Pauls Letter to TITUS: Who was Titus? He was the Gentile convert who accompanied Paul on his famous conference with the Jerusalem apostles, where he served as a kind of test case for the non-circumcision of Gentile converts. (See Gal 2:3). In the pastoral ministry to Corinth, he also played a crucial role, first as a key administrator of the collection for the saints in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:6, 16-17, 23; 12:18), and later as a diplomatic envoy who successfully brokered a reconciliation between Paul and a church that had harbored doubts about the apostles legitimacy an financial reliability (2 Cor 2:13; 7:6-7 and 13-16) Finally, he was left in Crete, the largest of the Aegean islands and home of a large Jewish community, with the calling to supervise the missionary work. STYLE: Framed as a commissioning letter, it expresses three main concerns: a. He is reminded of the kind of character that leaders should have, especially in view of the many short-tempered Cretans, and how to refute opposition (from fierce adherents to the requirements of the laws of Moses, the Torah, such as dietary laws). b. He is advised how to carry his task of “putting things in order” (1:5), appointing elders (1:6-16) and with a strict maintenance of a patriarchal order and the proper submission it demands (2:5, 9; 3:1) on sound teaching –before the various groups in the church: the older men, the elderly women (who are, in turn and before kicking the bucket, to teach the younger women); the young men, and the slaves too. c. He is told to be friendly and peaceful enough as to avoid arguments and theological debate (1:13-14; 3: 9-11), divisions and hatred in the church. The final section brings two themes – of submission and good works – together (3:1-11), and concludes with a discussion of travel plans, plus a final exhortation to good works, epistolary greetings, and a benediction.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 00:39:27 +0000
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