Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - Titus 3:1 - 3:1

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Ezekiel, Jonah, and Pastoral Epistles by Patrick Fairbairn - Titus 3:1 - 3:1


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Chapter III

Ver. 1. Passing from the more direct and spiritual obligations of the gospel, the apostle proceeds now to indicate the proper bearing of Christians toward the constituted authorities. It is not improbable, though it cannot be held certain, that he may have been led to give such prominence to this, from a known tendency on the part of the Cretans to insubordination and turmoil. Before their subjugation to Rome, which was accomplished by Metellus, B.C. 67, they had the reputation of being somewhat quarrelsome and seditious (Polybius, vi. 46: óôá ́ óåóé êáé ̀ öï ́ íïéò êáé ̀ ðïëå ́ ìïò å ̓ ìöõëé ́ ïéò á ̓ íáóôñåöïìå ́ íïõò ); the different tribes and free cities displaying a good deal of jealousy in regard to their respective rights, and a readiness to take up arms in vindication of them. The Jews also, who are known to have existed in considerable numbers throughout Crete, were everywhere beginning to show signs of insubordination towards the Roman yoke about the closing period of St. Paul’s labours, and the storm was already gathering among them, which, in a few years more, was to burst forth with terrible fury. In such circumstances, it can readily be supposed that there might have been special, as well as general, reasons for the apostle here pressing the duties of civil obedience: Put them in mind to submit themselves to magistrates, to authorities, (The êáὶ of the received text between ἀñ÷áῖò and ἐîïõóßáéò is wanting in à , A, C, D, F, G, and should therefore be omitted.) to obey rulers, to be ready to every good work. There is a striking redundancy in the terms indicative of the kind of obedience required, as if to exclude all possibility of evasion: the civic rulers are designated ἀñ÷áῖò and ἐîïõóßáé , as in Luk_12:11, intended, doubtless, to include all classes of governing powers, but without meaning, apparently, to denote by the one a lower, and by the other a higher grade. And, besides being required to submit themselves to these, the people were also to be enjoined ðåéèáñ÷åῖí , a term which of itself comprehends the entire circle of obedience: it may be taken either generally, to be obedient, or more specifically, to obey rulers; in the former it occurs at Act_5:29, Act_5:32; but here, considering the connection, the kind of obedience as to persons in authority may perhaps be indicated. That the being ready to every good work should follow on such precepts respecting civil subjection, was probably suggested by the thought of the magistrate’s office having for its professed object the repression of evil, and the encouragement of well-doing (Rom_13:3); so that the possession of a mind ready for every good work would in ordinary circumstances render civic obedience comparatively easy, would make the yoke in a manner unfelt. Of course, the requirement had then, as it has still, its limitations: the duties of rulers and ruled are reciprocal; and absolute unrestricted authority on the one side is no more to be contemplated than unqualified submission on the other, for neither is in accordance with the essential principles of truth and rectitude. Obedience to external authority can be due only in so far as that authority has a right to command; when it oversteps this, and issues injunctions which reach beyond its proper line of things, the higher principles of obligation come in: “We must obey God rather than men;” “Be not partaker in other men’s sins.”