Aged Women to Younger Women Titus 2:4 - Equipped for Battle

As we have studied the book of Titus, not only have we learned principles that are applicable for the church of Crete, but we have found them to be relevant for today as well. Paul the apostle has given specific instructions to Titus about aged men and now he is directing his attention toward aged women. He left off in yesterday's verse by writing that Titus is to instruct the aged women to be “teachers of good things.” Today in chapter two and verse four, Paul tells Titus what some of those “good things” are. He wrote:

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

In the book of Proverbs chapter twenty-nine and verse fifteen it says:

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

The idea is that children need correction. It is a natural tendency for children to simply wander into danger and trouble, and sometimes they do not even realize when they do. Aged women are very instrumental in their care and protection. Paul tells Titus that the aged women are to “teach young women” which means to restore to senses, moderate, control, curb or disciple. It means to admonish or exhort earnestly. The specifics of what aged women are to teach comes with Paul's next words, and they are worthy of close examination.

First, Paul writes that aged women are to “teach the young women to be sober.” Interestingly enough the “sober” is “sōphronizō” which is the same word used for “teach” above. So Paul tells Titus to teach the young women to teach so to speak. They are to be of sensible minds that are controlled and able to teach. Young women who allow themselves to be out of control and uncivilized are ineffective when instructing others.

Paul adds that young women are “to love their husbands.” As simple as this instruction may seem, it appears that it is one that is widely rejected. Let's face it, it is not always easy to love other people, and sometimes loving those who are closest to us can be the most difficult. Paul finds it necessary to point out to Titus that aged women should teach younger women to love their husbands. Perhaps if this teaching and the necessity of it were spread today there would be more young women who knew that loving their husbands was a God given charge.

Paul gives yet another instruction that may seem odd at first appearance. He tells Titus to instruct the aged women to teach the young women “to love their children.” This seems like such a natural trait, and yet, Paul finds it important for aged women to teach it. Mothers must love their children, and no matter what difficulties children present, there must never be an absence of their mother's love. How many times have we been in shock today to hear news of a mother who drowns her children or takes her children's lives in one way or another? For this reason and others, Paul guides Titus toward the importance of sharing the principle of a mother loving her children.

There is one more verse of instruction for the “aged women”, but we shall wait till tomorrow to discuss it, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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