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Tit_3:7. Ἵνα declares the purpose, not the consequence. It is doubtful whether it belongs to ἐξέχεεν (Heydenreich, Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt, Hofmann) or to ἔσωσεν as defined by διὰ τοῦ λουτροῦ … τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν (Bengel, de Wette, and others). The thought is substantially the same with both constructions, since the σωτηρία is necessarily brought about by the outpouring of the Spirit. Still the structure of the sentence is in favour of the reference to ἐξέχεεν . Wiesinger rightly considers the other view “to be unnecessarily harsh, ignoring the explanatory relation of Tit_3:6-7 to Tit_3:5, and depriving ἐξέχεεν of its necessary definition.”
δικαιωθέντες ] not “found righteous” (Matthies), still less “sanctified,” but “justified,” i.e. “acquitted of the guilt, and with it, of the punishment.” Hofmann rightly says that this justification means the same thing as in Rom_3:24; that it does not mean the change of our conduct towards God, but of our relations to Him.1[18]
Τῇ ἘΚΕΊΝΟΥ ΧΆΡΙΤΙ ] does not belong to what follows, but to what precedes. Justification is an act of grace. Ἐκείνου does not refer to God as the subject of ἘΞΈΧΕΕΝ (van Oosterzee, Plitt, and formerly in this commentary), but to ἸΗΣΟῦ ΧΡΙΣΤΟῦ (Hofmann), according to the usage of the N. T., for which see Act_3:13; Joh_7:45. Comp. Winer, p. 148 [E. T. p. 196]; Buttmann, p. 91. Heydenreich and Wiesinger are wrong in referring it to ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΟς ; for, on the one hand, this would involve the wrong conception that justification is a work of the Spirit; and, on the other hand, there is no mention in the N. T. of a ΧΆΡΙς ΤΟῦ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΟς .
Τῇ ΧΆΡΙΤΙ points us back to ΟὐΚ ἘΞ ἜΡΓΩΝ ; Chrysostom: ΠΆΛΙΝ ΧΆΡΙΤΙ , ΟὐΚ ὈΦΕΙΛῇ .
ΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙ ΓΕΝΗΘῶΜΕΝ [ ΓΕΝΏΜΕΘΑ ] ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΑ ΖΩῆς ΑἸΩΝΊΟΥ ] ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΑ cannot, as Heydenreich thinks probable, be construed with ΖΩῆς ΑἸΩΝΊΟΥ as one conception, so as to be equivalent to ΖΩῆς ΑἸΩΝΊΟΥ ἘΛΠΙΖΟΜΈΝΗς . On the other hand, it is also unsuitable to take ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠ . Ζ . ΑἸΩΝ . together: “in accordance with the hope of eternal life” (Matthies), because in that case ΚΛΗΡ . would not be defined. ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΑ should rather be joined with ΚΛΗΡ . ΓΕΝΗΘ ., and then the genit. ΖΩῆς ΑἸΩΝΊΟΥ belongs to the latter. Chrysostom has two interpretations: ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΑ , ΤΟΥΤΈΣΤΙ · ΚΑΘῺς ἨΛΠΊΣΑΜΕΝ , ΟὝΤΩς ἈΠΟΛΑΎΣΟΜΕΝ , Ἢ , ὍΤΙ ἬΔΗ ΚΑῚ ΚΛΗΡΟΝΌΜΟΙ ἘΣΤΈ . According to the former view, the words would have to be translated: “in order that we, in proportion to our hope (i.e. as we hope), may become heirs of eternal life;” according to the latter, it would be: “that we, according to hope, might become heirs of eternal life.” The latter view is the correct one. The apostle is speaking not of the future, but of the present condition of believers. They are heirs of eternal life; but they are so in hope, not yet in actual possession; for ζωὴ αἰώνιος in its full meaning is something future, Rom_6:22-23.
ΚΑΤʼ ἘΛΠΊΔΑ stands here as Τῇ ἘΛΠΊΔΙ in Rom_8:24; see Meyer on the passage.[19]
[18] 1 The apostle says nothing here regarding the relation of justification to the ἀνακαίνωσις wrought by the Holy Spirit. It is wrong at any rate to regard the latter as the ground of the former, so that God justifies man because he is renewed. Nor, on the other hand, can the renewing be regarded as a later consequence of the justification, in the sense that God imparts to man the Holy Spirit after man has been justified. The two things are very closely connected. Justification is to be regarded as the ground of renewing, while renewing is the actual completion of justification. God justifies man so as to renew him, to make him His child born of the Spirit.
[19] This passage, vv. 4–7, is substantially different from that in Tit_2:11-14. While in the latter the chief point is the paedagogic aim of the work of redemption, and the apostle accordingly is thinking how Christians are pledged to a holy life, in the former the chief point is the undeserved love of God made manifest in the work of redemption. Hence in this passage also much emphasis is laid on the idea of regeneration, which is granted to the Christian by the gift of the Holy Spirit.