1. Opening (Titus 1:1-4)
In this, the longest opening of any of the three Pastoral Epistles (which include, along with Titus, also 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy), Paul addresses Titus as his “loyal child in the faith.”
2. Exhortation to Appoint Church Leaders in Crete (Titus 1:5-9)
As Paul’s representative, Titus is to appoint elders (also translated as “presbyters”) in every town in Crete, and the qualifications of a bishop are delineated.
3. Oppose False Teachers and Their Teaching (Titus 1:10-16)
The ordering of the church is important to combat false teachers, whose teaching and conduct are described very briefly.
4. Exhortation to Foster a Christian Ethos (Titus 2:1-10)
Instructions are provided for the conduct of elderly men and women, young men (for whom Titus is to be a model), young women, and slaves.
5. Life under GraceGrace is the unmerited gift of God’s love and acceptance. In Martin Luther’s favorite expression from the Apostle Paul, we are saved by grace through faith, which means that God showers grace upon us even though we do not deserve it. More (Titus 2:11-3:11)
The letter speaks of the transforming power of grace, baptismal regeneration, and how believers should be devoted to good works.
6. Further Instructions to Titus (Titus 3:12-14)
PaulA Christian missionary who once persecuted the church More asks Titus to meet him at Nicopolis and gives him various other instructions.
7. Greeting and Benediction (Titus 3:15)
Paul sends greetings from others who are with him, along with a greeting of his own. The letter closes with a benediction.
