Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Titus Chapter 1 mean?

Titus is one of three Pastoral Epistles written by the apostle Paul, along with 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. Chapter 1 addresses two major topics: church leadership qualifications (Titus 1:5–9), and dealing with offenders in the church (Titus 1:10–16). Paul addresses the recipient as Titus, a fellow missionary. Paul left Titus in Crete to serve as a church leader with the important task of selecting elders for individual house churches on the island (Titus 1:5).

In the introduction, Paul clearly identifies himself as the letter’s author, and an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul calls himself a “bondservant” of God, from the Greek word doulos. This term is an important metaphor. One who voluntarily gives up his service, according to someone else’s will, is a doulos of that other person. It means committing one’s time, energy, and efforts to the benefit of someone else. In this case, it describes Paul’s Christian commitment to God, at the cost of his own interests.

Verses 5–9 provide a list of elder qualifications which Titus was to use in selecting or appointing church leaders. This list, along with 1 Timothy 3:1–7, includes the qualifications which have been used to select elders and pastors—church leaders—since New Testament times. They include character, family leadership, and teaching ability. This last trait includes an ability to “rebuke those who contradict” sound doctrine (Titus 1:9).

Verses 10–16 speak about false teachers in Crete. These men taught that circumcision was required for Christians (Titus 1:10), upsetting entire families in the process (Titus 1:11). Paul commanded Titus to rebuke them sharply, with the goal that they would be “sound,” or accurate, in their faith (Titus 1:13).

Chapter Context
Chapter 1 focuses on the character traits of a church leader, contrasted to the immoral culture of Crete. Specific instructions are given for elders, and a means for dealing with false teachers. Chapter 2 explains the ideal traits of church members, especially in their acts towards each other. Chapter 3 will focus on the relationship between Christians and their surrounding culture.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. 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,

Titus begins with a standard letter-writing format, which included the sender, recipient, and a greeting. The sender is Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, who was formerly known as Saul (Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1–3). He encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, where he planned to arrest Christians. Instead, Saul believed in Jesus, changed his name to Paul, and was baptized (Acts 9). Thirteen of Paul’s letters are included in the New Testament, known as the Pauline Epistles (Romans through Philemon). These make up nearly half of the books of the New Testament.

Paul considered himself “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.” The Greek term Paul used is doulos, which means a “slave,” or a “bond-servant.” As a willing servant, Paul was bound to follow God’s commands. Paul also claims to be an apostle—from a Greek word meaning “sent one”—and a missionary of the good news of Jesus as the Messiah. He served “for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth,” a phrase referring to Christians and their spiritual growth. He served in a way “which accords with godliness,” meaning one which would be approved by God.

Context Summary
Titus 1:1–4 introduces the letter from Paul to Titus, who was left on Crete in order to oversee the churches there. Paul refers to himself as a “bond-servant,” or “slave” of Jesus Christ. He makes it clear that Titus and Paul share a common faith, and a common Savior.

Verse 2. in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

This verse continues Paul’s introduction, including three important phrases. First, “in hope of eternal life” refers to Paul’s future hope of eternity with Christ. This is something he longed for, and desired for his Jewish brothers as well as Gentiles (Romans 1:16). The second phrase, “which God, who never lies,” confirms an often-mentioned promise about God’s truthful nature (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18). God is referred to using the Greek word apseudes, meaning “true,” or “without falsehood.” This stood in contrast with Crete’s cultural practices, which often saw lying as an acceptable behavior. In part, this was because they worshipped Zeus, a god who frequently used deception in order to have sexual relations with mortal women.

Verse 3. 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;

Paul sees his current time as the “proper” (appropriate) time during which God had revealed new information. This is a reference to the good news—or gospel—of Jesus Christ, the Messiah who rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–11). Paul was a preacher as well as an apostle and he “proclaimed” the good news as part of his work as an apostle (Titus 1:1). God had “entrusted” this message to Paul, beginning with Paul’s experience with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

This mission to preach was not optional. The end of the verse notes Paul’s work was “by the command of God our Savior.” In this phrase, we see that Paul served in obedience to God’s command, just as the Jewish people were to live in obedience to the commands of the Torah (Genesis through Deuteronomy). Paul also called God “our Savior” to indicate he was writing to Titus as a brother in the Lord, even though Titus was a Gentile.

