TITUS

Paul writes a letter to his trusted long-term co-worker Titus and indirectly to the Cretan churches that Titus is currently looking after (Tit 1:5).
Paul and Titus have together planted several churches on the Greek island of Crete. Paul has to depart for some urgent reason and leaves Titus in charge of finishing the work that still needs to be done (Tit 1:5). Paul writes the letter with several goals: To give practical instructions, to authorize him in the eyes of the church so that he will be able to continue teaching, discipling and overseeing the process of appointing church leadership. Everything Paul instructs Titus to do, he also instructs the church to support him in doing.
Acts gives no background on the Cretan churches being founded or Paul spending time in Crete. Therefore the Cretan church planting and letter of Titus are difficult to date: It happens either during a side mission trip when Paul is one and a half years in Corinth (50-52 AD, second missionary journey), or during his almost three years in Ephesus (53-56 AD, third missionary journey) or after his probable release from the light Roman imprisonment (60-62 AD, Acts 28:30-31, Php 2:24, Phm 22).
Crete, Greece’s southernmost island, is a strategic harbor and has been inhabited for centuries by sea-faring people. The old Biblical name for Crete is Kittim (Gen 10:4) and the Philistines who battled Israel for centuries in the Old Testament had come from Crete. Paul quotes the Cretan poet Epimenides (600 BC) describing the Cretans as “liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons” (Tit 1:12). They were so famous for lying that the Greek word for ‘lying’ is derived from the word ‘Crete’. There was also a Jewish population on the island since 140 BC.
In the letter of Titus the influence of the surrounding Cretan culture can be seen: Paul urges the church to become a people not just saved by grace, but transformed by grace (Tit 2:11-12). He challenges them to learn to serve, to do good and to be generous (Tit 2:14). When appointing elders, good character and self-control are of utmost importance (Tit 1:5-8) as well as the ability to teach sound doctrine (Tit 1:9). Those who do not exhibit these character qualities and those who teach wrongly must be silenced and not allowed to influence the churches (Tit 1:10-16). Paul also specifically tells Titus to prevent any wrong Jewish influence, whether concerning circumcision, genealogies or the law (Tit 1:10, 3:9).
Paul goes on to apply this principle further: The same character qualities and behavior required for leaders are also essential for all church members to have. Paul spells out desirable behavior and character qualities for old men, old women, young men, young women and slaves. Titus himself is commanded to be an example of good character qualities and godly behavior to the church. It is by such an exemplary lifestyle that authority and leadership comes (Tit 2:8, 2:15 concerning Titus, Tit 1:5-9 concerning elders).
In the key teaching passages Paul – as always – exalts Jesus and Jesus’ grace that brings both salvation and transformation to all. In Tit 2:12 Paul says that “grace trains us to renounce impiety… and to live lives that are self-controlled, upright and godly”. It is not by own effort or a reliance on the law but by fully receiving grace and letting grace do its work of sanctification in our lives that we become “a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds” (Tit 2:14).

The addressee Titus
The apostle Paul writes this letter to his co-worker Titus, whom he warmly calls “my loyal child in the faith we share” (Tit 1:4). Titus is Greek, not Jewish, probably a relatively early convert from paganism in the mixed Jew-Gentile church in Antioch (Gal 2:1-3). Paul soon recognizes Titus’ leadership potential, taking him along on a risky trip bringing financial aid to the Jerusalem church at a time of famine (47 AD).
Latest by 55 AD Titus has become a trusted co-worker of Paul in his missionary endeavors. When Paul has a very severe conflict with the Corinthian church in 55 AD and his authority and influence is rejected by the church, he sends Titus to Corinth as a mediator (2 Cor 2:13). Titus goes into this delicate situation and seems to be able to communicate with the church, re-engage them and bring about a repentance. Titus leaves Corinth to meet Paul again, bringing the good news of the Corinthians’ change of heart towards Paul (2 Cor 7:6-7, 7:13-15). Paul is greatly comforted and sends another letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians) by the hand of Titus.
Titus seems to not have known the Corinthians before this difficult story (2 Cor 7:14), so the fact that Paul would send him speaks volumes about his character: He must have been a trustworthy, diplomatic and sensitive person, of the same mind and heart as Paul, yet with a personality that allowed him to be more easily accepted than Paul. He must have been a good listener, exposing a sense of fairness, easily winning people’s trust, careful in speech, an encourager and somebody who sees the good. Titus also looks after significant money matters at this sensitive time (2 Cor 9:2), speaking of his integrity and trust with people.
Later, around 64 AD, Titus will do pioneer missionary work in Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10).

Handing over responsibility
Also in the current Cretan situation Titus gets a quite difficult and important job: “to put in order what remained to be done” and to “appoint elders in every town” in the new churches that he and Paul had planted (Tit 1:5). It seems Paul for some reason had to leave early and is therefore handing over responsibility to Titus. In this letter Paul not only gives Titus many practical instructions as a church leader (that is why Titus is called a pastoral letter), but the letter has the nature of an authorization as well: Paul lets everybody know he left Titus in charge of the churches until trustworthy elders are appointed and the churches can lead themselves. Paul indirectly tells the Cretan churches to respect Titus’ leadership, to understand what he is doing and to co-operate with him (2 Tit 2:15).
The letter therefore has a dual readership, Titus on the one hand but also the Cretan churches on the other hand.

The founding of the Cretan churches
Acts gives no information about the Cretan churches being founded or Paul spending time in Crete (other than a hurried touch down as a prisoner in 59 AD, Acts 27:8-14). Therefore the letter of Titus is difficult to date. It either happens as
• a side mission trip during his one and a half years in Corinth (50-52 AD, second missionary journey)
• a side mission trip during his almost three years in Ephesus (53-56 AD, third missionary journey)
• or after his probable release from the light imprisonment in Rome (60-62 AD, Acts 28:30-31, Php 2:24, Phm 22).
His onward trip and wintering in Nicopolis (Tit 3:12) in not mentioned in Acts, either, and doesn’t easily fit the known missionary journeys. Therefore most people assume the third option, which would put the founding of the Cretan churches and the writing of the letter of Titus at 62-64 AD.

