Titus is one of the three letters written by Paul to an individual person (Titus, Timothy and Philemon). It is addressed to Titus and describes the requirements and duties of elders and bishops. It is so similar to 1st and 2nd Timothy that I felt like I was re-reading those letters again Titus was not Jewish – he was Greek. We don’t know when he was born, but he lived way beyond Paul and perhaps beyond any of the Apostles. He was not circumcised. That meant he could not enter Jewish synagogues and the temple to preach. Titus might have been from Antioch (which Antioch I don’t know which – Syria or Turkey but most likely Syria). Like Timothy he served as Pauls secretary and interpreter. In the year 51 AD, Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabus (at the end of his first missionary journey) to the council held at Jerusalem, on the subject of the Mosaic rites so Titus was there from the start. Towards the close of the year 56, Paul sent Titus from Ephesus to Corinth, to fix the rift at that location. Corinth was full of scandal and dissension. Titus was successful at this and the church at Corinth was healed so Titus became a peacemaker, administrator, and missionary. Titus rejoined Paul in Macedonia, and cheered him with the tidings he brought from Corinth. Paul, after his first imprisonment, Paul, Titus, Timothy and others stopped at the island of Crete to preach and Titus was left behind to finish the work. Timothy eventually was left in Ephesus to run that region. Paul had Titus join him at Nicopolis for the winter before sending him to Dalmatia. I don’t know how long he was there before returning to Crete where he lived until his old age dying in 96-107 AD at Gortyn, Crete. Even though Titus is not mentioned in Acts like many of the other early Christian leaders, he was a worthy and vital part of the spread of the gospel in the first century and close to Paul. So why did Paul write Timothy and Titus and say basically the same things? That’s easy – there were no copy machines so he had to rewrite his thoughts. 1st Timothy was written just before Titus and 2nd Timothy just after. These were most likely the last three documents Paul ever wrote. We can still use the qualifications that Paul set out in 1st Timothy and Titus today. Nothing has changed. As far as Paul’s discussion to both men about the argumentative Jews and their obsession with their lineage – those points are still valid today too. How? We can’t be all puffed up and proud because our mama did this or our daddy was a preacher, elder, or bishop. We can’t claim anything from them – neither can we blame them for who we are. So what that we didn’t have the best childhood or example. Today is today and Christians need to look ahead. Lot’s wife looked back and was turned to stone. We look ahead to that day that Jesus will return. If Paul wrote to the Soncoast Pentecostal church today would he say (Titus 1:12): “(Hudsonians) Cretans are always liars; they are evil beasts and slothful gluttons”? Are we representing Christ or are we lazy and worldly with bad reputations? If we are seen in a bad light by others we need to change today. Would Paul say to us (Titus 3:11): “Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies”? Are we discussing and arguing over matters of tradition i.e. non salvation matters? If we are we need to stop it and stick to the basics. Paul wrapped up his letter to Titus with some personal instructions for Titus: either Artemas or Tychicus were coming to replace him and he was to join Paul in Nicopolis. So many good men traveled the known world during the first century and so little is recorded. Today there would be volumes of DVD’s and videos and we’d all know everything. It’s so hard to conceive what Paul, Titus, and Timothy went through. Today the United States Army Chaplain Corps.use Titus for their patron saint. At least army chaplains recognize the effort Titus made
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 14:55:45 +0000
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