66. Tit_2:2-3
Titus 2:2-3. The aged men are exhorted to be sober, “temperate.” The Greek is neephalion, “sober, temperate, abstinent in respect to wine.” In the New Testament, metaphorically, “vigilant, circumspect”—1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:2. For temperate the Greek is sophronos, “sound of mind, sober-minded, sedate, staid.” Temperate, see note on Titus 1:8. In Titus 2:3 the aged women are exhorted, “not given to much wine.” See comment on 1 Timothy 3:8.
These were to teach the young women to be “sober.” Here the same original word is used which denotes sober-mindedness. See Comment on 1 Timothy 3:2. The necessity of such an exhortation is obvious from the fact that these, before their conversion, had been idolaters, and who, in the days of their ignorance, had given themselves up to voluptuous practices.
Polybius, in a fragment of his 6th book, says, “Among the Romans, the women were forbidden to drink (intoxicating) wine; they drink, however, what is called passum, made from raisins, which drink very much resembles Aegosthenian and Cretangleukos (sweet wine), which men use for allaying excessive thirst”—Nott, London Ed. p. 80. See notes John 2:1-11.
Westein commenting on Acts 2:13, glukus, new sweet wine, says, “The Roman ladies were so fond of it, that they would first fill their stomachs with it, then throw it off by emetics, and repeat the draught”—Bib. Com. p. 378.
Dr. F.R. Lees says, in the same page, “We have referred to Lucian for ourselves, and find the following illustration: ‘I came, by Jove, as those who drink gleukos (sweet wine), swelling out their stomach, require an emetic.’” These voluptuous habits denoted such a devotion to the enjoyment of luxury and pleasure, such an indulgence in sensual gratification, as unfitted these women for a station in the Christian church, and for the proper discharge of the domestic duties particularly noticed in the text. The Rev. W.H. Rule, in his brief enquiry, speaking of this unfermented wine, says: “A larger quantity might be taken, and the eastern sot could enjoy himself longer over the cup, than if he were filled up with fermented wine, without being baffled by the senselessness of profound inebriation—Nott, Lond. Ed. p. 223. Mr. Rule, though no particular friend to the temperance cause, here concedes the fact that there were two kinds of wine, the fermented and the unfermented.