The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (244 page)

Themes and Characteristics
 The letter to Titus shares much in common with 1 Timothy, although its instructions are less detailed and its tone is less personal. Still, both letters are addressed to young bishops on temporary assignment: Titus on the island of Crete (1:5) and Timothy in the city of Ephesus (1 Tim 1:3). Both of these men have been handed the challenging task of supervising communities that are threatened by false teaching (Tit 1:10-16; 1 Tim 1:3-7), in need of sound doctrine (Tit 2:1; 1 Tim 4:11-16), and lacking in qualified leadership (Tit 1:5-9; 1 Tim 3:1-13). These are men Paul can trust. These are the men he is grooming to continue his ministry after his death.

The themes of the letter follow the instructions that Paul is giving to Titus, whose mission is to organize both the pastoral leadership and the personal lives of the believers on Crete.
(1)
Pastoral Leadership.
The first assignment given to Titus is to ordain qualified elders (priests) in every town, lest Christians on the island be like wandering sheep without shepherds to lead them (1:5). This is not to be done arbitrarily but with discernment. In Paul's mind, the only fitting candidates for spiritual leadership are men of proven character and deep convictions (1:7-8). A practical element is also involved in this, and so Titus must take account of how well a prospective clergyman manages his own family and household when considering his selection (1:6). As a final note, Paul stresses that candidates must be competent instructors and defenders of the truth, able to lead the faithful as teachers and apologists (1:9). This is all the more necessary in Crete, where dangerous teachings are already taking hold in the Christian communities spread across the island (1:10-16).
(2)
Personal Living.
Paul reasons that because Christianity is advertised to the world through our actions, it is important that our behavior be consistent with our beliefs, lest the Church of God be discredited in the eyes of nonbe-lievers. There is thus a strong emphasis in Titus that believers should be zealous for every good work (2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14). This includes not only acts of charity toward fellow Christians (2:2-10), but also a respectful posture toward government authorities and fellow Cretans more generally (3:1-2). The immediate aim of such works is to assist the needy (3:14), while their ultimate purpose is to honor the Lord Jesus in anticipation of his glorious return (2:11-13). «

OUTLINE OF THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO TITUS

1. Opening Address (
1:1-4
)

2. Christian Leadership (
1:5-16
)

   A. Appointing Shepherds in Crete (
1:5
)

   B. Qualifications for Pastors (
1:6-9
)

   C. The Problem of False Teachers (
1:10-16
)

3. Christian Living (
2:1-3:11
)

   A. Instructions for All Ages (
2:1-10
)

   B. Foundation of the Christian Commitment (
2:11-15
)

   C. Life with and without Christ (
3:1-7
)

   D. Avoiding Trouble and Troublemakers (
3:8-11
)

4. Conclusion (
3:12-15
)

   A. Final Instructions (
3:12-14
)

   B. Benediction (
3:15
)

THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO

Chapters

1
2
3

Salutation

1
 
Paul
, a servant
^a
of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness,
²
in hope of eternal life which
God, who never lies
, promised ages ago
³
and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God
our Savior
;

4
 To
Titus
, my true child in a common faith:

Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus in Crete

5
 This is why
I left you in Crete
, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders
 
*
in every town as I directed you,
⁶
if any man is blameless, the
husband of one wife
, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery and not being insubordinate.
⁷
For a bishop, as
God's steward
, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
⁸
but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled;
⁹
he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.
¹⁰
For there are many insubordinate men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially
the circumcision party
;
¹¹
they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for base gain what they have no right to teach.
¹²
One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, "
Cretans
are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."
¹³
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
¹⁴
instead of giving heed to
Jewish myths
or to commands of men who reject the truth.
¹⁵
To the pure
all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.
¹⁶
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed.

Teach Sound Doctrine

2
  
But as for you
, teach
what befits
sound doctrine.
²
Bid the older men be temperate, serious, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.
³
Bid the older women likewise to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good,
⁴
and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,
⁵
to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited.
⁶
Likewise urge the younger men to control themselves.
⁷
Show yourself in all respects a
model of good deeds
, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity,
⁸
and sound speech that cannot be censured, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.
⁹
Bid
slaves
to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back,
¹⁰
nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

11
 
For the grace
of God has appeared for
the salvation of all
men,
¹²
training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world,
¹³
awaiting
our blessed hope
, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior
^c
 
*
Jesus Christ,
¹⁴
who gave himself for us
to redeem us
from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

15
 Declare these things;
exhort and reprove
with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Maintain Good Deeds

3
  
Remind them to be
submissive to rulers
and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work,
²
to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to
be gentle
, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men.
³
For we ourselves were
once foolish
, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another;
⁴
but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
⁵
he saved us
, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of
regeneration
and renewal in the Holy Spirit,
⁶
which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
⁷
so that we might be
justified
by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
 
*
⁸
The saying is sure.

I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds;
^d
these are excellent and profitable to men.
⁹
But avoid stupid controversies,
genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law
, for they are unprofitable and futile.
¹⁰
As
for
a man who is factious
, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him,
¹¹
knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Final Messages and Benediction

12
 When I send
Ar'temas or Tych'icus
to you, do your best to come to me at Nicop'olis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.
¹³
Do your best to speed
Ze'nas the lawyer and Apol'los
on their way; see that they lack nothing.
¹⁴
And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds,
^d
so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful.

15
 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all
.

Commentary on The Letter of Saint Paul to Titus

1:1 Paul:
The author (and sender) is always named first, according to the ancient letter format. As a servant, Paul devotes all of himself and his energies to the service of the Lord, and, as an apostle (Rom 1:1), he is commissioned to preach that God is reconciling the world to himself through Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:18-20). 
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1:2 God . . . never lies:
Hope that is anchored in God will never be disappointed, for his word is ever truthful, and his promises are entirely trustworthy (Num 23:19; Jn 17:17; Heb 6:17-18). The same cannot be said for the pagan Cretans (Tit 1:12) or for the devil, the father of every falsehood (Jn 8:44) (CCC 214-17). • Let us bind ourselves to him who is ever true and just in his judgments. He who has forbidden us to lie can much less be a liar himself, for deception is impossible for God (St. Clement of Rome,
1 Clement
27). 
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1:3 our Savior:
A title three times given to God the Father (1:3; 2:10; 3:4) and three times applied to Christ the Son (1:4; 2:13; 3:6).
See note on 1 Tim 1:1
. 
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1:4 Titus:
A Gentile believer (Gal 2:3) and a devoted member of Paul's missionary team (2 Cor 8:23). He is never mentioned by name in the Book of Acts. According to the Pastoral Epistles, Titus was in Dalmatia near the end of Paul's life (2 Tim 4:10), and, according to tradition, he eventually returned to Crete to minister to the churches on the island until his death.
my true child:
The spiritual sonship of Titus points to the spiritual fatherhood of Paul. It may mean that Paul converted Titus to the Christian faith, as he had the Corinthians (1 Cor 4:1415), or that Paul ordained Titus to the pastoral ministry, as he had done with Timothy (1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6). In Scripture, spiritual fatherhood is connected with the priestly ministry (Judg 17:10) as it passed from fathers to sons under the Old Covenant (Ex 40:12-15) (CCC 1541).
See note on 1 Cor 4:15
. 
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