TITUS

 

By

Tony Smith

A Servant of God

 

 

Copyright 2015 by John Anthony Smith

All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Titus

 

Greeting

Titus 1

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, ² in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, ³ but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior; ⁴To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

ü  (See below for bondservant.) In this case Paul may be referring to himself as a willing slave to Christ because Christ first loved Paul and Paul loves Christ.

ü  The phrase “acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness” could be a direct response to the many pagan religions who claimed to have knowledge of truth, or even a corner on the “truth” market but did not accord with godliness. They did not accept Yehweh or Jesus therefore had no hope of eternal life.

ü  The promise comes directly from God and from the very beginning. God, being God cannot lie. It is not possible for God, the creator of all things to lie. What God says….is.

ü  Now Paul shows the importance of preaching. Preaching is how God chose to have His message heard. Paul states he was called to preach by the commandment of God. That is not to say others were not or are not called to preach by God’s command but Paul’s purpose here seems to be to impress on Titus and the readers of the letter his credentials and, by his comments, the credentials of Titus.

ü  See below for comments on messengers as angels.

 

Qualified Elders

⁵ For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—⁶if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, ⁸but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, ⁹holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

ü  Titus was to remain in Crete to organize the church and to institute the necessary things that were missing. Although this may sound administrative in nature it was really making certain sound doctrine was preached and lived.

ü  Some of the things that were missing were Elders and Bishops.

ü  Elders and Bishops were limited to men. There were similar requirements for the two offices.

Ø  Elders were to be the husband of one wife. That is they were not to be divorced or polygamists. He was to have a good reputation in the community, not wasteful of self-indulgent. Elders were also not to defy of authority. As Christ said in Matthew 22:21 “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”  is not expected to be perfect but to live his life in such a way as to bring no condemnation upon himself, the church, or the office of the elders

Ø  Bishops had the same requirements but also had additional requirements. A Bishop had to be a good steward of God’s church and work. The Bishop  will have to give an account before God regarding his leadership, guidance, and care of the church.  He cannot be self-willed. While he must stand firm in the faith, he must always be certain that it is not his own will but God’s Will which is his primary motivation.

Ø  He must also be in control of his temper. A man who is given to anger is led by his emotions instead of God. The Bishop must not is not to be a user or abuser of alcoholic beverages. A user of wine or other alcoholic drink can be very prone to anger and violence.

Ø  A Bishop must not be a violent person or money oriented. Both of these are counter to serving God. A Bishop must care about and for others and seek those and that which are good, those people and things who serve God.

Ø  A Bishop is to put God first in all things. He must be sober minded, that is able to apply logic and reason to problems and especially to follow God’s Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Ø  Finally an Elder or Bishop must not be afraid to confront and convict those who contradict the Word of God and sound doctrine.

 

The Elders’ Task

¹For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. ¹²One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”¹³This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. ¹⁵To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

ü  There were still problems with those who demanded new believers in Christ be circumcised in accordance with Jewish Law. These people and others would defy authority in the church, spread gossip, and deceive believers.

ü  Paul makes it very clear these people must be stopped because by teaching lies and deceiving people they can draw entire household away from Christ. It would seem their motivation is money.

ü  Paul now references the Cretan poet, Epimenides who lived about 600 B.C. Epimenides describes the Cretans as habitual liars, lazy, gluttonous, and vile. Paul notes that the Cretans have not changed in the 600 years since Epimenides wrote his condemnation of them.

ü  Paul tells Titus to rebuke them sharply (and probably quickly) if he sees this behavior. The rebuke is based on love for the Cretan members of the Church of God

Ø  The reason for the rebuke is so they may have a sound faith in Christ and His Word. They must be cautioned from those teaching Jewish fables and contradictory doctrine. The rebuke is based on love for the Cretan members of the Church of God

 

Qualities of a Sound Church

ü  The second chapter of Titus is very similar to what Paul wrote to Timothy. The consistency servers to emphasize what is needed to be an overseer of the Church of God.

ü  Titus was to avoid those things which did not promote and teach sound doctrine, doctrine founded on Christ and His redemptive work. Anything that deviates in any way from that is not sound doctrine.

ü  The term “older men” and “older women” has s bit of a different connotation in our present time. In the time of Paul people did not live as long as they do now. Men and women were considered older at about 50 years.

 

Titus 2

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: ²that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; ³the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—⁴that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. ⁶Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, ⁷in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, ⁸sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. ⁹Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, ¹⁰not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

ü  The advice to older men, women and young men is much the same. In all cases acting in Godliness is given priority.

Ø  All are told to obey the Word of God, to be sober, temperate, sound, or healthy, in faith and love. To be sober is to be self-restrained, to not allow circumstances to determine your actions or reactions but to always be guided by the Word of God.

Ø  Temperate is to be moderate, not to be self-indulgent, not to be swayed by circumstances. It is an absence or avoidance of extravagance. Again to not allow circumstances to determine your actions or reactions but to always be guided by the Word of God.

ü  Wives are told to love their husbands and children. They are to be discreet, chaste and obedient to their husbands. These went against the culture in that time as well as the culture in our time.

ü  When looking at this section we must also look at Ephesians 5:22-30.

ü  Wives are to be obedient to their husbands AND husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Husbands are to love our wives as they love their own bodies. The important thing here is the love that comes from God. Abuse of any kind has no place in the home or the Church of God. It is difficult to have the wife be obedient to the husband if the husband is not obedient to the Lord. That is why the world is in the condition it is in today. Husbands have required obedience but have ignored the requirement to be obedient to the Lord.

