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Tit_1:9. To these requisites, somewhat general in nature, Paul adds another with special bearing on the official duties of a bishop: ἀντεχόμενον τοῦ κατὰ τὴν διδαχὴν πιστοῦ λόγου ] The exposition given by most of the compound idea τοῦ … λόγου is inaccurate and confused. Heydenreich divides the expression into two parts: (1) ὁ πιστὸς λόγος , “the true doctrine of the gospel;” and (2) ὁ λόγος κατὰ τὴν διδαχήν , “the doctrine in which the bishop is instructed,” and gives the following translation: “holding firmly, as instructed, by the word which is certain (to reliable doctrine).” But manifestly this translation arbitrarily inverts the meaning. The words κατὰ τὴν διδαχήν are not dependent on πιστοῦ , but on λόγου , defined by πιστοῦ , so that τοῦ κ . τ . διδ . πιστοῦ λόγ . is equivalent to τοῦ πιστοῦ λόγου , τοῦ κατὰ τὴν διδαχήν . Ὁ πιστὸς λόγος does not occur elsewhere in our epistles, but there is no doubt that Paul means thereby the pure, wholesome word ( λόγοι ὑγιαίνοντες , 1Ti_6:3; οἱ λόγοι τῆς πίστεως , 1Ti_4:6) of the gospel, in contrast to the false doctrine of the heretics. He uses the epithet πιστός because it is not treacherous, it can be relied on: “the sure, reliable word.” This sure word is defined more precisely by κατὰ τὴν διδαχήν ] διδαχή is not active (Luther: “that which can teach”), but means, as it often does in the N. T., “doctrine.” Here it denotes “the Christian doctrine,” which is none other than that preached by Christ Himself and by His apostles; so Matthies, Wiesinger, Plitt, Hofmann. It is less appropriate to explain διδαχή to be “the instruction imparted” (so van Oosterzee, and formerly in this commentary); comp. 1Ti_4:6; 2Th_2:15.
ἀντέχεσθαι (in Mat_6:24, synonymous with ἀγαπᾷν , opposed to καταφρονεῖν ; used in a similar sense, 1Th_5:14) occurs often in Polybius (see Raphelius on the passage) in the sense of: adhaerere, studiosum esse ( ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας ). Here, too, it has this meaning, as in Php_2:16 : ἐπέχειν ; 2Th_2:15 : κρατεῖν , “adhere to.” Luther: “he holds by the word.”
Heydenreich rightly remarks that this does not indicate the zeal the teacher was to show in speaking of divine doctrine, but his own internal adherence, etc.
ἵνα κ . τ . λ .] This adherence to the word is necessary for the bishop that he may discharge the duties of his office. It is further defined more precisely in two ways: ἵνα δυνατὸς ᾖ καὶ … καί : “both … and.” The first is: παρακαλεῖν ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ , which refers to believers. παρακαλεῖν ] encourage, exhort; viz. to remain in the way on which they have entered, and to advance ever further in it, ἐν being here instrumental: “through, by means of.” Matthies is incorrect: “to edify in sound doctrine;” comp. 1Th_4:18.
ἡ διδασκ . ἡ ὑγιαιν .] see 1Ti_1:10.
The second is: τοὺς ἀντιλέγοντας ἐλέγχειν ] “By correction and reproof to refute those who contradict” (viz. the pure doctrine of the gospel), by which are meant the heretics.
Even in classic Greek, the two conceptions “refute” and “reprove” are sometimes combined in ἐλέγχειν ; see Pape, s.v.
This verse leads on to further description of the heretics.