John Calvin Commentary Titus 3:8

"Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men:" — Titus 3:8 (ASV)

A faithful saying. He uses this way of speaking when he wishes to make a solemn assertion, as we have seen in both of the Epistles to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:11). And therefore he immediately adds:

I wish you to affirm these things. Διαβεβαιοῦσθαι, though passive in form, has an active meaning: “to affirm anything strongly.” Titus is therefore instructed to disregard other matters and to teach those things which are certain and undoubted—to press them on the attention of his hearers, to dwell upon them—while others talk idly about things of little importance.

From this, we also conclude that a bishop must not make any assertions at random, but must assert only those things which he has ascertained to be true. “Affirm these things,” he says, “because they are true and worthy of credit.” But we are reminded, on the other hand, that it is the duty and office of a bishop to affirm strongly and maintain boldly those things which are believed on good grounds and which build up godliness.

That they who have believed God may be careful to excel in good works (or, to extol good works, or, to assign to them the highest rank). He includes all the instructions which he previously gave concerning the duty of every person and the desire of leading a religious and holy life, as if he contrasted the fear of God and well-regulated conduct with idle speculations. He wishes the people to be instructed in such a way that they who have believed God may be eager, above all things, for good works.

But, as the verb προΐστασθαι is used in various senses by Greek authors, this passage also allows for various interpretations. Chrysostom explains it to mean that they should endeavor to relieve their neighbors by giving alms. Προΐστασθαι does sometimes mean “to give assistance;” but in that case, the syntax would require us to understand that the “good works” should be aided, which would be a harsh construction. The meaning conveyed by the French word avancer, “to go forward,” would be more appropriate.

What if we should say, “Let them strive as those who have the pre-eminence?” That is also one meaning of the word. Or, perhaps, someone will prefer what I have enclosed in brackets: “Let them be careful to assign the highest rank to good works.” And certainly, it would not be unsuitable for Paul to instruct that these things should prevail in the life of believers, because they are usually disregarded by others.

Whatever the ambiguity of the expression, Paul's meaning is sufficiently clear: the design of Christian doctrine is that believers should exercise themselves in good works. Thus he wishes them to give their study and application to it; and, when the Apostle says, φροντίζωσι (“let them be careful”), he appears to allude elegantly to the useless contemplations of those who speculate without advantage and without regard to active life.

Yet he is not so focused on good works as to despise the root—that is, faith—while he is gathering the fruits. He takes account of both parts and, as is highly proper, assigns the first rank to faith; for he instructs those who believed in God to be zealous for good works, by which he means that faith must go before in such a way that good works may follow.

For these things are honorable. I refer this to the doctrine rather than to the works, in this sense: “It is excellent and useful that people be instructed in this way; and, therefore, those things which he previously exhorted Titus to be zealous in affirming are the same things that are good and useful to people.”

We might translate τὰ καλά as either “good,” “beautiful,” or “honorable;” but, in my opinion, it would be best to translate it as “excellent.” He states indirectly that all other things that are taught are of no value because they yield no profit or advantage; on the contrary, that which contributes to salvation is worthy of praise.