#39 Titus

New Testament OverviewsEcclesiology
Written By Logan Lancour

Background Information

In a similar fashion to all Pauline epistles, the Apostle Paul greets Titus by acknowledging himself as the author: “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Titus 1:1).1 For this reason and more, the Epistle to Titus was unequivocally attributed to the Apostle Paul, apart from Marcion, until the nineteenth century.2 Since then, it has been debated whether Titus constitutes pseudonymous literature of the early church or if Pauline authorship of various New Testament letters includes the Epistle to Titus.3 One of the reasons for this debate is that the Pastoral Epistles, of which Titus is categorized, do not follow the same structure nor contain the basic theological principles as Paul’s other letters that are included in the New Testament.4 However, while true, it does not disqualify the Pastoral Epistles as Pauline. Instead, it encourages them to be read as “complementary, not contradictory, and as no less Pauline than the earlier undisputed letters.”5 For this reason, Pauline authorship of the Epistle to Titus should be embraced. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus after AD 60, the earliest year that Paul’s first Roman imprisonment could have ended.6 The exact date and location of the writing are unknown as Paul’s journeys between his first and second Roman imprisonments are not as well documented as his previous journeys. However, Paul wrote 2 Timothy from Rome in AD 65-66, and this letter was written after 1 Timothy and Titus.7 Thus, the Epistle to Titus was written between AD 60 and AD 66.

While the location of the writing of the Epistle to Titus is unknown for the same reasons, Paul's conclusion that mentions Nicopolis makes it a viable place of provenance. However, because Paul states that he has “decided to stay the winter there” (3:12), it cannot be assumed he is writing from Nicopolis, as the writing season is unknown, and Paul speaks as if he is not there already.

Paul’s purpose in the composition of the letter is to address heretical teaching within the Cretan church and to implore Titus to establish faithful elders there (1:5). At an unknown time, Paul visited the Cretan church alongside Titus and left him there to conduct ministry elsewhere. He, therefore, writes to Titus to encourage him to continue doing excellent work in establishing a faithful church.

    1. Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references in this paper are to the English Standard Version (ESV) (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016).

    2. Andreas J. Köstenberger, L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016), 719.

    3. Ibid., 720-25.

    4. Ibid., 725.

    5. Ibid.

    6. Ibid., 731.

    7. Ibid.

Message and Structure

As mentioned previously, Paul begins the letter with his established annunciation of authorship (1:1). His general purpose in writing is as follows: 

For the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which [Paul has] been entrusted by the command of God [the] Savior. (1:1-3) 

While this purpose Paul declares is relevant for any of his epistles as it pertains to the Gospel and the fruit of the Gospel, it is especially relevant in the context of the Cretan church, for “stor[ies] concerning the Greek gods [were] soaking into the beliefs and behavior of the church in Crete.”8 For this reason, Paul opens the letter by contrasting Zeus, although not by name, and the True God. He states that unlike Zeus, who is a “liar and a womanizer… [God] never lies, and [He] gives hope of eternal life.”9 Paul then concludes this introduction by addressing and blessing Titus as his true child, demonstrating the familial structure of the Christian faith (1:4).

In verse 5, Paul declares his specific purpose in writing to Titus: “[he] left [Titus] in Crete, so that [he] might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as [Paul] directed [him].” Titus is to order the Cretan church by addressing two topics. The first is that he must appoint elders who are qualified according to their conduct and doctrine. Their behavior is contrasted to that of the false teachers (2:10-16), in that “they must be above reproach but also hold firm to sound doctrine” (2:5-9).10 The second topic to be addressed is the silencing and condemnation of these false teachers (2:11). These people have been “Cretonized: characterized by lying and cheating” for the sake of prosperity (2:12).11 Therefore, Titus is to end their reign over the church in Crete by firmly, yet “without contentious[ness],” rebuking them.12 Titus can determine who contributes to this heresy by evaluating the works and not the doctrine specifically of those in the church, for “their deeds will reveal their hearts… [and] faith that does not lead to godliness is dead and dangerous.”13 As liars, and even self-identifying liars (2:12), the Cretans may lie when they say they follow Christ. Their profession means nothing if it is not accompanied by faithful living. In other words, “the key to spotting false teaching is ungodliness [and] what it produces; the key to detecting good teaching [are] the good works it produces.”14 As Jesus states in the Sermon on the Mount, “recognize them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20).15

