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Introduction
A. References to Titus Are Rare.
1. His name never occurs in Acts.
2. His name appears in only three other of Paul's letters (Colossians, Galatians, and 2 Timothy.
B. The Importance of Titus to Paul
1. Titus represented the good work of Paul among the Gentiles, Gal 1:1-2.
2. Titus was not compelled by the church leadership in Jerusalem to be circumcised though he was a Greek, Gal 2:3.
3. Titus was sent on sensitive and difficult missions to churches in crises.
a. He went to Corinth to enlist their participation in a collection for Judean Christians.
It may have been in part because of the famine referred to in Acts 11:29 (c. A.D. 49).
--D. Edmond Hiebert
b. He traveled again to Corinth to rectify problems in the church and confront opponents to Paul's ministry.
c. He later joins Paul in Macedonia after settling issues at Corinth with news that encourages Paul's missionary team, 2 Cor 7:5-7.
d. He returns to Corinth with the letter known as 2 Corinthians for the purpose of completing the task of gathering a collection for the Judean churches.
e. At some point Titus left with Paul for Crete where, after a short stay, Paul leaves Titus in Crete to correct what had become distressing conditions in the churches on that island.
f. It was during this assignment on Crete that Paul wrote this letter to Titus.
g. Paul's remarks concerning Titus to Timothy in 2 Tim 4:10 may indicate that Titus was with Paul during his second Roman imprisonment before being sent to Dalmatia.
4. Titus possessed necessary qualities (as indicated by the duties assigned to him by Paul) for the support work Paul needed performed in churches established during as a result of Paul's missionary journeys. D. Edmond Hiebert in his commentary on Titus has written that Titus must have "possessed a forceful personality, was resourceful, energetic, tactful, skillful in dealing with difficult situations, and effective in conciliating people."
C. Purposes of the Letter
1. To direct Titus "to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need" (Titus 3:13 NIV) when they came throught Crete.
2. To give weight to Titus' authority to manage the crises in the Cretan churches as his own personal agent.
3. To instruct Titus to attend to certain issues that had arisen in the churches
a. Lack of qualified leadership.
Titus was to appoint qualified elders, Titus 1:5-9.
b. The presence and influence of false teachers
Titus must see that they are silenced, Titus 1:10-16.
c. Lack of good instruction to believers concerning proper Christian conduct.
Titus must teach and enforce Christian conduct in the church, Titus 2:1-10; 3:1-3.
Titus: Problem Solver Extraordinaire
(Titus 1 NIV) Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—{2} a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, {3} and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, {4} To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. {5} The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
Salutation:
A. Paul's Declares His Mandate, 1:1-3.
1. Paul's mandate was commissioned by God, Titus 1:1a.
(Titus 1:1a NIV) Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
a. He is a servant of God.
There is no pretense of special office in the title Paul gives to himself. He is not the Chief Officer of Foreign Missionary Enterprises. He is merely a servant.
(Mark 10:42-43 NIV) Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. {43} Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
b. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Even in his apostolic position in the church, he recognizes with humility that compared to the contact and relationship the others had with Jesus, he was a "new-comer" and even a persecutor of the church at one time.
(1 Cor 15:9 NIV) For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
2. Paul's mandate was to promote two concepts, Titus 1:1b.
(Titus 1:1 NIV) Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—
a. To promote "the faith" in believers.
The emphasis is not on the act of believing, but rather the content of what is to be believed, i.e. "the faith."
b. To promote the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness
In this case Paul shares what particular part of the faith he focuses on in his preaching: the truth that leads to godly living and the hope of eternal life.
(Rom 8:13-14 NIV) For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, {14} because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
3. Paul's mandate had eternal significance, Titus 1:2-3.
(Titus 1:2-3 NIV) [This] faith and knowledge [rests] on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, {3} and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
a. Because hope for eternal life rests upon people's acceptance of this faith and knowledge.
(John 3:36 NIV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
b. Because hope for eternal life is based on the faithfulness of the God Who promised it.
(1 Cor 1:8-9 NIV) [God] will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
c. Because at God's appointed time He commanded Paul to preach this faith and knowledge which God has brought to light.
(2 Tim 1:8b-11 NIV) But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, {9} who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, {10} but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. {11} And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
B. Paul Addresses His True Son in the Faith: Titus 1:4
(Titus 1:4 NIV) To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
C. Paul Expresses His Reasons for Writing, Titus 1:5
(Titus 1:5 NIV) The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
Conclusion
1. God has gifted certain individuals with the discernment to see problems and with His wisdom bring them to resolution. As noted earlier, D. Edmond Hiebert sees in Titus a good blend of personality traits possessed by individuals who make good problem-solvers. These include a forceful personality, resourcefulness, energy, tact, skill in dealing with difficult situations, and effectiveness in conciliating people.
2. We are also given clues into what can keep a church from being effective in its ministry on the Lord's behalf. The indications are that a church must have spiritually motivated leaders who are themselves Christ-like in their conduct, teachers of Christ-like conduct for all in the church, discerning in their handling of the truth, defenders of the truth of the gospel, to name a few.
