of eternal life), which (eternal life: not , nor ) God who cannot lie (so , Herod. i. 49: Eur. Orest. 364, , : see Wetst. and cf. Heb 6:18) promised from eternal ages (the very distinct use of in 2Ti 1:9, where the meaning from ancient times is precluded, should have kept Commentators from endeavouring to fix that sense on the words here. The solution of the difficulty, that no promise was actually made till the race of man existed, must be found by regarding, as in 2 Tim. l. c., the construction as a mixed one,-compounded of the actual promise made in time, and the divine purpose from which that promise sprung, fixed in eternity. Thus, as there God is said to have given us grace in Christ from eternal ages, meaning that the gift took place as the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity, so here He is said to have promised eternal life from eternal ages, meaning that the promise took place as the result of a purpose fixed from eternity. So Thdrt. , ),
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Tit 1:2. , in the hope of eternal life) ch. Tit 3:7. Hope has reference to the promise.-, which) life.-, who cannot lie) The foundation of our confidence.- , before eternal ages, before the world began) The promise of eternal life is already contained in the appellation, the God of Abraham, etc.[Luk 20:37]. There is here implied an explicit promise to men. See Genesis 3, etc. The followed the creation and the fall.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Tit 1:2
in hope of eternal life,-The last dispensation of God was to be eternal. So before the introduction of the final dispensation-that through the Lord Jesus Christ-the promise of eternal life was included in the eternal purpose of God, though it was not revealed till after the creation of man in time and in the various dispensations granted to him. That which the apostle had in view in prosecuting the work of his apostleship is the hope for himself and for all believers of eternal life. This is the glorious goal set before him and which in leading men to the full knowledge of the truth he set before them eternal life through Jesus Christ. Knowledge and faith as he preached it, rested on a background of promise and hope, which, in a manner, reached from eternity to eternity, having Gods primeval promise for its origin, and a participation in his everlasting life for an end.
which God, who cannot lie,-The words are here used to show the certainty of the fulfillment of the promise made before the ages. (Heb 6:18.)
promised before times eternal;-The promise of eternal life was the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
In: or, For
hope: Tit 2:7, Tit 2:13, Tit 3:7, Joh 5:39, Joh 6:68, Rom 2:7, Rom 5:2, Rom 5:4, Col 1:27, 1Th 5:8, 2Ti 1:1, 2Ti 2:10, 1Pe 1:3, 1Pe 1:4, 1Jo 2:25, 1Jo 3:2, 1Jo 3:3, Jud 1:21
eternal: Mat 25:46, Mar 10:17, Mar 10:30, Joh 3:15, Joh 3:16, Joh 6:54, Joh 10:28, Joh 17:2, Rom 5:21, Rom 6:23, 1Ti 6:12, 1Ti 6:19, 1Jo 5:11-13, 1Jo 5:20
God: Num 23:19, 1Sa 15:29, 1Th 2:15, 2Ti 2:15, Heb 6:17, Heb 6:18
promised: 2Ti 1:1, 2Ti 1:9, Rev 17:8
before: Pro 8:23-31, Mat 25:34, Joh 17:24, Act 15:18, Rom 16:25, 1Pe 1:20-23, Rev 13:8
Reciprocal: Gen 19:22 – for Gen 21:1 – Sarah as Gen 32:12 – thou Num 10:29 – for the Lord Deu 7:9 – the faithful Jos 1:3 – General Jos 21:45 – General 2Sa 7:28 – thy words 1Ch 17:26 – thou art God Neh 9:8 – righteous Psa 31:5 – God Psa 33:4 – all his Psa 89:1 – thy faithfulness Psa 89:35 – that I will not lie Psa 91:4 – his truth Psa 92:15 – To show Psa 100:5 – and his truth Psa 146:6 – keepeth truth Pro 19:22 – and Ecc 3:14 – whatsoever Isa 1:20 – for the mouth Lam 3:23 – great Mat 13:35 – I will utter Mat 19:16 – eternal Mat 24:35 – my Mar 13:31 – my Mar 14:36 – all Luk 1:20 – which Joh 3:33 – hath set Joh 7:28 – is true Joh 14:2 – if Rom 1:2 – Which Rom 3:3 – faith Rom 3:4 – let God Rom 16:26 – now 1Co 1:9 – God Eph 1:4 – as Eph 3:9 – beginning Eph 4:4 – as Eph 4:25 – putting 1Th 5:24 – Faithful 2Th 2:16 – good 2Ti 2:13 – he cannot Heb 8:6 – upon Heb 9:15 – eternal Heb 10:23 – for 1Pe 3:15 – the hope 1Jo 1:2 – was manifested 1Jo 3:9 – and he
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Tit 1:2. The motive for such service as the preceding verse describes, is the hope of eternal life; nothing pertaining to the world. God cannot lie. These words are from the Greek term APSEUDES, which does not occur in any other place in the New Testament. Thayer and Robinson define it just as it is rendered in the King James version. It is to be understood on the basis that God is able to do that which is right only, but is not able to do wrong. Promised before the world began. The first recorded promise of eternal life is that made to Abraham (Gal 3:16). But that was after man began to live upon the earth, hence the world which is from a Greek word that means “age,” must mean the Jewish age or Dispensation. Such an explanation clarifies the apparent difficulty as to when the promise was made. It was after man began living on the earth, but before the period when the organized “age” (the meaning of world) or the Jewish Dispensation began.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Tit 1:2. These two ends of the apostolate rest upon (not in) the hope of eternal life, which is the sum of Old Testament prediction, fulfilled in the Gospel.
