According to Titus 1:5, Paul had left Titus at Crete to appoint elders for the church there. Titus was a Gentile Christian (Galatians 2:3), possibly a convert of Paul (Titus 1:4). R New International Version (NIV). So, Pauls choice to circumcise Timothy would suggest that he had a pragmatic side. Apparently, Titus was successful in this mission (Rom 15:26) and the following spring Paul went to Jerusalem with this offering (Rom 15:25). Paul clearly held Titus in a position of great respect as a friend and fellow worker for the gospel, praising Titus for his affection, his earnestness, and his bringing comfort to others. In the first place we learn that he was originally converted through St. Pauls instrumentality. 2 Timothy 4, which Paul wrote shortly before he died as his final message to Timothy, mentions that Titus had gone to the Roman province of Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10). Titus, A letter of fundraising, was sent by Paul to Corinth to solicit donations for the needy in Jerusalem. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Although disputed and somewhat problematical, the unity of 2 Corinthians is assumed in the following reconstruction. In many ways he was a contrast to his father. 12. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. The latter was mentioned in a number of Pauline epistles. 2. The traditional connection of Titus with Crete is much more specific and constant, though here again we cannot be certain of the facts. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began. We have no record of his death. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. This grace of God instructs us to live upright and godly lives in this present age (2:113:8). Apparently Paul and Titus agreed to meet in Troas. Addressed to the church in Crete. They are to teach what is good. Paul, author of Titus and at least 12 other New Testament books, church planter, evangelist, missionary, and perhaps the greatest of all the apostles, 2. For by grace you have been saved through faith. The Bible mentions Titus in several of the Pauline epistles. Paul suggests (Titus 1:5) that Titus pastoral qualifications led to this assignment. "Entry for 'TITUS'". If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth. And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. According to the Bible, a person who reads and meditates over God's word is like a watered tree that will bear good fruit when the time is right. They had a notorious reputation of being always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons (Titus 1:12, NASB). However, Paul also understood that when a body of believers embraces sound doctrine, the result is changed and purified lives that produce good deeds (mentioned in Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14). However, this does not mean these people are beyond turning around. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? And sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Freedom and glory in Christ (Titus 2:11-15, 3:3-8). For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Photo credit: Getty Images/Seven Stock Studio. In Crete, he is to complete what St. Paul had been obliged to leave unfinished, ch. Titus was a Roman emperor, famous for completing the Colosseum and soothing the pain of natural disasters. Tough Grace in Difficult Places: A Study of the Book of Titus, Tough Grace in Difficult Places: A Study of the Book of Titus Bible Companion, Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary: 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? Verse 7. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Sign up to receive e-mail from Insight for Living Ministries. Bible Verses About Titus - King James Bible Online and Codex Angelicus (L9th cent.) To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They place their trust not in whether they will be treated well in this life, but in the eternal promise of salvation. TopicalBible 4:10, at which time Paul sends him from southern Greece to Dalmatia (Yugoslavia). 1:13) would, following his conversion (Acts 9:3-9), become the greatest missionary, church planter, soul winner, and theologian in church history, authoring nearly half of the New Testament books! Paul's many journeys are well documented and show that he wrote to Titus from Nicopolis in Epirus. View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Titus, which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? of Titus 1:5 - For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 2 Corinthians 7:6 - Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast . Titus generously aided the victims of this disaster, and did a great deal to repair the damage to the city. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. At this time he was working in Crete. A Psalm of David. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 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 I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. (Gal 2:3) who was an intimate associate of Paul and an effective pastor (2 Cor 8:23; 12:18). Sometimes shock-value is whats necessary. Titus: Bible at a Glance Its certainly wrong to talk in a malicious way (1 Peter 2:1) and Paul warns elsewhere about avoiding filthy jokes (Ephesians 5:4). 