Titus 1:1-9 (NKJV) Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;
4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Qualified Elders
5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— 6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
(Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary (7 Vols.))
OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE TO TITUS
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- THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY
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- SALUTATION (1:1-4).
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- The Character of a Bishop (1:5-10).
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- Those Who Need Reproof (1:11-16).
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- Training the Church To Be Zealous of Good Works (2).
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- The Christian Motive (3:1-11).
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- Personal Matters (3:12-14).
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- CONCLUSION (3:15)
V1 “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness…” The Greek word for “bondservant” is (G1401) δοῦλος doulos, which means paid or unpaid servant or slave, depending on the context. A slave had no rights or protections; he was no more than an animal. A servant has few rights and might be paid. Some verses illustrate this: slave as in John 8:34, Romans 6:16-20, and 2 Peter 2:19; servant as in Matthew 18:23 (all the king’s subjects are servants in this sense), Matthew 20:27, Matthew 25:21, and 1 Corinthians 7:22, and Revelation 22:3. Faith of God’s elect = the beliefs of believers as taught by the Lord Jesus and His Apostles. The Greek word “acknowledgement” is (G1922) ἐπίγνωσις epígnōsis, which means precise, correct knowledge and also recognition. Here, it would refer to precise, correct knowledge because Paul has this knowledge as an Apostle most of which he taught to new believers. Paul did have some knowledge that others did not (2 Corinthians 12:4) also John in Revelation 10:4. God’s truth when believed and lived is the truth which is best for society and the world. The truth itself is godly. See John 14:6, John 15:26, and John 17:17 (truth sanctifies).
V2 “…in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” Faith is believing God and hope is not wishful thinking but expectation for something promised. Examples would be 1) faith–Matthew 17:18-20 (note contrast between the words faith and unbelief) and 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (belief), 2) hope–Acts 2:26 (understood as expectation) and Romans 4:18 (seeing both the expectation (hope) and belief (faith), and both words together as in Romans Romans 5;2 and 1 Corinthians 13:13. In Greek there are 3 main words for life: 1) (G979) βίος bíos, which is life as chemical reactions (biological life), so physical life, period of living, and even wealth, 2) (G2222) ζωή zōḗ which means existence as in the soul was breathed into Adam (Genesis 2:7 in LXX), and 3) (G5590) ψυχή psuchḗ which means life as in the soul (the real person and the seat of emotions (Matthew 26:38), etc) and translated as soul and heart. The Greek word for “spirit” (not used in this passage) is (G4151) πνεῦμα pneúma, which means breath as the principle of life. Most understand it as the part of humans that exist without the body and is used on the Holy Spirit). Death is separation of body and spirit and life is the uniting of them. Eternal life is a never ending life with God, the holy angels, and all believing humans. The opposite of eternal life is the second death which is eternal torment, suffering, darkness, hopelessness, etc.
God cannot lie. This doesn’t mean that God could lie if He wanted to. This does mean that it is impossible for Him to lie. There are some things God cannot do; one of which is lie.
God’s promises, which are all given via prophecy, are always true, for God cannot lie. Some things that are promised: 1) Israel (a people group of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and a country as in Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 15:18-21, Psalm 105:10, and Jeremiah 32:37-40), 2) eternal life for those who believe (John 3:16), 3) believers to never be abandoned by God (Hebrews 13:5), 4) Jesus coming for the church (believers as in John 14:1-2), 5) Jesus coming to rule for 1,000 years in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19:11-20:6), and many, many more. God promised all this before He began creation. We have a living hope of eternal life. We are expecting this as He promised.
V3 “…but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior…” Humans did not understand these truths until Jesus came to earth as the Passover Lamb (John 1:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus taught the people and the Apostles. Jesus’s birth was at the perfect time (Romans 5:6 and Galatians 4:4). Jesus preached to all the people in Israel who wanted to hear Him. This same preaching task was given to the Apostles specifically and even to all believers today. The Lord Jesus commissioned Paul (Acts 9:15 and Acts 22:14-15).
V4 “…To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.” Paul’s usual greeting of blessings to those to whom he writes. Grace (blessings not deserved), mercy (punishments not applied), and peace (tranquility with God and in ourselves). The Godhead (Trinity) are all together in these blessings.