Cannot lie. Cf. Heb 6:18.
Before the world began; literally, before eternal times, meaning probably from the most ancient periods, as in Luk 1:70. To understand with Ellicott and Alford from all eternity, gives an incorrect sense. Promised must then mean decreed to promise.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Tit 1:2-4. In hope Which doctrine lays a foundation for, and shows us how we may attain a well-grounded and lively hope; of eternal life The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God. Which God, that cannot lie Nor deceive any of his creatures, hath not only, as in the former dispensation, intimated to us, but expressly promised To all obedient believers; before the world began Or, before the times of the ages, as Macknight renders , observing, the promise here referred to is that which God made to Adam and Eve, and their posterity, at the fall, when in passing sentence on the serpent, he said of the seed of the woman, It shall bruise thy head. The same promise was renewed in the covenant with Abraham: In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. That this included a promise of eternal life to all believers has frequently been shown. It is true, supposing the word , in this clause, to signify eternal, the literal translation of the passage would be, before eternal times. But that being a contradiction in terms, our translators, contrary to the propriety of the Greek language, have rendered it, before the world began. As Locke observes on Rom 16:25, the true, literal translation is, before the secular times, referring us to the Jewish jubilees, by which times were computed among the Hebrews, as among the Gentiles they were computed by generations of men. But hath in due times Or, in his own times, as the phrase properly signifies. Gods own times are fittest for his own work. What creature dares ask, Why no sooner? Manifested his word His gospel, containing that promise, and the whole truth which is after godliness; through preaching The public declaration thereof; which is committed unto me Or, wherewith I am intrusted. According to the commandment Or sovereign pleasure; of God our Saviour And who dares exercise this office on any inferior authority? By affirming that Christ intrusted him with the preaching of the gospel according to the commandment of God, or as it is expressed 1Co 1:1; 2Co 1:1, by the will of God, the apostle carried his own authority to the highest pitch. To Titus, mine own son Begotten of God by my preaching, and a true follower of me, and my assistant in the Lords work. See on Php 2:22. After the common faith Common to me and all my spiritual children. Grace, mercy, and peace, &c. See on 1Ti 1:2.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 2
Promised; in the counsels of his own will.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
When my father was on his death bed, I spoke to him again of his eternal status with God. He, for the first time, explained to me his belief. He had tried to live a good life all his life and he was hoping that he had done enough good to get into heaven. He was hoping to make it on his good deeds. This is not God’s method of saving people as much as I would have loved to see my father in heaven. We spoke of the true Gospel for a time as we had before, but he never acknowledged to us verbally of his acceptance.
“In hope” – I really hope I make it. No, this is not the thought of the passage. The word used here, carries the thought of expectation of something rather than a healthy desire to see something come to pass.
The author of hope is He who is its foundation – a rephrase from a Lexicon. Also, the author of hope is the provider of that hope. Ah, here I cannot disagree with my reformed brethren. It is all of God and all for His glory!
Eternal is one of those terms some like to redefine to fit their belief system. Eternal is just that – eternal – just as God is eternal, so will our life with Him be. It is never ending, it is without end, it is eternal, if you will. It can never mean that it will last only a few years, a few eons, a few whatever, it will continue to exist for all time, all eternity. Nor, is this meaning that we are eternal, as in pre-existing before our birth. We have eternal life from the point of salvation – eternal and never ending.
Those that teach that we lived in some existence before with God make fools of themselves with their teaching. If you have always been, why would you need to come to earth in the flesh to always be?
This life is given at the moment of salvation, it is permanent and it is never retracted. It will continue whether you desire it to or not, it will continue for all who have believed on the Lord and placed their faith in Him.
“Life” is the normal word for life – one having breath – one that is living. Eternal is the emphasis here, eternal life, living – eternally continuing in existence in some manner similar to what we are in now. Though glorified, we will be similar to what we are today I would suspect. While we are continuing on in living, the lost will continue on in the death, in that terrible state of pain and suffering.