2 Corinthians 8:16 ), as is shewn by his taking the chief placehe seems even to have held a position of greater prominence than 'the brother whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches' (ch. Although there were promising opportunities for mission work in Troas, Pauls concern about Corinth and Titus led him to proceed to Macedonia (obviously there was a pre-arranged travel routeeither by sea or landto obviate the possibility of by-passing one another). Paul repeatedly mentions in his letters that circumcision is not necessary under the new covenant, and even tells Titus to silence Christians who try to promote it (Titus 1:10-14). Nicopolis: a city where Paul proposed to spend the winter and where he invited Titus to join him. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. So little is known about him that no one can positively state where he made his home, but most scholars feel it was in Philippi. However, Titus effectiveness with the Corinthians might suggest some prior personal contact with them, although Luke is rather definite in recording Pauls companions in Greece, and Paul even stresses that he was alone for a time in Athens (1 Thess 3:1). 8:6, 10-11). God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. Along with 1, 2 Timothy, these letters to Paul's sons in the faith are traditionally called . "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". Titus, accompanied by two Christian brothers, was the bearer of 2 Corinthians ( 2Co 8:23) and was given the responsibility for making final arrangements for . Nothing is more significant than a solid foundation in Christ. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. This book offers encouragement to a (possible) discouraged pastor (Titus). The origin of Pauls relationship with Titus is shrouded in mystery, though we can gather that he may have been converted under the ministry of Paul, who called Titus my true child in a common faith (1:4). I use Pastor Chuck Swindoll's books a lot: Moses, David, Joseph, Esther, Hand Me Another Brick. Titus 1:1-16 ESV / 24 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. ( Titus 1:5 ) We see Titus remaining in the island when St. Paul left it and receiving there a letter written to him by the apostle. Titus Flavius Josephus is best remembered as an unparalleled chronicler of first-century C.E. For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 1:2 ), had become a beloved disciple (1:4) and . When they got to Ephesus, Paul recognized some men in the church were teaching error about Jesus saying that Jesus could not have been a man and God at the same time. Following Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment ( Ac 28 ), he and Titus worked briefly in Crete ( 1:5 ), after which he commissioned Titus to remain there as his representative and complete some needed work ( 1:5; 2:15; 3:12-13 ). Titus was also again entrusted with the work of overseeing the weekly collection in the Corinthian church (2Corinthians 8:10,24). 10. D And not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. Did Titus take advantage of you? He is last mentioned in 2 Tim. Since Titus was an uncircumcised Gentile (Galatians 2:3), his presence as Pauls disciple cut to the heart of this discussion. Titus accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey, during which the apostle sent him to Corinth at least once (2 Corinthians 2:1213; 7:57, 1315; 8:6, 1624). The epistle contains some exhortations to Titus, although none of these reflects negatively on his character or ability. Our materials for the biography of this companion of St. Paul must be drawn entirely from the notices of him in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the Galatians, and to Titus himself, combined with the Second Epistle to Timothy. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, Why have you returned? After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. Zenas and Apollos are in Crete, or expected there; for Titus is to send them on their journey, and to supply them with whatever they need for it. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 1 Timothy, THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY | USCCB For Titus 2:1-10, see 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2 above.) J Something happens that causes their love for Jesus to go cool, turning away or falling back. (For Titus 1:5-9, see 1 Timothy 3:1-13 above. When the latter was called to Rome and was elevated to the imperial seat, Titus was left in charge of the war, and brought it to an end by the capture and destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. He said to have been permanent bishop in the island, and to have died there at an advanced age. He did not require his disciples to be circumcised, but if the situation called for working among Jews and it made things easier, he would concede to it. Galatians 2 mentions that Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, apparently the trip mentioned in Acts 15 where they went to the Council at Jerusalem to debate whether Christians had to be circumcised. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The decision was in favor of the free promulgation of the gospel, as preached by Paul, and unrestricted by Jewish ordinances. % xqyZeb4G-q[ n5O rSD Pe;UFD@hv{=Ul _>~fgxn}9~,['>lR,mjO|3-|Ai=;8F{e_og%4@_>lxvTk,36-_o^?26GJgx{g?|?/~/o> 0xG?~LSouk!lPgPoGC->|yEa:TcVZ/_y=08JtQ#e~[C-T~omfUSdcr[V and T.R. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, 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 I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Paul advises Titus to handle these people by rebuking them to make them strong in the faith (Titus 1:13), and to give a first and second warning (Titus 3:10). Q They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Titus is informed that Artemas or Tychicus will be sent to Crete so that he will be free to leave the island and to rejoin the apostle at Nicopolis, where he has determined to winter. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity. Crete soon after Peters sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:11), Paul and Titus likely did a good deal of evangelism on the island in the weeks before Paul commissioned Titus to a leadership position there. 2:1, 3; 2 Tim 4:10; for the 9 times in 2 Cor., see Background and Setting ). Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 4. After various attempts to deal with these problems by correspondence and a personal visit, Paul sent Titus to attempt a reconciliation and resolution of the difficulties. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. Titus is a short book that packs a punch. 3. See 1Corinthians 16:1,2 compared with 2Corinthians 8:6: "We exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also.". Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. From this letter we gather the following biographical details. He is not mentioned in the Acts. Paul gave instructions to Titus about the roles of specific groups of peopleolder men, older women, young This includes the Epistle to Titus. From Paul's Epistle to him these details are gathered: On Paul's liberation at the conclusion of his first Roman imprisonment he made a number of missionary journeys, and Titus went with him, as his companion and assistant, on one of these--to the island of Crete. - Sort By Book Order. Titus was one of at least two younger men that Paul discipled and described as his son in the faith that we share (Titus 1:4). The epistle to Titus was written about the same time as 1 Timothy, during that period between Pauls first and second Roman imprisonments. First Timothy presents the most explicit and complete instructions for church leadership and organization in the entire Bible. ( Titus 1:4 ) Next we learn the various particulars of the responsible duties which he had to discharge. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. First Timothy 3:1-7 contains the biblical qualifications for a pastor: "Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. If it is the visit of Acts 15 (preferable identification in the light of Pauline chronology), Titus contact with Paul was at least before the second missionary journey. When Artemas and Tychicus arrived in Crete to direct the ministry, Paul summoned Titus to join him in Nicopolis, a city in the province of Achaia in western Greece ( Titus 3:12 ). Paul wrote his letter to Titus from Nicopolis in AD 63, after the apostles release from his first Roman imprisonment. From the references in the Pauline epistles it appears that Titus was an uncircumcised Gr. He appears to have been a Gentile, and to have been chiefly engaged in ministering to Gentiles; for Paul sternly refused to have him circumcised, inasmuch as in his case the cause of gospel liberty was at stake. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. Both Timothy and Titus served as Pauls messengers and traveling companions, and they both went on to lead churches. Attempts to read or insert the name Titus into the Acts of the Apostles are not convincing. The last mention of Titus in the Bible indicates that he was with Paul during Paul's final Roman imprisonment. In the unrest and fightings and fears which the troubles at Corinth had caused Paul to experience, his spirit was refreshed when Titus reached him. Save 15% on BibleGateway+ for a limited time! Whether Titus ever ministered to Jewish believers is not stated, and both he and Titus worked at churches in Gentile areas (Timothy in Ephesus, Titus in Crete, and Corinth and Dalmatia). If by this means, beginnings of church organizations had been made . in Spain by Paul himself, in Gaul by Crescens, in Dalmatia by Titus, then, in reality, the missionary map had been very much changed since Paul's first defense" (Zahn, Introduction to the New Testament. Recently on our podcast, Charlotte Clay, our director of Marketing and Communications, and Dr. Jeff Kloha, our chief curatorial officer, interviewed Dr. Steven Fine, director of the Center for Israel Studies at Yeshiva University, an expert in the history of Judaism and the lead curator for The Samaritans: A Biblical People, an exhibition featured at Museum of the Bible from September 16, 2022 . 