Titus 1:1-16
Lesson 411
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
"The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus"
Authorship:
Written by Paul (1:1) in approximately AD 64, Titus is one of his thirteen epistles (letters). Paul wrote nine epistles to various churches and four (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Philemon, and Titus) to specific individuals. Penned between Paul's two Roman imprisonments, Titus was written after 1 Timothy but before 2 Timothy and is the shortest of his three Pastoral letters (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus).
Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1) and was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. At the tender age of thirteen, Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5). Paul was a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). Going city to city, he hunted down believers, beat them, forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11), and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (Acts 22:4). After converting to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life teaching the word of God throughout the vast Roman empire. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured decades of hardships as he spread the Gospel, all the time supporting himself with donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was driven out of Antioch (Acts 13:50), forced to flee Berea (Acts 17:13-14), and his enemies put him on trial in Achaia (Acts 18:12). Paul was whipped five times and beaten with rods three times. They tried to stone in in Iconium (Acts 14:5). They did stone him in Lystra, and left him for dead (Acts 14:19). In Philippi, he was arrested, whipped, and placed in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). Paul was mobbed in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5). They would have killed him in Jerusalem if not for Roman soldiers (Acts 22). As a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and washed up on an island (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12), and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the lonely stretches of road and brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Titus:
Titus was a Greek (Galatians 2:3) from Nicopolis of Macedonia. He was a Christian and "partner" and "helper" to Paul (2 Corinthians 8:23). Titus traveled with Paul on several of his missionary journeys, helped establish and organize
churches, collected donations for the poor of Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:3-6; 12:18), and accompanied Paul and Barnabas to the council of Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1). Titus delivered "The Second Epistle to the Corinthians" to Corinth and helped Paul with his evangelical work there. Some Bible scholars believe Titus also carried "The First Epistle to the Corinthians" to Corinth. Paul described Titus as a source of comfort during his many tribulations (2 Corinthians 7:6). Titus was like a son to Paul (Titus 1:4), and they traveled together to Crete (an island southeast of Greece) spreading the Gospel. Titus remained in Crete to organize and expand the church (Titus 1:5). Paul wrote "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus" to guide and encourage him as he built the Crete churches. Tradition has it that Titus became the first bishop of Crete and died there at an old age. Heraklion, the capital of Crete, claims to be Titus' burial place.
Purpose and Theme:
Located in the south Aegean Sea, Crete is the largest of the Greek islands (3,190 square miles). In Paul's day, Crete was called the island of one hundred cities and was the site of a Roman military training camp. Although it had a sizeable Jewish population, the island had many pagan citizens and was famous for its intemperance and corruption. Paul and Titus visited Crete to preach the word of God and establish the church. When Paul left, Titus stayed behind to build and lead the church (1:5). Like Timothy in Ephesus, Titus struggled to minister to the new Christians and needed guidance
to organize and lead them. The Crete church was young, in disorder, and false doctrines threatened to lead the new believers astray. "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus" was written to encourage and guide Titus as he struggled to expand the Crete church. The book of Titus lays out pastoral duties, how to select elders, and the best way to build successful relationships between family members, friends, and society in general. In Titus, we see Paul teach proper Christian behavior (leading by example) and how to handle false teachers. Paul also teaches the importance of finding good leaders and the value of performing good deeds. Our good deeds don't save us (Titus 3:5), but they're an essential part of the believer's life. Titus teaches us how to be godly, and how to teach others to be good Christians.
"The two paragraphs 2:11-14 and 3:4-7 are two of the most complete statements of Christian truth in the New Testament. We should read them carefully."
("The Everyday Bible," published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; page 327)
Written by Paul (1:1) in approximately AD 64, Titus is one of his thirteen epistles (letters). Paul wrote nine epistles to various churches and four (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Philemon, and Titus) to specific individuals. Penned between Paul's two Roman imprisonments, Titus was written after 1 Timothy but before 2 Timothy and is the shortest of his three Pastoral letters (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus).
