“Nowhere else does Paul more forcefully urge the essential connection between evangelical truth and the purest morality than in this brief letter.”[5] (Hiebert in Constable)
“The dominant theme in Titus, therefore, is good works (1:8, 16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14), that is, exemplary Christian behavior and that for the sake of outsiders (2:5, 7, 8, 10, 11; 3:1, 8).”[6] (Fee in Constable)
1:1
“‘Servant’ [‘bond-servant’] is doulos, the most abject, servile term in use among the Greeks for a slave. This abject, servile attitude on the part of a pagan slave finds its expression in true Christian humility on the part of the Christian who regards himself as a slave of Jesus Christ. … The word refers to one whose will is swallowed up in the will of another.”[12] (Wuest in Constable)
… “the slave (doulos, Greek #1401 ) of God.” That was a title of mingled humility and legitimate pride. It meant that his life was totally submitted to God; at the same time–and here was where the pride came in–it was the title that was given to the prophets and the great ones of the past. Moses was the slave of God ( Joshua 1:2 ); and Joshua, his successor, would have claimed no higher title ( Joshua 24:29 ). It was to the prophets, his slaves, that God revealed all his intentions ( Amos 3:7 ); it was his slaves the prophets whom God had repeatedly sent to Israel throughout the history of the nation ( Jeremiah 7:25 ). The title slave of God was one which gave Paul the right to walk in a great succession. (Barclay)
"for the faith" The NOUN has no DEFINITE ARTICLE; therefore, it could refer to
Paul’s mission was either to
Both are necessary, but which is being emphasized here is uncertain. (Section from Utley)
“The doctrine of divine election firmly establishes the believer’s eternal security. God has not left the believer’s assurance of salvation captive to changing feelings or faltering faith. Rather, the faithfulness of God demonstrated in his divine election secures the believer’s salvation in the will and purposes of God himself.”[13] (Lea and Griffin, Jr. in Constable)
“Although surrounded with mystery, the biblical teaching on election is for believers and is intended as a practical truth. It assures faithful, struggling believers that their salvation is all of God from beginning to end.”[14] (Hiebert in Constable)
“of those chosen of God” This is literally “according to faith of elect ones.” In the OT election was used of service to God, while in the NT it is used of salvation by God (cf. Romans 8:29-30; 9:1ff; Eph. 1:4-11; 2 Tim. 1:9). This sense of election is expressed well in Acts 13:48. The church is the elect of God (cf. Rom. 8:32; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10). The church was not a new entity, but an extension of the OT people of God. (Utley)
“the knowledge” This is the Greek compound term epiginōskō, which implies a full experiential knowledge. This is an idiom of true conversion (cf. John 8:32; 1 Tim. 4:3; 2 Tim. 2:25; 1 John 2:21; 3 John 1). This was in contrast to the false teachers whose emphasis was on a secret knowledge which was unrelated to a holy life. This same phrase is used in 1 Tim. 2:4, but with an emphasis on God’s will for all humans! (Utley)
“Perhaps the most remarkable movement in philosophic thought that has occurred in any age was the rise and general acceptance by scientific circles of the evolutionary theory as propounded by Darwin, Huxley and Spencer. It was remarkable that men of science, whose peculiar boast it is that they deal only with established facts, should have so readily departed from this rule and accepted a system based upon hypothesis only, and which was, and is still after the lapse of forty years, without a single known fact to support it. Even when allowance is made for the well-known eagerness of many scientists to do away with all dualism, which was Mr. Darwin’s aim, it was still remarkable that men of trained intellect should have so promptly accepted at face value his two principal works, in which the expression, ‘We may well suppose,’ occurs over eight hundred times, as a basis for the argument.”
