Kress Biblical Resources :: Introductory Matters

Introductory Matters of Titus

The Gospel of Grace Calls Us to Adorn the Doctrine of God as Savior

1. The author
   1. The human author (Tit 1:1-3)¹
      1. His name (Tit 1:1a)
      2. His calling (Tit 1:1b-3)
         1. A slave of God (Tit 1:1b)
         2. A sent one [Apostle] of Jesus Christ (Tit 1:1c)
         3. A saving message to proclaim (Tit 1:1d-3)
            1. For the faith of God’s elect/chosen (Tit 1:1d)
            2. For the knowledge of the truth, which is connected to godliness (Tit 1:1e)
            3. Based on the hope/expectation/anticipation of eternal life (Tit 1:2a)
            4. Promised by the God who cannot lie (Tit 1:2b)
            5. Promised before time began (Tit 1:2c)
            6. Proclaimed by Paul at the proper time in history, who was entrusted with it by God our Savior (Tit 1:3)
   2. The divine Author (2Ti 3:16-17; 2Pe 1:12-21; 2Pe 3:15-16; cf. Col 4:16; 1Th 2:13; 1Th 5:27; 2Th 3:1-4; 1Ti 5:18 in which Paul quotes Luke alongside Deu 25:4 and calls them “Scripture”)
2. The audience (Tit 1:4a; Tit 2:5, 12-13, 15; Tit 3:15c)
   1. The original recipients²
      1. Titus (Tit 1:4a)
         1. The filial relationship he had with Paul spiritually
         2. The faith that he held in common with Paul
      2. The church in Crete (Tit 2:5, 12-13, 15; Tit 3:15c)
         1. The culture they lived in (Tit 1:10-13)
         2. The kinds of people that made up the church (Tit 2:2-9; Tit 3:1-3)
   2. The current recipients (cf. 2Pe 3:15-16)
3. The aim
   1. To give Titus further instruction on how to “set in order” leadership and relationships within the churches in Crete (Tit 1:5ff)
   2. To ask Titus to meet Paul in Nicopolis once Artemas or Tychicus arrives in Crete (Tit 3:12)
   3. To ask Titus to diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos with provisions for their ministry travels (Tit 3:13)
   4. To strengthen and encourage Titus, especially in the ministry of countering false teaching (Tit 1:4, 10-11; Tit 2:1, 15; Tit 3:9-11, 15)
   5. To emphasize that the gospel of God’s grace should result in godly living, so that God’s glory as Savior is clearly manifest (Tit 1:10, 16; Tit 2:5c, 8, 10, 11-14; Tit 3:1-7, 8, 14)
   6. Summary theme: Adorning the doctrine of God as Savior (cf. Tit 2:10b-14)

¹For a biblical biography of the Apostle Paul see Act 7:58; Act 8:1; Act 9:1-30; Act 11:25-30; Act 12:25-28:31; 1Co 15:30-32; 2Co 6:4-5; 2Co 11:23-30; Gal 1:13-2:16; Phl 3:4-14; 2Th 3:8.

²For a biblical biography of Titus see 2Co 2:13; 2Co 7:6, 13-14; 2Co 8:6, 16, 23; 2Co 12:18; Gal 2:1-3.