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Titus 1

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Paul's Apostolic Authority and Greeting 1–4

1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, ​
2
in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal; ​
3
but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour; ​
4
to Titus, my true child after a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. ​

The Purpose of Titus's Ministry 5–9

5
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; ​
6
if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. ​
7
For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; ​
8
but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;
9
holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers. ​

Dealing with False Teachers 10–16

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For there are many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, ​
11
whose mouths must be stopped; men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. ​
12
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons. ​
13
This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, ​
14
not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. ​
15
To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. ​
16
They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Titus 1

Verse 1

a servant of God… an apostle of Jesus Christ — Doulos is a bondservant, one wholly owned; apostolos is one sent with a commission. Rom 1:1 pairs the same two titles, but there the servitude is to Jesus Christ. The truth he serves is 'after godliness' (eusebeia), truth that issues in a godly life.

Verse 2

God, that cannot lie — Apseudes, 'without falsehood', occurs only here in the New Testament. It matches Num 23:19, 'God is not a man, that he should lie', and Heb 6:18, 'impossible for God to lie'. 'Before the world began' is literally 'before eternal times'; 2 Tim 1:9 says the same of grace given 'in Christ Jesus'.

Verse 3

in due times — Literally 'in his own seasons' (idiois kairois; kairos, an appointed time). So 'in due time' (1 Tim 2:6) and 'in his times' (1 Tim 6:15). 'Manifested' (phaneroo) is made visible, in 'preaching' (kerygma). 'God our Saviour' is the title again in 2:10 and 3:4.

Verse 4

mine own son — Gnesios is genuine, legitimate, a true child; Paul writes 'my own son in the faith' to Timothy (1 Tim 1:2). Titus is called 'my brother' in 2 Cor 2:13. The 'common faith' (koine) is the faith shared by all, as Jude 3 speaks of 'the common salvation'. Both the Father (v.3) and Christ are 'Saviour'.

Verse 5

set in order — Epidiorthoo, to straighten further, a word found only here in the New Testament. What Paul began, Titus is to complete. 'Elders in every city' matches the practice of Acts 14:23, 'ordained them elders in every church'. 'Ordain' is kathistemi, to appoint; the appointment follows Paul's own instruction.

Verse 6

the husband of one wife — Literally 'a man of one woman' (mias gynaikos aner), the same wording given for the bishop and the deacons in 1 Tim 3:2, 12. 'Unruly' (anypotaktos) is the word of v.10: the elder's children must not resemble the 'many unruly'. 'Faithful' (pistos) can mean trustworthy or believing.

Verse 7

the steward of God — Oikonomos is a house-manager, as in Luke 12:42 and 1 Cor 4:2, 'it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful'. 'Bishop' (episkopos, overseer) is the office of the 'elders' in v.5; Paul calls the Ephesian elders 'overseers' in Acts 20:17, 28. Five 'not' clauses follow.

Verse 9

Holding fast — Antechomai, to cling to, as in Matt 6:24, 'hold to the one'. 'Sound' (hygiaino) is health-giving, and the word occurs four times in this letter (1:9, 13; 2:1, 2). The elder has two tasks: to 'exhort' (parakaleo) and to 'convince' (elencho), the verb rendered 'rebuke' in v.13.

Verse 10

vain talkers and deceivers — Mataiologos, an empty talker, and phrenapates, one who deceives the mind, each found only here in the New Testament. 'Unruly' repeats the word of v.6. 'They of the circumcision' are those of Jewish descent, the phrase of Acts 11:2; their teaching is described in v.14.

Verse 11

mouths must be stopped — Epistomizo, to muzzle or silence, occurs only here in the New Testament. 'Subvert' (anatrepo) is to overturn, as in 2 Tim 2:18, 'overthrow the faith of some'; 'whole houses' are households. 'Filthy lucre' (aischros kerdos) answers the requirement in v.7, 'not given to filthy lucre'.

Verse 12

a prophet of their own — The speaker is called a prophetes but is one of the Cretans themselves, so the verdict comes from within. 'Evil beasts' is kaka therion, wild beasts; 'slow bellies' is argai gasteres, idle bellies. 'Belly' is also a name for the appetites in Phil 3:19, 'whose God is their belly'.

Verse 13

rebuke them sharply — Elencho, to expose and convict (the 'convince' of v.9), with apotomos, 'cutting': the adverb occurs again only in 2 Cor 13:10 as 'sharpness'. 'This witness is true' (martyria) confirms the saying of v.12. The aim is healing: 'that they may be sound' (hygiaino) in the faith.

Verse 14

Jewish fables — Mythos, a story or invention. It names what 1 Tim 1:4 calls 'fables and endless genealogies' and 2 Tim 4:4 'fables' to which men are turned. 'Commandments of men' recalls Christ's quotation of Isa 29:13 in Matt 15:9. 'That turn from the truth' (apostrepho) is the verb of 2 Tim 4:4, 'turn away their ears'.

Verse 15

Unto the pure all things are pure — Katharos, clean, occurs three times in the verse. Rom 14:20 says the same of foods, 'All things indeed are pure'; Christ taught that nothing entering a man defiles him (Mark 7:15), 'purging all meats' (Mark 7:19). Defilement (miaino) lies in the 'mind' (nous) and 'conscience' (syneidesis).

Verse 16

in works they deny him — Homologeo, to say the same, to confess: the lips confess God while the deeds disown him (arneomai, to refuse). 'Abominable' (bdelyktos) is found only here. 'Reprobate' (adokimos) is one who fails the test, as in Rom 1:28; against 'every good work reprobate' Titus is told to be 'ready to every good work' (3:1).