The historical setting
Crete, Greece’s southernmost island, was a strategic harbor and had for centuries been inhabited by sea-faring people. The old Biblical name for Crete is Kittim (Gen 10:4). At about 1500 BC Crete was the center of the flourishing Minoan kingdom. The Philistines, who battled Israel for centuries during the time of the Old Testament kings, had come from Crete.
Paul quotes a Cretan poet named Epimenides (600 BC) who describes the Cretans as “liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons” (Tit 1:12). Cretans were so famous for lying that the Greek word for lying is derived from the word Crete. There was also a Jewish population on the island since 140 BC.
In the letter of Titus the influence of the surrounding culture can be seen: Paul urges the church to become people not just saved by grace, but transformed by grace (Tit 2:11-12), willing to serve, bless and give (Tit 2:14). When appointing elders, good character and self-control are of utmost importance (Tit 1:5-8) as well as the ability to teach sound doctrine (Tit 1:9). Those who do not exhibit these character qualities or teach wrongly must be silenced and prevented from influencing the churches (Tit 1:10-16). Paul also specifically tells Titus to prevent any wrong Jewish influence, whether concerning circumcision, genealogies or the law (Tit 1:10, 3:9). Paul’s command to Titus to do these things in fact puts Paul’s authority behind Titus and indirectly asks the churches to support him when he will implement what Paul instructs.

Appointing leadership
The first thing Paul instructs and authorizes Titus to do is appointing church leadership in the different towns (Tit 1:5). Paul lists the character qualities that Titus needs to look out for. Indirectly Paul teaches the churches what God desires and values and what they should strive for: godly character.
It is not totally clear whether Paul describes two level of church leadership with his two lists (first: elders, five requirements, Tit 1:5-7, and then bishops, fourteen requirements, Tit 1:7-9) or whether it is one list talking about leadership in general. Which ever way, the importance of character over skill is striking: only one item in the entire list has even remotely to do with skill (Tit 1:10, the ability to teach). Our culture thinks of leadership in a very different way: we look for skill over character. Also we think of leadership as ‘the higher up the less accountable’; we think leaders can take more freedoms than normal church members. But this is not supported by the Bible. According to Paul there is only one requirement for normal church members: faith in Jesus. But for leaders he puts down a list of almost twenty character requirements:

• “blameless” meaning not absolute moral perfection but living a transparent life, honest, repentant, visible, committed.
• “married only once” – The older translation “husband of one wife” has been taken to mean: only men can be elders. But if the verse is interpreted in this way, then also no unmarried person or no widower qualifies. The day an elder’s wife dies he is disqualified from leadership. This would also mean Paul and Jesus are disqualified from leadership, which is ridiculous. A better interpretation is to understand the principle to be that elders need to be self-controlled, monogamous and not sexually indulgent. They need to be either faithfully monogamous or abstinent if unmarried, but this is not excluding the unmarried, widowers or women in general.
• “whose children are believers, not drunkards, not rebellious”. The principle here is one of integrity, consistency and proven experience. If an elder does not do well with his own family, he or she has no authority to lead others. But: by this verse great pressure is put on pastors’ or elders’ children. Actually the pressure should be on the parent, not the child. A leader should be an example to his children. He or she should create an atmosphere at home where the children thrive, do well and freely choose a godly life.
• “God’s steward” – caretakers, not owners; accountable to God, with authority but under God, not self-willed but responsible, caring, developing, bringing others to bloom.
• “not arrogant” arrogance means being sure one is right, stubborn, blind, insisting on one’s opinion, not considering others’ view point. To not be arrogant means to listen, to consider, to not be self-centered, to allow being evaluated one-self
• “not quick tempered” – angry people are scary people, they exercise power and force others to cooperate. Anger is uncontrolled, it creates an atmosphere of fear, of ‘never know what will happen next’. One outbreak of anger can undo months of good behavior. Loosing temper means loosing control, which leads to people feeling unsafe and fearful. Loosing temper means unreliability and breach of trust. Anger as an emotion is okay, but not as a willful action, and especially not as a repeated action.
• “not addicted to wine” – not a full prohibition of alcohol, but most definitely a prohibition of drunkenness, of addiction, of loss of self-control. Addiction means false priorities, anger, broken word, unreliability. Children of drunkards never know what they will find when coming home. Everything is arbitrary, promises are broken. They live in fear and often abuse.
• “Not violent” – an extrapolation of anger, an overstepping boundaries, controlling people, threatening people, hurting people, which is absolutely unacceptable in a leader.
• “Not greedy for gain” – this is essential. Ulterior motivation will kill the highest calling, the most outstanding giftings, the most thriving ministry. Money is a good servant and a bad master. The great corrupters of the human hearts: sex, power, money, fame. See instructions for a king in Deu 17:16-21: not too many wives, horses, wealth and honor.
• “Hospitable” being welcoming, open, a lover of the foreign(er), accommodating, interested, open to the new, releasing.
• “Lover of goodness” – In the Bible to love means to do. Actively doing good, serving, helping, caring, being involved in people’s lives, being practical.
• “Prudent” wise, good judgment, sense of fairness, not partial, not ‘one can’t do anything right and the other can’t do anything wrong’, principled.
• “Upright” honest, transparent, open, loving what is good
• “Devout” committed, wholehearted, obedient. Leaders need to be obedient to God, to God’s principles, even to people. We say: followers must be obedient.
• “Self-control” choosing right over convenient, serving others first, working hard, seeking the welfare of those under one’s care. To do so will require self-control.
• “Firm grasp of the trustworthy word” – able to preach sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. Knowing and understanding the word, able to share the word, teach, do apologetics, have strength of principle, not easily swayed.

Again most all of these are focusing on character and attitude, not on skill. We do the opposite when selecting leaders. We therefore promote wrong people, and then are surprised that the church is suffering.