1. Who? There is no indication that they, like Demas, had deserted the apostle and sought safety for themselves, or that, like Tychicus, they had been sent by the apostle upon some special errand. Your browser does not support JavaScript. Titus was later left on the island of Crete to help organize the Church there, and later met back with the Apostle Paul in Nicopolis. 5 0 obj When describing heretics, Paul references a quote about Cretans being liars, crazy animals, and lazy gluttons (Titus 1:12-13) to show how foolish these heretics are. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Titus is instructed to come to Nicopolis on the W coast of Greece (Titus 3:12) to spend the winter there with Paul. P He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. Saint Titus - Wikipedia OpenBible.info It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. The modern capital, Candia , appears to claim the honor of being his burial-place. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. Titus may be the person who delivered the 2 Corinthians letter to the Corinthian church after he wrote it. indicates that the letter was written from Philippi and delivered by () Titus and Luke. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. Titus is informed that Artemas or Tychicus will be sent to Crete so that he will be free to leave the island and to rejoin the apostle at Nicopolis, where he has determined to winter. The child of God is to protect the gospel in 1 Timothy. We find him, at a later period, with Paul and Timothy at Ephesus, whence he was sent by Paul to Corinth for the purpose of getting the contributions of the church there in behalf of the poor saints at Jerusalem sent forward ( 2Corinthians 8:6 ; 12:18 ). Title. "Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker to you-ward" (2Corinthians 8:23). When Titus did not appear, Paul traveled on to Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 8:18 He is not mentioned in the Acts at all. Some believe he may have been the brother of Luke. According to Paul, elders must live blamelessly, to be good husbands with children who are also Christians, and to be both generous and hospitable. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon leaving Timothy in Ephesus to minister there, Paul accompanied Titus to the island of Crete, where he intended Titus to lead and organize the islands churches in their early years of existence. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. In Macedonia Titus brings to Paul a comforting report about the Corinthians which gives him much joy and peace of mind (2 Cor 7:6-14). This is essentially an ethnic joke, an example of Paul using slightly off-color humor. He was also a young Christian missionary and pastor, and a disciple of the apostle Paul. L In many respects Titus appears in the NT as an ideal pastor. As a commander in the Jewish revolt, Josephus attempted to persuade his companions to open the gates of Yodfat for the Romans, and when the city fell, he reneged on the group . Among other things he finished the Colosseum (begun by Vespasian), and built the baths which bear his name. Paul reminds him of the character of the people of Crete, and gives him various instructions for his guidance; charges him to maintain sound doctrine, and advises him how to deal with the various classes of persons met with in his pastoral capacity. All rights reserved. In 2020, he won First Prize for Best Feature Story in a regional contest by the Colorado Press Association Network. All rights reserved. Assuming this information is correct, and given the fact that many early Christians were martyred (John was the only one of the apostles to die of old age), its possible that Titus died by martyrdom. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. And God separated the light from the darkness. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Proud member Our spouses and children are our first ministry and being a good Christian in public will not make up for neglecting that. Paul exhorted Titus to speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), a clear direction that this should be the young pastors primary role. Such were Paul's plans; whether they were carried out is unknown. The church as a whole is exhorted to submit to authorities and avoid fighting and foolish discussions (Titus 3:9). For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. Paul exhorts older men to live livesworthy of respect, to have patience and love. The first mention of Titus is in Galatians. In the year 80 there was a plague and disastrous fire at Rome. Even though Paul spends a lot of time describing just how foolish heretics are, he holds out hope that they can change. ; Titus Justus for Justus, A.V. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NASB) 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue . In any case, nothing is recorded concerning Titus mission work until the third missionary journey shortly after Pauls lengthy stay at Ephesus (Acts 19:1, 17, 26, 35).
Julia Wright Obituary, Articles W