Verse 4. To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Verse 4 transitions from a focus on Paul to the recipient: “Titus, my true child in a common faith.” Three attributes are noted. First, Titus was a “true child” to Paul. This likely indicates that Titus had been converted by Paul. Second, they shared a faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. They both lived with the belief that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Third, their faith was not only “shared,” but “common.” This term is significant. Paul again stresses the unity of Christians, despite the fact that Paul was Jewish, and Titus was a Gentile. The entire letter emphasizes the problems associated with Judaizers—those who taught Christians were to live according to Jewish laws. Paul clearly noted in the introduction that he and Titus shared a common faith. They were a spiritual family, regardless of the divisions historically seen between Jews and Gentiles. They were family as a result of the person and work of Jesus the Messiah.

The reference to grace and peace is common in Paul’s letter introductions. “Grace and peace” emphasizes Paul’s blessing to Titus, while these two terms stood in parallel to God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. “Savior” ends both verses 3 and 4, with “God our Savior” in verse 3 and “Christ Jesus our Savior” in verse 4. Jesus was clearly presented as equal to God the Father and part of the triune Godhead.

Verse 5. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you —

Verse 5 explains the background to Paul’s letter. Paul and Titus had ministered together evangelizing the people of the island of Crete. Paul later left, with Titus remaining. This took place sometime after Paul’s house arrest (Acts 28), which ended around AD 62, and his second Roman imprisonment which likely occurred sometime in AD 65. This second stint is recorded in the book of 2 Timothy.

Titus remained in Crete for two reasons. First, there was unfinished business when Paul left. Titus was the man responsible for completing it. This phrase may be general in nature, with the later parts of the letter offering details of what this unfinished work included. Second, Titus was to “appoint elders in every town…” The good news was that many towns had a positive response to the Christian message. There were likely house churches in each “town,” though not necessarily every small village. However, these new churches lacked leaders. Titus was to “appoint” elders. This was not a vote, but rather a process in which Titus selected godly men based on the principles given in verses 6–9.

Context Summary
Titus 1:5–9 explains the requirements of those who lead a church. Elders and pastors must meet these criteria in order to serve in those roles. Paul lists issues such as moral character, control over their family, and an ability to teach the truth. Paul gives a similar, equally important list in 1 Timothy 3:1–7. Also crucial is the ability to confront and correct those who teach false doctrines.

Verse 6. 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.

Paul commanded Titus to select elders for each house church on the island of Crete. Verses 6–9 list qualifications for Christian elders. This list is very similar to the one given in 1 Timothy 3:1–7. Verse 6 includes three major qualifications:

First, the individual must stand out for strong moral character.

Second, the elder was to be known as “the husband of one wife.” The Greek phrase can literally be rendered as a “one woman man.” Though this phrase has produced controversy, it simply includes two aspects. First, elders were male. Women would not have been accepted as leaders of a local house church, either in Jewish culture or among Gentile Christians on Crete. Though a man did not have to be married, an elder could only be male. The phrase implies a man known for faithful commitment to one wife. The requirement says nothing about past marriages, or divorce. The focus is on the person’s current marital relationship.

Third, any children an elder has must not reject God. This is not the same as children who are young and don’t yet have well-defined personal faith in Christ. Nor does it seem to include those old enough to live on their own, apart from their father’s control. The elder’s children were not to be known for partying, disobedience, or unbelief. These statements also imply that Paul’s focus was on men whose children were older, rather than men with young children. In other words, very young men would probably not be appropriate choices for an elder.

Verse 7. For an overseer, as God ‘s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

Verse 7 calls elders an “overseer” and “God’s steward.” These local church leaders functioned similarly to leaders in local Jewish synagogues. They directed the people of a local area according to God’s principles. This required being “above reproach,” which is also stated in verse 6. In addition, five other traits are required.

First is humility, rather than arrogance.

Second, those who became easily angered were not fit to lead others.

Third, an elder could not be known as a “drunkard.” Before refrigeration, almost everyone drank a certain amount of alcohol. Drunkenness, however, was unacceptable for a church leader. Those who become drunk are either demonstrating poor judgment, dependence on something other than Christ, or a pleasure-seeking lifestyle. All of these are incompatible with a Christian elder.

Fourth, a church leader could not be “violent.” The matching list in 1 Timothy 3:3 adds the idea of gentleness, indicating someone sensitive to the needs of others.

Fifth, an elder was not to be “greedy,” or serving in order to make money (1 Peter 5:2).

Verse 8. but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

Verse 8 continues the list of elder qualifications which began in verse 5. Six traits are listed here.

