There he met Titus and with great relief heard the good news that the worst of the trouble was over at Corinth ( 2Co 7:6-7,13-14 ). 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. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the biblical narrative, Luke appears suddenly but unobtrusively among Paul's companions in Troas. I pray that I could absorb all that, live it and teach it. Titus was written between A.D. 62-64, while Paul ministered to Macedonian churches between his first and second Roman imprisonments, from either Corinth or Nicopolis (cf. Saint Titus - Wikipedia 3. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. He soon went to Dalmatia (now Croatia). This is essentially an ethnic joke, an example of Paul using slightly off-color humor. I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go. Then they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 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. According to the Bible, a person who reads and meditates over God's word is like a watered tree that will bear good fruit when the time is right. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. What is Titus in the Bible? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. ( Titus 1:5 ) We see Titus remaining in the island when St. Paul left it and receiving there a letter written to him by the apostle. What are you doing, son of my womb? The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, Why have you returned? After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed the two towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, covering the former with a shower of hot ashes and pumice, the latter with a river of lava. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. They must not only teach sound teaching but also oppose false teaching and show the mistakes being made. Labs From this letter we gather the following biographical details. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 1. Who? In the unrest and fightings and fears which the troubles at Corinth had caused Paul to experience, his spirit was refreshed when Titus reached him. Titus was a Roman emperor, famous for completing the Colosseum and soothing the pain of natural disasters. ( Titus 1:5 ) and he is to organize the church throughout the island by appointing presbytery in every city. What? We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. The name Titus appears in the NT only in 2 Corinthians (eight times), Galatians (twice), 2 Timothy (once) and Titus (once). The book of Titus reminds us that our beliefs about God impact every decision we make. Photo credit: Getty Images/Seven Stock Studio. In Crete, he is to complete what St. Paul had been obliged to leave unfinished, ch. See 1Corinthians 16:1,2 compared with 2Corinthians 8:6: "We exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also.". It is found in Titus 3:5 where it refers to redeemed sinners. The apostle held him in great respect and fondness, referring to him as: Mine own son after the common faith (1:4). Book of First Timothy Overview - Insight for Living Ministries The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. In the fragment by the lawyer Zenas, Titus is called bishop of Gortyna. 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. He is not mentioned in the Acts. Older women are encouraged to avoid slander or excessive drinking and must encourage younger women to be good wives and mothers. 1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to . 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. At the time of the writing of 1 Timothy Titus had departed to Dalmatia, apparently from Rome (2 Tim 4:10). But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. These scattered allusions to the character of Titus indicate his close relationship to Paul and his stellar qualifications as a pastor. 2 Corinthians 2:13 Commentaries: I had no rest for my spirit, not And sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. New International Version (NIV). 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. Make doctrine a priority in your own life, as well as encouraging it in your churches. What Every Christian Should Know about the Protestant Reformation. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. Titus 1New International Version. All rights reserved. May their lives and walks with God strengthen your faith and encourage your soul. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Other scholars, while conceding a degree of validity to the positions mentioned above, suggest that the . The absence of the name from the Acts of the Apostles complicates precise integration into Lukes account of Pauls missionary activity. 1 Timothy, THE FIRST LETTER TO TIMOTHY | USCCB At the time of this visit the issue of circumcision had become crucial, and Paul cites the fact that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised as vindication of his position. 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). 2 Timothy 4, which Paul wrote shortly before he died as his final message to Timothy, mentions that Titus had gone to the Roman province of Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10). The other man is Timothy, and the second letter to the Corinthians is addressed as from Paul and Timothy to the church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 1:1). But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. This epistle is named for its recipient, Titus, who is mentioned by name 13 times in the NT ( 1:4; Gal. Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. Titus - Encyclopedia of The Bible - Bible Gateway Does the Bible Condemn Using Tarot Cards? 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). He was also a young Christian missionary and pastor, and a disciple of the apostle Paul. The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. It was an island of 100 cities, consist-ing of mountains, but also very fertile valleys. 2 Corinthians 7 establishes that Titus was sent to the Corinthian church after Paul had sent them a stern letter (2 Corinthians 7:8-10) and to encourage them to embrace the ministry of giving (2 Corinthians 8:6). 2023 Insight for Living Ministries. Written in A.D. 64 from Asia Minor. 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. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. - Went for entered, A.V. Publisher: OpenBible.info. Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. Apparently Paul and Titus agreed to meet in Troas. