Titus 2:3-4a 3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good, 4in order that they might with self-control teach young women
In verse 3, Paul moves to the next group, older women. Just like the older men, these women would have been held in some esteem because of their age and experience. They would generally be the grandmothers in the culture, with older or grown children. Paul gives Titus instructions on what to teach these women.
First, they needed to be reverent (hieroprepeis). This word is related to a holy temple. It refers to an inward, spiritual commitment evident in outward holiness. Second, they should not be slanderers (diabolous). This word is similar to “devil,” who is the great deceiver and trickster. Slandering is saying things about people in such a way that the truth is twisted for personal gain. Being addicted to much wine is a form of “slavery” (dedoulōmenas) where a person makes bad choices that he or she might not otherwise make when sober. Cretans were known for drunkenness. These two problems are related because too much wine could lead to a loose tongue.
The answer for these ailments is goodness. Teach what is good is a compound word meaning literally good (kalo-) teachers (didaskalous). The next verse describes how the older women could show these good qualities and what affect they could have in the church.
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