Titus is an amazing behind-the-scenes look into the internal structure of the early Church. For a pastor, this is an invaluable resource. It is also powerful for all of us because it highlights the key points that Paul continued to emphasize among those he was personally mentoring.

The Background of Titus:

Who: Paul

• The Apostle Paul is traditionally recognized as the author of Titus.
• It is one of the Pastoral Epistles (along with 1 & 2 Timothy).

When: 60s AD

Likely written around A.D. 63–65, after Paul’s first Roman imprisonment and before his final imprisonment and death.

Where and to Whom: Titus, while in Crete

• Written directly to Titus, whom Paul had left on the island of Crete to appoint elders and guide the young churches.
• Indirectly, it was intended for the churches in Crete, providing them with guidance for healthy Christian living.

Why Was it Written: Emphasize Godly Leadership and Church Governance

• To instruct Titus, Paul’s trusted coworker, on how to establish and organize churches in Crete.
• To emphasize the need for sound doctrine, qualified leadership, and godly living that flows from the gospel.
• To guard against false teachers and promote good works as the fruit of salvation.

Quick Overview:

Chapter 1: Leadership and Sound Teaching

• Paul greets Titus and reminds him of his mission.
• Titus is instructed to appoint elders with godly character.
• Qualifications include being blameless, faithful in marriage, self-controlled, hospitable, and able to teach sound doctrine.
• A warning against false teachers who disrupt households, especially those teaching for dishonest gain.

Chapter 2: Teaching and Living the Gospel

• Titus is commanded to teach sound doctrine to various groups (older men, older women, younger women, young men, and slaves).
• Each group is to live in a way that reflects the gospel.
• Paul highlights that the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.
• Grace trains believers to renounce ungodliness and live upright, godly lives as they wait for Christ’s return.

Here is today's text:

(Titus 3:1-11) Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.
2 They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,
5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.
9 Do not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels and fights about obedience to Jewish laws. These things are useless and a waste of time.
10 If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.
11 For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

Paul is wrapping up this very practical letter with reminding Titus to tell the Church we are to be a LIVING PARABLE to the world around us.

Overall Commentary: 🌎

Crete was much like the Las Vegas of our time. It was thought of us as an unruly place where the rules do not always apply. On top of that, Romans were wary of Christians because they did not live like they did. Christians were trying to be good and holy, unlike many of the cultural norms of the time. They also worshipped only one God, whereas the Roman world was a polytheistic society. Because of that, Titus is told to see this as an excellent opportunity to be different and be a living parable.

Commentary.

Verse 1-2: What Are We To Do?

Verse 1.

• "Submit to government officials and officers"- This was during the time of tyrannical Caesars and massively corrupt governments. Paul is saying that they should obey the governing authorities, as long as they do not conflict with God's Kingdom. This is a system of ethics that teaches us that by living according to God's standards, we automatically become the best of local citizens.
• "Always ready to do what is good"- Paul clarifies that we focus on the good parts of the government.

Verse 2.

• "No slander and avoid quarrleing" - The Greek language has this as one word. This term refers to slanderous words intended to demean. The meaning conveys that we should not enter our world to tear others down.
• "Gentle"- Gentleness does not mean weakness. It means controlled strength. Self-restraint.
• "True Humility"- Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself. It means thinking of yourself less often.

Verse 3-7: Why Do We Do It?

Verse 3.

• "Once we too..." Paul reminds us that we do not do this because we are better than anyone else. We do this because we know what it's like to be lost. We are no better than anyone else. We are only better than we would be without Jesus.

Verse 4-7.

• This is a poetic phrase. Paul is conveying the fundamental, core message of the Gospel. We were lost. Jesus came to save us. We could not deserve it. We were justified by grace, through faith. It was a gift of God.

Verse 8-11: How Do We Do It?

Verse 8.

• Feed it.- Paul says Titus should insist on this trustworthy saying and teach it to others. We should be "feeding" this joy and truth in our lives all the time. We must be careful about what we feed our souls. The main diet should be the goodness and saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Verse 9.

• Focus on it. The false prophets mentioned throughout this book and the books to Timothy are said to be constantly quarreling over things that do not matter. Paul instructs Timothy not to become entangled with things that don't matter. Instead, they are to stay focused on the truth and the essentials of faith.

Verse 10-11.

• Fight for unity. Unity does not happen on its own. You do not leave something, find it neat and in order by itself. Disunity happens by itself. Unity takes consistent effort. Paul is saying we must be willing to fight to maintain unity. This means we will occasionally have to point out those who refuse to do all that is listed above and be willing to ask them to correct their errors.

God's Promise:

(Galatians 6:9-10) So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Titus

Like a good detective, let’s examine this book. 🔥 Overview Paul must have trusted Titus a lot. Titus appears to be his “fix it” man. We can see throughout the different letters that Paul continually sends Titus out to fix things and be his emissary where needed. Paul is encouraging Titus

Brandon CannonBrandon Cannon