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. After the departure of Titus from Corinth, difficulty had again arisen in the church there, and Titus seems to have been sent by Paul a second time to that city, as the apostle's messenger, carrying a letter from him--referred to in 2Corinthians 2:3; 7:8. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There is still room to turn around. 8:6, 10-11). All are pastoral letters. 3:12). They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. W Acts 18:7 - Bible Hub Start for FREE. Titus was a young Christian pastor, a missionary and companion, and a disciple of Paul the Apostle. elders to oversee the doctrinal purity and good conduct of the believers on Crete. 1915. 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. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. The decision was in favor of the free promulgation of the gospel, as preached by Paul, and unrestricted by Jewish ordinances. As a commander in the Jewish revolt, Josephus attempted to persuade his companions to open the gates of Yodfat for the Romans, and when the city fell, he reneged on the group . 5. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Titus was the only Gentile individual to receive a New Testament epistle. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. What are the biblical qualifications of a pastor? The matter in dispute was decided as recorded in Acts 15:13-29. Still, Paul chose to circumcise Timothy to honor the Jews in an area that the two of them were ministering in (Acts 16:1-5). He said to have been permanent bishop in the island, and to have died there at an advanced age. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. L For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turnfighting without and fear within. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. S Paul highlights how some foolish people at the Cretan church fool others with useless talk (Titus 1:10) about circumcision, spiritual genealogies, and following Jewish laws that Christians dont have to follow. The three pastoral epistles may be favorably compared. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. In 2 Timothy 4:10, written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he mentions Titus as one of several people who have left him. The doctrine of the incarnation in the letter to Titus grounds its message of producing right living through the careful attention to theological truth. ( Titus 1:4 ) Next we learn the various particulars of the responsible duties which he had to discharge. Did we not take the same steps? It is unknown when Titus joined Paul in his mission activity. One of the Pastoral Epistles is addressed to Titus. Who Were Timothy And Titus? | Bible.org This island, southeast of Greece, was about 150 miles long and 35 miles wide, thus making it the largest of the Mediterranean islands. In other words, since God poured out His grace on all humanity, He cleanses His people from their sin and purifies believers for Himself. How seriously do you consider your beliefs about God in the overall scheme of your life? The women should keep silent in the churches. Next he is to control and bridle, ver. To be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. Along with 1, 2 Timothy, these letters to Paul's sons in the faith are traditionally called . Epistle to Titus - Wikipedia Young men are encouraged to live wisely (something that Titus, being a young man himself, must be careful to model to them). Though it is not certain, some scholars believe that he and Titus were brothers, based on II Corinthians 8:18. But hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Get the answers your looking for and save with code SPRINGSTUDY15. Having described how the church should act, Paul gives the grace of God as the reason for them to behave this way. Who Was Titus in the Bible and Why Should You Read His Book Now. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.. Paul advised Timothy on these practical matters in a way that . M Who Was Titus and What Do We Know about Him? - iBelieve.com We have no record of his death. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. . "Whether any inquire about Titus, he is my partner and fellow-worker to you-ward" (2Corinthians 8:23). They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. There is no indication that they, like Demas, had deserted the apostle and sought safety for themselves, or that, like Tychicus, they had been sent by the apostle upon some special errand. Right living was essential because Christ gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, saving us by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 2:14; 3:5). Paul asked Titus to meet him at Nicopolis (see map, p. 2487) when a replacement arrived (see 3:12 and note). (Timothy is similarly described in 1 Tim 1:2.) BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Ultimately, this council determined that Christians did not need to be circumcised, but laid out some basic moral rules that Christians had to follow (Acts 15:22-30). Bibliography Oxford Classical Dictionary. The state of the Corinthian church had been causing much anxiety to Paul, so much so that when he had come to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to him of the Lord, he found no rest in his spirit, because he found not Titus, his brother; so he left Troas, and went thence into Macedonia, in order to meet Titus the sooner, so as to ascertain from him how matters stood in Corinth. The "certain other of them" includes Titus, for in Galatians 2:3 it is recorded that Titus was then with Paul. While the gospel had no doubt spread to 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? After the parsimonious policy of Vespasian he spent lavishly, and was always remembered with affection in later years. If this is the visit of Acts 11 and 12, Titus was then a companion of Paul before the first missionary journey. Titus seems to have established a good rapport with the Corinthians and Paul exuberantly expresses his gratitude for the happy turn of events. We find him, at a later period, with Paul and Timothy at Ephesus, whence he was sent by Paul to Corinth for the purpose of getting the contributions of the church there in behalf of the poor saints at Jerusalem sent forward ( 2Corinthians 8:6 ; 12:18 ). The decision was in favor of the free promulgation of the gospel, as preached by Paul, and unrestricted by Jewish ordinances. Paul now wrote to the Corinthians again--our Second Epistle to the Corinthians--and dispatched it to its destination by the hand of Titus, into whose heart `God had put the same earnest care for them' (2Corinthians 8:16-18). 