Titus 1:2

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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 Apostle’s 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 Titus 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 2Timothy 1:9.) The promise of eternal life was the result of a divine purpose fixed from eternity.

Benson Commentary

Titus 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 προ χρονων αιωνιων, 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 αιωνιος, 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 Romans 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 καιροις ιδιοις properly signifies. God’s 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 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 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 Lord’s 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 1 Timothy 1:2.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-4 All are the servants of God who are not slaves of sin and Satan. All gospel truth is according to godliness, teaching the fear of God. The intent of the gospel is to raise up hope as well as faith; to take off the mind and heart from the world, and to raise them to heaven and the things above. How excellent then is the gospel, which was the matter of Divine promise so early, and what thanks are due for our privileges! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; and whoso is appointed and called, must preach the word. Grace is the free favour of God, and acceptance with him. Mercy, the fruits of the favour, in the pardon of sin, and freedom from all miseries both here and hereafter. And peace is the effect and fruit of mercy. Peace with God through Christ who is our Peace, and with the creatures and ourselves. Grace is the fountain of all blessings. Mercy, and peace, and all good, spring out of this.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In hope of eternal life - Margin, for. Greek, ἐπ ̓ ἐλπίδι 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, 2 Timothy 1:10.

Which God, that cannot lie - On the phrase" cannot lie," see the notes at Hebrews 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 Matthew 25:34 note; 2 Timothy 1:9 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. In hope of eternal life—connected with the whole preceding sentence. That whereon rests my aim as an apostle to promote the elect's faith and full knowledge of the truth, is, "the hope of eternal life" (Tit 2:13; 3:7; Ac 23:6; 24:15; 28:20).

that cannot lie—(Ro 3:4; 11:29; Heb 6:18).

promised before the world began—a contracted expression for "purposed before the world began (literally, 'before the ages of time'), and promised actually in time," the promise springing from the eternal purpose; as in 2Ti 1:9, the gift of grace was the result of the eternal purpose "before the world began."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

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 God’s 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 Romans 16:25. Thus eternal life was promised, though more obscurely, Genesis 15:1 17:7 22:18.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire 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 2 Timothy 1:1.

Geneva Study Bible

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

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Titus 1:2. Ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου] ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι, “in hope” (comp. Romans 4:18; Romans 8:21; 1 Corinthians 9:10). It is not to be taken with ἐπίγνωσις ἀληθείας (“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 ἀλήθεια, 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 εὐσέβεια (“a holiness the possessor of which is justified in hoping for eternal life,” which Heydenreich likewise considers possible), nor with τῆς κατʼ εὐσέβειαν (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: πίστιν and ἐπίγνωσιν ἀλ. (so Plitt: “the πίστις and the ἐπίγνωσις rest on the ἐλπίς”); but it is to be joined with ἀπόστολος κ.τ.λ. Paul by this declares that the ἐλπὶς ζωῆς αἰωνίου is the basis on which he stands as an ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριοτοῦ κατὰ πίστιν κ.τ.λ. Van Oosterzee: “Paul in Titus 1:4 says he fulfils his task with or in hope of eternal life” (so, too, Hofmann).

The believer, it is true, possesses the ΖΩῊ ΑἸΏΝΙΟς in the present; but its perfection will only be granted to him in the future (comp. Colossians 3:3-4); here it is to be considered as a future blessing, which is indicated by ἘΠʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΙ.

ἫΝ ἘΠΗΓΓΕΊΛΑΤΟ Ὁ ἈΨΕΥΔῊς ΘΕῸς ΠΡῸ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ ΑἸΩΝΊΩΝ] ἭΝ relates to ΖΩῆς ΑἸΩΝΊΟΥ, and not, as some expositors (Flatt, Mack, and others) think, to ἈΛΉΘΕΙΑ.

ἘΠΗΓΓΕΊΛΑΤΟ, viz. ΔΙᾺ ΤῶΝ ΠΡΟΦΗΤῶΝ, comp. Romans 1:2.

Ὁ ἈΨΕΥΔῊς ΘΕΌς] This epithet occurs only here; ἈΨΕΥΔΉς is equivalent to ΠΙΣΤΌς, ἈΛΗΘΉς in regard to the divine promises, comp. Hebrews 6:18 : ἈΔΎΝΑΤΟΝ ΨΕΎΣΑΣΘΑΙ ΘΕΌΝ; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Romans 3:4.

