Revised by Mary Hinkle Shore, 8/23
SUMMARY
The ApostleDerived from a Greek word meaning “one who is sent,” an apostle is a person who embraces and advocates another person’s idea or beliefs. At the beginning of his ministry Jesus called twelve apostles to follow and serve him. Paul became an apostle of Jesus… More PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities. More addresses Titus as his “loyal child” in the faith that they share. While Paul is in an undisclosed location, he will be on his way to Nicopolis in Epirus (western Greece), and Titus is on the island of Crete. Matters of the ordering of the church in Crete are taken up, and much of the letter is concerned about the creationCreation, in biblical terms, is the universe as we know or perceive it. Genesis says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In the book of Revelation (which speaks of end times) the author declares that God created all things and… More of a Christian ethos, living a 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, and baptismal regeneration.
SO WHAT?
Passages in the Letter to Titus have an enduring importance in the liturgical life of the church. The most important are those concerning the qualities of a bishop and baptismal regeneration.
WHERE DO I FIND IT?
The Letter to Titus is the 17th book in the New Testament. Clustered with 1 TimothyThe companion on Paul’s later journeys for whom two pastoral epistles are named. More and 2 Timothy (the other two “Pastoral EpistlesThe Pastoral Epistles are the New Testament letters of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. They are described as pastoral because they are addressed to individual persons rather than churches; they deal with matters of leadership and church governance. More”), it stands near the end of the “Pauline corpusThe Pauline corpus is the body of New Testament letters known to have been written by the apostle Paul. The seven epistles generally accepted as being by Paul are 1 Thessalonians, Philippians, Philemon, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and Romans. The authorship of the remaining… More,” the collection of letters attributed to the Apostle Paul (the books of Romans through Philemon).
WHO WROTE IT?
According to the letter itself, it was written by the Apostle Paul to Titus on Crete, from which Paul has left. Yet, this letter is generally regarded as having been written after the death of Paul by an anonymous writer who sought to extend Paul’s authority and voice in a post-Pauline situation.
WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?
The Letter to Titus is widely considered to be written after the death of the Apostle Paul, which probably occurred in the early 60s. Since the letter has terminology that is found generally in certain Christian writings of the second century, it is considered to have been written late in the first century or even early in the second.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
The Letter to Titus emphasizes the Christian community’s ability to be a force for good in society and expresses concerns about leadership in the early church. It assumes that good order, good teaching, good people, and good conduct will assist the spread of the gospel as non-Christians consider how orderly and generous the households of Christians are.
HOW DO I READ IT?
Read the letter as one written to speak in Paul’s name and voice in a situation that a later author faced. In order to do this letter justice, one should read it (as well as the other Pastoral Epistles) in light of the seven undisputed letters of Paul, where one finds emphases and teachings that are distinct from those in 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus.