Groups in the church
But Paul also addresses the Cretan believers in general to strive for a godly character. He gives very specific check-points for each group:

Older men Titus 2:2

• “temperate” interesting that this comes first! With age, with experience, even with being male comes influence and automatic leadership (not chosen for character). Paul first requires self-control (as from leaders and for the same reasons). Culturally we indulge the elderly, especially the pater familias. We respect him, obey him, feel we can’t say no to him. Even more so: self-control is vital! not self-focused, not self-pleasing, not self-indulging, not unaccountable, not ‘whatever I want’.
• “serious” one must be somebody that can be respected. Don’t demand respect, earn respect! Be wise, selfless, fair, not partial, honestly seeking the best of everyone. Some senior family leaders are old, but not wise, they are a weakness to their extended families, a problem to those trying to do better in their immediate families. Sad but true. A foolish youngster is a sad thing, a foolish elder is much worse.
• “prudent” again precisely because of their natural influence this is essential.
• “sound in faith, love and endurance” – not in demanding service and self-indulgence but being a true example, modeling to the younger ones. Old people who are an inspiration, who lived their lives well, are strong, a blessing others and a great witness till the end.

Paul has a lot to say to these ‘automatic’ leaders, he puts down requirements! Again: the higher the leadership, the more are God’s demands on our character.

Older women Titus 2:3-4

• “reverent in behavior” – fear of God, good behavior
• “not slanderers” – a temptation of women, maybe because they place high importance on family and relationships, maybe because they are give no other power, maybe because they are so measured by relationships and having to be better than others.
• “not slaves to drink” – addiction, indulgence in women whose direct role in the family has diminished. Why them? Maybe they feel they served so long, now it’s their time to indulge, maybe they are bored and without role and responsibility
• “teach what is good” or “encourage young women” – God wants older women to have a role, a good influence, a model, making good use of their time. God commands women to teach. Some say: teach only other women, but that is not borne out by the New Testament. God tells them that they have something to give, their experience, their wisdom, their service, their time.

We should grieve when we see elderly Christian women, completely given to TV, soap operas and gossip – what a waste! How powerful they could be, how influential towards the good, how wise and helpful counselors.

Younger women Titus 2:4-5

• “love husbands, love children, good managers of the household” – again: be faithful, do well, be of service where you are, fulfill your role, be responsible with what is given to you, do it wholeheartedly.
• “self-controlled, chaste, kind” – equally demanded of young women, essential to family survival and well-being. As the proverb goes: ‘Ain’t mama happy, ain’t nobody happy.’
• “submissive to husbands so that the word of God may not be discredited” – God links this with witness to the surrounding culture, not with eternal principle necessarily. Submission is something that can only be done by people who are equal and have choice.

Younger men Titus 2:6

• “self-controlled” – only that one requirement? Chiefly that one. Maybe as this is a major temptation. Maybe as this is the beginning of sin and bad choices.

Slaves Titus 2:9
We may not be slaves (though there is much slavery in the world today), yet all scriptures concerning slaves teach essential work ethics. They teach work attitude in general, whether employer-employee situations or voluntary work.

• “give satisfaction in every respect” wholehearted, motivated work, not just minimum effort or grudgingly, but self-motivated.
• “do not talk back” one of the few powers a slave has is to talk. Don’t abuse it, be obedient, willing, constructive, helpful.
• “do not pilfer” – slavery doesn’t excuse stealing, rather be faithful and trustworthy, wholehearted.
• “perfect fidelity so that ornament to doctrine of Savior” – slaves have the power of witness, their faithfulness speaks powerfully.

Even a slave has a role, a calling, a responsibility, a powerful witness, a model function. Even when obedience can be commanded, wholehearted obedience is a witness. Church history: In the Roman empire is was through slaves that the gospel reached the upper class.

Titus himself as leader Titus 2:2, 7-8
Paul encourages Titus to teach sound doctrine, to show himself a model of good works, have integrity in teaching, gravity and sound speech. This is in addition to everything Paul mentioned for the elders to be appointed in general. Thinking about all the groups Titus has to address, the huge scope of the task he is given becomes apparent:

The key passages

After all these practical instructions and focusing on the outward visible behaviors and attitudes, Paul launches into teaching, laying the foundation for all that godly character and behavior that he instructed. Good works, actions or behavior is a fruit, a result, a consequence of right thinking, right values, right beliefs.
In three key passages he teaches foundational truths, which is also the summary of the sound doctrine that he wants Titus is to teach:

Tit 2:11-13
“God’s grace appeared” – a beautiful metaphor for Jesus coming to earth. It doesn’t start with us, but with a God who has no reason to be gracious, yet he gives himself.
“grace bringing salvation to all” – as always Paul’s gospel is for all who want it, who respond to it.
“grace training us” – salvation starts a process of training, of change, of purification in us.
“training us to renounce impiety, worldly passions… so that in this present age we live lives that are self-controlled, upright and godly”. This is the product of grace, the fruit of Jesus’ salvation: a changed life, godliness and self-sacrificial service.
“while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ”: Salvation means justification plus sanctification plus glorification. We are once for all justified, continually sanctified and when Jesus comes back ultimately glorified. Justification is a one-time event. Sanctification is our continual challenge. Glorification is assured by God, a prize motivating us to keep faithful with the difficult business of sanctification in the meantime.

Titus 2:14
Paul summarizes it one more time: “Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity… and purify for himself a people of his own, zealous for good deeds”.

Titus 3:4-5
And one more time: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 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. This Spirit he poured on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

And why does God want this godly life so very much? Because only in this way we can be in continual fellowship with him.
Some people have said that Paul is not the author of the letter of Titus because it stresses good works, and in other letters he seems to stress grace. But that is a misunderstanding. Paul always teaches both, though he may put the emphasis more on one or the other depending what his audience needs to hear. In summary:

Grace saves us                           Grace trains us
> JUSTIFICATION                      > SANCTIFICATION
justified                                        sanctified
accepted                                      changed
by faith in Jesus                          by reliance on Jesus / Holy Spirit
freed from sin’s punishment      freed from sin’s power
one point in time                          continual process till death
unconditional                                fruit, result, consequence
SAVING GRACE                             ENABLING GRACE
stressed by Paul in Galatians     stressed by Paul in Titus
Galatia: tempted by legalism      Crete: tempted by the world
often missing in catholic teaching    often missing in evangelical teaching

We need to understand this foundational gospel teaching, and take it in its fullness, letting it be the basis of our lives. In this way we will grow into strong, healthy trees with the fruit of the Spirit visible and ready to be given to those around us.