Chapter two addresses this idea further. The church and the leaders Titus appoint are to “demonstrate the saving power of the Gospel by living out its virtues in daily life.”16 Furthermore, in contrast to the deceitful culture of the Cretans and their habit of spreading “myths and lies, Titus is to teach what accords with healthy Christian instruction” (Titus 2:1).17 Paul writes how to do so amongst various demographics: older men, older women, younger men, and slaves (2:2-10). Paul also displays how the Gospel demands the action of faithful living (2:11-15). He says that the Gospel trains Christians to renounce sin and to live godly lives. The Gospel is not just a past event in the church’s spirituality but a current and future reality.18 The transformation that the Gospel produces is not instantaneous; it is a process that occurs over time through the alignment of one's own life with the message of Christ. Christians are justified before God when they place their faith in Christ but are not made perfect. They must daily embrace the Gospel to live holy, God-honoring lives. The day of perfection is yet to come, yet the Gospel promises it. Regarding this, the Cretan church will not be perfect until that day, but they should still seek to live faithfully and righteously as creatures redeemed by God in the Gospel.

While chapter two demands proper living in the Cretan church, chapter three addresses the church's influence and relations with those who are not part of the church. Paul implores Titus to remind the church that they must be submissive to authorities, ready for good work, gentle, not quarrelsome, and courteous (3:1-3). He also tells them to “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law (3:9-11). Rather, the church is to live as Christ lived, full of grace, mercy, and love.  The church must follow in Jesus’ footsteps. Christ did not come to condone sin nor encourage it as some of the Cretans do. Rather, He came to “[save] people by His mercy even when they were wicked. Not only that, but He washed them clean by the Holy Spirit, who has been poured out and is available to all.”19 Because Christ came to save from sin and to destroy it, it is only proper that Paul encourages Titus to seek and teach good works within the Cretan church (3:4-8).20

Paul ends the letter to Titus with a conclusion and further instructions concerning others of the faith (3:12-13). More importantly, he makes a statement that solidifies the epistle's argument: “Let [the] people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful” (3:14). 

    1. Patrick Schreiner, The Visual Word: Illustrated Outlines of the New Testament, illustrated by Anthony M. Benedetto(Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2021), 124.

    2. Ibid, 126.

    3. Ibid.

    4. Ibid.

    5. Ibid.

    6. Ibid.

    7. Patrick Schreiner,  “New Testament Survey II - Dr. Patrick Schreiner - 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus,” YouTube.com, December 5, 2023, 7:25-36, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORT-OgO3njo

    8. Ibid., 7:40-46.

    9. Schreiner, The Visual Word, 127.

    10. Ibid.

    11. Ibid.

    12. Ibid., 128.

    13. Ibid.

Application

There is much value within Paul’s Epistle to Titus and much to learn from. Just as Paul's goal is to help Titus facilitate “consistency in belief and behavior”21 in the Cretan church, so too can Christians today learn to do the same. As a Pastoral Epistle, it is of no surprise that this purpose is of pastoral emphasis. It is heavily concerned with facilitating godly leaders to create a healthy church and the correlation between behavior and doctrine. These two things should live and breathe off each other, and it is a pastoral duty to guide congregations in practicing that connection. However, the Pastoral Epistles are not for pastors and elders only. They are also beneficial for any Christian. Recognizing the connection between behavior and belief is central and even necessary to living a faithful, God-glorifying life. Paul says, “The saying [of the Gospel] is trustworthy, and [that he] want[s] [Titus] to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people” (3:8), not only the church leaders. Christians, no matter their job, denominational affiliation, or position within the church, are to practice putting their faith into action. It is what Christ preached and demonstrated and what He desires of His church.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kӧstenberger, Andreas J., L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016.

Schreiner, Patrick. “New Testament Survey II - Dr. Patrick Schreiner - 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus” YouTube.com. December 5, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORT-OgO3njo 

Schreiner, Patrick. “New Testament Survey II - Dr. Patrick Schreiner - 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus Intro” YouTube.com. December 5, 2023.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2ZfeHTAYjs

______. The Visual Word: Illustrated Outlines of the New Testament. Illustrated by Anthony M. Benedetto. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2021.

Logan Lancour https://Theologan.org
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