“But as for you [Titus], speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience…” Titus 2:1-2.

The Apostle Paul wrote the letters to 1 and 2 Timothy and one to the above-named Titus. They are named Pastoral Letters because they teach principals for pastoral care of churches and give the qualifications for ministers.

The above passage follows Paul’s warnings to watch for unstable people and liars who creep into the church, chapter one. In chapter two Titus is given the duties of setting up churches and appointing ministers.

“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you…” Titus 1:5.

“But as for you [Titus], speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience…” Titus 2:1-2.

Titus is to teach sound doctrine to, “the older men”, godly older men are a treasure in church, they can be pleasant to talk to even give advice how to fix a sink. They can also give spiritual advice, help with a tough verse, or give you comfort, yes, a treasure.

But there things even an older man needs to know and exhibit in their lives, “the older men be sober”, sober in this case means either abstaining from wine [alcohol] entirely or from its immoderate use.

God has no problem with wine or other forms of alcohol, it is the abuse of such that creates problems.

“Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: ‘They have struck me, and I was not hurt; they have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?’” Proverbs 23:34-35.

Read Proverbs 23:29-35 for the entire passage on drunkenness.

An older man who is known to drink in excess especially if he does so openly may be loved, but he sets a bad example for all and should not be given authority in the church.

Older men should be reverent. Initially this word seemed to be simple enough so I looked it up in the Webster’s Dictionary of 1828 (see AV1611.com to find KJV Dictionary) only to find that the New King James Version uses the word reverent while the old King James uses the word “grave”.

So, back to AV1611.com to see what grave means in the King James Version. The definitions went from a grave, tomb, to engraving, until the word graveness came up, meaning seriousness, solemnity, sobriety of behavior, gravity of manners or discourse.

Just to be sure I looked “grave” up in the Greek. Here is what I found: this older man must be, august, venerable, reverend; to be venerated for character, honorable.

The idea then is that an older man must be reverent, or grave does not mean that they should be reverent to God, though that is implied throughout these passages, no in this case the older man exhibits these characteristics so openly that others will revere him because he is honorable and he has a good godly character.

Men like this can maintain real peace and stability in a local church body.

An older man must be “temperate”, a person who curbs their desires and impulses, self-controlled.

Older men should be “sound in faith”. It is important that these older men along with the church elders be rock solid and unshakeable in their belief in the gospel and the true and correct teachings of Scripture because Satan will not cease battering at the doors of the church.

“For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.” Titus 1:10-11.

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:8-10.

Older men should be sound in their love for others and their love for the Lord. A good example of how to treat others is shown below.

“Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity.” 1 Timothy 5:1-2.

A good description of love is shown below.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed [arrogant] up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

Older men must be sound in “patience”. The word patience here describes a man who perseveres with undying loyalty to his deliberate purpose and his fidelity to faith and piety even through the greatest of suffering and trials. Strong’s Concordance, ref. G5281.

This is one reason that older men should be “sound in faith”.

“But as for you [Titus], speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience…” Titus 2:1-2.

Having seen the qualities that older men should possess in the above verses, let us move on to the older women.

“…the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things…” Titus 2:3.

There are two things that stick out in these first three verses. The apostle is showing us the tremendous importance of recognizing and listening to mature older folks; he is also showing us how the older folks can be of real assistance in maintaining a peaceful church.

Please give the above some real consideration, but also bear in mind that there are many old people in churches who have been Christians for a few years and might be considered children in Christ, these need to grow in Christ, and definitely not be given positions in the church.

Now, let us consider Paul’s exhortations for the older women.

“…the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior…” I found something very interesting when I checked the same verse in the King James Version; “…the aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness…”

The word, “behavior” refers to the way one acts or behaves, her deportment, her demeanor.

The entire phrase might be put in this manner, behavior as becometh one showing the sacred character of a woman consecrated to God.

The older women must not be “slanderers”. The King James Version renders this as, “not false accusers”. To boil all this down, the words simply mean, not gossips. Gossip is most often false and slanderous accusations.

Gossip is addictive and a church destroyer.

“The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body.” Proverbs 26:22.

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.” Proverbs 20:19.

Older women must not be “given to much wine”. This is clear, but note it does not say, no wine, again alcohol is to be taken in moderation, not in drunkenness.

The older women must be “teachers of good things”, not just as Sunday School teachers, but teachers of their grandchildren, and teachers of the young women, which we will take up next.

Quiet Witness, Part 1 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 11-15-24 ck.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.