Titus 2.3 – To The Older Women

After speaking particularly to the older men (v.2), Paul now turns attention to the older women. 

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine…

Titus 2.3a

Each gender has its own unique set of challenges and temptations, and after writing that older men ought to be some things and do some things in v.2, Paul now says that older women are, essentially, to hold to the same high standards of behaviour (likewise are to be reverent in behavior…), and are not to be slanderers or slaves to much wine.

Particularly relevant to the Cretan environment of the day, gossiping and drinking too much are really not appropriate for any Christian, be they older women, be they men, and be they of any age.

D.Edmond Hiebert wrote,

The conduct of the older women must reveal that they regard life as sacred in all of its aspects.

Really, whilst this is addressed to older women, we would all do well to moderate what goes in to and what comes out of our mouths. Our Christian conduct must be matched by our consumption and our conversation. This is true whether we are an older woman from Crete or not. Today, watch what goes in and watch what comes out.