SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:8
La palabra es fiel, y esto quiero que afirmes que los que creen a Dios procuren conducirse en buenas obras. Esto es lo bueno y til a los hombres.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Titus 3:8
Verse 8. This is a faithful saying] pistov o logov? This is the true doctrine; the doctrine that cannot fail. And these things I will] kai peri toutwn boulomai de diabebaiousqai? And I will, or desire, thee to maintain earnestly what concerns these points. The things to which the apostle refers are those of which he had just been writing, and may be thus summed up:- 1. The ruined state of man, both in soul and body. 2. The infinite goodness of God which devised his salvation. 3. The manifestation of this goodness, by the incarnation of Jesus Christ. 4. The justification which they who believed received through his blood. 5. The mission of the Holy Spirit, and the purification of the heart by his influence. 6. The hope of the resurrection of the body, and the final glorification of both it and the soul through all eternity. 7. The necessity of obedience to the will of God, and of walking worthy of the vocation wherewith they had been called. 8. And all these points he wills him to press continually on the attention of believers; and to keep constantly in view, that all good comes from God's infinite kindness, by and through Christ Jesus.
They which have believed in God] All Christians; for who can maintain good works but those who have the principle from which good works flow, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
These things are good and profitable] They are good in themselves, and calculated to promote the well-being of men.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. This is a faithful saying , etc.] Meaning the whole of what is before expressed, concerning the state and condition of God's elect by nature; the appearance of the love and kindness of God to them in the effectual calling; the salvation of them, according to the mercy of God, and not by works of righteousness; regeneration, and renovation by the Spirit of God, in which such an abundance of grace is communicated; and justification by the free grace of God, as God's way of salvation; and by which men are made to appear to be heirs of eternal life, and to have hope of it: now all, and each of this is a faithful saying, is true doctrine, and to be believed, professed, and published: wherefore it follows, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly ; that is, the above doctrines; the Arabic version renders it, I will that thou be firm in these things; and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, I will that thou confirmest them: the sense of the apostle is, that he would have Titus be assured of those truths himself; be at a point about them, and without any doubt or hesitation concerning them; and abide firm and constant in them, and speak of them with certainty, boldness, and confidence to others; and endeavour to confirm and establish them in them: for which purpose he would have them be frequently inculcated and insisted on; and that with this further view, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works ; for that, does not design the subject matter of the charge, or what the apostle would have constantly affirmed, but the end, and final event and issue of it; and nothing can more strongly engage to a studious concern for the performance of good works than the frequent insisting upon the above doctrines of grace: by good works, are meant, not merely honest trades, and the lawful occupations and businesses of life, which should be carefully attended to, and diligently followed, in order to be useful and profitable to themselves, their families, and others; but every good work, every branch of duty, moral, civil, and religious: to maintain these according to the signification of the word used, is to excel in them; to outdo others; to go before others, by way of example, and so to provoke to love and to good works; and to make them the employment and business of men's lives; for which there should be a thoughtfulness, a carefulness, a studious concern, especially in those who have believed in God; who are regenerated and renewed by the Spirit of God, and are justified by faith in the righteousness of Christ; who believe in him for peace, pardon, righteousness, life, and salvation: these are under great obligations to perform good works; the love of Christ should constrain them to them; and they are the only persons that are capable of doing them well, for they are sanctified, and made meet, and ready for every good work; they are created in Christ Jesus to them; they have the Spirit of Christ in them, and the strength of Christ with them, without which they cannot be performed well; and they have faith in Christ, without which it is impossible to please God. These things are good and profitable unto men : which is to be understood not of good works, though these are good in themselves, and profitable to men in their effects; being done among them, and before them, they set them an example of doing good likewise, when evil communications corrupt good manners; and many of them issue in their temporal good, profit, and advantage: but rather the doctrines of the Gospel are here designed, which are before briefly treated of, and are said to be a faithful saying; and which the apostle would have affirmed with, certainty and constancy, in order to engage believers to the performance of good works; and that for this reason, because these doctrines are good, excellent, valuable, and precious, comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones: the author, matter, end, and use of them are good; they come from God; they are concerning Jesus Christ, and his grace; they contain good tidings of good things; and are exceeding useful to influence faith, hope, love, and a cheerful obedience to the will of God: they are profitable in the hands of the Spirit of God for conviction, conversion, comfort, and edification; for the quickening and enlightening of dead and dark sinners; for the reviving, establishing, and building up of the saints; they are the wholesome words of Christ, and are according to godliness, and are nourishing, when other doctrines eat as a canker: and this sense is confirmed, not only by what goes before, but by what follows after in the next verse; where insipid notions and controversies are opposed unto them, as unprofitable and vain.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-11 - When the grace of God towards mankind has been declared, the necessit of good works is pressed. Those who believe in God, must make it their care to maintain good works, to seek opportunities for doing them being influenced by love and gratitude. Trifling, foolish question must be avoided, and subtle distinctions and vain inquiries; nor shoul people be eager after novelties, but love sound doctrine which tend most to edifying. Though we may now think some sins light and little if the Lord awaken the conscience, we shall feel even the smallest sin heavy upon our souls.
Greek Textus Receptus
πιστος 4103 ο 3588 λογος 3056 και 2532 περι 4012 τουτων 5130 βουλομαι 1014 5736 σε 4571 διαβεβαιουσθαι 1226 5738 ινα 2443 φροντιζωσιν 5431 5725 καλων 2570 εργων 2041 προιστασθαι 4291 5733 οι 3588 πεπιστευκοτες 4100 5761 τω 3588 θεω 2316 ταυτα 5023 εστιν 2076 5748 τα 3588 καλα 2570 και 2532 ωφελιμα 5624 τοις 3588 ανθρωποις 444
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Affirm constantly (diabebaiousqai). Past o . See on 1 Tim. i. 7. Constantly, not continually, but uniformly and consistently. So Book of Common Prayer, "Collect for Saint John Baptist's Day," "and after his example constantly speak the truth." Rend. affirm steadfastly.
Might be careful (frontizwsin). N.T.o . Quite often in LXX. Frequent in Class. To think or consider; hence to take careful thought, ponder, be anxious about.
To maintain (proistasqai). Mostly in Pastorals, and usually in the sense of ruling, as Rom. xii. 8; 1 Thess. v. 12; 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5. The sense here is to be forward in. 156 Profitable (wfelima). Past o . o LXX. Comp. 1 Tim. iv. 8; 2 Timothy iii. 16.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:8 {The saying} (ho logos). In verses #4-7. {I will} (boulomai). See #1Ti 2:8. {That thou affirm confidently} (se diabebaiousthai). Indirect command. For the verb see #1Ti 1:7. {That they may be careful} (hina frontizwsin). Sub-final use of hina with present active subjunctive of phrontiz", old verb, only here in N.T. {To maintain good works} (kalwn ergwn prostasqai). Present middle infinitive of proistemi, intransitive use, to stand before, to take the lead in, to care for. Paul is anxious that "believers" may take the lead in good works.
