The genuineness of this Epistle is attested by a large body of evidence, and seems never to have been questioned, except by the heretic Marcion, and that upon the most frivolous grounds, until, in recent times, it was attacked by Eichborn and De Wette. But their objections are of such a nature that it is unnecessary to enter upon any examination of them here.
It has been supposed, on apparently good grounds, that the apostle wrote this epistle at Ephesus shortly after he had visited Crete (Tit 1:5), and when he was about to spend the winter in Nicopolis (Tit 3:12). From the close resemblance between this epistle and the first epistle to Timothy, we are naturally led to conclude that both must have been written while the same leading ideas and forms of expression were occupying the apostle’s mind.
The task which Paul had committed to Titus, when he left him in Crete, was one of no small difficulty. The character of the people was unsteady, insincere, and quarrelsome; they were given to greediness, licentiousness, falsehood, and drunkenness, in no ordinary degree; and the Jews who had settled among them appear to have even gone beyond the natives in immorality. Among such a people it was no easy office which Titus had to sustain when commissioned to carry forward the work Paul had begun, and to set in order the affairs of the churches which had arisen there, especially as heretical teachers had already crept in among them. Hence Paul addressed to him this Epistle, the main design of which is to direct him how to discharge with success the duties to which he had been appointed. For this purpose the apostle dilates upon the qualifications of elders, and points out the vices from which such should be free (Titus 1).
He then describes the virtues most becoming in aged persons, in the female sex, in the young, in servants, and in Christians generally (Titus 2). From this he proceeds to enjoin obedience to civil rulers moderation, gentleness, and the avoidance of all idle and unprofitable speculations (Tit 3:1-11). He then invites Titus to join him at Nicopolis, commends to him certain brethren who were about to visit Crete, and concludes with the apostolic benediction (Tit 3:12-15).
One of the Pastoral Epistles, so called because addressed to an individual servant of the Lord. It was apparently written after Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome (when otherwise could he have left Titus at Crete? Tit 1:5), and before his second imprisonment. From whence it was written is not known: its date may be about A.D. 64. The epistle urges the maintenance of good works and order in the church, and states the principles on which they are founded.
After the introductory salutation in which the counsels of God are referred to, and the acknowledging of truth which is according to piety, Paul states for what purpose he had left Titus at Crete: 1, to set in order things that were still left incomplete; and 2, to establish elders in every city, which elders are in Tit 1:7 called ’bishops,’ or overseers. The qualifications for such an office are then given: no particular gift is essential, but blameless moral character is indispensable, and soundness in the faith. There were at Crete many deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped.
The Cretans had a bad reputation nationally, as appears from one of themselves who had said, "The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." (The quotation is from Epimenides, a poet of the sixth century B.C. His sayings were quoted as oracles, which may account for his being called a ’prophet.’) They were to be rebuked sharply that they might be sound in the faith. To the pure all things are pure, but nothing is pure to the defiled and unbelieving, the mind and conscience being defiled.
Titus 2. Titus was to speak things that became sound teaching, with exhortations suited to those of different ages, and to servants, himself being in all things a pattern of good works, and his teaching such as could not be condemned. Then follows a summary of Christianity as a practical power in man, by the teaching of grace. The grace of God that carries salvation for all has appeared, teaching how a Christian is to live, awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who died to redeem such from all lawlessness, and to purify to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 3. Titus was to teach subjection to worldly powers and obedience to every good work. They had been characterised by ungodliness, but the kindness and love of the Saviour-God having appeared, He according to His mercy had saved them by the washing of regeneration (the moral cleansing connected with the new order of things in Christianity: cf. Mat 19:28), and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He had richly poured out upon them through Jesus Christ their Saviour (the ’renewal’ is more than new birth, it is the Spirit’s active energy in the believer), that, having been justified by His grace, they should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus was to insist on the maintenance of good works, but foolish questions were to be avoided. A heretic, after two admonitions, was to be abandoned: he was self-condemned. A few personal details are added, and the epistle closes with the benediction.
