Titus 2:2

that aged men be temperate, grave, sober-minded, sound in faith, in love, in patience:

The aged men... "This is not the elders in an official sense, but simply the old men."[8]

Temperate ... means not given to excess in anything. While common enough as far as information about it is concerned, this virtue is often absent in believers. A life undistorted by any excessive indulgences of any kind is the thing required.

Grave... "Gravity must never be confused with gloominess."[9] A calm, sensible and decorous attitude, or demeanor, in all places and at all times is enjoined. "Monkey business" and "clowning around" are forbidden by this.

Sober-minded ... While mentioned here in the instructions to older men, this virtue "is demanded of three of the groups which follow, and of all in Titus 2:12."[10]

Sound in faith... "Faith here is objective,"[11] meaning that older men should cling to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. This is another appearance of Paul's famed triads (1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, etc.). Here "love and patience" are bracketed with faith. "In these three lies the sum of Christian perfections."[12] Spence has these beautiful lines:

It is with "faith" that we worship God; no prayer, no work of piety can be severed from faith. "Love" spreads its wings over all our duties to our neighbor; and "patience" must ever go hand in hand with "faith" and "love."[13]

Let it be noted that Christian doctrine is by no means slighted in this chapter of practical admonitions. The Christian life is not merely commendable behavior, but such conduct as it relates to the great principles of the truth of God. As Zerr said, "Sound in the faith means to be true to the word of God which is the basis of faith (Romans 10:17)."[14] In this lies the great principle that all ethical behavior, if it is to have any meaning at all, must be anchored in authority that is external to man. Without the guiding restraint of that external authority, morality is progressively downgraded until it disappears altogether.

[8] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1008.

[9] R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 191.

[10] Alan G. Nute, op. cit., p. 527.

[11] R. C. H. Lenski, Interpretation of St. Paul's Epistles ... Titus (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1964), p. 910.

[12] H. D. M. Spence, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970), p. 155.

[13] Ibid.

[14] E. M. Zerr, Bible Commentary (Marion, Indiana: Cogdill Foundation, 1954), p. 203.