[Chapter
Synopsis: Establish the churches on Crete more firmly
by appointing elders and deal with those ungodly, disruptive teachers
on the island.]
v.1-4
Paul's Greeting to Titus
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul goes to some length to lay out his role
and calling, almost it seems as if to say to Titus, this is the
same for you.)
v.1-3
(Paul: servant &
apostle, to draw in God's elect and lead them into godliness through
the gospel) 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—
in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised
before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season
he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me
by the command of God our Savior,
v.4
(to son in the faith,
Titus) To Titus, my true son
in our common faith:
Grace
and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
v.5-9
Titus' Task of Appointing Elders
[Passage
Synopsis: Titus has to set up elders in each of the churches
on Crete – their requirements, positive, negatives and more positives.]
v.5
(Titus, appoint elders)
The reason I left you in Crete was
that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[
a
] elders
in every town, as I directed you.
v.6-8
(these are their character
requirements) An elder must
be blameless , faithful to his wife, a man whose
children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild
and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God's household, he
must be blameless— not overbearing, not quick-tempered,
not given to drunkenness, not violent, not
pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable
, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright,
holy and disciplined .
v.9
(one who holds to the
truth taught by us, to encourage the saints, oppose the unbelievers)
He must hold firmly to the trustworthy
message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others
by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
v.10-16
Titus' Role in Rebuking the Rebellious Unrighteous
[Passage
Synopsis: Paul
addresses the problem of ungodly and unrighteous disrupting false
teachers who Titus will have to oppose.]
v.10
(be aware of ‘the opposition')
For there are many rebellious people,
full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the
circumcision group.
v.11
(silence their disturbing
false teaching) They must be
silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching
things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest
gain.
v.12
(the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
condemned such people) One of Crete's
own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes,
lazy gluttons.”
v.13
(he was right, so rebuke
them) This saying is true. Therefore
rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and
will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands
of those who reject the truth.
v.15
(the pure bring purity,
the corrupt bring corruption) To
the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted
and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds
and consciences are corrupted.
v.16
(what they say about
themselves is untrue) They claim
to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable,
disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
FRAMEWORKS:
Titus
2
v.1-11
Titus' Role in Teaching different groups
v.12-15
The Purpose of the Outworking of the Gospel to be taught
[Chapter
Synopsis: Recognise the needs of the various groups within
the congregations and teach them accordingly, particularly emphasizing
the new lives we are now to live.]
v.1-11
Titus' Role in Teaching different groups
[Passage
Synopsis: When it comes to teaching, recognise different
groups have different needs so apply the teaching accordingly.]
v.1
(in contrast, Titus is
to teach sound doctrine) You,
however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
v.2
(reaching out to the
older men in the churches…) Teach
the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect,
self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
v.3
( … and to the older
women..) Likewise, teach
the older women to be reverent in the way they live,
not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what
is good.
v.4,5
(…
who will then teach the younger women) Then
they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind,
and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign
the word of God.
v.6
(encourage the young
men believers) Similarly, encourage
the young men to be self-controlled.
v.7,8
(and in everything be
a good example, especially in your teaching) In
everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your
teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that
cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed
because they have nothing bad to say about us.
v.9,10
(don't forget those who
are slaves who are believers) Teach
slave s to be subject to their masters in everything, to try
to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from
them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every
way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
v.11
(for God's grace is available
for all ) For the grace of God
has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
v.12-15
The Purpose of the Outworking of the Gospel to be taught
[Passage
Synopsis: The basis of all Titus' teaching is the recognition
that the grace and Spirit of God is working to create holy and
righteous lives, from now until Christ comes again.]
v.12-14
(God's grace rejects
ungodliness & self-centred passions, and seeks to develop
Christlike characteristics, until he comes again) It
teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present
age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for
us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself
a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
v.15
(this is to be the basis
of your teaching) These, then,
are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all
authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
FRAMEWORKS:
Titus
3
v.1-11
Lives transformed by the Work of Christ
v.12-15
Final Remarks
[Chapter
Synopsis: Include in your teaching right attitudes to
rulers & authorities but also paint the big picture of the
sort of lives we are now to live that contrast with what we once
were. Finally some administrative guidance for the travelling
apostles.]
v.1-11
Lives transformed by the Work of Christ
[Passage
Synopsis: teaching on right attitudes towards authorities,
remembering what we used to be like, but contrasting that with
what we are now called to be.]
v.1,2
(teach respect and obedience
to authorities, revealing goodness, truth, peace and gentleness)
Remind the people to be subject to
rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever
is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and
always to be gentle toward everyone.
v.3
(yes, remember what we
were once like) At one time
we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all
kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy,
being hated and hating one another.
v.4-7
(but also that that has
now in the past since we have been saved and renewed to a new
life) But when the kindness
and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because
of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He
saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ
our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might
become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
v.8
(hold those basic truths
and teach them clearly so all the believers may apply them)
This is a trustworthy saying. And
I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted
in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
v.9
(avoiding disputes over
the truth) But avoid foolish
controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about
the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
v.10
(carefully deal with
divisive people) Warn a divisive
person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have
nothing to do with them.
v.11
(they condemn themselves)
You may be sure that such people
are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.
v.12-15
Final Remarks
[Passage
Synopsis: His final
remarks indicate the amount of movement that went on among the
apostles, as the Spirit led them and as needs required.]
v.12
(after I've sent reinforcements
there, seek to come to me) As
soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come
to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
v.13
(help and prepare the
two who have to move on) Do
everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their
way and see that they have everything they need.
v.14
(help our people clearly
see who they ought to be) Our
people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good,
in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive
lives.
v.15
(greetings from all here,
greet those with you we know and love) Everyone
with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.
Grace
be with you all.
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