ü  Bondservant in this case can be a slave or an indentured servant, one who serves another for a specified period of time in order to pay a debt. Here Titus is told to exhort bondservants not to steal (pilfer) or disrespect their masters. They are to act in a way that exemplifies the grace of God in all things. To exhort is to encourage, incite or earnestly advise, often by someone close.

 

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹²teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. ¹⁵Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

 

ü  In verse 11 Paul takes us back to the Words of Jesus in John 3:16. Christ came for ALL people, not just a particular group.

ü  Verses 12 – 14 make it plain the Christian is to be different from and not part of the world system. Peter said the same in 1 Peter 2:9 – 10  “⁹But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (The word “special” is given a “peculiar” in other translations.) We are not to take part in the ungodliness nor prioritize our lives in accordance with the lusts, priorities, of the world. We are to live different lives from the world, we are to follow God and act righteously, in accordance with His Word and His priorities each day. We do this regardless of the present age in which we live.

ü  Paul and Peter echo each other when Paul calls us His own special people and Peter states we were once not a people but now are people of God. We are those circumcised in our hearts and are the children of Abraham. Christians, those who have been born again through the blood of Christ, are a special people belonging to God and are to act with great

ü  Finally in this chapter Paul tells Titus the same things he told Timothy, speak these things with authority, exhort, rebuke when necessary and do these with all authority. The authority comes from God, not Paul. We must always remember and keep foremost in our minds the authority comes from God, not man. The ordination of ministers and others is a sign and recognition of God’s calling and authority, it is not conferring man’s authority.

ü  Last Paul tells Titus not to let anyone despise him. This can come from a few sources. Titus is not to act in a way that would give people cause to despise him. Another is Titus is not to allow others to despise him without cause. He must exhort and rebuke those who would use despising him as an excuse to water down or negate the Word of God and sound doctrine.

 

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

Titus 3 

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ²to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us , through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷that having been justified by His grace , (See Hab. 2:4 & Romans 3:24.) we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

ü  Titus is to remind the Cretans, keep in their conscience mind, not to be insubordinate to civil or church authorities. They are to obey the authorities and to be ready to do works that are righteous and led by God.

ü  Given that Nero was the Roman Emperor at this time and that Paul had recently been released from prison we can see his instructs are God led.

ü  The Christian is not to tell lies about or speak badly of persons. Some commentaries add “in order to do harm” but I believe Paul’s comments are broader than that. We are to show humility to all people. That does not mean we are to be weak, especially as concerns the Gospel but rather to prefer others before ourselves and to treat everyone with love.

ü  Paul reminds Titus and therefore the Cretan Christians that we were all disobedient, lustful, lacked self-control, etc. before we accepted Christ as our Savior. This is very much the same comments Paul made to the Corinthians and others. We must never look down on those who are not Christians or their actions since we were the same before we became new creatures in Christ.

ü  We are justified by Grace, not by our own actions and therefore have hope of eternal life. Being justified by grace means it is a free gift to us and therefore not is not something we can or should be proud of. We did not earn Grace, it was given to us.

 

Avoid Dissension

⁹But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ¹⁰ Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

ü  Paul’s comments here come back, at least to some extent, to the circumcision party. Going beyond the circumcision party getting into disputes that are not useful to sound doctrine do nothing but, at best waste time and, at worst, lead people away from Christ.

ü  This next comment is one people have a difficult time doing. If a person is being divisive and, after two warnings to stop continues, that person is to be rejected, put out of the congregation.

Ø  The problem people have with this, especially at the present time, is the thought that to put them out of the congregation is unloving.

Ø  To allow the person to continue is unloving since they can lead people away from sound doctrine and the divisive person will not see what they are doing is wrong.

 

Final Messages

¹² When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴ And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

ü  It seems Paul was sending either Artemas or Tychicus to Crete as a replacement for Titus, at least for a time. Since travel was difficult in winter Paul decided to spend the winter in Nicopolis. Nicopolis was in a warmer climate and would be more suitable for Paul’s age and physical condition.

ü  Once again Paul urges the people to do good works, righteous works and to meet the urgent needs of other Christians.

 

Farewell

¹⁵ All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

 

 

 

EL:

EL is a masculine singular noun meaning Almighty as illustrated is the direct derivative form {Eh-li. aleph, yod, lamedh, yod.}, which means "MIGHTY" as in men of high rank and power. (Ezekiel 31: 11) “Mighty-one" {Strong’s # 352, Ey-al. aleph, yod, lamedh.} of the Gentiles,” and as well in (Job 41: 17) “Mighty men" {Elim. aleph, lamedh, yod, mem}. {Strong’s # 419, Eldad. aleph, lamedh, daleth, daleth.} means El has love.

(http://www.eliyah.com/forum2/Forum1/HTML/002932.html)

 

the meaning of Ang is "messenger   (http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Ang)

 

#1. HEBREW WORD STUDIES   מַלְאָךְ (Htr. malach) meaning 'Angel' or 'Messenger' Strong's 4397  (http://www.logosapostolic.org/hebrew_word_studies/4397_malach_angel.htm)

 

The word angel means “messenger god” or “Messenger of God” While we think of angels primarily as spiritual or celestial beings in its simplest form “angel” can mean any messenger. That being the case we can call any being or person bringing God’s message an angel”

 

BONDSERVANT:

SLAVE one under legal obligation to another; slave; servant – Hebrew meaning  (http://www.biblereferenceguide.com/keywords/bondservant.html)

 

The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon Definition:

a slave, bondman, man of servile condition a slave metaph., one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests a servant, attendant