2:7 We might infer that Esther’s parents had been killed in the siege of Jerusalem.

2:16This is one of a number of mentions of months by name in the book of Esther. Tebeth is the 10^{th month in the Jewish religious calendar. So we see in this book which recounts events in a foreign country that events are recorded according to the Jewish religious, calendar – not even the secular one. Thus we are forced to recognise that the book of Esther, whilst dealing with what seems to be secular matters, is set against a Jewish religious setting}

2:10 The comment that Esther had not shown her nationality at this time sets the scene for Ahasuerus not understanding the implications of what Haman eventually planned.

2:5 Mordecai’s name means ‘Dedicated to Marduk’ – Marduk being a false god. However despite his name Mordecai was dedicated to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

PURE AS THE DRIVEN SLUSH

Paul, understanding the short comings of human nature, urges this young brother Titus to stand fast in the word of God and teach by example & doctrine, the right way to live a life in Christ.

We also need this kind of reminder, of how to live Godly lives in a corrupt world, and so much more, as we see the day of Christ's appearing grow closer. Let us take head to these words and conquer ourselves ... rather than the world.

2:19 Mordecai sitting in the king’s gate is not simply stating that he was sitting down. It is an indication of his status in the city. He was amongst the judges of the city.

Now follows 5 visions, starting at Amos 7:1,4,7,Amos 8:1, Amos 9:1.In today’s chapter, the first two visions conclude with the wonderful words that God has taken these punishments away, see Amos 7:3,6. But the 3rd vision is not so. The punishment on the North will not be lifted. There follows then a message against the false priest Amaziah who tried to get Amos to stop preaching, that his own family will come on very hard times, and that he himself will die in a polluted (or unclean) land. I presume that last statement means that the land would be unclean, and forsaken by God.

7:10 Whereas Amaziah saw Amos as a threat to himself and so spoke to Jeroboam indicating that Amos had conspired against the king in reality Amos’ message was for the benefit of the king. Amaziah, because he was astray from God, could not see this.

V.10-11 What Amos said was indeed the truth. Amaziah, when reporting to Jeroboam, reported Amos's words incorrectly, either this was done intentionally, or his guilty conscience led him to misunderstand them. We have no record of Amos saying that Jeroboam would die by the sword. What Amos said was that the sword would be drawn against his house (V.9), this was fulfilled in the death of his son Zechariah (2Kin 15:10)   

The plumb-line mentioned in v8 is mentioned again in Zech 4:10. Here it has been used to build the temple in Jerusalem. The narrative in Zecheriah goes on to mention the curse which would go out throughout the whole earth: "it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of the one which swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it with its timber and stones" (Zech 5:4). If we go back to Amos we find that this is exactly what the house of Israel were doing: "falsifying the scales with deceit" (8:5).

Combining these two "plumb-line" prophecies we can see what Jesus was thinking about when he went into the temple and saw the Jews buying and selling in that house. No doubt the "money changers" mentioned in the gospels were charging an exorbitant exchange rate as Amos 8:5 tells us. Seeing the Jews using the "house" for deceit, he proclaimed the curse upon it from Zech 5:4 "not one stone shall be left upon another" (see Luke 19:43-45). Notice in these verses that the house would be made "level". So what we learn is that Jesus was the plumb-line promised in these prophecies. He was the upright one by which the deeds of others would be measured, and he was the pattern by which the new Temple would be built.

7:1-2 The sight of caterpillars devouring the crops is reminiscent of the punishment that the prophet has already spoken of – Amos 4:9

7:17 Whilst the captivity did not take place in the days of this king of Israel it was soon to come when Hoshea was taken captive by the Assyrian.

7:2 We must remember that the prophet, though speaking directly the words of God, had feelings of his own. Here we see Amos praying for the people that he was witnessing against. Do we have the same feeling towards those in darkness?

7:5Again, like in verse :2, we see the prophet appealing for Israel.

1:6 - 9 The qualifications of the elders that Titus was to ordain. We might ask how such attributes fit in to ecclesial life today.

