 |  |
A1
|
1: 1-4. "The hope of aionian life".
B1
| 5-16. "Every good work reprobate".
A2
|
2: 1. "Speak. . . . sound doctrine".
B2
| 2: 2-8. "a pattern of good works".
A3
|
2: 9-13. "Obey", "blessed hope".
B3
| 2: 14. "Zealous of good works".
A4
|
2: 15 - 3: 1-. "Speak", "obey".
B4
| 3: 1, 2. "Ready to every good work".
A5
|
3: 3-7. "The hope of aionian life".
B5
| 3: 8-15. "Maintain good works".
As a structure of the whole epistle considerable alteration and elaboration of all the
members marked A would be necessary; the above presentation emphasizes the fact
that every section of the epistle is alternated by a reference to "good works". The first
and last pair are the ones that contain the occurrences of aionian life; the first is
contrasted with those who though they profess they know God, in works deny Him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. The second is
connected with the double exhortation to maintain good works. We found when looking
at the overcomers in I Timothy that "good works", the "good fight", a "good
confession" and a "good foundation" were all closely connected with laying hold on
aionian life.
The first reference in Titus is connected with "the knowledge of the truth which is
according to godliness". Both passages, we observe, are associated with hope; let us see
the list of blessings with which hope is associated. The tried saint rejoices "in hope of the
glory of God" (Rom. 5: 2); the justified believer waits for "the hope of righteousness"
(Gal. 5: 5); the member of the One Body seeks to know "what is the hope of His calling",
and himself is "called in one hope of. . . . calling" (Eph. 1: 18; 4: 4). The fact that
Christ was preached among the Gentiles, even after Israel was set aside, was to them "the
hope of glory" (Col. 1: 27). The Thessalonian believers were to wear as an helmet "the
hope of salvation". The opening words of the first epistle to Timothy reveal Christ
Himself as "our hope". The hope of aionian life is connected with the promise made by
the God who "cannot lie". In Heb. 6: 17, 18 the God who cannot lie is connected with
the "heirs of the promise" and the "hope lying before them". Titus 3: 7 makes
inheritance according to the hope of aionian life.
Viewed from all points, "eternal life" as spoken of in the epistle to Titus is not quite so
simple a subject as we have been led to believe; we are not pretending that we have
solved the problems that arise as a result of this re-adjustment, we are simply stating the
facts as clearly as we see them, believing that the entrance of His Word giveth light.
In the first epistle of John the point of view is somewhat different to that of Paul, even
as we found the aspect of this truth was different in the Gospel of John as compared with
that of Matthew; we therefore hope to deal with the first epistle of John in a separate
paper.