Titus 1:2

Titus 1:2

 

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

 

a. NLT: This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b. NIV: in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

 

c. Young’s Literal Translation: upon hope of life age-during, which God, who doth not lie, did promise before times of ages, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.] 

 

d. Amplified Bible: [Resting] in the hope of eternal life, [life] which the ever truthful God Who cannot deceive promised before the world or the ages of time began. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

1. “In hope of eternal life…”

 

a. In [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

b. hope [Strong: 1680. elpis el-pece' from a primary elpo (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence:--faith, hope.]

c. [of] eternal [166 * aionios] [Strong: perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):--eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).] [Thayer: without beginning and end, that, which always has been and always will be, without beginning, without end, never to cease, everlasting.]

d. life [Strong: 2222. zoe dzo-ay' from 2198; life (literally or figuratively):--life(-time).]

 

2. “…which God, that cannot lie…”

 

a. which [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

b. God [2316 * theos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

 

b. [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn,ta, tēs,tois, tō, tōn, hé  hē ]

c. [that] cannot lie [893 * apseudes; a-without; pseudes-false,a liar] [Strong: veracious:--that cannot lie.] [Thayer: without lie, truthful.]

 

1). God cannot lie. His word is true.

 

a). Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

 

2). In fact, when someone says something contrary to God’s word, when they know He said something else, we are to consider that person a liar.

 

a). Romans 3:1-4 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

3. “…promised before the world began.”

 

a. promised [1861 * epaggellomai; epi-intensive; ana-on, upon; aggello-to tell, declare] [Strong:  to announce upon (reflexively), i.e. (by implication) to engage to do something, to assert something respecting oneself:--profess, (make) promise.]

 

b. before [4253 * pro] [Thayer: before.] [Strong: primary preposition; "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to:--above, ago, before, or ever. In the comparative, it retains the same significations.]

 

c. world [166 * aionios] [Strong: perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well):--eternal, forever, everlasting, world (began).] [Thayer: without beginning and end, that, which always has been and always will be, without beginning, without end, never to cease, everlasting.]

 

1). Dake: It means eternity before the ages of time began.

 

d. began [5550 * chromos] [Thayer: time, either long or short.] [Strong: of uncertain derivation; a space of time (in general, and thus properly distinguished from 2540, which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from 165, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay:--+ years old, season, space, (X often-)time(-s), (a) while.]

 

1). The same phrase is found in 2 Timothy and similar language is found in Romans.

 

a). 2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

 

b). Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

 

2). The plan of redemption is older than the earth.

 

a). 1 Peter 1:18-20  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 

b). Matthew 13:34, 35 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

 

3). What is meant by this wording in these verses is  that Jesus “was foreordained before the foundation of the world”, the triune Godhead planned, determined and purposed the 2nd Person of the Godhead would be sacrificed for our redemption not only before the world was ever created. The creation of the universe was planned, discussed, hashed out and determined by the three persons of the Godhead around the redemption of man as the central focus. From the moment this plan or this council was determined, the three persons of the Godhead have been implementing and carrying out this plan and will continue to do so until it is complete. The wonderful thing about this is that in much of it man was included in its implementation. The bottom line in all this is the plan of redemption is older than the earth. This is exactly why the Scriptures use the language it does in Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. It was the beginning of the plan of redemption being carried out. Everything in the plan of redemption, containing everything in the Old and New Covenants center around the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This plan of redemption was “according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”, Ephesians 1:11.