Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Titus 2:14

"who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works." — Titus 2:14 (ASV)

From the future, Paul reverts to the historical work of Christ as Savior as the foundation for present sanctification. “Who gave himself for us” summarizes that work as voluntary, exhaustive, and substitutionary. His giving of himself was the grandest of all gifts. Because of our sinfulness, his atoning work had a dual aspect.

Its negative aspect was “to redeem us from all wickedness” (or “lawlessness”; GK 490), our assertion of self-will in defiance of God’s standard that is the essence of sin . This expression stresses not our guilt as rebels but rather our deliverance from bondage to lawlessness through Christ’s ransom. “From” indicates effective removal from that sphere and our deliverance from “all” aspects of its domination.

This negative work is the necessary prelude to the positive work of sanctification, “to purify for himself a people that are his very own.” Behind “purify” (GK 2751) is the moral defilement that the rebellion of humankind has produced. Sin makes us not only guilty but also unclean before a holy God. The blood-wrought cleansing enables us to be restored to fellowship with God as “a people that are his very own.” Since we have been redeemed by his blood (1 Peter 1:18–21), Christ wants us voluntarily to yield ourselves wholly to him. Such a surrender is our only reasonable response to divine mercy (Romans 12:1– 2). “Eager to do what is good” delineates what this relationship involves. “Eager” (GK 2421) means one who is “a zealot, an enthusiast”; for those who have been redeemed from the doom of sin and death and brought into a unique relationship with God, the true voluntary response is to be enthusiastic “to do what is good.” He who eagerly awaits the return of the Savior will be eager also to further his cause by good works until he comes.