Source: The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth, Volume 3, R. A. Torrey. From: https://www.ministry127.com/resources/illustration/r-a-torrey-on-creation
1:2
1:2 “in the hope of eternal life” The PREPOSITION epi implies “resting on.” The RSV and TEV have “which is based on.” There is ambiguity of this term “hope” regarding the consummation of God’s eternal plan of redemption. ¶ Eternal life in Paul’s writings is always the life of the new age, eschatological life (cf. Rom. 2:7; 6:22,23; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; Titus 1:2; 3:7; see full note at 2 Tim. 1:10). In John’s writings it refers to a present reality based on trusting Christ as Savior (cf. John 3:15; 10:28; 12:25; 17:2-3; 1 John 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11,13,20). Both are true. The new age has been inaugurated with Jesus’ first coming. Believers are already part of this new age. The new age will be consummated at the Second Coming. (Utley)
The Christian offer is nothing less than the offer of a share in the life of God. It is the offer of God’s power for our frustration, of God’s serenity for our dispeace, of God’s truth for our guessing, of God’s goodness for our moral failure, of God’s joy for our sorrow. The Christian gospel does not in the first place offer men an intellectual creed or a moral code; it offers them life, the very life of God. (Barclay)
1:3
“with which I was entrusted” Paul deeply sensed his stewardship of the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 9:17; Gal. 2:7; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:11) and also the stewardship of all believers (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1-2 and 1 Pet. 4:10). (Utley)
1:4
1:4 “To Titus” This letter is addressed to Titus, but it was to be read publicly to all the house churches (cf. the PLURAL of “you” of Titus 3:15). Titus was Paul’s faithful Gentile Apostolic legate. It is unusual that he is not named in Acts… . (Utley)
“in a common faith” “Common” is not used here with the connotation of unclean as in Acts 10:14 and 11:8, but in its connotation of universal or normal. A similar phrase is used in Jude 1:3. It is common in the sense that it is for all humans and available to all humans. This may be a direct antithesis to the false teachers’ elitism and exclusivism. (Utely)
“But both colliding and resonating with this story line was the religious-political discourse of Imperial Rome. At this point in time, the emperor freely took the title ‘savior’ to himself. A Savior Christology, such as Paul constructs powerfully in this letter, would surely also level a subversive blow at this claim (cf. on 1 Tim 6:14).”[23] (Towner in Constable)
“Although this theology is common in salutations … it addresses specific issues in Crete, where Titus was dealing with a Jewish influence that most likely downplayed Christ (cf. 1:10).”[25] (Mounce in Constable)
When anyone enters the Church, he does not enter an institution which began yesterday. The Church has centuries of human history behind it and goes back before the eternities in the mind and intention of God. When anyone takes upon himself anything of the preaching, or the teaching, or the serving work of the Church, he does not enter on a service which is without traditions; he walks where the saints have trod. (Barclay)
It gave him a great authority. He was the envoy of Jesus Christ. Paul never thought of his authority as coming from his own mental excellence, still less from his own moral goodness. It was in the authority of Christ that he spoke. The man who preaches the gospel of Christ or teaches his truth, if he is truly dedicated, does not talk about his own opinions or offer his own conclusions; he comes with Christ’s message and with God’s word. The true envoy of Christ has reached past the stage of perhapses and maybes and possiblys, and speaks with the certainty of one who knows. (Barclay)
It is the apostle’s duty also to equip others with knowledge. Christian evangelism and Christian education must go hand in hand. Faith may begin by being a response of the heart, but it must go on to be the possession of the mind. The Christian gospel must be thought out in order to be tried out. No man can live for ever on the crest of a wave of emotion. The Christian life must be a daily loving Christ more and understanding him better. (Barclay)
1:6
“the husband of one wife” This phrase has caused much discussion. It is obvious that it was also an important issue to the church at Ephesus (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1,12; 5:7). This can refer to
The early church put a high value on family relationships, and any problem in this area disqualifies one from leadership positions in the church.
The first was not a problem in the Roman Empire but may have been a problem in the Jewish community (Jacob, Elkanah, David, Solomon).
