Introduction
Overview
Paul left Titus on Crete to appoint leaders in the various house churches (Ti 1:5). The people of Crete had a reputation for dishonesty, gluttony, and laziness (1:12), so it’s no surprise that Paul’s focus in the Letter to Titus is on how God’s people should live in the midst of a pagan society: Christians should devote themselves to doing what is good (1:8, 16; 2:7, 14; 3:1–8, 14).
Authorship and Date
The same issues of authorship are present in each of the Pastoral Epistles. See the more detailed discussion in the introduction to 1 Timothy. As a prisoner journeying to Rome, Paul had made a brief stopover in a Cretan port city (Ac 27:7–13), but it is impossible to determine the impact of that encounter. The Letter to Titus appears to have been written after a missionary venture to the island following Paul’s first Roman imprisonment. Paul’s greeting to Titus (“grace and peace,” Ti 1:4) does not include the addition of “mercy” as in 1 and 2 Timothy, suggesting to many commentators that Titus was the first of the three Pastoral Epistles.
The Location of Crete
Paul sends this letter to Titus, who is ministering on Crete, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Occasion and Structure
The Letter to Titus addresses a missionary or church-planting situation. Paul’s delegate has been left behind in Crete to (1) put in place leaders who can refute false teaching and (2) install a pattern of teaching that establishes the right fit between lifestyle and truth. Paul addresses the issue of Christians’ relation to “culture” more directly here than in any other place in his writings: they are “to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age” (2:12; cf. Gl 6:10; Rm 12:17–18; Php 4:8).
Paul begins with a customary greeting, introducing himself and identifying his recipient, Titus (1:1–4). Paul then recounts his commission of Titus to appoint elders in “every town” (1:5) according to the qualifications that Paul had previously given to him (1:5–9). The necessity of faithful leadership is heightened by the presence of rebellious people and false teachers (1:10–16). Paul charges Titus to teach sound doctrine and reinforces the ethical expectations for older men and women, younger men and women, slaves, and masters (2:1–15). He further charges Titus to admonish his hearers to submit to the rulers and authorities and to live peaceably among their neighbors in order to demonstrate the truth of the transformative work of Jesus Christ (3:1–7). His final instructions consist of dealing with false teachings and divisive persons (3:8–11), and he closes with personal instructions to pass on to some of Titus’s companions (3:12–15).
Outline
1. Salutation (1:1–4)
2. Leaders and Rebels (1:5–16)
A. Identifying and Appointing Leaders (1:5–9)
B. Silencing Rebels (1:10–16)
3. A Lifestyle in Accord with Sound Doctrine (2:1–15)
A. Relationships among Believers (2:1–10)
B. Theological Grounding: God’s Grace and Glory (2:11–15)
4. A Lifestyle Appropriate to Sound Doctrine (3:1–7)
A. Responsibilities in State and Society (3:1–2)
B. Theological Grounding: God’s Kindness and Benevolence (3:3–7)
5. Summary: “Good Works” versus Foolish Controversies (3:8–11)
6. Personal Instructions (3:12–15)