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. These things can come from internal or external influences, and they can cause a Christian to backslide. They are to teach what is good. However, there is no such place known and subscriptions have no authority as they are not authentic. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. From the notices in this Epistle it appears that Titus had been sent by Paul, along with an unnamed "brother," to Corinth as the apostle's delegate to the church there (2Corinthians 12:18). He then meets Paul in Macedonia and is sent back to Corinth carrying the epistle of 2 Corinthians to pave the way for Pauls coming and to complete their offering (2 Cor. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. Such were Paul's plans; whether they were carried out is unknown. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. At Corinth Titus seems also to have assisted in organizing the weekly collections for the poor saints in Jerusalem. The title in the Greek NT literally reads "To Titus.". 2:11). Something happens that causes their love for Jesus to go cool, turning away or falling back. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. 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). This throws light upon the statement in 2Timothy 4:10, that Titus at that time had gone to Dalmatia, and a certain Crescens to Gaul. Did Titus take advantage of you? 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 entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. He uses Titus as an example of how the Holy Spirit changes men's hearts, not legalistic requirements. U The island of Crete, located in the Mediterranean Sea: Was 156 miles long. Titus would seem on the occasion of the council to have been specially a representative of the church of the uncircumcision. 2:1, 3; 2 Tim 4:10; for the 9 times in 2 Cor., see Background and Setting ). For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He says that Crescens has gone to Thessalonica, Titus to Dalmatia. Although he is not mentioned in the book of Acts, he could be one of the "other believers" of Acts 15:2. In this letter, Paul reminds Titus . When describing heretics, Paul references a quote about Cretans being liars, crazy animals, and lazy gluttons (Titus 1:12-13) to show how foolish these heretics are. Apparently, Titus was successful in this mission (Rom 15:26) and the following spring Paul went to Jerusalem with this offering (Rom 15:25). Freedom and glory in Christ (Titus 2:11-15, 3:3-8). Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach. According to Paul, elders must live blamelessly, to be good husbands with children who are also Christians, and to be both generous and hospitable. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. The last mention of Titus in the Bible indicates that he was with Paul during Paul's final Roman imprisonment. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Both Timothy and Titus served as Pauls messengers and traveling companions, and they both went on to lead churches. Here he expected to meet Titus, ( 2Corinthians 2:13 ) who had been sent on a mission to Corinth. Paul clearly held Titus in a position of great respect as a friend and fellow worker for the gospel, praising Titus for his affection, his earnestness, and his bringing comfort to others. %PDF-1.3 Apparently Titus was a convert of Paul. Not only will people be saved from their sins, but Gods grace will also motivate them to live out that saving faith with renewed and purified lives. The Bible Story of Elijah The Life of Ruth - 5 Essential Faith Lessons The Bible Story of Queen EstherThe Greatest Villain - King NebuchadnezzarThe Bible Story of Mary Magdalene. First Timothy presents the most explicit and complete instructions for church leadership and organization in the entire Bible. Although the data regarding Titus in the NT is scanty, nevertheless much can be learned from his pastoral activities and the letter addressed to him as a model and manual for a pastor. He is very emphatically spoken of as a Gentile by which is most probably meant that both his parents were Gentiles. My spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. Titus, like Timothy ( 2 Tim. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Please contact us or click here to learn more about how to enable JavaScript on your browser. In this Epistle his name occurs 8 times. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. In any case, nothing is recorded concerning Titus mission work until the third missionary journey shortly after Pauls lengthy stay at Ephesus (Acts 19:1, 17, 26, 35). For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. What Is the Bible's Definition of Backslide? - Bible Study Tools Titus Flavius Josephus and the Prophet Jeremiah The offering for the Judaean churches was still pending in Corinth and from Macedonia Paul sent Titus to Corinth to complete this expression of fellowship with the other churches (2 Cor 8:6, 16). Salem Media Group. In fact Titus was a representative or test case. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.. And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. The Corinthian correspondence indicates that Paul had a number of frustrating experiences with the church at Corinth. Most likely, Titus served with Paul on both the second and third missionary journeys. TopicalBible C Our materials for the biography of this companion of St. Paul must be drawn entirely from the notices of him in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, the Galatians, and to Titus himself, combined with the Second Epistle to Timothy. The subscription to 2 Corinthians in Codex Mosquensis (K9th or 10th cent.) According to Titus 1:5, Paul had left Titus at Crete to appoint elders for the church there. 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. 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. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. Following Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment ( Ac 28 ), he and Titus worked briefly in Crete ( 1:5 ), after which he commissioned Titus to remain there as his representative and complete some needed work ( 1:5; 2:15; 3:12-13 ). But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Even the women in the church may have had problems with alcohol (see 2:3). ( 2Corinthians 8:6 ) A considerable interval now elapses before we come upon the next notices of this disciple. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. First Timothy 3:1-7 contains the biblical qualifications for a pastor: "Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.