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But say the things which fit sound doctrine,
Verse 1. Sound doctrine. It is not sufficient to teach sound doctrine, says S. Jerom, if it be not at the same time taught in a manner worthy of itself; that is, if he who teaches it by his words belies it in his actions. S. Jerom.
that older men should be temperate, sensible, sober minded, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance,
Verse 2. Be sober. The Greek Fathers, Theodoret, and Theophylactus, translate the word, sober, attentive, or vigilant. But Latin interpreters understand it of sobriety, in the literal meaning of the word. Old men oftentimes under pretense of weakness, drink wine to excess. The ancients called wine the milk of old men; hence aquilæ senectus has passed into a proverb, to designate an old man who drinks much and eats little. Calmet.
and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good,
Verse 3. In holy attire. [1] See 1 Timothy 2:9. The Greek word is sometimes used to signify the whole constitution, or state of a man’s health in all the parts of his body: here it is taken for a woman’s whole exterior carriage, her gait, gesture, looks, discourse, dress, that nothing appear but what is edifying. Witham.
that they may train the young wives to love their husbands, to love their children,
Verse 4. Love their husbands. This is the first lesson he wishes to be given to young women; that they should always manifest a love, an attachment, respect and obedience to their husbands. But it must be a chaste love. Vult eas amare viros suos castè; vult inter virum et mulierem esse pudicam dilectionem. S. Jerom.
to be sober minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that God’s word may not be blasphemed.
Verse 5. Discreet, chaste, sober. In the Greek is nothing for sober. The Latin interpreter seems to have added it, as another signification of one of the Greek words. See 1 Timothy 3:2. Witham.
Likewise, exhort the younger men to be sober minded.
In all things show yourself an example of good works. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility,
Verse 7. In gravity: to which is added in the Prot. sincerity, [2] from some Greek copies; but it is left out by Dr. Wells, as being not in the best Greek MSS. nor is it in the Amsterdam edition, (1711.) Witham.
and soundness of speech that can’t be condemned, that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us.