There is a line of thought that needs to be covered at this point. ALL, are now, since the cross eternal beings, the problem is that some are eternal beings in Christ headed for life, while others are eternal beings outside of Christ and headed for death – not annihilation, but eternal, everlasting death. Read the last part of Luke sixteen for a brief hint of the terribleness of this state.
All are eternal beings, the difference is the cross, the difference is Christ, and the difference is confession of Him as your Savior – I trust if you hear only these words from this study, hear them and act upon them.
“Cannot lie” is one of the clearest statements of the truthfulness of God. How much clearer could this truth be made? He cannot lie, He cannot remove Himself from the truth and indeed He is truth. This same God has promised eternal life to those that will receive His son’s work on the cross.
He, the One that is truth, promised us eternal life. Now, refer back to that term “hope” and consider it a moment. It is a surety of what will come based on the God that cannot lie. We have this hope of an eternal life with Him – a surety – a fact to be fulfilled and surely it will be fulfilled.
“Before the world began” is kind of a mouthful and Paul didn’t even explain it. Do you suppose he knew that Titus already knew what that meant? I’d guess this was the case. Paul had really taught Mr. Titus Theology 101 and maybe up and through theology 405. He didn’t take six pages to elaborate on this grand doctrine, thus Titus must have passed his theology course.
Many have suggested that “in hope of eternal life” relates to the fact that we have to work and work and hope and hope that we will gain eternal life. This is not the teaching of this verse and you have to totally ignore the plain literal interpretation of Scripture to use it in this manner.
Not so according to those that believe in eternal security. If God makes us His child, then we are his children and we are not able to become an unchild.
I spoke to a pastor of a Nazarene church in Wyoming about security and he felt that you could lose your salvation if you really worked at it. Others feel that if you don’t work at salvation you can’t gain it.
Both ends of the spectrum are in error when you understand the teaching of salvation as a gift – grace from God. You don’t work to keep a gift that has been given freely, nor do you work to gain a gift that is given at the discretion of the giver. Once on an internet board someone posted the question “Is it really a free gift.” I responded, “if it ain’t free it ain’t a gift,” and of course he responded with illustrations attempting to discredit the clear false hood of his question.
If it is a gift, it is free, and if it is free it is a gift. If I have to do something or pay something for it then it can no longer be considered a gift, but a purchase. It amazes me to see how many fail to see the pure logic of the statement.
If you just can’t resist digging into this topic further, see my theology under security.
The next thought of Paul contradicts the thought of works to gain salvation. God – who can’t lie – promised eternal life before the foundations of the world! The two ideas (working for something promised as a gift before the creation of the world) are inconsistent.
If God promised eternal life, then there is nothing man can do or not do for that salvation. The eternal life is presented for the taking, not the working and worrying.
He planned it before creation, He promised it before creation, and he instituted it before creation. The outworking of the plan has continued on since and will ultimately be completed in the end times. How arrogant the person that says after understanding all this, that they must work and squirm to gain this gift, and keep working and squirming to keep it once they have gotten it. My question. How much working and how much squirming does it take to gain eternal life? How do you know when you have done enough? When do you switch from gaining it to keeping it by your works?
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
1:2 In {c} hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, {d} promised before the {e} world began;
(c) Hope is the end of faith.
(d) Freely and only from his generosity.
(e) See Geneva “2Ti 1:9”
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God intended both prongs of Paul’s ministry, evangelism and edification, to bring individuals into the fullness of eternal life.
"’Resting on’ [NIV] is from the single Greek word epi. But it is better to understand this word as ’with a view to,’ as in Eph 2:10. Thus Paul’s thought is that all of his ministry is ’with a view to’ eternal life." [Note: A. Duane Litfin, "Titus," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, pp. 761-72.]
This hope was something God had promised from eternity past. [Note: George W. Knight III, The Pastoral Epistles, p. 284.] God had long since proved Himself consistently faithful to His promises. The unusual epithet "who cannot lie" (apseudes, free from falsehood) brings out the absolute trustworthiness of the hope just mentioned.
There is ancient evidence that Cretans considered lying culturally acceptable. [Note: See Bruce W. Winter, Roman Wives, Roman Widows: The Appearance of New Women and the Pauline Communities, pp. 149-50.]
"But a more specific pagan theology may be at the root. Paul’s reference to ’the God who does not lie’ could well lampoon the character of the Zeus of Cretan tales, who in fact did lie to have sexual relations with a human woman (taking the human form of her husband). This same Zeus was also held to be the epitome of virtue (defined by his possession of the cardinal virtues), a dimension of his character that will come more into focus later in the letter." [Note: Towner, The Letters . . ., p. 670.]