Titus 1

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, greets Titus, his "own son" in the faith, explaining that he left him in Crete to establish order and ordain elders in every city. Paul then details the essential qualifications for these leaders, emphasizing blamelessness, moral uprightness, and adherence to sound doctrine. He warns Titus about unruly deceivers, particularly those of the circumcision, and instructs him to sharply rebuke them to ensure the purity of the faith among the Cretans.

Paul, identifying himself as a servant of God and an apostle, begins his epistle to Titus by affirming the hope of eternal life promised by God. He explains that he appointed Titus in Crete to organize the churches and ordain qualified elders in each city. These elders, also called bishops, must be blameless, morally upright, temperate, just, holy, and capable of holding fast to sound doctrine. Paul stresses the importance of their ability to both exhort with sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. He then warns Titus about the presence of many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, especially among those of the circumcision, who subvert households for dishonest gain. Paul cites a Cretan prophet to describe the inherent character of the Cretians as liars and evil, instructing Titus to sharply rebuke them so they may become sound in the faith, rejecting Jewish fables and human commandments. He concludes by contrasting the pure, for whom all things are pure, with the defiled and unbelieving, whose minds and consciences are corrupted, and who deny God by their works despite their professions.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, opens his letter to Titus by establishing his authority, grounded in the faith of God's elect and the truth leading to godliness, all in the hope of eternal life promised by God. He conveys grace, mercy, and peace to Titus, whom he calls his "own son" in the common faith. Paul explains that he left Titus in Crete with the specific charge to "set in order the things that are wanting" and to ordain elders in every city, according to his prior instructions. He then provides a comprehensive list of qualifications for these prospective elders or bishops, emphasizing that they must be blameless, the husband of one wife, and have faithful children who are not accused of riot or unruliness. Furthermore, a bishop must be a faithful steward of God, free from self-will, quick temper, drunkenness, violence, or greed for dishonest gain. Instead, he should be hospitable, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, and temperate. Crucially, he must hold fast to the faithful word as he has been taught, enabling him to both exhort others with sound doctrine and effectively convince those who gainsay it. Paul then shifts to address the significant challenge posed by "many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers," particularly those from the circumcision party, who are actively subverting entire households by teaching improper doctrines for "filthy lucre's sake." To underscore the urgency, Paul quotes a prophet from Crete who described Cretians as "alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies," affirming this witness as true. Consequently, Paul instructs Titus to "rebuke them sharply" to ensure their soundness in the faith, urging them to avoid Jewish fables and human commandments that lead away from the truth. He concludes by drawing a stark contrast: "Unto the pure all things are pure," but for the defiled and unbelieving, "nothing is pure," as their very minds and consciences are corrupted. These individuals, despite professing to know God, deny Him through their abominable, disobedient, and reprobate works.