Paul's Letter to Titus

Background Information

Paul wrote from an undisclosed location. Possibilities include Nicopolis (3:12), Ephesus, and Corinth.

Paul’s ministry activities and travel itinerary after his release from his first imprisonment in Rome and prior to his second and final imprisonment in Rome (and eventual execution) are shrouded in mystery. This period of Paul’s gospel labor does not enjoy the same degree of substantive documentation in Scripture as his previous ministry exploits.

Paul wrote to a man named Titus (1:4).

This man was first a convert of and later a coworker with Paul (Tit 1:4). He is mentioned 13 times in the New Testament (NT), with all mentions occurring in Paul’s writings. He was a Greek by nationality (unlike Timothy, who was at least partly Jewish). As such, he became a focal point of the legalism controversy discussed at the Jerusalem Council, since he’d been converted to Christ without undergoing circumcision (Gal 2:1-3). Paul’s description of him in 2 Corinthians indicates that he was a mature Christian (2 Cor 2:13; 7:5-7, 13-15; 8:6, 16-19, 23-24; 12:18).

Titus worked alongside Paul during the latter’s third missionary journey (while Paul was ministering in Ephesus), and he travelled to Corinth to address the problems there on Paul’s behalf at least once. He later travelled with Paul to Crete, after Paul was released from prison in Rome, and he relocated to a place called Dalmatia near the end of Paul’s ministry (2 Tim 4:10). Tradition suggests that he spent his final years of ministry back in Crete, where he died a natural death.

The theme of this book is “Good Works.”

This subject is named with regular and increasing frequency throughout the letter (1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14).

Paul wrote for the purpose of establishing leadership and direction for the young churches on the island of Crete. These churches owed their existence, in part, to Peter’s first sermon in Jerusalem on Pentecost, since some of the audience on hand had been Jewish travelers from Crete. They also, likely, owed their existence to the results of Paul’s extensive ministry impact from Ephesus (Acts 19:10), as well as firsthand evangelistic efforts by Paul and Titus on the island sometime afterwards. Perhaps, also, Paul evangelized some people there during his unplanned stop on this island when his prison ship to Rome harbored there, due to inclement winds (Acts 27:7-21).

“Crete is a very large island in the Mediterranean Sea, about 150 miles long and varying from 6 to 35 miles wide. Located southeast of Greece.” (Gromacki)

The churches at Ephesus and the churches on Crete existed in two entirely different environments. Ephesus was a booming metropolis, while Crete was a laidback island. There is a place in God’s plan for the “town church” and the “country church” both. Each setting will require the same basic ministry philosophy, both with unique differences of emphasis and need. No church is exactly like another. When you read both Ephesians and Titus (or 1 Timothy and Titus), you can sense the difference in culture and style.

Two significant doctrinal passages appear in this letter, 2:11-14 and 3:3-7. These passages discuss saving grace, the second coming of Christ, redemption, sanctification, the love of God, regeneration, justification, and eternal life. In particular, these two passages plus 1:1-4 provide key teaching about Christ’s incarnation, emphasizing the foundational importance of Christ to our faith.

Outline of the Book

The importance of godly leadership in the church (1)

• Recognizing qualified leaders (1:1-9)
• Handling false teachers (1:10-16)

“One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith …” (1:12-13)

The importance of a godly testimony in the church (2)

• For church leaders (2:1, 15)
• For various age groups (2:2-10)

The groups of people include older men, older women, younger men, younger women, and slaves.

• For all believers (2:11-14)

“who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (2:14)

The importance of a godly lifestyle in the world at large (3)

“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit … I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (3:5-8)