The second was a great problem in the Empire as well as a problem within Judaism based on the rabbinical discussions between the conservative school of Shammai and the liberal school of Hillel.
The third relates to the false teachers’ depreciation of marriage (cf. 1 Tim. 4:3). In this sense it is another way of asserting the need for a strong family life, yet not necessarily excluding unmarried men (remember Jesus and Paul were single). (Section from Utley; Utley’s third was deleted: “second marriage after the death of a spouse”)
1:11
1:11 “who must be silenced” This is a PRESENT ACTIVE INFINITIVE of the compound “to put on the mouth” (i.e. to muzzle, to gag, or silence). Church leaders must control who speaks in the house churches. The same principle is true today. Religious and academic freedoms do not give anyone and everyone the right to address the gathered people of God! (Utley)
1:12
The Cretan poet that Paul quoted was Epimenides, who lived in the sixth century B.C., and was regarded by his contemporaries as a prophet, a great religious reformer, and a predicter, as well as a poet.[57] Another Cretan poet, Callimachus (305-240 B.C.), also called the Cretans liars.[58] Other Pauline citations of pagan writers appear in Acts 17:28 (Aratus) and 1 Corinthians 15:33 (Menander). This line, “Cretans are always liars, evil beast, lazy gluttons,” from one of Epimenides’ writings, had received wide acceptance in the Greek world as being true. (See notes in Constable)
“So notorious were the Cretans that the Greeks actually formed a verb kretizein, to Cretize, which meant to lie and to cheat …”[60] (Barclay in Constable)
“When Paul wrote to Timothy he bade him instruct with meekness; but now, when he writes to Titus, he bids him rebuke them sharply. Timothy had a more polite people to deal with, and therefore he must rebuke them with meekness; and Titus had to do with those who were more rough and uncultivated.”[61] (Henry in Constable)
1:13-14
“Failure to confront problems within the church, whether theologically or practically based, may be indicative of a basic indifference with regard to God’s truth or the nurturing of truly Christian relationships. The fear of giving offense and a highly individualized view of personal faith may discourage church leaders from following the biblical mandate to rebuke. The restoration that is possible both in fellowship and in sound doctrine is compromised by this reluctance to confront. Loving, sensitive, yet firm confrontation can result in stronger relationships and restored unity or perhaps a needed purging of those who deny the truth.”[62] (Griffin in Constable)
1:15
These humanly devised commandments (v. 14) involved abstaining from certain foods (asceticism; cf. 1 Tim. 4:1-4; Col. 2:20-22). Paul reminded his readers that to the pure in heart all things, including foods, are pure (ceremonially pure, clean as opposed to unclean; cf. Matt. 15:11; Mark 7:15, 19-20; Luke 11:39-41). (Constable)
“That is, the person who does not subscribe to the Pharasaical regulations is not impure or defiled, nor is the food he eats affected in that way. We must be careful in explaining our Titus passage to make clear that the purity here spoken of is not moral, but ceremonial purity, lest we by our interpretation open the flood gates to license.”[65] (Wuest in Constable)
1:16
Verse 15 looks at the attitudes of the false teachers whereas verse 16 views their actions. The divisive and destructive influence of the false teachers deeds betrayed their inner attitude of impurity regarding God’s truth. They were really detestable and disobedient to God as well as disapproved by Him. They could do no deeds that He would approve. (Constable)
“Of all bad men religious bad men are the worse.”[66] (Lewis in Constable)
“… v 16 is the hinge verse of the epistle. Paul has addressed the initial issues of the necessity of godly leadership and has called attention to the seriousness of the Cretan problem. In this verse he identifies a key issue: the opponents are teaching that what a person believes and how a person behaves are not related, and that godly living is not a necessary corollary to God’s salvific plan and work. Then in the next two chapters, after giving instructions for different groups within the church, Paul will give Titus two creedal statements that show that obedience comes out of salvation and must come out of salvation, for it is a purpose for which salvation was provided.”[68] (Mounce in Constable)