First, an elder is to be “hospitable.” Since churches met in homes, an elder must be known for hospitality, which was also a key virtue in the ancient Near East.

Second, an elder must be a “lover of good.” An elder could not love “evil” and be fit to lead Christians.

Third, an elder must be “self-controlled.” This trait complements verse 7 where elders are not to be “quick-tempered” and also serves as part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).

Fourth, an elder must be “upright.” The Greek dikaion means “fair or just.” Fifth, an elder must be “holy” or set apart (1 Peter 1:15). This command reflected the Torah as well. In the Old Testament, “being holy” meant a focus on being like God, reflecting His nature.

Sixth, an elder was to be “disciplined.” A godly elder must be able to stay focused. This is especially important in the situation on Crete. Paul’s letter to Titus will continue to speak about the need to teach God’s truth, and refute those who opposed it.

Verse 9. 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.

This is final verse listing qualifications for local church elders. The first requirement in verse 9 is “holding firm” to truth, as taught in the Word of God. One key distinction of an elder is the ability to persist in correct interpretation of God’s truth. This was demanded of Jewish religious leaders (Ezra 7:10), and remained a key expectation of New Testament elders. Second Timothy 2:22 echoes this idea, explaining the need to find faithful men who are able to teach others the truth.

An elder must hold firm for two reasons. First, an elder must be able to teach God’s truth, which requires a stable understanding of spiritual things. This is both a spiritual gift (Romans 12:7) and a skill which has to be developed (2 Timothy 2:15). Second, an elder must stand firm in order to counter those who contradict the truth. Titus faced many false teachings. He and the chosen elders had to be ready to stand against false teachings while promoting “sound doctrine,” or healthy teachings, to those under their care. Standing firm requires both a solid offense and defense in communicating God’s truth.

Verse 10. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

Verses 5–9 discussed qualifications for Christian church elders. Starting in verse 9, Paul changes focus to address false teachers which existed on Crete, and elsewhere. Paul notes that there are many of these false teachers. The problem of phony teachers was a large-scale problem for Titus and other Christians on Crete. They were “empty talkers and deceivers.” This indicates that their error was in words, rather than physical persecution. In particular, Paul noted “those of the circumcision party.” These people were a movement within the early church who taught Gentile Christians that they must be circumcised and obey the law of Moses to live as obedient followers of Christ. The church at Jerusalem addressed this controversy approximately 14 years earlier, around AD 50. At that time, it was understood that circumcision and Torah-observance was not required of Gentile converts (Acts 15). This interpretation was widely circulated, yet opponents clearly remained even years later.

Context Summary
Titus 1:10–16 explains the proper way to deal with false teachers. On the island of Crete, some men taught that circumcision was required for Christians, which caused entire families to fall apart in argument. Titus is commanded to counter these claims strongly—to “rebuke them sharply.” The purpose of this response was to lead people to correct doctrine.

Verse 11. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

Paul argues that the false teachers, referred to in verse 10, need to be “silenced.” This is not a call for violence, which would conflict with the qualifications for leaders given earlier (Titus 1:5–9). Instead, the emphasis is on stopping the spread of this false teaching within the house churches on Crete. Prior verses explained that Titus was to “rebuke” falsehood as a way of correcting it.

Paul also provides a compelling reason to oppose these pretenders: they are dividing families and taking advantage of people. These men were deceiving for financial gain, by spreading false teaching. These three problems were already addressed as character flaws which would disqualify someone becoming an elder (Titus 1:5–9). Paul refused to let such men serve in church leadership.

Verse 12 will explain that these false teachers were not foreigners. They were residents of Crete. These people of the “circumcision party” (Titus 1:10) were probably Jews who had converted to Christianity, or even pretended to convert. Then, they told Gentiles that it was necessary to follow Jewish Law in order to obey Christ. Paul clearly reminds Titus this is not the true “good news” of Jesus. Instead, the gospel was for Jews and Gentiles. Jesus came to complete the Law, not to make Gentile converts slaves to it.

Verse 12. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

In this verse, Paul quotes from a Cretan prophet. History tells us that these words come from Epimenides, a writer from the sixth century BC. This quote was likely widely known, both to Titus and others on Crete. Paul simply used these words to affirm a known fact. This is a common use of non-scriptural material being used to support a biblical point. Paul cited non-Christian writers in at least two other occasions. This includes Acts 17:28, when he referred to a writing perhaps also from Epimenides and Aratus’ poem “Phainomena.” Another is in 1 Corinthians 15:33, when Paul referenced the ancient writer Menander, quoting his comedy Thais.