OBSERVATION

Who is mentioned?

• Tit 1:1 Paul the apostle, founder of the churches, very informed and involved
• Tit 1:4 Titus the trusted co-worker, now in charge, a sensitive and able representative
• Tit 1:5 Cretan churches containing families, older men, older & younger women, younger men, slaves, masters
• Tit 3:13 Zenas & Apollos Zenas is a lawyer, both possibly mail men, they need to move on, help them
• Tit 3:12 Artemas or Tychicus may be coming soon to replace Titus, so that he can meet Paul in Nicopolis
• Tit 1:10 Cretans unbelievers, normal people, liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons, to be reached out to and served
• Tit 1:11 Jews some simply live on Crete, some seem to have become believers
• Idle talkers now that is the weird group, probably quite a few of them are Jewish, it seems at least some of them are part of the church, maybe some will have leave soon
• Elders, bishops to be appointed by Titus

Comparisons?

• Ti 1:5 Paul’s instruction before and now the same.
• Ti 2:3 older men > likewise older women
• Ti 2:6 younger women > likewise younger men
• We’ll look at the lists in more detail soon, but let’s note for now, that Paul here freely equates the character a man should have and the character a woman should have… isn’t that interesting?
• he writes “likewise”, but then proceeds to mention different characteristics, which also shows that these are general lists, not to exclude other godly qualities

Contrasts?

• Ti 1:8 bishop: unacceptable character … but needed character qualities of a bishop
• Ti 1:15 the pure and the impure
• Ti 1:16 profess God with their words but deny him by their actions
• Ti 2:1 bad teachers … but as for you, Titus
• Ti 2:9 slaves: unacceptable character qualities … but needed character qualities
• Ti 3:4 we were sinners, but when the goodness and loving kindness of God appeared
• Ti 3:5 he saved us, not because any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy

Lists?

• Again mostly on character, behavior, attitude … on a list of people groups
• practical guides for Titus to evaluate people for potential leadership, models for the people
• a very practical letter for Titus who has a very practical fort of task in front of him

Commands

• Ti 1:5 appoint elders / bishops
• Ti 1:11 rebellious, idle talkers, deceivers must be silenced
• Ti 2:1 teach what is consistent with sound doctrine
• Ti 2:2 tell older men … 2:3 tell older women … 2:6 urge younger men … 2:9 tell slaves …
• Ti 2:15 declare these things, exhort and reprove with all authority, let no one look down on you
• Ti 3:1 remind them to be subject, obedient, good work …
• Ti 3:8 insist on these things
• Ti 3:9 avoid stupid controversies
• Ti 3:10 after a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with division causers
• Ti 3:12 come to me at Nicopolis
• Ti 3:13 make every effort to send Zenas, Apollos
• Ti 3:15 let people learn to devote themselves to good works

Repeated Themes to color for
When coloring Titus watch out for the following themes:

• godly character qualities, obedience, serving, doing good
• all sin, bad character, bad habits
• faith, believe, trust, assurance
• truth, gospel, scripture, sound doctrine, no lie
• teach, preach, proclaim, reprove, show, export, insist, admonish
• repentance, forgiveness, cleansing, salvation, redemption, purification, rebirth, justification
• consistency, in accordance with, sound, integrity, be  careful to

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Who wrote Titus?

• “Paul” (Ti 1:1), “I” (Ti 1:3, 1:5, 3:8, 3:12)
• Again: Greek letter writing style: first author (Ti 1:1-3), then addressee (Ti 1:4), then blessing or prayer (Ti 1:4), then the body of the letter (Ti 1:5-3:11). In the end practical instructions (Ti 3:12-14), greetings (Ti 3:15), then another blessing (Ti 3:15).
• In all Paul’s 13 letters to churches and people he starts the same way: with his own name. Titus is no exception.
• On the other hand is is also “typically Paul” … straight forward, involved, putting himself into the letter, …
• There are people who doubt Paul’s authorship, because they think “Titus” (good works!) is in contradiction with “Galatians” (grace only). Titus definitely sounds different than Galatians, but by deeging deeper into Titus this argument is easily refuted.
• Pronouns: Paul is identifying with Titus and also with the Cretans. “my” 1x (Ti 1:4), “we” 4x (Ti 1:4, 2:13, 3:5, 3:7), “us” 6x (Ti 2:12, 2:14 twice, 3:5. 3:6, 3:15), “our” 4x (Ti 1:3, 1:4, 1:13, 3:3).
  • There comes across a warmth, an identification, a personal knowledge of the situation, a deep involvement. It is quite clear, that the author must have had a personal, detailed knowledge of the situation, of the church.

When was Titus written?

• this is not so easy to answer, let’s look at it when we think about the founding of the church