ΠΡῸ ΧΡΌΝΩΝ ΑἸΩΝΊΩΝ here is not equivalent in meaning to ΠΡῸ ΚΑΤΑΒΟΛῆς ΚΌΣΜΟΥ or similar expressions; for in that case ἘΠΗΓΓΕΊΛΑΤΟ must have meant promittere decrevit, or the like, as Chrysostom expounds it: ἌΝΩΘΕΝ ΤΑῦΤΑ ΠΡΟΏΡΙΣΤΟ, which is impossible. It is equivalent to ἈΠʼ ΑἸῶΝΟς, Luke 1:70 : “before eternity, i.e. before the earliest times” (Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt, Hofmann), comp. 2 Timothy 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 μυστήριον χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένον, Romans 16:25.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Titus 1:2. ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι κ.τ.λ.: This is best taken in connexion with the preceding clause, κατὰ πίστιν … κηρύγματι. The faith and the knowledge there spoken of have as their basis of action, or energy, the hope of eternal life. Cf. 1 Timothy 1:16. Compare the use of ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι in Acts 26:6; Romans 4:18; Romans 8:20; 1 Corinthians 9:10. On the other hand, we must not exclude a remoter connexion with ἀπόστολος. A comparison of the parallel passage in 2 Timothy 1:1 suggests that the succession of clauses here, κατὰ πίστιν … κηρύγματι, is a full and detailed expansion of κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν … ἐν Χρ. Ἰησ.

ἀψευδής: qui non mentitur. See note on 2 Timothy 2:13.

ἐπηγγείλατο: See Romans 1:1; Romans 4:21; Galatians 3:19.

ἐπηγγείλατο … πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, ἐφανέρωσεν δέ: The same antithesis is expressed in 2 Timothy 1:9-10 (q.v.); Romans 16:25; Colossians 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, καιροῖς, at seasons, occasions, epochs of time as relative to man’s comprehension.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. in hope of eternal life] The force of this phrase ‘in hope’ in N.T. is seen best from 1 Corinthians 9:10, ‘to plow in hope—to thresh in hope of partaking,’ or Romans 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 Acts 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 Titus 1:1; ‘God’s promise, and mine as His messenger, is very different from the Cretan teachers’ word’ (Titus 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 2 Timothy 1:9 ‘his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,’ Romans 16:25 ‘the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,’ 1 Corinthians 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 2 Timothy 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 2 Corinthians 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 2 Timothy 1:9; with God to purpose, to promise, to give, are all one.

Bengel's Gnomen

Titus 1:2. Ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου, in the hope of eternal life) ch. Titus 3:7. Hope has reference to the promise.—ἣν, which) life.—ἀψευδὴς, who cannot lie) The foundation of our confidence.—πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, before eternal ages, before the world began) The promise of eternal life is already contained in the appellation, the God of Abraham, etc.[Luke 20:37]. There is here implied an explicit promise to men. See Genesis 3, etc. The χρόνοι αἰωνιοι followed the creation and the fall.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Who for that, A.V.; times eternal for the world began, A.V. In hope of eternal life. This seems to be a further description of the scope or sphere of the apostolate, which, as some take ἐπί, is based upon the hope of eternal life. Who cannot lie (ἀψευδής); here only in the New Testament, rarely in the LXX., but common in classical Greek. The epithet is here used to show the certainty of the fulfillment of the promise made before the ages (comp. Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19). Before times eternal (see 2 Timothy 1:9, note). The translation, "before times eternal," conveys no sense; χρόνοι αἰώνοι are "the times of ages past" (Romans 16:25), placed in opposition to the καιροί ἰδιοί, or to the "now" of 2 Timothy 1:10, in which the manifestation of the promise took place. Titus 1:2

Vincent's Word Studies

In hope of eternal life (ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου)

Const. with Apostle, Titus 1:1. Ἑπὶ resting upon.

God that cannot lie (ὁ ἀψευδὴς θεὸς)

Ἁψευδὴς N.T.o. Once in lxx, Wisd. 7:17. Comp. Romans 3:4; Hebrews 6:18. Paul expresses the idea positively, by ἀληθής truthful, Romans 3:4.

Before the world began (πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων)

Lit. before eternal times. Before time began to be reckoned by aeons. See on 2 Timothy 1:9, and additional note on 2 Thessalonians 1:9.