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Tit_3:8. Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος ] refers, as in 1Ti_4:9, to what precedes, but not to the last sentence merely. So Chrysostom: ἐπειδὴ περὶ μελλόντων διαλέχθη καὶ οὔπω παρόντων , ἐπήγαγε τὸ ἀξιόπιστον . It refers to the entire thought expressed in Tit_3:4-7.
καὶ περὶ τούτων βούλομαί σε διαβεβαιοῦσθαι ] Regarding the construction of the verb διαβεβ ., see on 1Ti_1:7. Vulgate rightly: de his volo te confirmare; Wiesinger: “and on these points I wish you to be strongly assured;” Beza, on the contrary: haec volo te asseverare. De Wette also maintains that περὶ τούτων is the immediate object, but without proving it.
ἵνα φροντίζωσι καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι οἱ πεπιστευκότες [ τῷ ] Θεῷ ] In harmony with the train of thought in Tit_3:2-3 ff., Paul here gives a practical purpose as his motive. The subject οἱ πεπιστευκότες Θεῷ are Christians generally; the designation is used because the Cretan Christians had before been heathen. Luther translates it rightly: “those who have become believers in God;” while Wiesinger is wrong in explaining it: “those who have put faith in God, i.e. in His gospel.” The phrase πιστεύειν Θεῷ expresses the relation to God Himself, not merely to His word; comp. Act_16:34. Θεῷ is used here as τῷ κυρίῳ often is, comp. Act_18:8; Act_16:15; it is synonymous with εἰς τὸν , Θεόν , Joh_14:1; comp. πιστεύειν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰ . Χρ ., 1Jn_3:23, and π . εἰς τ . ὄν ., Joh_1:12. Hofmann is altogether mistaken in construing Θεῷ with what follows. If Θεῷ were to be opposed to ἀνθρώποις , the latter would have been put before ὠφέλιμα ; besides, ταῦτα clearly forms the beginning of a new clause.
φροντίζειν ( ἅπ . λεγ ., often in the Apocrypha of the O. T., also in the LXX.), “reflect on something, take an interest in something;” here, as often in the classics, with a suggestion of anxiety (comp. 1Sa_9:5, LXX.).
καλῶν ἔργων ] depends on προΐστασθαι ; it is quite general, and should not be restricted to the services to be rendered to the church (Michaelis), nor to official duties[20] (Grotius), nor to deeds of charity (Chrysostom).
προΐστασθαι here and in Tit_3:14 is used in the same sense as when it is joined with τέχνης (Synesius, Ephesians 2; Athenagoras, xiii. 612a), being equivalent to exercere, “carry on, practise an art;” properly, it is “present oneself before.” The Vulgate translates it: bonis operibus praeesse, which, however, is obscure; Beza incorrectly: bene agendo praecedere, which he explains in a peculiar fashion by sanctae et rectae vitae antistites. Wolf thinks that προΐστ . denotes not only the studium, but also the patrocinium of good works; comp. Rom_12:17 : προνοεῖσθαι καλά .
ταῦτά ἐστι [ τὰ ] καλὰ καὶ ὠφέλιμα τ . ἀνθρώποις ] see 1Ti_2:3. Ταῦτα does not refer to καλῶν ἔργων (Heinrichs, Wiesinger), for the apostle certainly did not need to say that καλὰ ἔργα are καλά for men; nor does it resume περὶ τούων (de Wette, Hofmann). It should be referred either to φροντίζειν καλ . ἐργ . προΐστασθαι (Heydenreich, Matthies) or to διαβεβαιοῦσθαι . The latter reference might be preferred—as confirming the exhortation made to Timothy. On the reference of ταῦτα to one subject, see Winer, p. 153 [E. T. p. 201].
[20] Hofmann, too (Schriftbew. II. 2), restricts καλ . ἔργ . προΐστ . to “honest exertion,” by which “each one may support himself and contribute to the needs of others, or to the purposes of Christian church-life.” This interpretation, however, he seems to have given up, as he does not mention it in his commentary.