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Selected Verse: Titus 1:2 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Tit 1:2	King James	In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
In hope of eternal life--connected with the whole preceding sentence. That whereon rests my aim as an apostle to promote the elect's faith and full knowledge of the truth, is, "the hope of eternal life" (Tit 2:13; Tit 3:7; Act 23:6; Act 24:15; Act 28:20). that cannot lie-- (Rom 3:4; Rom 11:29; Heb 6:18). promised before the world began--a contracted expression for "purposed before the world began (literally, 'before the ages of time'), and promised actually in time," the promise springing from the eternal purpose; as in Ti2 1:9, the gift of grace was the result of the eternal purpose "before the world began."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

In hope of eternal life--connected with the whole preceding sentence. That whereon rests my aim as an apostle to promote the elect's faith and full knowledge of the truth, is, "the hope of eternal life" (Tit 2:13; Tit 3:7; Act 23:6; Act 24:15; Act 28:20).

that cannot lie-- (Rom 3:4; Rom 11:29; Heb 6:18).

promised before the world began--a contracted expression for "purposed before the world began (literally, 'before the ages of time'), and promised actually in time," the promise springing from the eternal purpose; as in Ti2 1:9, the gift of grace was the result of the eternal purpose "before the world began."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
In hope of eternal life - Margin, for. Greek, ἐπ ̓ ἐλπίδι ep' elpidi. This does not mean that Paul cherished the hope of eternal life, but that the "faith of the elect," which he aimed to secure, was in order that people might have the hope of eternal life. The whole system which he was appointed to preach was designed to secure to man a well-founded hope of salvation; compare the notes, Ti2 1:10. Which God, that cannot lie - On the phrase" cannot lie," see the notes at Heb 6:13. The fact that God cannot lie; that it is his nature always to speak the truth; and that no circumstances can ever occur in which He will depart from it, is the foundation of all our hopes of salvation. Promised - The only hope of salvation is in the promise of God. It is only as we can have evidence that He has assured us that we may be saved, that we are authorized to cherish any hope of salvation. That promise is not made to us as individuals, or by name, but it becomes ours: (1) because He has made a general promise that they who repent and believe shall be saved; and, (2) because, we may have evidence that we have repented, and do believe the gospel. If this is so, we fairly come under the promise of salvation, and may apply it to ourselves. Before the world began - That is, the purpose was then formed, and the promise may be considered as in fact then made; - for a purpose in the mind of God, though it is not as yet made known, is equivalent to a promise; compare the Mat 25:34 note; Ti2 1:9 note.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

In hope of eternal life - Margin, for. Greek, ἐπ ̓ ἐλπίδι ep' elpidi. This does not mean that Paul cherished the hope of eternal life, but that the "faith of the elect," which he aimed to secure, was in order that people might have the hope of eternal life. The whole system which he was appointed to preach was designed to secure to man a well-founded hope of salvation; compare the notes, Ti2 1:10.

Which God, that cannot lie - On the phrase" cannot lie," see the notes at Heb 6:13. The fact that God cannot lie; that it is his nature always to speak the truth; and that no circumstances can ever occur in which He will depart from it, is the foundation of all our hopes of salvation.

Promised - The only hope of salvation is in the promise of God. It is only as we can have evidence that He has assured us that we may be saved, that we are authorized to cherish any hope of salvation. That promise is not made to us as individuals, or by name, but it becomes ours:

(1) because He has made a general promise that they who repent and believe shall be saved; and,

(2) because, we may have evidence that we have repented, and do believe the gospel. If this is so, we fairly come under the promise of salvation, and may apply it to ourselves.

Before the world began - That is, the purpose was then formed, and the promise may be considered as in fact then made; - for a purpose in the mind of God, though it is not as yet made known, is equivalent to a promise; compare the Mat 25:34 note; Ti2 1:9 note.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
In hope of eternal life (ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου) Const. with Apostle, Tit 1:1. Ἑπὶ resting upon. God that cannot lie (ὁ ἀψευδὴς θεὸς) Ἁψευδὴς N.T.o. Once in lxx, Wisd. 7:17. Comp. Rom 3:4; Heb 6:18. Paul expresses the idea positively, by ἀληθής truthful, Rom 3:4. Before the world began (πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων) Lit. before eternal times. Before time began to be reckoned by aeons. See on Ti2 1:9, and additional note on Th2 1:9.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

In hope of eternal life (ἐπ' ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου)

Const. with Apostle, Tit 1:1. Ἑπὶ resting upon.

God that cannot lie (ὁ ἀψευδὴς θεὸς)

Ἁψευδὴς N.T.o. Once in lxx, Wisd. 7:17. Comp. Rom 3:4; Heb 6:18. Paul expresses the idea positively, by ἀληθής truthful, Rom 3:4.

Before the world began (πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων)

Lit. before eternal times. Before time began to be reckoned by aeons. See on Ti2 1:9, and additional note on Th2 1:9.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
In hope of eternal life - The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God. Which God promised before the world began - To Christ, our Head.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

In hope of eternal life - The grand motive and encouragement of every apostle and every servant of God. Which God promised before the world began - To Christ, our Head.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
In hope of eternal life - In expectation of a state of being and well being which should last through eternity, when time should be no more. This includes, not only the salvation of the soul and its eternal beatification, but also the resurrection of the body. This was a point but ill understood, and not very clearly revealed, under the Mosaic law; but it was fully revealed under the Gospel, and the doctrine illustrated by the resurrection and ascension of Christ. Which God, that cannot lie, promised - We have often seen that the phrase, the foundation of the world, means the Jewish economy, and, before the foundation of the world, the times antecedent to the giving of the law. This is evidently the meaning here. See Ti2 1:9-11. Supposing the word αιωνιων in this verse to signify eternal, says Dr. Macknight, the literal translation of προ χρονων αιωνιων would be, before eternal times; but that being a contradiction in terms, our translators, contrary to the propriety of the Greek language, have rendered it before the world began, as Mr. Locke observes on Rom 16:25. The true literal translation is before the secular times, referring us to the Jewish jubilees, by which times were computed among the Hebrews, as among the Gentiles they were computed by generations of men. Hence, Col 1:26, The mystery which was kept hid απο των αιωνων και απο των γενεων, from the ages and from the generations, signifies the mystery which was kept hid from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

In hope of eternal life - In expectation of a state of being and well being which should last through eternity, when time should be no more. This includes, not only the salvation of the soul and its eternal beatification, but also the resurrection of the body. This was a point but ill understood, and not very clearly revealed, under the Mosaic law; but it was fully revealed under the Gospel, and the doctrine illustrated by the resurrection and ascension of Christ.

Which God, that cannot lie, promised - We have often seen that the phrase, the foundation of the world, means the Jewish economy, and, before the foundation of the world, the times antecedent to the giving of the law. This is evidently the meaning here. See Ti2 1:9-11.

Supposing the word αιωνιων in this verse to signify eternal, says Dr. Macknight, the literal translation of προ χρονων αιωνιων would be, before eternal times; but that being a contradiction in terms, our translators, contrary to the propriety of the Greek language, have rendered it before the world began, as Mr. Locke observes on Rom 16:25. The true literal translation is before the secular times, referring us to the Jewish jubilees, by which times were computed among the Hebrews, as among the Gentiles they were computed by generations of men. Hence, Col 1:26, The mystery which was kept hid απο των αιωνων και απο των γενεων, from the ages and from the generations, signifies the mystery which was kept hid from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

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