Albert Barnes Commentary Titus 1:6

"if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly." — Titus 1:6 (ASV)

If any be blameless, the husband of one wife. (See the notes on 1 Timothy 3:2).

Having faithful children. (See the notes on 1 Timothy 3:4, 6).

That is, having a family well-governed and well-trained in religion. The word here—pista—applied to the children, and rendered 'faithful,' does not necessarily mean that they should be truly pious, but it is descriptive of those who had been well-trained and were in due subordination. If a man's family were not of his character—if his children were insubordinate and opposed to religion, or if they were decided infidels or scoffers—it would show that there was such a deficiency in the head of the family that he could not be safely entrusted with the government of the church. (See the notes on 1 Timothy 3:5).

It is probably true also that the preachers at that time would be selected, as far as practicable, from those whose families were all Christians. There might be great impropriety in placing a man over a church if part of his family were Jews or Heathens.

Not accused of riot. That is, whose children were not accused of riot. This explains what is meant by faithful. The word rendered riot, asotia, is translated excess in Ephesians 5:18, and riot in Titus 1:6 and 1 Peter 4:4. It does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, though the word riotous is found in Luke 15:13. (See the explanation in the notes on Ephesians 5:18).

The meaning here is that they should not be justly accused of this; this should not be their character. It would, doubtless, be a good reason now why a man should not be ordained to the ministry if he had a dissipated and disorderly family.

Or unruly. Insubordinate; ungoverned. (See the notes on 1 Timothy 1:9 and 1 Timothy 3:4).