He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. But he answered them, You see all these, do you not? When Paul arrived in Troas, he did not find Titus (2 Cor 2:13). 13. Titus records the final of four instances, in the pastoral epistles where we read the little phrase, this is a faithful saying. These are: Referring to Jesus saving ministry (1 Tim. ti'-tus (Titos (2Corinthians 2:13; 7:6,13; 8:6,16,23; 12:18; Galatians 1:2:1,3; 2Timothy 4:10; Titus 1:4)): A Greek Christian, one of Paul's intimate friends, his companion in some of his apostolic journeys, and one of his assistants in Christian work. W Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. To be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. If it is the visit of Acts 15 (preferable identification in the light of Pauline chronology), Titus contact with Paul was at least before the second missionary journey. Apparently Paul and Titus agreed to meet in Troas. The books of Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Titus is a short book that packs a punch. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. Does God Really Work All Things Together for Good? All three passages involve the manifestation, or appearance, of God in Christ, rooting the Christian faith in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. This epistle marks the last of but two instances where the great theological word regeneration is used in the New Testament. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. First Timothy presents the most explicit and complete instructions for church leadership and organization in the entire Bible. I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. Attempts to read or insert the name Titus into the Acts of the Apostles are not convincing. Amen. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. There is no further notice of Titus for some years afterward, when he is again mentioned in 2 Corinthians. K 2. Which appears to be a theme of the Bible: Gen 2:8-9; Titus 1:2-3; Rv 22:2. Nicopolis: a city where Paul proposed to spend the winter and where he invited Titus to join him. It was an island of 100 cities, consist-ing of mountains, but also very fertile valleys. 2:3). It is found in Titus 3:5 where it refers to redeemed sinners. If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth. And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Who Was Titus in the Bible and Why Should You Read His Book Now. II, 11). See Pastoral Epistles. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. A summary of the person and ministry of Titus would include: He was a Gentile (Greek, see Gal. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity. ( 2 Corinthians 7:6 2 Corinthians 7:7 2 Corinthians 7:13-15 ) The mission to Corinth had reference to the immoralities rebuked in the First Epistle, and to the collection at that time in progress, for the poor Christians of Judea. Some suggest that this visit is to be identified with the famine-relief visit in Acts 11 and 12 (e.g., Bruce); others, with the Jerusalem Council visit in Acts 15 (e.g., Ridderbos). Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? The epistle to Titus was written about the same time as 1 Timothy, during that period between Pauls first and second Roman imprisonments. >=a+d0- I use Pastor Chuck Swindoll's books a lot: Moses, David, Joseph, Esther, Hand Me Another Brick. Paul's action therefore in regard to Titus was justified. G. Connor Salter is a writer and editor, with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing from Taylor University. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NASB) 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue . In 2020, he won First Prize for Best Feature Story in a regional contest by the Colorado Press Association Network. And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. Nothing is more significant than a solid foundation in Christ. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Both Timothy and Titus served as Pauls messengers and traveling companions, and they both went on to lead churches. These things can come from internal or external influences, and they can cause a Christian to backslide. The matter in dispute was decided as recorded in Acts 15:13-29. In Macedonia Titus brings to Paul a comforting report about the Corinthians which gives him much joy and peace of mind (2 Cor 7:6-14). 3. According to Titus 1:5, Paul had left Titus at Crete to appoint elders for the church there. Among other things he finished the Colosseum (begun by Vespasian), and built the baths which bear his name. By expelling the hated informers, and doing away with trials and executions for treason, he gained the favor of the Senate, and thus that body did not oppose his actions. But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 4:8; Titus 3:8), Regarding our future reign with Christ (2 Tim. This is an interesting point, since Timothy was half-Greek, and not circumcised either. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. Titus 1New International Version. And while the form of a churchs worship is vital to reaching its community for Christ, without a firm base of sound doctrine, the church will lay its foundation in shifting and sinking sand. The probability is that Titus, who had long been associated with Paul (Galatians 2:3), who, as his commissioner, had executed difficult offices in Corinth (2Corinthians 7-9), and who, not very long before 2 Timothy was written, had completed some missionary work in Crete that had been begun by others, had gone as a missionary and as Paul's representative and helper to Dalmatia. It is difficult and perhaps impossible to give the true reason why Titus is not mentioned by name in the Acts, but he is certainly referred to in 15:2. In the fragment by the lawyer Zenas, Titus is called bishop of Gortyna. - Went for entered, A.V. He was then dispatched to Corinth, Greece, where he successfully reconciled the Christian community there with Paul, its founder. This testimony is true. %PDF-1.3 According to Paul, elders must live blamelessly, to be good husbands with children who are also Christians, and to be both generous and hospitable. In the year 80 there was a plague and disastrous fire at Rome. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Titus, which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses. However, his letter from Paul gives us some valuable insights, both about the early church and about following Christ today. Your browser does not support JavaScript. Why and to whom? Paul. The women should keep silent in the churches. This is the last reference to Titus in the NT. The Bible mentions Titus in several of the Pauline epistles. Then the Lord said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you. So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. His name does not occur in the Acts; and, elsewhere in the New Testament, it is found only in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul's many journeys are well documented and show that he wrote to Titus from Nicopolis in Epirus. 