Titus 1
Titus’ Task on Crete (1:1-9)
1-3 The greeting in these verses is long and formal, considering that this is a personal letter. However, Paul probably meant this letter to be read in the churches under Titus’ authority; that is why the greeting is longer than usual.
In verse 1, Paul calls himself a servant of God and an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:1 and comment). Paul was appointed an apostle by the command of God our Savior (verse 3) to bring God’s elect to FAITH and to a knowledge of the truth (verse 1)—that is, to a knowledge of Christ (see Acts 13:48; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 2:10 and comments). That faith and knowledge … leads to godliness and gives hope of ETERNAL LIFE (verse 2), which God has promised to all those who believe in Christ.
4 In verse 3, Paul calls God our Savior. Here in verse 4, he calls Jesus our Savior. Both are equally correct, because God and Jesus are one (John 10:30).
Paul calls Titus my true son in our common faith. Paul was a Jew, and Titus was a Greek (Galatians 2:3); however, in Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Greek (Galatians 3:28). In God’s family Paul and Titus were spiritually father and son.
5 Many Bible scholars believe that after Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment, Paul and Titus went together to Crete1 to preach the Gospel (see Titus: Introduction). Now, at the time of writing this letter, Paul has left Titus in Crete to straighten out some matters in the churches they had recently established there. Notice that Titus has received authority from Paul to appoint elders in every town where there was a church. There is no mention here of elders being elected by the church members. According to this verse, the elders’ authority does not come from the congregation; it comes from the Apostle Paul through his disciple Titus (see Acts 14:23 and comment).
6-7 In the New Testament, church leaders are most commonly called elders.2 Another name is overseer (see 1 Timothy 3:1 and comment). The qualifications for overseers mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:2-5 are essentially the same as the qualifications for elders that Paul lists here.
Elders and overseers must be blameless, because they are entrusted with God’s work (verse 7)—that is, they have been entrusted with the responsibility for God’s church.
Notice in verse 6 that the children of elders must not be wild and disobedient; furthermore, they must believe in Christ (see 1 Timothy 3:4).
8-9 In verse 7, Paul lists some bad qualities which must not be present in church leaders. Now in verses 8-9, Paul mentions some of the good qualities a church leader must have (see 1 Timothy 3:3). The leader must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught by Paul and the other apostles (see 2 Timothy 3:14). The leader must be able to teach that message to others (2 Timothy 2:2). That message is the word of God, by which the leader is able to instruct others in the way of righteousness and to refute false teaching.
Concerning the Men of Crete (1:10-16)
10-11 As in almost all the other churches mentioned in the New Testament, false teachers had also begun teaching in the churches of Crete. Among them were some Jewish believers of the CIRCUMCISION group (verse 10), who were falsely teaching that in order to be saved one had to obey the Jewish law (see Galatians 2:11-14 and comment). Outwardly these false teachers seemed like Christians, but inwardly they were rebellious—that is, they did not heed the truth of the Gospel and they did not submit to the leaders of the church. They taught only in order to get money from the gullible people who believed their teaching (verse 11). These false teachers must be silenced, says Paul.
12 Paul here quotes something written by one of Crete’s famous philosophers, whom the Cretans themselves regarded as a prophet. Even their own prophet had called the Cretans liars, evil brutes, and lazy gluttons!
13-14 Paul affirms that what this prophet has written about the Cretans is indeed true. Therefore, Paul instructs Titus to rebuke them (the Cretan believers) sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and avoid following false teaching. On occasion it is necessary to rebuke some people sharply; but usually it is best to admonish them gently. The church leader rebukes people not to hurt them but to help them. He does it for their good, not for their harm (see 2 Timothy 2:24-25; 4:2 and comments).
15 For those who are inwardly pure, all things—food, marriage, etc.—are also pure (see 1 Timothy 4:3-4 and comment). Purity comes from within us; outward things such as food do not make us impure (see Mark 7:15-23 and comment).
Similarly, if a man is inwardly impure, he will remain impure no matter how much he washes himself outwardly. Neither outward washing nor any other religious ritual or sacrifice can ever make a man’s heart pure (Matthew 23:25-26; Hebrews 10:14,11).
Those who are impure in heart make everything they do impure. If a man’s motives are impure, his actions will also be impure. Not only are the minds of such people impure, but their consciences are corrupted as well. The man whose conscience has been corrupted cannot hear God; he cannot discern the truth. Therefore, no matter what he does it will be impure and corrupt (see 1 Timothy 4:2 and comment).
16 These false teachers and evildoers say they know God, but by their actions they deny him (see Matthew 7:21; Mark 7:6-7; Romans 1:21-22 and comments). Such hypocrites are detestable in God’s sight; they are unfit for any good work.