V5 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you…” Paul’s purpose for leaving Titus in Crete and the tasks commissioned to him.
V6 “…if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.” Blameless = sins but prays for forgiveness. Jesus was and is sinless. Husband of one wife = one wife at a time. This does not mean a pastor must be married. Having faithful children. Some translations have believing children. The Greek word for “faithful” is (G4103) πιστός pistós, which means faithful, trusting (and in this sense it probably carries the idea of believing)). Personally, I thinking believing is incorrect because 1) children under the age of accountability are not believers, 2) some of the age of accountability do believe in their late teens, etc., 3) in the early church and even today, a otherwise qualified man who became a Christian in his 30s or 40s, might not have children who believe or will believe, and 4) to expect a family with 10 children or whatever to all be Christians seems a little overboard. Many commentators disagree with me. It would strange to accept that all pastors must be married in the same way. Nevertheless, the children at home must be trustworthy, responsible, acceptable in behavior by outsiders.
Comments from others:
I’m not a fan of John Gill, nevertheless, in his commentary on this verse he writes: “…having faithful children; legitimate ones, born in lawful wedlock, in the same sense as such are called godly and holy, in Mal 2:15 1Co 7:14 for by faithful children cannot be meant converted ones, or true believers in Christ; for it is not in the power of men to make their children such; and their not being so can never be an objection to their being elders, if otherwise qualified; at most the phrase can only intend, that they should be brought up in the faith, in the principles, doctrines, and ways of Christianity, or in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
The Expositor’s Greek Testament writes: “There it is the father’s power to keep order in his own house that is emphasised; here the submission of the children to discipline and restraint.”
Constable writes: “One view understands Paul to be limiting membership in the office to those whose family members all believe; pista can certainly bear this meaning. [Note: Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 2:261; and J. Vernon McGee, Through the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, 5:486, held this view.] Another view is that the term means, more generally, ’faithful’ or ’trustworthy’ (Tit 1:9; Tit 3:8; 1Ti 3:11; compare 1Ti 1:15; 1Ti 3:1), which quality is then delineated in the phrase that follows. While the first view is possible, it seems to place more stringent requirements on the elder than does 1Ti 3:4. Moreover, in view of this parallel, Paul probably means that the elder’s children are to be faithful in obeying the head of the house. In fact, the rest of the verse contrasts ’faithful’ with the charge of being wild and disobedient, which suggests a more general kind of faithfulness.” [Note: Towner, 1-2 Timothy . . ., p. 255.]”
The Greek word for “dissipation” is (G810) ἀσωτία asōtía, which means a life without any control of fleshly desires. Compare the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-14. The Greek word for “insubordination” is (G506) ἀνυπότακτος anupótaktos, which means disorderly, disobedient to authorities, etc.
V7 “For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money…” Here is an emphasis of blameless character. He is a steward of God. The Greek word “steward” is (G3622) οἰκονομία oikonomía, which means the administering of an organization providing accountability to the owner. In this passage, the Lord Jesus is the head of the church to whom all believers must be accountable, especially pastors. The pastor must not be self-willed. One who is self-willed has the attitude of my way or the highway. It is a characteristic of abusive pastors. Not quick tempered has the idea of listening to someone and trying to understand completely rather than hearing a few words and having outbursts of angry words. They can drink wine but not addicted or drunk (it destroys judgment and discernment). Not violent, that is, does not abuse in any way–verbally, physically, attacking in church meetings, etc. Money must not be their motivation.
V8 “…but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled…” Being hospital to believers if able. It would especially apply to the early church traveling evangelists. Compare 3 John 1:9-11. A lover of good, as God defines it. Sober-minded is the Greek word (G4998) σώφρων sṓphrōn, which means thinking and speaking in a controlled way that makes sense instead of speaking far out gibberish. Compare Mark 5:15 where the demoniac after being healed was in his “right mind.” In Acts 26:25, Paul was accused of being insane, but Paul corrects Festus. Just means not partial, biased, racist, misogynist, etc. Self-controlled in difficult circumstances, that is, he does not panic.
V9 “holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” After having been taught correctly, the pastor/teacher remains true to Biblical teaching in it plain, normal sense. To answer questions and challenges, we need to have knowledge of the Bible, God’s worldview, lifestyle, rules, character traits, Christology, and many other topics to be able to give a reasonable argument and answer.