To whom was Titus written?
Written to Titus

• Titus (Ti 1:4), warmly called my loyal child in the faith we share by Paul. Who is this Titus? Titus is mentioned about 11 more times in the Bible (Use Strong’s Concordance):
• Gal 2:1-3 we met Titus before, before the missionary journeys, probably around 47 AD: “I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me … but even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek”.
• Titus is a Greek, not a Jew, not circumcised, probably a convert of the early Antioch church, already a co-worker of Barnabas and Paul early on
• He is mentioned about 5 times in 2 Corinthians in an incident around 55 AD.
• Story of the Corinthian conflict (2 Cor 2:13, 7:6, 7:13, 7:14): Paul just visited the Corinthian church that had major problems. The problems escalate in such a way, that Paul pretty much flees the city. In his distress he sends Titus back to Corinth as his representative, to re-establish relationship with the Corinthian church. Later, Titus leaves Corinth to meet Paul again, bringing good news about the Corinthians. Paul is greatly comforted and sends a letter to the Corinthians by the hand of Titus. The letter as well as Titus’ return is to prepare the way further for Paul to come back in.
• Titus’ character? He seems to be trustworthy, diplomatic, sensitive, same mind and heart as Paul, good relator, courageous, encourager, much faith, boldness, faithfulness, counselor, concerned, caring …
• Further scriptures in 2 Cor 8:6, 8:16, 8:23, 12:18 … give some more hints on his character: he is trusted with a big money-collection, he is eager for the Corinthians, Paul’s partner and co-worker, person of integrity … “Titus did not take advantage of you, did he?”… of the same spirit as Paul.
• In 2 Tim 4:10 we find another reference to Titus. This very likely after he was in Crete, where Paul describes him as launching out to Dalmatia, at a time when other workers prove unfaithful.
• From the Titus letter itself:
  • trustworthy > Paul thinks he is fully adequate to take care of the organization,  discipler of churches
  • Sound doctrine > Paul thinks him to be sound
  • Able to teach, exhort, reprove … having authority to do so Ti 2:1, 2:15 … which means: living it out, having a godly character to model
  • Able to recognize and release people into leadership, sensitivity, realistic judgment, encouragement
  • Discipler, exhorter, encourager, releaser
  • The fix-the-church-man!
• What we just did is a character study on Titus from all references we have about him. Does Titus feel more like a more real figure to you now? Can understand a little bit more how he was like? Can you start to feel, that the apostles were not all alike? Very much figures with different strengths and weaknesses as we also? Can you feel Paul’s appreciation for him?
• Character studies are a very powerful thing to do. They make people more real. They give us role models. The Bible is always very realistic in describing people. I trust that in the next few months you will get to know many men and women of the early church more personally and benefit from that

Written to the Cretan churches

• Ti 1:5 … One more thing though, there is something strange in the letter we haven’t looked at yet: Why in the world did Paul not just talk personally to Titus before he left? Did he just disappear one night and then later wrote a letter: “oh, by the way, …”. If not, if Paul and Titus talked, why is the letter necessary? written to accomplish what?
• very possibly the letter is written not only to give Titus some back-up instructions, but also because it authorizes Titus in front of these Cretan churches. It declares him Paul’s chosen representative, it gives him Paul’s authority, it affirms his character and Paul’s trust in him.
• Why is this “authorization” necessary?
  • The Cretans seemed to have been a fairly unruly bunch, not exactly submissive, ready to argue and not very far ahead yet in discipleship, …
  • Ti 2:15 is very revealing … “reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you” … so Paul knew, there would be opposition to Titus.
  • Also with Titus being not a Jew, unlike Paul, there could have been doubts from the Jewish converts about his right to lead them. As a Greek, Titus wasn’t circumcised, he probably wasn’t particularly familiar with Jewish law, with Jewish myths, with genealogies … which could have really weakened his stand against that group (Ti 1:10, 1:14, 3:9). Paul can easily answer them, he is the ultimate insider. But Titus? We will look at these people influencing the church later. Paul instructs Titus in Ti 1:10 with “they must be silenced” … which they surely didn’t like to be.

From where was Titus written?

• Paul seems to be in Greece at Nicopolis, or at least on the way there. He decides to winter there, probably because the Mediterranean sea gets rough and dangerous in the winter months. Possibly the letter could have been carried by Zenas the lawyer and Apollos Ti 3:13, but there is no direct mentioning of it.
• Nicopolis is a city on the west coast of Greece. It is not mentioned in Acts nor anywhere else in the New Testament, which makes things more difficult, but is a good reminder, that Acts only covers certain parts of Paul’s life, not everything.

Historical Background for the Island of Crete

• Crete is the southernmost big island of Greece. It is quite secluded from the rest of Greece, yet strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, a center of trading.
• Gen 10:4 mentions in its genealogy Japheth > Javan > Kittim > Coastland peoples … Kittim is Crete.
• Minoan kingdom on Crete around 1500 BC (time of Moses), which established supremacy over the sea
• The Philistines that pressure Israel for centuries (Goliath) around 1100 BC ff, originally came from Crete and were a sea-faring nation.
• Later Crete was part of the Greek empire of Alexander and by New Testament times Crete is under Rome.
• Paul quotes their own poet to describe them in Ti 1:12 liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons. He is quoting the poet Epimenides, 600 BC who lived in Knossos, Crete and the poet Callimachus’s hymn to Zeus. (Zondervan’s Encyclopedia and Dictionary)
• There lying seems to have been so consistently practiced, that one of the Greek words for “lying” actually is derived from the word “crete” (Eerdman’s handbook).
• There was Jews on the island at least from 140 BC onward. This is known because there is historical evidence of an appeal to Rome for their protection at this date.

When was the church founded?

• Unlike for Galatians, there is no story in Acts that tells us about how the churches were founded.
• The name of Crete is mentioned only once in the New Testament (Paul going there): in Acts 27:8-15 Paul shortly touches Crete. This was around 59 AD. At that time he is a prisoner of Rome, though, and that company is trying to get to Rome quickly before the winter-storms. Also the instruction about wintering at Nicopolis doesn’t fit at all.
• So: nothing specific. Where could this story fit? Paul and Titus in Crete, founding churches, then Paul leaving, going to Nicopolis? … no reference whatsoever in Nicopolis in Acts.
• So what we will do is reconstruct Paul’s life (from the missionary journeys onward) and see, whether we can fit the Crete story in anywhere.
  • On his second missionary journey Paul spends one and a half year in Corinth, around 50-52 AD, see Acts 18:2-18.This could allow for a trip to Crete. Pro: Paul quotes the same poet Epimenides also in Athens, which he was at prior to Corinth. Con: Titus is not mentioned to be with Paul on the second missionary journey.
  • On his third missionary journey Paul spends two years at Ephesus, around 53-56 AD, see Acts 19:1-20:1. A trip to Crete is possible. Pro: quite some time, Titus works with Paul at that time. Contra: no mention of Nicopolis.
  • From Ephesus Paul visits Greece for three months, around 56 AD, see Acts 20:2-3. A trip to Crete could be part of that. Pro: Titus is co-working with Paul at that time. Con: but actually Paul is very busy with a huge conflict in the Corinthian church, time is short, he is rushing to Jerusalem, see Acts 20:16.
  • He goes to Jerusalem, is arrested, and imprisoned for two years, around 57-59 AD, then he travels as prisoner to Rome and touches Crete on the way, Acts 27:8-15. Con; He is a prisoner of Rome, trying to get to Rome quickly before the winter-storms, instruction about wintering at Nicopolis doesn’t fit at all.
  • Paul is imprisoned in Rome 60-62 AD. Acts ends with mentioning that. Some verses in Philippians and Philemon, as well as tradition seems to indicate, that Paul gets free and travels to the East, to strengthen churches.
  • So possibly in this time from 63-64 AD our Crete story fits.
  • Around 64 AD Paul is in Rome again, this time arrested for good in a wide-scale persecution of Christians, and later executed under the emperor of that time, Nero. Pro: could fit. Con: no concrete evidence.