Such quotations don’t imply in any sense that these ancient writings were part of Scripture or divine. They do prove Paul’s knowledge of Greco-Roman writings, which he used as common ground to communicate spiritual truth. Other New Testament writers sometimes used extra-biblical writings to support their statements. They did so without declaring them divine or part of Scripture. Another instance of this is Jude 1:9, which refers to the body of Moses, and a dispute between the archangel Michael and Satan.

Verse 13. This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

The claim to truth is a reference to verse 12, and Paul’s quote of Epimenides. This writer referred to Cretans as liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons. How was Titus to respond to people who acted in such ways? Paul commanded Titus to “rebuke” them. This word is from the Greek elegcho, which implies a sense of challenging, shaming, correcting, and exposing. The meaning is similar to “scold,” but with an emphasis on teaching more than punishing.

This command has to be understood in light of several points. First, the “rebuke” is targeted at Christians who hold false teachings. Paul is referring to believers, or those pretending to be believers, who are spreading false teachings.

Second, they are to be corrected “sharply.” The original Greek term can also mean “abruptly.” This is not a topic suitable for gentleness—it is a controversy with potential to greatly damage the church. Titus is to directly and clearly rebuke those who taught Gentile Christians they had to follow Mosaic law in order to truly serve God.

Third, the goal is to make others “sound in the faith.” Titus was not attempting to scare people away from the church. The purpose of the rebuke was to help them live according to God’s true, accurate, and healthy teachings for His people. This scolding has a positive intention, similar to Proverbs 28:23.

Verse 14. not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

The false teachers discussed in verses 10–16 were to be rebuked regarding two specific areas. Verse 14 specifies these issues. First is the error of reaching beyond the Mosaic law, and the teachings of the apostles. Jesus dealt with some of the extra traditions Jewish religious teachers had added to the Torah. For example, some had added special rules regarding hand washing (Matthew 15:20). Paul, in the same way, isn’t speaking against the Torah, but against inaccurate interpretations of it.

Second, Paul is concerned over instructions coming from those who had rejected the truth. Some had embraced the teachings of the false teachers and accepted their words as truth. Paul tells Titus to rebuke these people sharply (Titus 1:13), in order to stop this problem immediately. Christians were not to follow the commands of people who turn away from the truth. Instead, they were to follow the good news of Jesus, as taught in His word.

Verse 15. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

Following Paul’s commands against false teachers, he notes, “To the pure, all things are pure.” These words echo Paul’s thoughts elsewhere in his letters (1 Timothy 4:1–5). Purity was of great importance in the Torah, and strongly emphasized in worship of God. “Pure gold” was used in the construction of items in the tabernacle, for example, with those approaching God doing so only in a state of ritual purity.

In contrast, “to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.” Paul has the false teachers of Crete in mind here, spoken of throughout verses 10–16. At first read, this could possibly refer to both true believers—the defiled—and unbelievers. However, verse 16 seems to clearly indicate Paul had unbelievers in mind. In either case, those teaching false information about God are not pure. In fact, they are impure in both their mind, and their conscience—they are completely unclean. In the Jewish mindset, those who were unclean could not worship God. They had to be made clean (holy) before coming to God in worship. Paul emphasizes their true nature in the following verse.

Verse 16. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

These are Paul’s final words regarding Crete’s false teachers. He clearly does not consider these phony figures to be true believers in Christ. They claimed to know God, but their actions proved they were not genuine believers. Christians can never be entirely sure of what is happening in another person’s heart (1 Samuel 16:7). However, we can gauge others’ actions to see if they’re compatible with a redeemed life (1 John 1:6; James 2:26). In this case, Paul sees no reason to think these men are truly saved.

Paul states three additional characteristics of these false teachers: Calling these men “detestable” connected with the Jewish teaching of those who had not kept the Torah. For example, Jews who ate unclean food were called detestable (Leviticus 7:21), as were false gods and idols (2 Chronicles 15:8). These men claimed to obey God, yet Paul called them “disobedient.” They were ultimately hypocrites, teaching obedience while living in disobedience themselves. Third, as a result, they were “unfit for any good work.” These men stood in contrast with godly elders (Titus 1:5–9), who were to be above reproach and known for their good works.

End of Chapter 1.

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