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Christmas · Christmas Dawn · Year C

Titus 3:4-7

Doing What is Good

December 25, 2027

The Baptism of Christ, Jacopo Tintoretto
The Baptism of Christ, Jacopo Tintoretto, 1580sThe Cleveland Museum of Art
Christ stands waist-deep in the Jordan with his arms crossed while John pours water over him and angels wait on the bank with a cloth.He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.Jacopo TintorettoA Venetian painter of dramatic light and rapid brushwork, one of the giants of sixteenth-century Venice.The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art in Ohio, whose open-access collection is free for anyone to use.The Cleveland Museum of Art
LSB Three-Year Lectionary
GospelLuke 2:(1-14) 15-20Lk 2:(1-14) 15-20
EpistleTitus 3:4-7Ti 3:4-7
Old TestamentIsa. 62:10-12Is 62:10-12
PsalterPs. 98Ps 98

Overview & Insights

“He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5)

After a brief exhortation to Titus (2:15) to “teach these things” (at least 2:1–14), Paul returns in this section to the major concern of the letter—“good works” (i.e., genuinely Christian behavior) for the sake of the outsider (3:1–8) and in contrast to the false teachers (3:9–11).

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Take it further: Titus 3:4-7

Commentary

Working Preacher: Titus 3:4-7Working Preacher: Ti 3:4-7 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary exegesis linking this text to the Christmas Eve epistle on grace appearing.

CEP: Titus 3:4-7CEP: Ti 3:4-7 Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed preaching commentary on why Jesus' birth in Bethlehem matters for salvation.

Enduring Word: Titus 3Enduring Word: Ti 3 Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse by verse evangelical notes on God's kindness and the washing of rebirth.

Precept Austin: Titus 3 ResourcesPrecept Austin: Ti 3 Resources Precept Austin

Study helps and cross references on regeneration and renewal by the Spirit.

BibleHub: Titus 3:4 CommentariesBibleHub: Ti 3:4 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregated classic commentaries on the kindness and love of God our Savior.

Background & Word Study

BibleHub Interlinear: Titus 3:4BibleHub Interlinear: Ti 3:4 BibleHub

Greek text with parsing for the words translated kindness and loving kindness.

BibleProject: Titus OverviewBibleProject: Ti Overview BibleProject

Animated overview of the letter's design and call to good works.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Titus 3Catena: Ti 3 Catena

Patristic comment chain on the washing of regeneration as new birth in Christ.

Questions preachers ask

What is the good news of Titus 3?

When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us not because of our works but according to his mercy, that we might become heirs of eternal life.

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