Who makes up the church?

• Specifically addressed are elders, bishops, families, older men, older women, your women, younger men, slaves, masters.
• Titus 1:5 implies a plural … appoint elders in every town, so several churches, like in Galatians.
• The Cretans were basically Gentiles, but there seems to have been some converts from the Jewish community in Greece as well. Paul would usually when coming to a new place, goes first to the local Synagogue to preach the gospel, and then also preaches to Gentiles.
• Then there is some trouble makers

Strengths of the church?

• Ti 3:8 … they have become believers in God

Weaknesses of the church?

• nothing very direct mentioned. Mostly referring to Crete in general and the false teachers in particular. Inferences can be made about the churches that are influenced by them:
• Ti 1:12 liars, vicious brutes, lazy gluttons
• Ti 1:16 disobedient, detestable, unfit for any good work
• Ti 1:11 teaching for gain
• Ti 3:9 controversies, genealogies, dissensions, quarrels about law

Literary Category

• prose > literal interpretation, only Ti 1:12 is a poetry quote from Epimenides, a Greek poet

Structure

• letter, written in Greek style

Composition

• problem > solution
• interchange: teaching versus practical instructions:
  Ti 1:5 elders practical instructions (+)
  Ti 1:7 bishop practical instructions (+)
  Ti 1:10 rebellious people / Cretans practical instructions (-)
  Ti 1:15-16 little teaching
  Ti 2:1 Titus practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:2 older men practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:3 older women practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:4 young women practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:6 young men practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:7 Titus practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:9 slaves practical instructions (+)
  Ti 2:11 teaching
  Ti 2:15 Titus practical instructions (+)
  Ti 3:1 “them” > church people practical instructions (+)
  Ti 3:3 “we” before Christ, like them now practical instructions (-)
  Ti 3:4 teaching
  Ti 3:8 Titus practical instructions (+)
  Ti 3:9 Titus practical instructions (-)

Main topics or ideas

• Jesus’ grace saves us (justification) and trains us to renounce passion, sin and live self-controlled, upright, godly lives
• sound teaching, knowledge of this grace is essential to godly living and change, so declare, teach, reprove, exhort, model this.
• godly character is mandatory for leaders, but a sign of health for all believers

Main reasons or goals

• so that Titus will be encouraged, instructed and authorized to appoint church leadership, teach sound doctrine and be a model to the church
• so that the Cretan churches get godly leadership, sound teaching of grace and encouragement to godly living
• so that the Cretan church learns to reject false teaching and knows to evaluate leaders / teachers / those influencing them by character & behavior

MAJOR THEMES IN TITUS

Character Qualities

• The major theme we dug up was positive character qualities, contrasted with negative character qualities.
• If we just saw that … goodness gracious! What in the world happened to Paul since Galatians?? What did point did Paul stress over and over in Galatians?? Now are we suddenly saved by good works? by keeping instructions or laws? or what?
• At the surface the two epistles seem to conflict with each other, but if we dig further, you will see with your own eyes, that there is one Paul, and more than that: one consistent, faithful God, writing both.

Leadership

• Tit 1:5 elders … 1:7 bishops … not completely clear, probably two levels of leadership
• Titus 1:5-6 elders > 5 requirements 1:7-9 bishops > 14 requirements
• Principle: the higher the leadership, the sharper the conditions … for: wider influence … more power to hurt
• Our culture of ‘the higher up in leadership the more willful “whatever I feel like” is emphatically not biblical!

Elders Titus 1:5-6

The first thing Paul instructs and authorizes Titus to do is appointing church leadership in the different towns (Tit 1:5). Paul lists the character qualities that Titus needs to look out for. Indirectly Paul teaches the churches what God desires and values and what they should strive for: godly character.
It is not totally clear whether Paul describes two level of church leadership with his two lists (first: elders, five requirements, Tit 1:5-7, and then bishops, fourteen requirements, Tit 1:7-9) or whether it is one list talking about leadership in general. Which ever way, the importance of character over skill is striking: only one item in the entire list has even remotely to do with skill (Tit 1:10, the ability to teach). Our culture thinks of leadership in a very different way: we look for skill over character. Also we think of leadership as ‘the higher up the less accountable’; we think leaders can take more freedoms than normal church members. But this is not supported by the Bible. According to Paul there is only one requirement for normal church members: faith in Jesus. But for leaders he puts down a list of almost twenty character requirements:

