Titus 1:11

“But I, pierced with such grief as I am, what can I do except speak? Or do they do such things and then say to me: "Be silent"? May the Lord preserve me from such cowardice that I should hold my peace through fear of their wrath, when he commands me through his apostle, saying that "they ought to be reproved" by the bishop for "teaching the things which they ought not." … For when God commands that we speak and preach the word and that we refute and condemn "in season and out of season" those who "teach the things which they ought not"—as I can prove by the words of the Lord and the apostles—let no man think that I can be enjoined to silence in these matters.”

“Whose mouths must be stopped,.... Or they be silenced, by reasons and arguments fetched out of the word of God; as were the Sadducees and Pharisees by Christ, so that they durst ask him no more questions; and as the Jews at Damascus were by Saul, who confounded them, proving in the clearest and strongest manner, that Jesus was the very Christ: who subvert whole houses; into which they creep; that is, whole families, whose principles they corrupt, whose faith they overthrow, and carry them away with their own errors; and therefore, since this was the case not of a single person, or of a few, but of whole families, it was high time to attempt to convince them, and stop their mouths, that they might proceed no further: teaching things which they ought not; which were not agreeable to the perfections of God, to the Scriptures of truth, to sound doctrine, and which were hurtful and pernicious to the souls of men: and that only for filthy lucre's sake; having no regard to the glory of God, the honour and interest of Christ, or the good of immortal souls; only seeking to gain popular applause and honour from men, and to gather and increase worldly substance. Covetousness was a sin which the Cretians were remarkably guilty of (l). (l) Cornel. Nepos, l. 23. c. 9.”

“Whose mouths must be stopped - Unmask them at once; exhibit them to the people; make manifest their ignorance and hypocrisy; and let them be confounded before the people whom they are endeavoring to seduce. Subvert whole houses - Turn whole Christian families from the faith, attributing to the broad way what belongs only to the strait gate; ministering to disorderly passions, and promising salvation to their proselytes, though not saved from their sins.”

“mouths . . . stopped--literally, "muzzled," "bridled" as an unruly beast (compare Psa 32:9). who--Greek, "(seeing that they are) such men as"; or "inasmuch as they" [ELLICOTT]. subvert . . . houses--"overthrowing" their "faith" (Ti2 2:18). "They are the devil's levers by which he subverts the houses of God" [THEOPHYLACT]. for filthy lucre-- (Ti1 3:3, Ti1 3:8; Ti1 6:5).”