Revised by Mary Hinkle Shore, 8/23
Good Works
In its three chapters, the letter to Titus mentions good works seven times.
- Opponents of Titus are so base as to be “unfit for any good work” (1:16).
- Titus himself is to be “a model of good works” (2:7).
- The community Jesus forms is “zealous for good deeds” (2:14).
- Believers are to be good citizens, living with gentleness and courtesy, and “ready for every good work” (3:1).
- God offered salvationSalvation can mean saved from something (deliverance) or for something (redemption). Paul preached that salvation comes through the death of Christ on the cross which redeemed sinners from death and for a grace-filled life. solely according to God’s mercyMercy is a term used to describe leniency or compassion. God’s mercy is frequently referred to or invoked in both the Old and New Testaments. and “not because of any works of righteousness” (3:5).
- Titus is to insist on certain behaviors related to householdA household is a living unit comprised of all the persons who live in one house. A household would embrace all the members of a family, including servants and slaves. In the book of Acts, stories are told of various persons and their households, like… structure “so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works” (3:8).
- People should learn to “devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs” (3:14).
Salvation is God’s gift alone and good works are at the center of life in the Christian movement. The household structure exists to multiply them. Outsiders will see the kindness and generosity with which Christians live and think well of the Christian community. Moreover, certain needs are urgent; Christians can serve the neighbor by being ready to help in times of crisis.
Christ
Four major christological titles appear in the 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.: “Christ,” “Lord,” “Savior,” and “Mediator.” The title “Son of God,” used often in the seven undisputed letters of PaulThe Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was the author of several New Testament letters and the founder of many Christian communities., does not appear. There is an implicit affirmation of Christ’s preexistence and incarnationIncarnation literally means “embodied in flesh.” It is a Christian doctrine, based on the witness in John’s Gospel, that God’s Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds confess the central importance of the incarnation of Jesus. (Titus 2:11; see also 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:9-10); his true humanity is maintained (see 1 Timothy 2:5; 6:13; 2 Timothy 2:8); and his death is acknowledged (Titus 2:14; see also 1 Timothy 2:6; 2 Timothy 2:11). He has been exalted to heaven and reigns in the present era (see 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:10; 2:12). Finally, he will appear at the end of time (see 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:8), when he will judge both the living and the dead (see 2 Timothy 1:18; 4:1, 8).
Life in the World
Like 1 Timothy, the Letter to Titus looks out upon the world as the place in which the Christian is at home. In this letter there is a stress on having compassion for those in need (3:2, 8, 14) and extending courtesy toward all people (3:2), not just Christians.
At the same time, the letter to Titus is clear that something greater is yet to come. Lives that are “self-controlled, upright, and godly” (2:12) represent an interim ethic “while we wait” for the ultimate revealing of Jesus Christ. Hope sustains the believer in this time between the 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. of God having appeared in Christ (2:11) and a fuller intimacy with Christ to come (2:13).
Baptismal Regeneration
At 3:5 the writer speaks of baptismal regeneration in one of the most eloquent passages on baptismJesus was baptized (literally, “dipped”) in the Jordan River by John the Baptizer, at which time he was acclaimed from heaven as God’s Son, the Beloved. Much later baptism became one of the sacraments of the Church, the action by which a person is incorporated… in the New Testament. He speaks of baptism as a “washing” (in the translations of the KJV, RSV, and NIV, reflecting the Greek word loutron most accurately; but the NRSV has “water”)–a “[washing] of rebirth and renewal by the HolyHoly is a term that originally meant set apart for the worship or service of God. While the term may refer to people, objects, time, or places, holiness in Judaism and Christianity primarily denotes the realm of the divine Spirit.”
