This week we'll
start a study of Titus. Before we take a
look at the book verse by verse, let's examine its background.
Dear Heavenly
Father, open my eyes and heart to Your Word.
Help me to put myself and any other distractions aside. Please be with my family. Help them be humble and stay in Your
will. I'm so unworthy Lord. I thank You for all Your blessings. I'm nothing without You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Titus is one of the
three pastoral letters from the Apostle Paul.
The pastoral letters are 1 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Timothy in that
order. It was written around 63-65 AD. What do I mean by "pastoral?" The word began its use in the 18th
century. The word has roots in the Greek
and Latin. In the beginning, the word
was "of or pertaining to shepherds."
Here, "pastoral" means a spiritual guide or shepherd of souls. Paul's three pastoral letters are more
personal and intimate compared to the letters to the churches. They were written to encourage and instruct
fellow servants in the faith, Timothy and Titus. Paul personally lead these two young
preachers to belief in Jesus. They are his sons of the faith.
Let's examine Titus'
life through Scripture. Galatians 2:1-3
states "Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and
communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but
privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or
had run, in vain. Yet not even Titus who
was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised." In the church at this time, several Jewish
members were pushing that new believers had to be circumcised. This confrontation was handled by the
Apostles in Acts. Acts 15:1-2 states
"And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, 'Unless you
are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'
Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with
them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should
go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question." The church in Jerusalem responded in a letter
stating in Acts 15:24 "You must be circumcised and keep the law—to whom we
gave no such commandment."
Therefore, circumcision was deemed not a requirement to be saved.
Titus worked with
Paul on his third missionary journey.
They traveled to Ephesus and Corinth.
Titus possibly delivered the letter, 2 Corinthians, to Corinth.
2 Corinthians
2:12-13 states "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s
gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit,
because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I
departed for Macedonia." 2
Corinthians 7:5-6 further stated "For indeed, when we came to Macedonia,
our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were
conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast,
comforted us by the coming of Titus."
2 Corinthians 8:6 states "So we urged Titus, that as he had begun,
so he would also complete this grace in you as well."
After Paul's first
imprisonment, Titus worked with him briefly at Crete. Paul left Titus in Crete to be his
representative and to organize the church.
The letter to Titus are instructions to him on how to accomplish his
task. Paul understood that this would be
difficult. In Titus 1:10-12, he writes
" For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers,
especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert
whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of
dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always
liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.'"
Crete is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, just south
of the Aegean Sea.
Finally, Paul
mentions Titus in his last letter, 2 Timothy.
Specifically, 2 Timothy 4:10 states "for Demas has forsaken me,
having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for
Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia."
Modern day Croatia is where Dalmatia is located. I look forward to studying this text.
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