Episode 7 "Titus 1"
Titus 1.1-2.1
The Need for and the Qualifications of Elders
Titus is not mentioned much in the NT. He was (Ga 2.3) a gentile from Antioch who Paul led to the Lord several years after Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. IN the first four verse of Titus 1, Paul gives a greeting to Titus whom he had left to pastor in Crete (an island south of Greece about the size of Cuba and in about the same proximity to Greece as Cuba is to the US).
Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders throughout the island and reiterates what he told Timothy the qualifications for an elder.
One of the overriding principles of the letter is “good doctrine begets good behavior”. Paul always was emphasizing the need to bring about good behavior and to teach the correct things that would lead to good behavior. This was essential in Crete as it was the 1st century equivalent of Las Vegas.
Notice in verse 4 Paul calls Titus, as he did with Timothy, his son. Titus was obviously very important to Paul. Along with Timothy they were his “children in the faith”.
Titus 1.1-4 This salutation stands out among Paul other greetings in other letters in that he shares his unique place in the plan of God and then five very important doctrinal truth to Titus. Paul’s position was unique:
Paul called himself a “doulos” – a slave of God, meaning he had no rights other than those granted by the Lord to him.
Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Christ – meaning he received this message straight from God and was not speaking on his own behalf.
He them shares five key doctrinal truths:
The faith of the elect and the knowledge of the truth (Jesus) produces life change (godliness).
This faith and knowledge brings the hope of eternal life (see Titus 2.13)
He is certain of this because this message comes from God, who unlike the Cretans (see 1.10), cannot lie!
This is not a new truth but is the truth promised long ago (see 2Tim 3.16)
Finally (the BUT) at the appointed time God manifested His Word (Christ) and His gospel (the proclamation) to be entrusted by men like Titus and Paul.
He sums up the salutation as he typically does by asking God’s grace and peace upon Titus. In virtually every epistle Paul remains concerned about false t4aching and this is not an exception. Paul is concerned about false teaching especially from the Cretan Jews and understands the immensity of the challenge he is setting before Titus.
Titus 1.5 – The reason Paul wrote to Titus was to:
Set things in order (set: like in setting a broken bone)
Appoint ministry leaders (elders). Note he is to appoint men to ministry. The church is not a democracy. Leaders are not voted in, they are called by God and appointed by the other leaders.
Titus 1.6 – Qualifications of an elder begin with five character traits:
Unaccusable (anegkletos – legal word meaning not chargeable with an offense)
Husband of one wife (single men could serve but if married, married to one person)
Having children who believe.
Good steward with money – Not a person who squanders money.
Subject to authority – Not a rebellious.
These initial traits all deal with stewardship and as he says in other place a steward is to be above reproach. He then lays out five traits elders should not have followed by six traits that they should have:
Titus 1.7 – Five things elders should not be:
Me authados – Not arrogant. In Greek “auth” means self and “hados” means hades or hell.
Me orgelos – Not an angry person. Anger is fine, being an angry person is not.
Me paraoinos – Not a partner with wine. “para” to come along side. Wine is fine, but making it an important part of your life is not. This is different from drunkardness. You do not have to get drunk to be paraoinos.
Me plaktas –Not a pugnacious person. Greek to “flatten”.
Me aischrokerdes – Not in it for the money – from “aischro” a suffix meaning filthy or soiled and “kerdos” meaning profit.
Titus 1.8 – Six positive traits:
Philoxenos – Friend of strangers – Philo friend and oxenos means strangers
Philagathos – Friend of good – agathos means good
Sophron – means calm (good decision maker)
Dikaios – Righteous (again he is concerned with proper behavior)
Hosios – Holy, meaning the things of God are essential part of his life
Egkrates – Self-controlled
Titus 1.9 After he lays out 16 character traits he finally talks about the ability to teach and communicate the message. The ability to communicate the message is essential to eldership but if a man can teach but is a failure in these other areas, character trumps teaching ability. But as teaching he is looking for men who:
Believe the Word. Hold fast to “pistos logos” – Hold fast is like gripping a rock in climbing.
Teachable. They submit to teaching and do not just make stuff up.
Empowered by sound doctrine – the word usually translated “able” is “dunatos” (power). The word “sound” is “hygiano” meaning hygienic.
Exhort (literally to call out) and refute false teachers.
20 Traits of an Elder
Above Reproach
Husband of one wife
Good father, with children who believe.
Good steward of money
Subject to authority
Not arrogant
Not an angry person
Not a person who drinks wine (alcohol) all the time
Not pugnacious
Not in it for the money
Friend of strangers
Friend of good
Calm demeanor
Righteous
Holy
Self-controlled
Believes the Word
Teachable
Empowered by sound doctrine
Able to exhort and refute false teachers
Why do we men like this?
Titus 1.10 – There are many who are “anupotaktos” – not subject to authority – basically same word as trait five except in the negative and “matalogos” the opposite of “pistos logos” meaning they do not believe the Word. He then tells him his chief adversaries are “of the circumcision”
Titus was not circumcised (he was a gentile) and Paul, unlike Timothy who was half Jewish, did not require him to get circumcised.
Ga 2.1-16 Paul tells of his experience with the Council of Jerusalem that wanted all gentile believers to be circumcised. Paul said this was false teaching. Circumcision is a covenant between God and the Jew and has nothing to do with faith in Messiah.
Titus 1.11 – But he goes on and says these people MUST be silenced because their teaching is matalogos and they are in it for their own gain.
Titus 1.12-14 – Then he makes a statement borrowing from a Cretan poet who wrote, “Cretans are liars, evil, lazy and gluttons” and Paul says that the statement is true! So be ready to reprove these false teachers (the last trait of an elder) to bring them to hygiano (sound) faith, rather than these Jewish myths that are contrary to the gospel.
Titus 1.15-2.1 – Doctrinal Statement to Titus
To the pure (katharos from which we get catheter) and things are pure.
To those who are “meino” (stained) and “apistos” (without belief), nothing is “katharos” (pure).
But both their mind and their conscience is “meino”
They profess to know God but the things they do (again it comes back to behavior) deny Him being “bdelyktos” (stinky), disobedient, and as to good works, they are counterfeit.
But as for you, speak only what id “hygiano” sound teaching.