1:6 blameless 1 Timothy 3:2
husband of one wife 1 Timothy 3:2
faithful children 1 Timothy 3:4

1:7 blameless 1 Timothy 3:2
not given to wine 1 Timothy 3:3
no striker 2 Timothy 2:24
not greedy of filthy lucre 1 Timothy 3:3

1:8 lover of hospitality 1 Timothy 3:2

1:9 holding fast the faithful word 2 Timothy 1:3

2:14 'peculiar people' is a phrase used twice in the New Testament.
Titus 2:14 peculiar people
1 Peter 2:9 peculiar people

But it has its origins in the Old Testament.
Exodus 19:5 peculiar treasure
Deuteronomy 7:6 special people
Deuteronomy 14:2 26:18 peculiar people
1 Chronicles 29:3 proper good
Psalm 135:4 peculiar treasure
Ecclesiastes 2:8 peculiar treasures
Malachi 3:17 my jewels

If we are God's 'jewels' how do we view our brethren as sisters? Do we value them in the way that we would value precious stones?

3:5 'washing of regeneration' - see Ephesians 5:26 to show that the regeneration is of the Word.
3:6 'shed ...' the same Greek word used Acts 2:17 to speak of the giving of the holy spirit.

Notice the emphasis that Paul makes about the dangers of the 'circumcision'
1:10 14. We might have thought that those who had been brought up on a familiarity with the Scriptures would have led the way in teaching sound doctrine - but is was not so. The Jews, so hide bound by their traditions, wrought havoc with the gentile babes in Christ.

2:10 Whilst we might think the word 'purloining' carries the sense of pilfering or something fairly innocuous we should be aware it is the same word translated 'kept back' (Acts 5:2) so clearly it is a serious, not trivial, matter.

3:9 The 'genealogies' Paul speaks of would relate to the ways that Jews would appeal to their pedigree as if this were some guarantee of spirituality or the correctness of their position. This further reinforces the point we made (Chapter 1)

1:14 Whilst we are unlikely to give heed to 'Jewish fables' it is quite likely that we will give heed to 'Commandments of men'. We must measure what we hear against the teaching of Scripture.

2:15 That Titus was to 'rebuke with all authority' would indicate that some of the things that he was to 'set in order' (1:5) relate to the issues raised in the previous verses in this chapter. So we may conclude that there were problems with 'aged men' 'aged women' 'young women' 'young men' 'servants' - which indicates problems in every section of the community.

3:12 So Titus was planning to go and visit Paul in prison in Rome. We do not know whether he ever got to Rome to see Paul but the little comment here indicates that was his plan. Small details like this help to fill out our understanding of the lives and activities of individuals in Scripture.

1:5 Paul left Titus in Crete on his way to Rome (Acts 27:7) when he passed by Crete.

2:10 'fidelity' is actually the word 4102 which is translated 'faith' elsewhere in Titus  (Titus 1:1,4,13 , 2:2, 3:15)

3:12  Nicopolis means 'City of victory'. There were several cities of this name. The one here referred to was most probably that in Epirus, which was built by Augustus Caesar to commemorate his victory at the battle of Actium (B.C. 31) 

1:3 We often say that we have ‘the truth’ and indeed we have. However having ‘the truth’ does not give us licence to ride roughshod over the feelings of others. The ‘truth’ is ‘according to Godliness’.

2:8 ‘Sound speech’ is not speaking about our doctrines correctly, though that would be included. ‘Sound speech’ is speaking in such a way in all aspects of life that those who are opposed to the gospel cannot fault what we say, even though they might like to do so. Rather like the Chaldeans realised that they could not find fault with Daniel’s words even though they disliked him – Dan 6:4

3:9 In encouraging his audience to ‘avoid foolish questions’ Paul is also talking to us. How often do we degenerate into arguing abut things that Scripture is silent upon?

1:13-14 There comes a time when severe action had to be taken n ecclesial life. However the ‘rebuke’ was designed to restore the one in error. It was not simply a censure that would alienate the one in error.

1:13     Notice that the brethren were to be ‘sound in the faith’ not ‘sound brethren’ It is the faith. Their presentation of the gospel had to ring true.

Titus 2:12 So Paul taught Titus that we cannot live a monastic life. Rather we have to live the gospel in the world in which we find ourselves.

3:11 The reason for avoiding endless questioning on things that cannot be answered is that such activity destroys faith.