TITUS, EPISTLE TO.—This Epistle was written by St. Paul (Tit 1:1) to Titus while the latter was acting as his delegate in Crete (Tit 1:5). It may have been a reply to a request from Titus for guidance, or may have been written by the Apostle on his own initiative, to assist his delegate in the difficulties that faced him. St. Paul had come to Crete in company with Titus (Tit 1:5), but, having to leave before he could complete his work there, he left Titus behind to ‘set in order things that were wanting.’
As far as our records tell us, this was the first missionary visit of St. Paul to the island. No doubt on his journey as prisoner from Cæsarea to Rome he was windbound under its lee, sheltering from unfavourable winds at Fair Havens (Act 27:7-8); but we are not told that he landed on this occasion, and it is probable that, as a change of wind was being anxiously waited for, he was unable to leave the ship. In any case there was no opportunity then granted him of prosecuting any effective evangelization.
It has been thought possible that the visit alluded to in our Epistle might have taken place during the Apostle’s lengthened sojourn at Corinth (Act 18:11) or at Ephesus (Act 19:10). Such a visit is possible, but we have no record of it; while the general literary style of the Epistle marks it distinctly as belonging to the same group as 1 and 2 Timothy, which group on strong grounds must be held to belong to that period of St. Paul’s life which intervened between his two Roman imprisonments (see Timothy [Epistles to]).
From the Epistle it is evident that, though the Cretan Church was lacking in organization, yet it was of some years’ standing. We read of several cities having congregations in need of supervision (Tit 1:5), and of elders to be chosen from among those who were fathers of ‘believing’ (i.e. Christian) families (v. 5); while the heresies dealt with are those that are in opposition to true doctrine, rather than such as might occur in a young Church through ignorance of truth.
The Cretan character was not high. Ancient writers describe their avarice, ferocity, fraud, and mendacity, and the Apostle himself quotes (Tit 1:12) Epimenides, one of their own poets, as saying ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons.’ Christianity, without the discipline of a firm organization, springing up in such soil, would naturally be weakened and corrupted by the national vices. We are not surprised, then, to find the Apostle in this Epistle laying the chief emphasis on the importance of personal holiness of character, and insisting that right belief must issue in useful, fruitful life (Tit 1:15-16; Tit 1:2 passim Tit 3:8; Tit 3:14). The chief errorists mentioned by him are unruly men, vain talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who led men astray for filthy lucre’s sake (Tit 1:10-11), men who professed that they knew God but denied Him in their lives (Tit 1:16), and men who were ‘heretical’ (RVm
These dangers to the Christian faith are very similar to those opposed in 1 Timothy; with, however, this difference, that none of those mentioned here seems to have its origin in the incipient Gnosticism which in a measure affected the Church in Ephesus, where Timothy was in charge. The false doctrines in Crete are predominantly, if not exclusively, Jewish in origin, and it is known that Jews abounded in Crete.
The ecclesiastical organization, entrusted to Titus for establishment, is of the simplest kind, merely the ordination of elders (Tit 1:5; spoken of as ‘bishops’ v. 7)—officers which it had been the custom of the Apostle from the first to appoint in the Churches he established (Act 14:23). The appointment of presbyters was left entirely in the hands of Titus; but while this was so, it is evident that it would he necessary for him to consult the congregations over whom the elders were to be appointed, for he is charged to select only those whose reputation should be ‘blameless’ in the eyes of their fellow-Christians. Further, the presbyter is spoken of as ‘God’s steward,’ so that the authority committed to him by Titus was ultimately derived from God and not from man. No mention is made in this Epistle of deacons, deaconesses, or widows—a fact which so far distinguishes it from 1 Timothy.
The Epistle claims to be written by St. Paul (Tit 1:1); and its authenticity is established by the same considerations as establish that of 1 and 2 Timothy, with which Epistles it is closely allied in general situation, external attestation, and literary style. For a discussion of the questions involved in this connexion the reader is referred to art. Timothy [Epistles to].
The Epistle was probably brought to Titus by the hands of Zenas and Apollos (Tit 3:13).
Charles T. P. Grierson.
See PASTORAL EPISTLES.
See Timothy and Titus, Epistles to.