THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TITUS - Chapter 1 - Verse 6

Verse 6. If any be blameless, the husband of one wife. See Barnes "1 Ti 3:2".

Having faithful children. See Barnes "1 Ti 3:4,6".

That is, having a family well-governed, and well-trained in religion. The word here -pista— applied to the children, and rendered faithful, does not necessarily mean that they should be truly pious, but it is descriptive of those who had been well-trained, and were in due subordination. If a man's family were not of his character—if his children were insubordinate, and opposed to religion—if they were decided infidels or scoffers, it would show that there was such a deficiency in the head of the family that he could not be safely entrusted with the government of the church. See Barnes "1 Ti 3:5".

It is probably true also, that the preachers at that time would be selected, as far as practicable, from those whose families were all Christians. There might be great impropriety in placing a man over a church, a part of whose family were Jews or Heathens.

Not accused of riot. That is, whose children were not accused of riot. This explains what is meant by faithful. The word rendered riot aswtia is translated excess in Eph 5:18, and riot in Tit 1:6; 1 Pe 4:4. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament, though the word riotous is found in Lu 15:13. See it explained See Barnes "Eph 5:18".

The meaning here is, that they should not be justly accused of this; this should not be their character. It would, doubtless, be a good reason now why a man should not be ordained to the ministry that he had a dissipated and disorderly family.

Or unruly. Insubordinate; ungoverned. See Barnes "1 Ti 1:9"; and See Barnes "1 Ti 3:4".