2:11). The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Like someone above pointed out, the word "teaching" should mean teaching generally, not an academic . He is not mentioned in the Acts at all. The traditional connection of Titus with Crete is much more specific and constant, though here again we cannot be certain of the facts. This verse (1:12) marks the final of two occasions where Paul quotes from a non-biblical source (see Acts 17:28 for the other). Nothing is more motivational than grace to live a life of good deeds. He has contributed over 1,200 articles to various publications, including interviews for Christian Communicator and book reviews for The Evangelical Church Library Association. TITUS t ts (Titus Flavius Vespasianus). Titus is instructed to come to Nicopolis on the W coast of Greece (Titus 3:12) to spend the winter there with Paul. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. Our spouses and children are our first ministry and being a good Christian in public will not make up for neglecting that. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. Listen to Chuck Swindolls overview of Titus in his audio message from the Classic series Gods Masterwork. From the form of the whole sentence, it seems probable that this disciple had been with St. Paul in Rome during his final imprisonment; but this cannot be asserted confidently. Early church tradition holds that Paul, after his release from his first imprisonment in Rome, stopped at the island of Crete to preach. For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turnfighting without and fear within. They are to teach what is good. His mission was largely successful, so that he was able to return to Paul with joy, because his spirit was refreshed by the Corinthians (2Corinthians 7:13). This is essentially an ethnic joke, an example of Paul using slightly off-color humor. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. It appears that Titus was dealing with a difficult and somewhat unruly congregation in Crete. The Cretans were relatives of the Philistines. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. Both emphasize good works as the visible proof of saving faith. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. The decision was in favor of the free promulgation of the gospel, as preached by Paul, and unrestricted by Jewish ordinances. These apparently occurred during Pauls sojourn of over two years in Ephesus during the third missionary journey (Acts 19), although there is not the slightest allusion to these problems in the Acts account. David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. And David said to him, How did it go? The subscription to 2 Corinthians in Codex Mosquensis (K9th or 10th cent.) The churches on Crete were just as susceptible to false teachers as any other church, so Paul directed Titus to establish a group of faithful You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. Paul counsels him in his dealings with both church leaders and lay people alike, reminding all involved to live godly lives in light of Jesus soon return. There is now a long interval in the history of Titus, for nothing further is recorded of him till we come to the Pastoral Epistles. For by grace you have been saved through faith. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. While the gospel had no doubt spread to Its important to affirm the damage that heresy creates, but without writing people off as unsalvageable too quickly. The first notice of Titus is in Acts 15:2, where we read that after the conclusion of Paul's 1st missionary journey, when he had returned to Antioch, a discussion arose in the church there, in regard to the question whether it was necessary that Gentile Christians should be circumcised and should keep the Jewish Law. Titus, Pauls faithful Gentile associate, ministering in Crete and recipient of the Epistle to Titus, 1. Paul reminds him of the character of the people of Crete, and gives him various instructions for his guidance; charges him to maintain sound doctrine, and advises him how to deal with the various classes of persons met with in his pastoral capacity. 11, the restless and mischievous Judaizers. The Bible records, after Timothy was ordained to serve by Paul and church brethren (1Timothy 4:14, 2Timothy 1:6), he ministered in at least five New Testament churches (1Thessalonians 3:1 - 2, 1Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 2:19 - 22, Acts 17:14 and 1Timothy 1:3). What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Other scholars, while conceding a degree of validity to the positions mentioned above, suggest that the . However, Paul made clear that a church that teaches and preaches sound doctrine will see results in the lives of its people. Titus carried 2 Corinthians to the Corinthian church (2 Cor. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been . Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Q They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. Three summaries of the incarnation dot the pages of Titus, providing a framework within which the Christian can view the work of God in the world and in individual lives (Titus 1:14; 2:1114; 3:47). When they got to Ephesus, Paul recognized some men in the church were teaching error about Jesus saying that Jesus could not have been a man and God at the same time. Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered them, See that no one leads you astray. Titus contains two of the most concise summaries in the entire New Testament regarding the relationship of gospel truth to practical living. Thence.Clearly from the synagogue, where he had been preaching to the Jews, not from Aquila's house, as Alford and others. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. As already noted, the book of Titus has much to say concerning the believers works, mentioning the subject on six occasions: 15. Upon his return to Rome he celebrated a triumph with his father, and from this time was made a virtual partner in the government, clearly designated for the succession. Paul advises Titus to handle these people by rebuking them to make them strong in the faith (Titus 1:13), and to give a first and second warning (Titus 3:10). But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Titus is informed that Artemas or Tychicus will be sent to Crete so that he will be free to leave the island and to rejoin the apostle at Nicopolis, where he has determined to winter. And sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. Many churches today focus more on the form of their worshipmusic styles, lighting, and building designsthan they do on the content of the faith they mean to proclaim. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 1:15), Regarding the promise of eternal life (1 Tim. @o5/?)wPyfs9m 7o_~wO}q4d. Here he expected to meet Titus, ( 2Corinthians 2:13 ) who had been sent on a mission to Corinth. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. They place their trust not in whether they will be treated well in this life, but in the eternal promise of salvation. The reign of Titus was looked upon as a time of ideal happiness, and his untimely death in the year 81 caused universal sorrow. . So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.