• “blameless” meaning not absolute moral perfection but living a transparent life, honest, repentant, visible, committed.
• “married only once” – The older translation “husband of one wife” has been taken to mean: only men can be elders. But if the verse is interpreted in this way, then also no unmarried person or no widower qualifies. The day an elder’s wife dies he is disqualified from leadership. This would also mean Paul and Jesus are disqualified from leadership, which is ridiculous. A better interpretation is to understand the principle to be that elders need to be self-controlled, monogamous and not sexually indulgent. They need to be either faithfully monogamous or abstinent if unmarried, but this is not excluding the unmarried, widowers or women in general.
• “whose children are believers, not drunkards, not rebellious”. The principle here is one of integrity, consistency and proven experience. If an elder does not do well with his own family, he or she has no authority to lead others. But: by this verse great pressure is put on pastors’ or elders’ children. Actually the pressure should be on the parent, not the child. A leader should be an example to his children. He or she should create an atmosphere at home where the children thrive, do well and freely choose a godly life.
• “God’s steward” – caretakers, not owners; accountable to God, with authority but under God, not self-willed but responsible, caring, developing, bringing others to bloom.
• “not arrogant” arrogance means being sure one is right, stubborn, blind, insisting on one’s opinion, not considering others’ view point. To not be arrogant means to listen, to consider, to not be self-centered, to allow being evaluated one-self
• “not quick tempered” – angry people are scary people, they exercise power and force others to cooperate. Anger is uncontrolled, it creates an atmosphere of fear, of ‘never know what will happen next’. One outbreak of anger can undo months of good behavior. Loosing temper means loosing control, which leads to people feeling unsafe and fearful. Loosing temper means unreliability and breach of trust. Anger as an emotion is okay, but not as a willful action, and especially not as a repeated action.
• “not addicted to wine” – not a full prohibition of alcohol, but most definitely a prohibition of drunkenness, of addiction, of loss of self-control. Addiction means false priorities, anger, broken word, unreliability. Children of drunkards never know what they will find when coming home. Everything is arbitrary, promises are broken. They live in fear and often abuse.
• “Not violent” – an extrapolation of anger, an overstepping boundaries, controlling people, threatening people, hurting people, which is absolutely unacceptable in a leader.
• “Not greedy for gain” – this is essential. Ulterior motivation will kill the highest calling, the most outstanding giftings, the most thriving ministry. Money is a good servant and a bad master. The great corrupters of the human hearts: sex, power, money, fame. See instructions for a king in Deu 17:16-21: not too many wives, horses, wealth and honor.
• “Hospitable” being welcoming, open, a lover of the foreign(er), accommodating, interested, open to the new, releasing.
• “Lover of goodness” – In the Bible to love means to do. Actively doing good, serving, helping, caring, being involved in people’s lives, being practical.
• “Prudent” wise, good judgment, sense of fairness, not partial, not ‘one can’t do anything right and the other can’t do anything wrong’, principled.
• “Upright” honest, transparent, open, loving what is good
• “Devout” committed, wholehearted, obedient. Leaders need to be obedient to God, to God’s principles, even to people. We say: followers must be obedient.
• “Self-control” choosing right over convenient, serving others first, working hard, seeking the welfare of those under one’s care. To do so will require self-control.
• “Firm grasp of the trustworthy word” – able to preach sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it. Knowing and understanding the word, able to share the word, teach, do apologetics, have strength of principle, not easily swayed.

Again most all of these are focusing on character and attitude, not on skill. We do the opposite when selecting leaders. We therefore promote wrong people, and then are surprised that the church is suffering.

Groups in the church

But Paul also addresses the Cretan believers in general to strive for a godly character. He gives very specific check-points for each group:

Older men Titus 2:2

• “temperate” interesting that this comes first! With age, with experience, even with being male comes influence and automatic leadership (not chosen for character). Paul first requires self-control (as from leaders and for the same reasons). Culturally we indulge the elderly, especially the pater familias. We respect him, obey him, feel we can’t say no to him. Even more so: self-control is vital! not self-focused, not self-pleasing, not self-indulging, not unaccountable, not ‘whatever I want’.
• “serious” one must be somebody that can be respected. Don’t demand respect, earn respect! Be wise, selfless, fair, not partial, honestly seeking the best of everyone. Some senior family leaders are old, but not wise, they are a weakness to their extended families, a problem to those trying to do better in their immediate families. Sad but true. A foolish youngster is a sad thing, a foolish elder is much worse.
• “prudent” again precisely because of their natural influence this is essential.
• “sound in faith, love and endurance” – not in demanding service and self-indulgence but being a true example, modeling to the younger ones. Old people who are an inspiration, who lived their lives well, are strong, a blessing others and a great witness till the end.

Paul has a lot to say to these ‘automatic’ leaders, he puts down requirements! Again: the higher the leadership, the more are God’s demands on our character.

Older women Titus 2:3-4

• “reverent in behavior” – fear of God, good behavior
• “not slanderers” – a temptation of women, maybe because they place high importance on family and relationships, maybe because they are give no other power, maybe because they are so measured by relationships and having to be better than others.
• “not slaves to drink” – addiction, indulgence in women whose direct role in the family has diminished. Why them? Maybe they feel they served so long, now it’s their time to indulge, maybe they are bored and without role and responsibility
• “teach what is good” or “encourage young women” – God wants older women to have a role, a good influence, a model, making good use of their time. God commands women to teach. Some say: teach only other women, but that is not borne out by the New Testament. God tells them that they have something to give, their experience, their wisdom, their service, their time.

We should grieve when we see elderly Christian women, completely given to TV, soap operas and gossip – what a waste! How powerful they could be, how influential towards the good, how wise and helpful counselors.

Younger women Titus 2:4-5

• “love husbands, love children, good managers of the household” – again: be faithful, do well, be of service where you are, fulfill your role, be responsible with what is given to you, do it wholeheartedly.
• “self-controlled, chaste, kind” – equally demanded of young women, essential to family survival and well-being. As the proverb goes: ‘Ain’t mama happy, ain’t nobody happy.’
• “submissive to husbands so that the word of God may not be discredited” – God links this with witness to the surrounding culture, not with eternal principle necessarily. Submission is something that can only be done by people who are equal and have choice.

Younger men Titus 2:6

• “self-controlled” – only that one requirement? Chiefly that one. Maybe as this is a major temptation. Maybe as this is the beginning of sin and bad choices.

Slaves Titus 2:9
We may not be slaves (though there is much slavery in the world today), yet all scriptures concerning slaves teach essential work ethics. They teach work attitude in general, whether employer-employee situations or voluntary work.