Paul, Hebrew name Saul (Acts 13:9), was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Born to Jewish parents around the time of Jesus' birth, Paul/Saul was from the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1) and was named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch). He was profoundly religious and possessed a keen intellect. At the tender age of thirteen, Paul was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon in Jerusalem under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. Paul was "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), and a strict Pharisee himself (Acts 26:5). Paul was a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). Going city to city, he hunted down believers, beat them, forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11), and threw them into prison (Acts 8:3; 26:10), where many were "put to death" (Acts 22:4). After converting to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the rest of his life teaching the word of God throughout the vast Roman empire. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated. Following Jesus' instructions to spread the word (Acts 22:21), it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours and wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured decades of hardships as he spread the Gospel, all the time supporting himself with donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was persecuted in almost every city he visited. He was driven out of Antioch (Acts 13:50), forced to flee Berea (Acts 17:13-14), and his enemies put him on trial in Achaia (Acts 18:12). Paul was whipped five times and beaten with rods three times. They tried to stone in in Iconium (Acts 14:5). They did stone him in Lystra, and left him for dead (Acts 14:19). In Philippi, he was arrested, whipped, and placed in stocks (Acts 16:23-24). Paul was mobbed in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5). They would have killed him in Jerusalem if not for Roman soldiers (Acts 22). As a prisoner on his way to Rome, he was shipwrecked and washed up on an island (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was reviled (1 Corinthians 4:12), and in constant danger from thieves he passed on the lonely stretches of road and brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, beaten, and homeless (1 Corinthians 4:11). He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), called "the filth of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:13), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2), and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for two years while he waited for his accusers to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and beheaded. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Titus:
Titus was a Greek (Galatians 2:3) from Nicopolis of Macedonia. He was a Christian and "partner" and "helper" to Paul (2 Corinthians 8:23). Titus traveled with Paul on several of his missionary journeys, helped establish and organize
churches, collected donations for the poor of Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8:3-6; 12:18), and accompanied Paul and Barnabas to the council of Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1). Titus delivered "The Second Epistle to the Corinthians" to Corinth and helped Paul with his evangelical work there. Some Bible scholars believe Titus also carried "The First Epistle to the Corinthians" to Corinth. Paul described Titus as a source of comfort during his many tribulations (2 Corinthians 7:6). Titus was like a son to Paul (Titus 1:4), and they traveled together to Crete (an island southeast of Greece) spreading the Gospel. Titus remained in Crete to organize and expand the church (Titus 1:5). Paul wrote "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus" to guide and encourage him as he built the Crete churches. Tradition has it that Titus became the first bishop of Crete and died there at an old age. Heraklion, the capital of Crete, claims to be Titus' burial place.
Purpose and Theme:
Located in the south Aegean Sea, Crete is the largest of the Greek islands (3,190 square miles). In Paul's day, Crete was called the island of one hundred cities and was the site of a Roman military training camp. Although it had a sizeable Jewish population, the island had many pagan citizens and was famous for its intemperance and corruption. Paul and Titus visited Crete to preach the word of God and establish the church. When Paul left, Titus stayed behind to build and lead the church (1:5). Like Timothy in Ephesus, Titus struggled to minister to the new Christians and needed guidance
to organize and lead them. The Crete church was young, in disorder, and false doctrines threatened to lead the new believers astray. "The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus" was written to encourage and guide Titus as he struggled to expand the Crete church. The book of Titus lays out pastoral duties, how to select elders, and the best way to build successful relationships between family members, friends, and society in general. In Titus, we see Paul teach proper Christian behavior (leading by example) and how to handle false teachers. Paul also teaches the importance of finding good leaders and the value of performing good deeds. Our good deeds don't save us (Titus 3:5), but they're an essential part of the believer's life. Titus teaches us how to be godly, and how to teach others to be good Christians.
"The two paragraphs 2:11-14 and 3:4-7 are two of the most complete statements of Christian truth in the New Testament. We should read them carefully."
("The Everyday Bible," published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; page 327)
Titus is broken down into three main segments:
1) Verses 1:1- 16 - Opening greetings (1:1-4); Titus' job in Crete (1:5); Qualifications for church leadership (1:6-9);
Beware false teachers (1:10-16).
2) Verses 2:1-15 - Living right in the church; Lead by example (2:1-15); Good deeds.
3) Verses 3:1-15 - Living right in a worldly society (3:1-4); Avoid arguments, dealing with heretics (3:9-11); Closing salutations and benediction (3:12-15).
1) Verses 1:1- 16 - Opening greetings (1:1-4); Titus' job in Crete (1:5); Qualifications for church leadership (1:6-9);
Beware false teachers (1:10-16).
2) Verses 2:1-15 - Living right in the church; Lead by example (2:1-15); Good deeds.
3) Verses 3:1-15 - Living right in a worldly society (3:1-4); Avoid arguments, dealing with heretics (3:9-11); Closing salutations and benediction (3:12-15).
Study Tip:
Remember to read the Margin Notes in blue and to click on the links.
Remember to read the Margin Notes in blue and to click on the links.
