Титу 3:3

For--Our own past sins should lead us to be lenient towards those of others. "Despise none, for such wast thou also." As the penitent thief said to his fellow thief, "Dost thou not fear God . . . seeing that thou art in the same condemnation." we--Christians. were--Contrast Tit 3:4, "But when," that is, now: a favorite contrast in Paul's writing, that between our past state by nature, and our present state of deliverance from it by grace. As God treated us, we ought to treat our neighbor. sometimes--once. foolish--wanting right reason in our course of living. Irrational. The exact picture of human life without grace. Grace is the sole remedy for foolishness. disobedient--to God. deceived--led astray. The same Greek, "out of the way" (Heb 5:2). serving--Greek, "in bondage to," serving as slaves." divers--The cloyed appetite craves constant variety. pleasures--of the flesh. malice--malignity. hateful . . . hating--correlatives. Provoking the hatred of others by their detestable character and conduct, and in turn hating them.

The apostle here directs Titus about the faithful discharge of his own office generally (Tit 2:1), and particularly as to several sorts of persons (Tit 2:2-10) and gives the grounds of these and of other following directions (Tit 2:11-14), with a summary direction in the close (Tit 2:15).

3:3 Humility (3:2) is fitting, considering our state when God’s kindness and love came to us (3:4; see Eph 2:1-4; 5:8; Col 3:7; 1 Pet 4:3).