• “give satisfaction in every respect” wholehearted, motivated work, not just minimum effort or grudgingly, but self-motivated.
• “do not talk back” one of the few powers a slave has is to talk. Don’t abuse it, be obedient, willing, constructive, helpful.
• “do not pilfer” – slavery doesn’t excuse stealing, rather be faithful and trustworthy, wholehearted.
• “perfect fidelity so that ornament to doctrine of Savior” – slaves have the power of witness, their faithfulness speaks powerfully.

Even a slave has a role, a calling, a responsibility, a powerful witness, a model function. Even when obedience can be commanded, wholehearted obedience is a witness. Church history: In the Roman empire is was through slaves that the gospel reached the upper class.

Titus himself as leader Titus 2:2, 7-8
Paul encourages Titus to teach sound doctrine, to show himself a model of good works, have integrity in teaching, gravity and sound speech. This is in addition to everything Paul mentioned for the elders to be appointed in general. Thinking about all the groups Titus has to address, the huge scope of the task he is given becomes apparent:

The key passages

After all these practical instructions and focusing on the outward visible behaviors and attitudes, Paul launches into teaching, laying the foundation for all that godly character and behavior that he instructed. Good works, actions or behavior is a fruit, a result, a consequence of right thinking, right values, right beliefs.

PICTURE

In three key passages he teaches foundational truths, which is also the summary of the sound doctrine that he wants Titus is to teach:

Tit 2:11-13

• “God’s grace appeared” – a beautiful metaphor for Jesus coming to earth. It doesn’t start with us, but with a God who has no reason to be gracious, yet he gives himself.
• “grace bringing salvation to all” – as always Paul’s gospel is for all who want it, who respond to it.
• “grace training us” – salvation starts a process of training, of change, of purification in us.
• “training us to renounce impiety, worldly passions… so that in this present age we live lives that are self-controlled, upright and godly”. This is the product of grace, the fruit of Jesus’ salvation: a changed life, godliness and self-sacrificial service.
• “while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ”: Salvation means justification plus sanctification plus glorification. We are once for all justified, continually sanctified and when Jesus comes back ultimately glorified. Justification is a one-time event. Sanctification is our continual challenge. Glorification is assured by God, a prize motivating us to keep faithful with the difficult business of sanctification in the meantime.

Titus 2:14

• Paul summarizes it one more time: “Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity… and purify for himself a people of his own, zealous for good deeds”.

Titus 3:4-5

• And one more time: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 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. This Spirit he poured on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

And why does God want this godly life so very much? Because only in this way we can be in continual fellowship with him.
Some people have said that Paul is not the author of the letter of Titus because it stresses good works, and in other letters he seems to stress grace. But that is a misunderstanding. Paul always teaches both, though he may put the emphasis more on one or the other depending what his audience needs to hear. In summary:

Grace saves us Grace trains us
> JUSTIFICATION                              > SANCTIFICATION
justified                                                   sanctified
accepted                                                  changed
by faith in Jesus                                    by reliance on Jesus / Holy Spirit
freed from sin’s punishment              freed from sin’s power
one point in time                                  continual process till death
unconditional                                        fruit, result, consequence
SAVING GRACE                                  ENABLING GRACE
stressed by Paul in Galatians            stressed by Paul in Titus
Galatia: tempted by legalism            Crete: tempted by the world
often missing in catholic teaching    often missing in evangelical teaching

• We need to understand this foundational gospel teaching, and take it in its fullness, letting it be the basis of our lives. In this way we will grow into strong, healthy trees with the fruit of the Spirit visible and ready to be given to those around us.
• This is the sound doctrine that needs to be taught, by Titus, and the elders or bishops after him

Chapter 3

• Ti 3:1-2 Paul instructs the believers to be obedient, constructive, giving and serving people, not just in the church but in society. This includes submission to authority, in the church (now Titus, then their elders) but also to the government. Paul wants them to be law-abiding citizens who build up rather than tear down.
• Ti 3:3 He contrasts it with what they once were – the exact opposite – and again celebrates not only salvation through Jesus, but a washing and renewal, resulting in a completely changed life (Ti 3:4-7).
• Ti 3:8 He instructs Titus and future elders and the church to commit themselves to good works and to excellence.
• Ti 3:9 This is – again – in contrast with surrounding immoral culture but also in contrast with religiosity of the Jewish type, quarrelsome, superior, focusing on race (genealogies) etc.
• Ti 3:10 Paul puts down a procedure: Admonish such divisive people once, twice, but then have nothing more to do with them. These seems to refer to outsiders influencing the church.
• Ti 3:12-15 Practical matters: Artemas and Tychicus are sent, it seems as replacement for Titus, for Titus is instructed to wait for them. Possibly they are also the carriers of the letter. Zenas and Apollos will come through and might require assistance from the church. Again Paul takes this as an opportunity to stress that believers should commit themselves to good works and productive service.

Application

• This is a good check for our own lives … yes, praise God, we are saved! … but are you growing to be more God-like? Are you subjecting our will to God? Are you consistent in what you say and what we do?
• This is a good witnessing guideline … a boiled down gospel presentation. Often we used to evangelize (and often still do) with the sentences … “God loves you and forgives all your sin. If you believe in him, he will save you, and will give you joy and peace”. What is missing here?
• A summary word for  Titus is integrity, a life where beliefs, words and action match. What does integrity look like in my life? What would a church of integrity look like? What would be the effect of integrity on government and politics? What on economy?
• Also: if we are all into lying and cheating, it’s harder for us to truly have faith, to believe in a God who isn’t lying.
• Paul is making this point about God’s integrity … Ti 1:2 “in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies” … Ti 2:13 “we wait for the blessed hope and manifestation of Jesus” … Ti 3:8 “the saying is sure”
• Do we who live in rather corrupt societies, having modeled before your eyes everything except integrity, a harder time to trust these qualities about God? The consistent, the true, the covenant-keeping, the faithful God? Maybe God wants to give you a new revelation of this side of your character? Maybe this is something to pray for. Maybe it is something to watch out for during our study of the Bible … the God who keeps his word, over centuries, in spite of us men.