Charles Ellicott Commentary Titus 1:9

"holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers." — Titus 1:9 (ASV)

Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.—More literally, according to the teaching; but the English version gives the sense clearly and exactly. The elder must, St. Paul says, hold fast the faithful word or saying; in other words, he must steadily adhere to that Christian doctrine taught by St. Paul and his brother Apostles. So St. Paul pressed on Timothy, the chief presbyter of Ephesus, to hold the pattern of sound words which you heard from me (2 Timothy 1:13); and again, But continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them (2 Timothy 3:14).

Here, “the faithful saying”—that formulary so common in the Epistles to Timothy and to Titus, which we have generally explained as including the great Christian watchwords of the faith—probably echoes sayings of Christ. These were taken up and expanded by His chosen servants, then adopted in the various churches, and woven into the tapestry of the earliest liturgies.

It appeared, possibly, sometimes in a form like the “comfortable words” of our Communion Service, sometimes as a creed, and sometimes as a hymn. In one shape or another, it was thoroughly well known and loved in the different congregations. In this light, the faithful word or saying seems to include all the faithful sayings and generally denotes the teaching of St. Paul and the Apostles.

To exhort and to convince the gainsayers.—Two special purposes are specified for which the “sound doctrine,” which the elder will acquire by steadfast application, may be used.

First, with this sound, healthy teaching—which is sound, healthy, and practical, compared with the sickly, morbid, and unpractical teaching of those gainsayers of whom he is going to speak—he is to exhort the adversaries.

Second, with the same true words, he is to confute their arguments.

Chrysostom well remarks, “that he who does not know how to contend with adversaries, and is not able to demolish their arguments, is far from the teacher’s chair.”