Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
All Commentaries on Titus 2:12 Go To Titus 2
John Chrysostom
AD 407
That denying ungodliness, he says, and worldly lusts.
See here the foundation of all virtue. He has not said avoiding, but denying. Denying implies the greatest distance, the greatest hatred and aversion. With as much resolution and zeal as they turned from idols, with so much let them turn from vice itself, and worldly lusts. For these too are idols, that is, worldly lusts, and covetousness, and this he names idolatry. Whatever things are useful for the present life are worldly lusts, whatever things perish with the present life are worldly lusts. Let us then have nothing to do with these. Christ came, that we should deny ungodliness. Ungodliness relates to doctrines, worldly lusts to a wicked life.
And should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world.
Do you see, what I always affirm, that it is not sobriety only to abstain from fornication, but that we must be free from other passions. So then he who loves wealth is not sober. For as the fornicator loves women, so the other loves money, and even more inordinately, for he is not impelled by so strong a passion. And he is certainly a more powerless charioteer who cannot manage a gentle horse, than he who cannot restrain a wild and unruly one. What then? Says he, is the love of wealth weaker than the love of women? This is manifest from many reasons. In the first place, lust springs from the necessity of nature, and what arises from this necessity must be difficult to restrain, since it is implanted in our nature. Secondly, because the ancients had no regard for wealth, but for women they had great regard, in respect of their chastity. And no one blamed him who cohabited with his wife according to law, even to old age, but all blamed him who hoarded money. And many of the Heathen philosophers despised money, but none of them were indifferent to women, so that this passion is more imperious than the other. But since we are addressing the Church, let us not take our examples from the Heathens, but from the Scriptures. This then the blessed Paul places almost in the rank of a command. Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 1 Timothy 6:8 But concerning women he says, Defraud not one the other, except it be with consent— and come together again. 1 Corinthians 7:5 And you see him often laying down rules for a lawful intercourse, and he permits the enjoyment of this desire, and allows of a second marriage, and bestows much consideration upon the matter, and never punishes on account of it. But he everywhere condemns him that is fond of money. Concerning wealth also Christ often commanded that we should avoid the corruption of it, but He says nothing about abstaining from a wife. For hear what He says concerning money; Whosoever forsakes not all that he has Luke 14:33; but he nowhere says, Whosoever forsakes not his wife; for he knew how imperious that passion is. And the blessed Paul says, Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled Hebrews 13:4; but he has nowhere said that the care of riches is honorable, but the reverse. Thus he says to Timothy, They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts. 1 Timothy 6:9 He says not, they that will be covetous, but, they that will be rich.
And that you may learn from the common notions the true state of this matter, it must be set before you generally. If a man were once for all deprived of money, he would no longer be tormented with the desire of it, for nothing so much causes the desire of wealth, as the possession of it. But it is not so with respect to lust, but many who have been made eunuchs have not been freed from the flame that burned within them, for the desire resides in other organs, being seated inwardly in our nature. To what purpose then is this said? Because the covetous is more intemperate than the fornicator, inasmuch as the former gives way to a weaker passion. Indeed it proceeds less from passion than from baseness of mind. But lust is natural, so that if a man does not approach a woman, nature performs her part and operation. But there is nothing of this sort in the case of avarice.
That we should live godly in this present world.
And what is this hope? What the reward of our labors?
